Are you looking for things to do in the Bahamas with kids? Looking for family friendly day trip excursion in the Bahamas? Or are you on a cruise ship and you are looking for family friendly activities to do with kids in Nassau? Here are 8 things to do with kids in the Bahamas.
8 Things to Do with Kids in the Bahamas
1. Horseback Riding on the Beach in the Bahamas
Spend a day away from your Bahamas resort by taking the kids horseback riding on the beach. Join a horseback riding tour and go on a guided trail ride on a beautiful white sand beach in the Bahamas. You can opt to do a private trail ride or join a group trail ride on the beach. The tour operator will pick you up from your hotel or cruise ship and take you to the stables.
Where to Book: Bahamas Horseback Riding on the Beach
Happy Trail Stables does 90 minute trail rides on the beach at Coral Harbour, which is 25 minutes from downtown Nassau. If you are coming in on a cruise ship, you will be docked in downtown Nassau and a representative from Happy Trail Stables will pick you up from your cruise ship.
2. Swim with Dolphins, Sea Lions and Sharks
Swim with dolphins, sea lions, and sharks with your children. There are several dolphin encounter programs in the Bahamas. You can hug a dolphin in waist-deep water or swim with dolphins in their natural deep-water habitat; either way, the experience will be unforgettable.
If you’re looking for another shallow water encounter, a sea lion encounter is also an option. Interacting with the playful sea lions is always a lot of fun.
Swim with sharks if you’re looking for adventure! Don’t be alarmed; nurse sharks are harmless! Alternatively, you can book a program where you swim with the more aggressive sharks!
Where to Book: Bahamas Swim with Dolphins, Sea Lions and Sharks
Blue Lagoon Island is a company that offers dolphin, sea lion and shark encounters. They are located on Salt Cay or Blue Lagoon Island, an island just 3 miles from Nassau.
After your animal encounter, stick around for a beach day at Blue Lagoon Island. Your kids will love the inflatable aqua park.
Hotel pickups are not included in the animal encounter packages but you can easily take a taxi to the Blue Lagoon Island ferry dock. If you are with a cruise ship, you can book your experience directly with your cruise line or book it individually and take a taxi to the Blue Lagoon ferry dock.
UNEXSO is another company that offers dolphin and shark encounters. Founded by Jacques Cousteau, UNEXSO offer a wide range of dolphin encounters from swimming with dolphins to being an assistant dolphin trainer for the day. There are also a variety of shark encounters from diving with sharks to watching divers hand feed sharks from the window of a glass bottom boat.
UNEXSO is located in Freeport at Grand Bahama Island. If your hotel is near Nassau or you are coming in on a cruise ship, Freeport is too far. It’s best to go to Blue Lagoon Island for your animal encounters.
3. SNUBA Diving with Kids
Take the kids SNUBA diving. Yep, it’s not a misspelling- it’s SNUBA not SCUBA. SNUBA is combination of both snorkeling and SCUBA diving allowing you to swim underwater without the need for SCUBA certification. SNUBA is great for kids because you don’t even need any snorkeling experience to be able to go SNUBA diving.
Where to Book: Bahamas SNUBA Diving
Stuart Cove’s is a local tour operator that will take you SNUBA diving. You will be able to SNUBA in a shallow reef or wreck with a certified instructor. Hotel pick up and drop off is part of the package.
4. Learn about the Real Pirates of the Caribbean in Nassau
Take the kids to a pirate museum. Pirates of Nassau is an interactive museum dedicated to the real pirates of the Caribbean such as the notorious Black Beard. Embark on a pirate ship. Examine the Dioramas. It’s a fun and entertaining visit to learn about the real pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates of Nassau is more suitable for older children and may be a little scary for little kids.
Since you are steps away from the shops and restaurants of downtown Nassau, after your pirate museum visit, go shopping or grab a bite on Bay street.
Pirates of Nassau is located on King and George Street, in downtown Nassau just a block from Bay Street. If you are staying in a hotel in Nassau or Paradise Island, you can easily take a taxi to the Pirates of Nassau. If you are coming in on a cruise ship, you can walk to the museum.
5. Go on a Horse Drawn Carriage Ride in Nassau
Take a surrey or horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Nassau. Head over to Prince George Wharf, where you’ll find all the horses waiting to take you on a surrey ride. Choose your favorite surrey horse and spend 20-25 minutes riding through downtown Nassau while learning about the island’s rich history.
You can take a taxi to Prince George Wharf in downtown Nassau if you are staying in a hotel on Nassau or Paradise Island. If you arrive by cruise ship, you will be docked at Prince George Wharf, you won’t miss the surrey horses.
6. Visit Flamingos at the Zoo in Nassau
Visit a zoo in the Bahamas with your kids. Ardastra Gardens, Zoo, and Conservation Center is a Nassau zoo with native Bahamian animals and tropical birds.
Rock iguanas, Bahamian boa constrictors, rare birds and parrots can all be found at the 5-acre zoo. Don’t miss the flamingo parade, where your kids will be able to walk among pink flamingos after the parade!
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Center is located in Nassau on Chippingham Road.
7. Spend the Day at the the Water Park in Atlantis
Head over to Atlantis to spend a day at the famous Atlantis water park (Aquaventure). For the daring, go on The Abyss, a 200-foot water slide that drops you 50-feet into a lagoon. Or if you want something less intense, go on a mile long rapid river ride.
For the little ones, kids can spray water cannons and go down mini-slides at the Mayan themed water playground. Then head to the white sand beach, lounge by the pool and grab a bite to eat.
Don’t forget to check out the aquatic animals at Atlantis- they have an impressive collection of more than 50,000 aquatic animals including stingrays, sharks, turtles and more. In fact, Atlantis has the largest open air marine habitat in the world!
You will need to buy an Atlantis day pass for the day. They are not inexpensive but so worth the experience! Atlantis is located in Paradise Island just a few minutes from downtown Nassau.
8. Visit the Swimming Pigs
Take the kids swimming with the world famous swimming pigs of the Bahamas. Bring food scraps so you can feed the pigs. Get your camera ready when you’re carrying the baby piglets!
There are several islands in the Bahamas for swimming with pigs. Depending on where your hotel is, you may want to go to a closer island to swim with pigs. However, if you want to see the original famous swimming pigs, you will have to take a 2 boat ride from Nassau to Big Major Cay or Pig Beach (Exuma).
Where to Book: Bahamas Swimming with Pigs Tour
You can book a tour with Harbour Safaris or Exuma Escapes to see the world famous swimming pigs at Pig Beach (Exuma). Harbour Safaris can also take you to see the Eleuthera swimming pigs. To see the Abaco swimming pigs, you can book your tour with Brendal Dive Center.
If you are staying in Nassau, Paradise Island or coming in on a cruise ship, the swimming pigs at Rose Island is the closest to Nassau. Book your Rose Island swimming with pigs experience with Sandy Toes.
Check out our Complete Guide to Swimming with Pigs in the Bahamas
Family Friendly Hotels and Resorts in the Bahamas
Below is a list of family friendly hotels and resorts in the Bahamas.
Family Friendly Nassau Hotels and Resorts
- British Colonial Hilton Nassau (Private Beach and Walk to Shops and Restaurants)
Family Friendly Paradise Island Hotels and Resorts
- The Coral Atlantis (Private Beach, Water Park, Affordable Hotel in Atlantis)
- The Cove Atlantis (Private Beach, Water Park, Luxury Hotel in Atlantis)
- The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort (Private Beach, Ultra-Luxurious Resort)
Family Friendly Grand Bahama Island Hotels and Resorts
- Pelican Bay Resort at Lucaya (Waterfront, Affordable)
- Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach (Secluded Beach, All-inclusive resort)
- Lighthouse Pointe at The Grand Lucayan (Beachfront, affordable)
Family Friendly Abaco Islands Hotels and Resorts
- Bahama Beach Club (Beachfront, 2-4 bedroom condos)
- Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour (Beachfront, Walk to Town)
Family Friendly Eleuthera Hotels and Resorts
- Coral Sands Hotel (Beachfront resort, Pink sand beach)
- Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina (Beachfront resort)
Family Friendly Exuma Hotels and Resorts
- Grand Isle Resort and Spa (Private Beach, Luxurious resort)
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