For a real taste of the tropics, visit one of the lovely gardens on Grand Bahama Island. Parrot Jungle’s Garden of the Groves in Freeport is considered one of the finest botanical gardens in the Caribbean, boasting more than 10,000 species of flowers, shrubs, trees, and exotic plant life. Bougainvillea, banana trees, hibiscus, ferns, and spectacular waterfalls make for an unforgettable jungle adventure. While strolling the shaded, winding paths you can watch for exotic native birds such as blue macaws, cockatoos, and Muscovie ducks.

The Rand Nature Center offers 100 acres of nature trails showcasing Bahamian plants such as the Whiskbroom Fern, believed to have been the first plant in the world to stand upright. Many other species used by early Bahamians are also on display, such as Uniola, a springy grass used to stuff mattresses, and the Agave plant, whose sharp-pointed leaves served as needles.

Can you guess what the Love Vine was used for? As its name suggests, it’s a powerful aphrodisiac—perfect for honeymooners who are exhausted after a day of windsurfing!

Want to really "get to the root" of plant life in the Bahamas? Then visit the Hydroflora Garden, a five-acre compound that offers visitors a fascinating look into the science and technique of hydroponics, growing plants without soil. Walking trails provide close-up views of hydroponically grown tropical and sub-tropical flowers and plants.

History buffs won’t want to miss walking The Heritage Trail in Freeport, one of the islands’ most popular nature walks. Before 1955, the main transportation artery on Grand Bahama was the Old Freetown Road, little more than a dirt path. After the advent of modern highways, the old road was abandoned and left to nature, and now only a stretch of it remains. Along the easy, five-mile trek are over 30 species of plants, 18 kinds of birds, 7 species of butterflies, and the remains of "The Hermitage", the oldest intact building on Grand Bahama, dating back to 1901.

When most people think of the Bahamas, they picture sun-sparkled beaches, lovely tropical flowers, and lavish resorts, right? Nobody thinks of pine forests, stalagmite-filled caves, and mangrove swamps. After all, pine trees just don’t sound tropical! Well they are, and at Lucayan National Park, you can see thousands of them, along with mangroves, ferns, and dozens of rare flower species, including orchids.

Trails meandering throughout the 40-acre park will give you a whole new idea of the environmental complexities of the Bahamas, where beaches represent only one of six distinct ecosystems, all of which are represented in the park. The park also features one of the longest underwater cave systems in the world, created by the seepage of acidified rainwater into the island's limestone base over hundreds of years.

If there is a best-kept secret in the Bahamas for folks who love to do their exploring on foot, it probably lies along a winding nature trail, within the tangle of a mangrove swamp, or somewhere on a secluded beach. Some people who come to the islands never stray from the lush resorts and fabulous nightlife—but they have no idea what they’re missing!

The natural attractions of the islands are their finest assets, and you can discover them all...one step at a time.