Grand Bahama Island with Kids: A Family Paradise

The Bahamas are known for their flawless beauty – with soft, white-sand beaches, crystal clear water, and lush tropical ecosystems. The Bahamas is made up of 700 islands (WOW!), with roughy 30 being inhabited. I am here to talk about my favorite island, Grand Bahama Island! I will admit this is one of the hardest posts I have written, purely because this was quite possibly one of the best family vacations we have ever taken, and I want to share every single detail of how amazing it is on this island!

Let’s get something out of the way first: Grand Bahama Island was hit hard by Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 in 2019, we all remember seeing it on the news. That being said, Grand Bahama Island and its people are resilient! The island is heavenly, a true paradise on Earth. Every single person we met had a smile on their face, welcomed our children like their own, genuinely wanted to chat and learn about us, the list goes on and on. Bahamians are sincere and hospitable, greeting you with a warm embrace, as if you were an old friend coming home. The feeling was so strong that none of us wanted to leave at the end of the trip, the whole family felt as if we belonged there!

I told you, I could literally write a whole post about the people we met and how safe we felt in Freeport and Grand Bahama Island, but I also want to talk about the adventures and food you can find here. There is much to do on the island, if you are the type of vacationer that loves to explore. Not your style? Grab a drink from the bar and put your feet in the softest sand while you listen to the ocean and slip into a deep state of relaxation. Grand Bahama Island is for all travelers: solo, couples, family, friends, etc… there is something for everyone. Not to mention the intoxicating Bahamian accent which draws you in.

I have compiled a list of the three A’s: Accommodations, Adventures, and Appetite!  If you have any questions about Grand Bahama Island or our trip please shoot me an email!

Accommodations

Our family stayed at the Grand Lucayan Lighthouse Pointe all-inclusive resort. Just a short 10-minute drive from the airport, Lighthouse Pointe is centrally located to all points of Grand Bahama Island. We stayed in the Ocean Breeze Suit, an 800 square foot ocean view suite. The rooms were huge! We had a king size bed (so comfortable), a large bathroom with a soaking tub and separate shower, a separate living room with sleeper couch and two chairs, and a small kitchen. We also had another joining room that had two queen beds and another amazing view of the ocean! Both rooms also had a private balcony which was an amazing place to start and end the day.

Lighthouse Pointe has four restaurants, and believe me when I say the food here is unreal. Not only is the quality of food amazing, but the service was incredible. The waitstaff go above and beyond to make your meals that much more special. You get to know the staff during meals and they become like family, just another little piece of what makes Lighthouse Pointe so special. Ok back to the food – they say “Indulgence is on the Menu Every Day”, and that is spot on. Portobello’s is the largest restaurant, dishing up delectable local fare for breakfast and dinner. You have the option to dine indoors or on the poolside patio, and we opted for outdoor dining every night – the views and weather were too perfect! They like to switch it up, some days you will order off the menu while others it is a buffet. Either way you cannot go wrong. Promise me you will get the French toast for breakfast – seriously the best I have ever had, or create your own omelet… or BOTH!

Waves Bar & Grill is aptly named, located next to the pool and beach. This is the place to grab a drink and some food. The food is made to order, we had the salads (SO good) and sesame tuna. I seriously don’t think you can go wrong with anything you order… if only my stomach could match my eyes’ appetite – I would have tried it all! Pizzeria Capri is the place to get some delicious pizza, we got half pepperoni for the kiddos and half conch for us! You cannot go the Bahamas without eating some conch – and it was DELICIOUS! Are you seeing a trend here… Aroma Cafe is where you can start your day with fresh-brewed coffee and espresso, breakfast pastries, sandwiches and island-made ice cream. It goes without saying that you will never be hungry during your stay!

Do I have you drooling? Let’s change gears and talk about the activities at Lighthouse Pointe (gasp! Whaaat there is more?!). The infinity pool overlooks the beach and is a great place to relax or play. The beach has lifeguards and is a private beach without vendors. You can snorkel here also, maybe you will get to see a sea turtle! Unlimited Golf is offered at Reef Course, Karaoke Friday’s, a life-size chess board (where our kids spent every morning), a shuffleboard game (where we spent every evening), and a huge gym with fitness classes. Not enough? Senses Spa is located on site so take your relaxation one step further – traditional wood saunas and luxe steam rooms to guest lockers with showers and premium bath amenities are all available. I had a massage at Senses Spa and it was incredible! I didn’t know it was possible to get even more relaxed, but they proved me wrong and I am pretty sure I fell asleep a few times – HA!

Adventures

Lucayan National Park & Gold Rock Beach – About a 30 minute drive from Lighthouse Pointe is Lucayan National Park. We had a short guided walking tour that was loaded with history about the Lucayan Caverns, the world’s longest surveyed underground cave system. Just across the street is Gold Rock Beach, which is part of The Lucayan National Park. Gold Rock Beach leaves you speechless, and is where they filmed Pirates of the Caribbean. It truly is like something out of a dream, and our kiddos were loving life splashing in the shallow clear waters.

Paradise Cove – About a 20 minute drive from Lighthouse Pointe, Paradise Cove is a must-see in Grand Bahama Island. This secluded yet easily accessible location provides access to Deadman’s Reef – and rarely can you find snorkeling right off the beach that is as intricate and teeming with life as it is here. We saw 6 sea turtles and it was truly a bucket list moment for our whole family to experience that together. Just past the rocks you can see the water changes color, and for good reason! It drops to 30+ feet and you can see some of the most amazing ecosystems of coral and fish, rays, and sharks (we didn’t see any sharks this time!). We had a guided snorkeling tour and I would highly recommend this for families, our guide had a buoy she wore and our kids held onto it while she pulled them around pointing out all kinds of things. After snorkeling dry off and grab a drink, order some food and enjoy the view while the kiddos play on the beach.

Paradise Cove isn’t just an amazing place to visit, they are doing incredible work – leading marine conservation on the island of Grand Bahama. In 2014 they deployed 260 Reef Balls in front of Paradise Cove Beach Resort (reef balls are the world’s leading designed artificial reef modules). Currently there are over 632,000 of these units deployed in over 70 different countries, including the Bahamas. Visiting Paradise Cove will not only give you core memories to last a lifetime, but you will be supporting marine conservation!

A short ride from Paradise Cove is another beach where you can see the coveted Bahamian swimming pigs. This was a very fun and chaotic experience for our family to say the least! The pigs are HUGE and we got to feed them apples. This definitely left an imprint on our kiddos and one of their most talked about stories, considering there were one-week old piglets they got to hold!

Sanctuary Bay – Sanctuary Bay is a natural 9 acre lagoon, home to twelve Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins. Their focus is on education through interaction, and I can say they are amazing at what they do. Our family participated in the Dolphin Close Encounter experience, and it rivals any other dolphin experience we have done. First, you get to meet your dolphin – we had the amazing Nina! She came by the “acclimate” us to the water, AKA she splashed us quite a bit.

After our acclimation and learning more about Nina and her environment, we were able to enter the water with her on a platform. This was a fully immersive experience where questions were welcomed and encouraged. We learned so much about dolphins, about Sanctuary Bay, and just how well they care for their animals. We got up close and personal with Nina, feeling her skin many times, seeing her teeth and tongue, learning about the anatomy and behaviors, and so much more. The staff here are so amazing and kind – I cannot recommend it enough! After you get all that time loving on your dolphin, you have photos taken, and are then welcomed to watch some of the dolphin’s amazing skills.

After your visit with the dolphins, make your way up to visit with some exotic birds and tortoises!

Smith’s Point – Smith’s Point is the place to be on Wednesday nights! Yes, Wednesday… the quaint settlement on the water completely transforms into an iconic event. Locals serve up some of the BEST fresh seafood you will ever try. This is a traditional Bahamian event that is not to be missed. There is dancing, drinks, food, the sound of the ocean with beautiful sunsets… you really cannot beat it. The area has so much history and the locals are proud of their heritage and welcoming to all. Our kiddos were invited to watch fresh conch salad being made and we drank cold beers and tasted unbelievably delicious conch fritters with some of the most amazing people. Here you can also experience the traditional fish-fry, something everyone on the island talks about. I will discuss more on the specific places we visited below in the Appetite section! I hear you can catch some intense games of dominos and checkers as well, ha!

Port Lucaya Marketplace – Just a few minutes walk from Lighthouse Pointe is Port Lucaya Marketplace. A shopper’s paradise with authentic Bahamian crafts, shops, restaurants, bars, and more. We stopped here for souvenirs and loved walking around to see all the beautiful boutiques.

Appetite

Pier One – Before I even start let me just say that Pier One needs to be on your bucket list. Okay, now that we have made that clear – Pier One has the best sushi I have ever tasted. The food is exceptional, but that is only just the beginning. Located at the harbor, you have an ocean view where you can watch the world famous Bahamian sunsets paint the sky pinks and oranges. Be sure to make a reservation for outside, and plan to be there for one of the shark feedings every night at 7PM, 8PM, & 9PM.

Yes, I said shark feedings. When I heard about this, I thought surely they are just small sharks and was excited for the experience. BUT, man was I wrong. These Bull & Lemon sharks were minimum 9 foot long, some almost 11-12 foot. They were HUGE, and so many of them! They start circling around 6, knowing that food is coming. And at 7PM we witnessed the first feeding and wow was it a thrilling frenzy that was captivating. This is an experience unlike any other dining establishment. Not to mention we saw two huge cargo ships go right by, amazing for kids and adults to watch – now do you see why this needs to be on your bucket list?!

Sabor Restaurant – Just a short walk from our hotel is Pelican Bay Hotel, where Sabor Restaurant is located. Before I dive in on the food, I want to talk about aesthetics and atmosphere. Just walking up to Sabor will make you say “wow”. The landscaping, views, and decor just immerse you into an island vibe that cannot be beat. Next, you are greeted with that sincerity that can only be found in Grand Bahama Island. We had a table with an incredible view of another awe-inspiring sunset, and started off with a fun tropical drink for us and the kiddos.

You cannot go wrong with anything on this menu, Sabor has an innovative fusion menu that really highlights local Bahamian food with flavors that are out of this world. I must insist you start off with the Cognac Infused Bahamian Lobster Bisque – I mean hello?! I am still dreaming about it… drool. The menu has something for every palate, yes – even little ones! And please save room for desert, we had the Belgium Chocolate Lava Cake with Red Velvet Ice cream… mmmmm! The staff here also goes above and beyond. When the sun set they turned the lights on in the water and gave our kiddos bread to feed the fish.

Taste of Island Yogurt – Located in Port Lucaya Marketplace is Taste of Island Yogurt. This self serve yogurt spot is a great way to cool off after a day at the beach. I highly recommend the coconut, it was delicious. They also have a huge variety of toppings, which was my kiddos favorite part!

Banana Bay Restaurant – After our tour of Grand Lucayan National Park and Gold Rock Beach we stopped at Banana Bay for lunch. This was an awesome spot on the beach for delicious food and cold drinks. While we waited for our food the kiddos were able to play in the sand. The food was excellent, and the location was absolutely gorgeous. After your meal, walk out onto the beach for some swimming and some of the best spots for photos. The sand and crystal clear waters here were breathtaking.

Smith’s Point Wednesday Night

(here are all the amazing spots we visited for the Wednesday Night Fish Fry, it is important to note everything is within walking distance)

Penny’s – Two words: conch fritters. This is yet another food I am still drooling over and wish I had close by… I would get them every single day. Penny’s fries them up fresh, and has a sauce which enhances the flavor that much more. I couldn’t even tell you what the sauce was, but I wish I had some in a bottle! Start your Wednesday night here with a beer and conch fritters, take them to go or sit down outside and enjoy the laid back island life.

Terry’s Conch Salad Stand – If you have never tried Conch Salad, you are about to be blown away. If you have tried conch salad before, I guarantee this will top it! Terry is one of the kindest men you will ever meet. Here you will find a unique, laid back dining experience that makes you feel right at home. Terry only uses fresh conch caught that day, and he was sweet enough to teach my kids how to make a conch salad, from harvesting the conch out of the shell to all the ingredients (and they had a front row seat to it all). This is the most authentic Bahamian conch salad on the island, and I cannot recommend stopping by Jerry’s enough. The hospitality he provides mixed with the delicious fresh food is a match made in heaven!

Gullywash Beach Bar & Grill – Native Bahamian food at it’s best! We had our fish fry dinner here and loved the music and island vibes, not to mention the ocean views. Gullywash is very popular, and for food reason. They have an extensive menu, not just fried fish, and even items for the kiddos (chicken fingers and fries anyone?!). The coleslaw and homemade Mac and cheese were my favorite sides. Gullywash is also open every day, not just Wednesdays. Pull up a chair, grab an ice cold Sand’s beer, and relax a while!

**North Carolina friends, BahamasAir now offers DIRECT flights from Raleigh-Durham Airport to Freeport. The flight was only 1.5 hours and super easy. This is an amazing international getaway that is close by!**

Until next time…