Prince George Wharf is the main cruise port of The Bahamas and one of the busiest cruise gateways in the Caribbean. Large cruise liners berth directly along the downtown waterfront. Following a major redevelopment completed in 2023, the port significantly expanded its berthing capacity and visitor infrastructure, accommodating multiple megaships simultaneously and handling several million cruise passengers annually in peak years.

Passenger arrivals now pass through the Nassau Cruise Port terminal complex, which replaced the former “Festival Place” branding. The terminal combines arrival halls with retail zones designed to manage high passenger volumes efficiently. Dozens of vendor stalls and shops offer resort wear, souvenirs, and locally made crafts, including straw goods, textiles, paintings, and small decorative items associated with Bahamian visual culture.

The wharf functions as a practical starting point for short excursions and services. Nearby operators arrange activities such as horse-drawn carriage rides, scooter rentals, boat trips, and hair-braiding, many catering specifically to cruise schedules. On busy port days, live Bahamian music and informal performances are often staged within the terminal area, reinforcing the waterfront’s active, transit-oriented atmosphere.

Adjacent to the terminals, Woodes Rogers Walk offers an elevated viewpoint overlooking the harbor. From here, visitors can observe the constant movement of ships and passengers along a stretch of waterfront that has shaped Nassau’s maritime role for centuries.

Queen’s Staircase, often referred to as the 66 Steps, was hand-carved out of solid limestone in the late 18th century, most likely between 1793 and 1794, and provides a direct pedestrian route up Bennet’s Hill to Fort Fincastle. Although only 65 steps are visible today, the missing 66th step was buried during later paving works at the base of the staircase.

The staircase was created during a period when the British colony was strengthening its defenses against potential foreign threats in the Caribbean. Rather than responding specifically to pirate attacks, it formed part of a broader defensive network that included Fort Fincastle, Fort Montagu, and Fort Charlotte. Fort Fincastle stands at the highest elevation of the three, and the staircase functioned as a practical shortcut between the town below and the hilltop fortification.

The carving was carried out by enslaved Africans, using only hand tools to cut directly through the limestone cliff. One lesser-noted detail is that the chisel marks left by this work are still visible along the walls, offering a rare, tactile reminder of the labor involved. In the mid-19th century, the staircase was renamed in honor of Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, reflecting the colony’s continued ties to the British Crown.

The water feature that runs alongside the staircase and the surrounding garden setting are later additions. Today, high stone walls, shade, and flowing water give the staircase a cool, grotto-like atmosphere. Although it still leads to Fort Fincastle, Queen’s Staircase is now appreciated less as a military route and more as one of Nassau’s atmospheric historic passages.

Fort Fincastle was constructed in 1793 using cut limestone and occupies the summit of Bennet’s Hill, a position selected for its clear command over Nassau and the harbor. The fort was commissioned by John Murray, then Governor of The Bahamas. Most visitors arrive on foot via the historic Queen’s Staircase, which emerges at the base of the fort and leads directly into the outer grounds.

Viewed from above, the fort’s circular form is often said to resemble a paddle-wheel steamer. The structure was designed to mount approximately a dozen cannons, though there is no record of the fort ever firing its guns in combat. For a short period in the early 19th century, the fort also served as a lighthouse, before navigational duties were transferred to later harbor lights.

Once inside the fort grounds, the main viewing area is reached by walking along the outer parapet, where the low stone walls open outward toward the city and sea. Looking west, you can see the dense layout of historic downtown Nassau, with its low-rise buildings and street grid spreading outward from the harbor. Turning south, the view opens toward Nassau Harbor itself, where cruise ships and smaller vessels trace the same maritime routes once monitored by the fort’s garrison. To the east, Paradise Island comes into view across the water, its shoreline and bridges clearly visible from this elevated position.

Interpretive information panels are positioned along the inner walls and near the cannon mounts. These panels explain the fort’s construction, its relationship to other defensive sites such as Fort Charlotte and Fort Montagu, and the strategic importance of Bennet’s Hill. Together, the viewpoints and signage help visitors understand how Fort Fincastle functioned within Nassau’s wider system of coastal defenses while offering one of the clearest panoramic perspectives in the city.

John Watling's Distillery is located on the Buena Vista Estate, which was founded in 1789. The distillery is named after John Watling, a pirate captain who sailed Bahamian waters. John Watling was known as "the gentleman pirate" who observed the Sabbath and threw out gaming boards.

Buena Vista Estate overlooks Nassau harbor and has two acres of landscaped grounds. The beautiful estate features more than 300 years of antiques and prints that showcase the area's history and culture. Visitors will also find a well carved from limestone over 200 years ago.

The distillery has over 1,000 white oak barrels. Guests can tour the estate and watch the rums being bottled by hand. Guests can also taste the various liquors, which are known as the Spirit of The Bahamas. Try the Amber, Pale, or Beuna Vista Rum. The Red Turtle Vodka is filtered with Eleuthera's pink sands, and the Gin is infused with botanicals from Andros.

The on-site Red Turtle Tavern offers special hand-crafted Bahamian cocktails.

Spread over more than four acres, Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre houses a plethora of animal species, including the national bird of the Bahamas, the Caribbean flamingo.

The gardens were initially designed by the renowned Jamaican horticulturalist Hedley Edwards in 1937, who named the gardens Ardastra, which means “striving towards the stars” in Latin. Edwards intended to create a tranquil nature preserve that would depict a ‘utopia of peace, beauty and tranquillity’.

Over time, Ardastra Gardens became home to the endangered Caribbean flamingos, brought in from the island of Inagua in the 1950s. Edwards developed a successful breeding program for these birds, which were eventually trained to perform for visitors. Today, the flamingos continue to be one of the main attractions of Ardastra Gardens, and are fondly referred to as “Ballerinas in Pink” by National Geographic.

In 1980, the gardens were acquired by Norman Solomon, who was passionate about wildlife and conservation education. Solomon added more animals to the gardens and created a boutique zoo, which today houses over 135 animal species. Visitors can expect to see a variety of animals, including parrots, peacocks, lemurs, monkeys, reptiles, and even a pygmy hippopotamus.

Aside from the animals, Ardastra Gardens is also famous for its tranquil and restorative gardens. Visitors can wander through the lush tropical gardens, admire the beautiful flowers and plants, and take in the serene ambiance of the place.

Ardastra Gardens is not just a tourist attraction but also a conservation center that works toward the protection and preservation of local wildlife. The center relies heavily on philanthropic support from the public to meet its operating costs and fulfill its educational and conserving missions.

Arawak Cay is known as Fish Fry Street to all those who visit Nassau. Arawak Cay is the location of a wide number of Bahamian restaurants. Traditional food, including fried fish, dominate the cay. It is accessible from Arawak Cay Drive and Fish Fry Way.

Arawak Cay dates to 1969. Sand was taken from Nassau Harbour to build the cay as a tourist attraction. The original plan was to only provide restaurants and bars. However, Arawak Cay now offers a performance stage that features international and local music. The name comes from the original West Indian inhabitants of the island.

Though entertainment is on the menu, food is still the primary draw to Arawak Cay. Most restaurants specialize in seafood. Conch is a particularly popular dish though grilled ship and lobster tails are also easy to find. Most restaurants serve Bahamian beer and cocktails as well.

Pirates of Nassau Museum is an interactive museum designed to introduce visitors to the pirate era that shaped Nassau’s early history. Rather than a traditional display museum, it uses immersive sets and walk-through exhibits to recreate the atmosphere of the town during its most notorious period. Visitors enter the experience by boarding a full-scale replica of the pirate ship Revenge, which serves as the starting point for the exhibition.

The period roughly between the late 17th century and the early 18th century is commonly referred to as the Golden Age of Piracy. During these years, Nassau gained a reputation as a major pirate base due to its protected harbor and surrounding shallow waters. These conditions allowed pirates to navigate small, shallow-draft vessels through channels inaccessible to larger naval ships, while still maintaining quick access to major Atlantic trade routes.

The museum presents this history in an accessible, theatrical format. Visitors move through a recreated dockside settlement before stepping aboard the ship, where exhibits explain pirate life, maritime navigation, and the social codes that governed pirate crews. Displays include reconstructed living quarters, weapons, tools, and everyday objects associated with seafaring life.

Several historical figures are introduced along the route, including well-known pirates such as Blackbeard, as well as Woodes Rogers, whose arrival in 1718 marked the end of Nassau’s pirate era. The museum also highlights women pirates, notably Anne Bonny and Mary Read, whose stories challenge common assumptions about piracy.

Thematic rooms include the Marooned exhibit, illustrating punishments for breaking pirate codes, and the Flag Room, which explains the symbolism of pirate flags used to intimidate targets. An on-site restaurant, Smugglers, offers Bahamian dishes such as conch salad, allowing visitors to extend the experience beyond the exhibition.

Bay Street is Nassau’s main commercial thoroughfare and its busiest shopping street. Running parallel to the harbor, it blends everyday retail with tourist-oriented shops. As you walk along the street, you’ll pass stores selling jewelry, watches, designer handbags, spirits, and souvenirs, alongside smaller vendors offering locally made crafts and beachwear.

The street also serves as a connective spine for many of downtown Nassau’s historical and cultural sites. Along or just off Bay Street are attractions such as the Pirates of Nassau Museum, the Nassau Public Library-housed in a former Carnegie Library building-Rawson Square, Parliament Square, and the Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation. Toward the waterfront, tour operators and kiosks line the harbor side, offering short boat excursions, snorkeling trips, and island-hopping tours.

Retail highlights include several long-established cigar shops specializing in premium Cuban-style and Caribbean cigars, as well as duty-free stores popular with cruise visitors. Just off Bay Street, the Nassau Straw Market adds a more informal atmosphere, where bargaining is expected and straw goods, handicrafts, and souvenirs are sold in dense rows of stalls.

Dining options along Bay Street range from casual cafes to sit-down restaurants and bars. Many menus feature Bahamian staples such as conch fritters alongside familiar international dishes. For a more concentrated local food scene, Arawak Cay’s Fish Fry is located about one mile west of Rawson Square, where a cluster of restaurants serves traditional Bahamian cuisine in a lively setting.