Atlantis Bahamas: More Than a Beach Resort
Atlantis in the Bahamas feels like its own little world, and it’s only about a 3½-hour flight from Boston.
We stayed at the Harborside Resort at Atlantis, which is a little farther from the main resort area but perfect for families.
Harborside Condos
I actually loved the walk over to the main property each day. You pass through the marina filled with massive yachts, and for me, it never got old.
Walk from the condos to main resort
Atlantis isn’t really just a beach resort; it’s more of an experience to explore. The property is huge, with winding paths through lagoons, aquariums, pools, and gardens. We constantly found ourselves saying, “Wait… how did we end up here?” We got lost more than once, but honestly, that was part of the fun. Every turn seemed to lead to something new. Between the marine habitats, the massive aquariums, and the underwater tunnels filled with sharks, rays, and tropical fish, you can spend a surprising amount of time just wandering around the property.
Aquaventure Water Park
Another big part of Atlantis is Aquaventure, the resort’s enormous water park. There are water slides, lazy rivers, wave pools, and the famous Leap of Faith, a nearly vertical slide that shoots you through a clear tunnel surrounded by sharks.
The Beach
Atlantis has beautiful beaches right on the property, but because the resort is so big and there’s so much going on, the beach almost feels like just one part of the experience. If you want more of a true Caribbean beach day, the best day we had was taking a boat to Blue Lagoon Island, where we did the Dolphin Encounters experience.
Blue Lagoon Island Dolphin Encounters
Blue Lagoon Island is about a 30-minute boat ride from Nassau, and the ride itself was part of the fun. The crew narrated the trip and pointed out beautiful homes and landmarks along the water as we headed out. Once you arrive, the island is stunning, with calm, turquoise water, soft sand, and a much more relaxed beach atmosphere than the main resort beaches. The experience was really well organized and gave us plenty of time to enjoy the beach as well. Blue Lagoon felt like a classic tropical beach day.
A Snorkeling Surprise
Joe booked the snorkeling trip and didn’t realize he signed us up for swimming with sharks. It wasn’t until we were in the water and could see sharks that we realized we were actually on a snorkeling excursion with sharks. They were nurse sharks, which are considered calm, but they didn’t seem that way to me when the crew was tossing fish bait around us.
Exploring Beyond the Resort
We also enjoyed exploring outside the resort. Right next to Atlantis is Marina Village, which has restaurants, shops, and a beautiful marina filled with enormous yachts. We walked through there often, and it’s especially fun in the evenings.
We also spent some time exploring downtown Nassau near the cruise port, which has a completely different feel with markets, shops, and historic streets.
Why Atlantis Is Still Worth It
Atlantis may not be the newest resort in the Bahamas anymore, but I still think it’s hard to beat. Between the aquariums, the marine habitats, the winding paths through the property, the water park, and the nearby excursions, there is always something interesting to see or do. It’s not just a place you go to sit on the beach. It’s a place you explore.