| What to do on Grand Bahama Island... |
Arts & Craft Market: Located across from the Our Lucaya
Resort (Port Lucaya), the market offers a wide variety of what
should be locally made (but often not) straw, arts, crafts and
souvenir items.
Baseball & Softball: The Grand Bahama Softball Association
has a full season of games.
Basketball: The Grand Bahama Basketball Association organizes
a league amongst the local clubs and visiting teams from Nassau,
culminating in selection of players for the National Squad in the
Caribbean games and the Pan-American games.
Beaches: Crystal clear waters cuddle over 60 miles of pearly
white beaches. The waves are usually absent thanks to an omnipresent
barrier reef that surrounds the beaches.
Cinemas: There are two movie theatres near the center of
Freeport.
Diving: This is the best place to do it, bar none. See the
Dolphin Experience or Caribbean Divers and UNEXSO.
Fishing: Marlin, tuna, sailfish are a plenty in the deep
water near the island and on the reefs, grouper, snapper, yellowtail
are waiting for you hook. Charter fishing and rental boats are
available at all the marinas.
Golf: The Island has four 18 hole championship courses and a
couple of 9 hole courses.
Library: The Sir Charles Hayward Library situated in down
town Freeport has an nice collection of books and periodicals.
National Parks: There are 2 national parks on Grand Bahama
Island: Petersons Cay which is 7 miles due east of Freeport is a
small islet with an unspoiled reef and a small sand beach. The
Lucayan National Park is 20 miles east of Freeport and features a
wide variety of mini eco-systems complemented by with hammocks,
caves, blue holes, a footbridge over a natural creek, a small cay
and one of the best beaches on the island. The parks are maintained
by the Bahamas National Trust.
Rugby: The Freeport Rugby Club has a clubhouse on Settler's
Way adjacent to the YMCA. They host matches between Nassau clubs,
and clubs from the U.S and UK as well as hosting a Rugby festival
each year for teams from Qatar, UK, California, Jamaica, and Canada.
Sailing & Boating: Ride the banana boat, para-sail, or a jet
ski (or do all of the above!). Excellent docking facilities with
full service bait and tackle shops, gas docks are available at most
marinas.
Shopping: Excellent selection of merchandise from all over
the world at Port Lucaya with competitive prices on perfumes,
jewelry, cameras, designer clothes as well as beautifully carved
native art-work. There are two supermarkets--Winn Dixie-- in
Downtown Freeport and another Winn Dixie on Sea Horse Road in Lucaya
as well as food stores like Butler's Specialty. There prices are
somewhat expensive due to their monopolistic position, and the
general cost of shipping food over by ship.
Snorkeling: Because of the excellent visibility of the waters
(due to the fact that the soil in the Bahamas is not rich, there is
nothing to color the water) snorkeling is a year round event--though
in the winter the water is too cold for my tastes (though those
Canadians don't seem to mind). If you snorkel in the winter, I would
suggest a wet suit.
Soccer: Soccer matches at the Grand Bahama Football League
Squash: Four courts are located at the Grand Bahama Tennis &
Squash Club located behind Freeport High School.
Straw, Craft and Souvenir Markets: Straw work in the form of
hats to placemats, and dolls can be easily found and bargained for.
Tennis: Tennis is growing by leaps and bounds. See
www.BahamasTennis.com
Taxis: Taxi cabs are located at the Grand Bahama
International Airport, at the Lucayan Harbour, and major hotel and
tourist locations.
Theatre: The Regency Theater is home to the Freeport Players
Guild which performs several plays a year. The Theater also
occasionally features professional performers including opera, and
ballet.
Water Sports: Water skiing, jet skiing, parasailing,
snorkeling, wind surfing and banana boat rides can be enjoyed off
the Lucayan and other beaches.
YMCA: The YMCA is features several large playing fields, a
gym, an indoor basketball court and 25 meter swimming pool.
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