Have you been told that Nassau was a bad port destination? Do you think exploring Nassau is too dangerous or you’re afraid or hesitant to take a tour or walk around in the city of Nassau? We heard the same things but chose to find out for ourselves.

When we booked a cruise onboard the Carnival Freedom, one of the ports of call was Nassau, Bahamas. I wasn’t sure what to expect because of all of the negative hype and stereotypes regarding this destination. We were told it’s too dangerous and I can’t even recount how many people told us they weren’t going to bother getting off the ship. I’m glad we didn’t follow everyone’s advice or negative views about Nassau! We decided to take a leisurely day exploring on our own a little of what this destination had to offer.

When you first get off the ship, you are greeted with a very LONG pier! This means it’s also a long walk to get out into the port itself and, depending on the day, it can be very hot!! They do have places along the way to take a rest in shady areas. We enjoyed the walk and there was also a great view of the famous Atlantis resort. When you do arrive to the streets of Nassau, expect that people do want to sell you lots of stuff. Unless you want to buy, don’t allow anyone to put a handmade bracelet on you. We had no difficulty just saying no thank you as we kept on walking. Soon, we didn’t have anyone trying to gain our attention and we were able to walk around and enjoy the city.

1. The Straw Market

This is supposed to be one of the major attractions in Nassau and has so many great reviews. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very impressed. To be fair though, I’m not big on shopping anyway so that is probably why. I can however see the appeal for those who do like to shop. This place had just about everything you can think of from clothing, hats, beach bags, hand-made souvenirs and anything and everything in between.

Be prepared for people to sell, sell, sell! There are no shortages of salespeople offering to sell you anything in sight. They’re mostly very friendly and seem excited about whatever their craft is at each of the stands or stations. If you’re one who enjoys browsing without the sales pressure, this might not be for you. But if you love a good flea market-style of shopping, be sure to make some time to visit here and you just might find a few bargains.

2. The Queen’s Staircase

For a brief history behind the stairs – just imagine – this historical staircase was hand carved from solid limestone rock. The work was done by slaves using pickaxes and hand tools. It sits in the Fort Fincastle complex and was dubbed the Queen’s Staircase in honor of Queen Victoria, who abolished slavery in all British colonies after she took the throne in 1837.

These pictures do not do it justice!! We made a huge mistake and didn’t go down the stairs. We toured Fort Fincastle first and didn’t realize the way we exited wouldn’t take us to the bottom of the stairs. Since we already did a lot of walking that day, we decided to head back towards the ship. So my advice is if you’re walking on your own, figure out the route before you leave the ship that will take you to the bottom of the stairs and climb up (which is what our goal was), or the route to go to Fort Fincastle first and then climb down. After viewing other’s photos, I really want to go back so I can walk the stairs and just soak up the beauty from the bottom of the stairs.

3. Fort Fincastle

My favorite stop on our first trip to Nassau was a tour of Fort Fincastle! First, my husband and I love history – and, obviously, this is a historical site. I loved how you could actually touch the cannons and go into the jail cells. The views from the top were spectacular too because Fort Fincastle sits on top of Bennett’s Hill, which means it’s located at the highest point of the city. Since it offered a great view of Nassau Harbor, we were able to get another great view of our ship and the Atlantis Resort.

For history buffs like us – the fort was built by Lord Dunmore in 1793 to protect Nassau from pirates and Spanish invaders. It’s shaped like a paddle-steamer and is named after Lord Dunmore’s second title – Viscount Fincastle. The fort also served as a lighthouse until September of 1817 when it was replaced by the lighthouse on Paradise Island.

There is a small fee to enter, though I don’t remember how much we paid. I remember it not being a lot. So just make sure you take a little cash with you if you do want to go inside the fort itself. There’s also a row of market stands with people selling all sorts of souvenirs to tempt the many tourists walking by.

Take a day and spend it your way!

Don’t listen to all the negativity about Nassau! This place is actually quite amazing and I think it’s safe to say we definitely debunked the myth that Nassau is a bad port destination. There’s something for everyone here. If you like to shop, you’re covered. Are you a foodie? Lots to choose from. Prefer to spend your time at the beach, you’re covered there too! History buff? lots to see and learn about. Watersports? plenty to choose from. I can’t wait to go back to Nassau and experience more. I hear the fish market is something to experience for sure and I would love to book an excursion to Blue Lagoon just to name a few things we weren’t able to do on this trip. Pictured below are just a few random sites we saw along our walk of this underrated Bahamas destination.