Who says spectacular beaches and culture are only for the adults? Kids love to spend endless hours building sandcastles, playing in the waves and digging for seashells. While the grown-ups are busy relaxing, the seashells may steal the show for the kids because of the ease of finding large conch shells all over the islands. If you swear that your kids are half fish and can't get enough of the water, then take them to meet the dolphins up close. There are two swim-with-the-dolphin experiences on Grand Bahama Island. Blue Lagoon Island Dolphin Encounter is located near Cove Beach, and UNEXSO is in Freeport. When the family decides that they are ready for some dry land, take them to one of the island's famed straw markets, where they will not only enjoy picking out souvenirs but also have fun with the local characters. There are also plenty of opportunities to bicycle or ride horseback on most of the islands, a sure hit with kids of all ages.
Waterfront golf courses speckle the Bahamas, and some consider these Caribbean islands a better golf vacation spot than Hawaii. The shape and size of the islands make it nearly impossible for a course to not feature a few wonderful water views. The lack of rainy days and lower greens fees also make the Bahamas a golfer's dream. If challenge is what you are after, then head to the Reef Course on Grand Bahama Island. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, this course is said to be the Islands' most difficult. Other acclaimed courses accessible to the vacationer include the Four Seasons Golf Club Exuma at Emerald Bay, designed by Greg Norman, and Treasure Cay Golf Course, designed by Dick Wilson. Treasure Cay is located on Great Abaco and is the most relaxed and casual course of these three. Tee times are not required at Treasure Cay; if you go in the afternoon, you may have much of the course to yourself.
Many tourists get so swept up in the world-class beaches that they forget they are also surrounded by an exuberant amount of colonial history. It was in fact in the Bahamas, specifically San Salvador, where Christopher Columbus first docked on his famous voyage in search of a new passage to the West Indies. He was followed by the Spanish, and then again by British loyalists from the Carolinas and Virginia after the American Revolution. Each of these groups, in addition to the original natives of the islands, have left their mark and a collection of historic places. Places of interest range from stately colonial homes to former slave auction sites to 18th century forts. The bulk of existing historical sites are on the Grand Bahama Island in and around Nassau, but there is a touch of history on every island if you are looking for it.
