Howdy,
We have been to Nassau 4 times. The straw market is easy to find. You can see it from the ship in port too. Anyone there can point it out to you, but here are my directions. As you get off the ship everyone has a walk to the dock where you pass through a building with a few shops in it, not much there. You must pass through security in that same building to get back to the ship. After you exit the building turn right and just follow the sidewalk along the waterfront. It will be on your left at the end of the road where it turns left. It is a old building (white) with canvas sides that roll up when it is open. There are always a lot of people there. You can get some great buys if you like to dicker for prices there. Just so you know the isles there are small and very crowded. Not a place for a stroller! All the women in there will be asking you to buy their products, they may seem pushy at first until you get use to their culture. They remind me of a barker at the state fair. They are very nice polite people once you speak with them. I just say no thanks and keep walking if I'm not interested. You will be able to see a lot of the women there making items that they sell, that is fun to see. You'll get the best buys late in the afternoon as most people are heading back to the ship for the day and they know you are their last chance to make some money until the next ship comes in.
The Pirate museum is behind the straw market, 2 blocks up the street. You cant miss it. It's a large purple building. It is well worth going to see. I believe adults were $12. don't know about kids rates. If you have a child who doesnt like the dark, the first 5 minutes they wont like. It starts like a night scene you walk through, then you enter into a pirate ship and it's well lit from there on to the end. There is one bathroom half way through the museum. Free public restrooms are rare there, so use it if you have need to!
It is a very good museum and I do recommend it. We have done Atlantis too. Although we took the tour. I know you can get a taxi to take you there. Once you pay for the aquarium, keep your wrist bracelet on so you can re-enter as many times as you'd like. It is a really good aquarium. Some of it is out back, under a restaurant. There are a few stairs to navigate, which isnt a problem, however if you need a stroller I would suggest a umbrella one so you can easily fold it up for the stairs. Of course there are shops, casino and restrooms there. We also enjoyed the 2 hour historical city tour. We saw 2 forts, one was a guided tour, Queen Anne's staircase, and more. That was a good tour, very good guide. He really knew his history.
Then before getting back on the ship my DH and I liked to take the horse drawn carriage ride, it's right in front of the security building you walk through. It was $10 per person and it is about 20 to 25 minute narrated tour of the city. We found it very relaxing and a nice way to wind up our day at Nassau. There is also a restroom in the security building. I only mention the restrooms as most public restrooms on the islands charge you to use them, and are not the cleanest I've ever seen. But the ones I have mentioned were clean and free. The casinos all have free restrooms too. You wont find any water fountains anywhere, so remember to take bottled water with you. They do sell it as you get off the ship. We just brought our own bottle and refilled it onboard instead of buying water, but it's up to you what ever you want to do. It is a nice place to visit. Some people get turned off to Nassau because there are a lot of people by the security building trying to get you to let them braid your hair or sell you stuff. They are sometimes kind of pushy, but if you look them straight in the eye and say No Thanks they will move on to the next person. This makes some people uncomfortable, but I just figure I'm there to experience a different culture and this is just apart of it. The people whom we spoken to on the island have all been very friendly to us, so dont get scared off if people approach you as you exit the building. Just say No! and move on. Have a great cruise.
mom x4,grandma x4
