For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Nassau, Bahamas Travel Guide has been your connection to Nassau's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
Attractions
It’s true that beaches are a big attraction in the Bahamas. But something that won’t be found on the shores is the rich history and culture of each island and its people. Trek inland. Stroll through towns. Find the attractions that tell the story.
The Festival Place, located on Prince George Wharf, was designed by award-winning Bahamian architect, Jackson Burnside. Its vibrant, colorful design reflects the architectural style of a Bahamian village and evokes a time when Bahamian artisans and crafts persons practiced their art and trade in small island communities.
The Welcome Center provides a truly Bahamian experience and the opportunity for visitors to purchase quality, authentic Bahamian-made souvenirs and craft items. More than 40 artisans and trade persons provide authentic Bahamian-made gifts and souvenirs, Bahamian entertainment, food and desserts. You can sip a cup of Bahamian-blended tea while you wait for the finishing touches to be placed on a special straw bag, a quilt, or a painting by a Bahamian artist. You can munch on Bahamian sweets and treats, like coconut and pineapple tarts, as you stroll through walkways and lanes named after magical and inviting towns in the islands: Settlers Way, Andros Avenue, Queens Highway and Barratarre Way.
Services available at Festival Place include: a tour desk providing general information on The Islands of The Bahamas and information on attractions, land and water-based tours; a full-service Post Office for regular and registered mail, high speed delivery and the sale of Bahamian stamps; a communications center, offering pay phones, phone cards, Internet kiosks/WiFi , operator service, fax service and telegrams; transportation information for scooter rental, taxi and ferry boat operations; hair braiding and beauty services. Visitors can join in and dance to the live Bahamian music in the indoor square on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The Queen's Staircase is probably the most famous architectural sight in Nassau. The Queen's Staircase is a flight of 66 steps that links Fort Fincastle to the Princess Margaret Hospital. What makes it remarkable is that the staircase was not built, but carved out of calcareos (coral-based) sandstone at the end of the 18th century.
