If you ever go on a Caribbean cruise, it is very likely that you will end up in Nassau. With extremely low port fees, most cruise ships add Nassau to their itineraries for a quick, cheap, and conveniently located stop in the Caribbean.
While a lot of people go to the famous Atlantis resort or other resorts on the island, there are plenty of free and very inexpensive things to do at Nassau if you’re looking to save some money.
Today I’m going to share with you how we spent our day in Nassau while hardly spending any money.
Morning
Since we came in on a cruise ship, we started our day in Nassau pretty early. So early that a lot of places weren’t even open! But that was ok. It gave us a chance to poke around the area near the cruise ports and find where things were so when places opened up we were able to go right to them.
The first thing we did in the morning, after exploring the city a bit, was going to the Pirates of Nassau Museum. This was the only thing we did that had an entrance fee. And in my opinion it was kind of steep for what it was. But if you’re looking for something fun and touristy to do, it is a good choice. You can see our full review of the museum here.
After the Pirates of Nassau Museum, we walked along Bay Street and did some shopping. We redeemed lots of free coupons we got on our ship for free jewelry and stones. We also stopped at the famous Straw Market which is basically a giant market that sells souvenirs. You can find everything from China-made shirts, magnets, hats and bags to slightly more authentic sculptures, art and handicrafts. Be prepared to get solicited at every stall. And make sure to check out all the stalls to get the best price on things. We ended up buying a magnet that we had seen at multiple stalls but we got it for $2-$3 less than at other neighboring stalls.
Since we had an early start to our morning, we still had plenty of time before lunch to squeeze in a few more things. We tried stopping at the Nassau Public Library (but it was closed) and we walked by the Parliament Square where some of their government buildings are. These were both on our route to Fort Fincastle and the Queen’s Staircase.
After a bit of confusion as to where to go up to get to the fort, we finally found our way up and paid the small entrance fee to go inside the fort. It is not the biggest fort we’ve been to (but you can’t see much bigger forts than Dubrovnik and San Carlos de la Cabana). But it did offer some neat views and interesting history.
After Fort Fincastle, and passing by some street vendors, we headed down the Queen’s Staircase. There is some neat history about this staircase that you can read about here. It also offers some pretty, secluded areas and a waterfall that you probably wouldn’t notice unless you were visiting the Queen’s Staircase specifically. There is no fee for walking the Queen’s Staircase. For more information about Fort Fincastle and the Queen’s Staircase, check out our recent post here.
That pretty much wrapped up our morning, so we headed back to the ship.
Afternoon
We headed back to our ship to get some (free) lunch. But we saw plenty of restaurants and street vendors where you could easily purchase food. After our quick lunch we changed into our swimming suits, put on more sunscreen and headed out to the beach!
About a 20 minute walk away from the cruise port is Junkanoo Beach. It is one of the most popular beaches in Nassau because it is free and very close to the cruise port. To get there, you head right out of the cruise terminal and follow Bay street up and around some new developments. There are also signs at many corners directing you where to go.
By going to Junkanoo Beach in the afternoon, we noticed that a lot of people were leaving, having spent all morning and into the afternoon there. We had basically the whole section of the beach we were on to ourselves.
The water was so blue and so beautiful. Lucy LOVED the ocean and playing in the water. She also had a great time with the sand toys we brought for her (a collapsible bucket and small diggers) and she loved collecting shells and coral in her seashell purse.
We packed our towels, extra sunscreen, toys, hats, beach blanket, camera equipment as well as money and our passports in this beach bag. I got it for Christmas and it is such a great beach bag! There are TONS of pockets, it is made of mesh so the sand slips right through, and it folds pretty small so it is easy to travel with.
As the afternoon wore on, and it got closer to our departure time, we packed up our beach things and headed back to the ship. We walked along the pier right by the water and had great views along the way.
Sum Up:
In all, I think we spent about $35 the entire day for two adults and one baby. We were able to see lots of things and get a good taste of the history of Nassau while also still getting to enjoy what Nassau is known for today (beaches and shopping!)
