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When Christopher Columbus discovered the islands of the Bahamas
in 1492 on his way to America, he named the largest island Gran
Bajamar, "Great Shallows," a name that evolved through
the centuries into Grand Bahama. The
island is just 68 miles from West Palm Beach, Florida and is easily reached by plane or boat, making it a popular vacation spot for visitors looking for a taste of the tropics
not far from home. The Freeport International
Airport has been recently refurbished, opening the door to visitors from all over the world.
Grand Bahama Island
is the second most popular tourist destination. Here you will find long stretches of deserted clean-white beaches, inviting
hotels, a major casino, night-time entertainment and world-class scuba diving facilities and land and sea sports. Freeport
is the resort center of the Island where much action can be found.
On the eastern and western
ends of the Island are serene and quaint settings and finding hide-away spots is not uncommon. Shopping
is also a feature as one can stroll through Port Lucaya and discover treasures from around the
world.
Grand Bahama is also home to one
of the oldest underwater cave systems in the world, situated at the Lucayan National Park. Whether your looking for
modern luxury or want to get away from civilization, Grand Bahama offers the best of both worlds.
Freeport/Lucaya,
the island’s capital city and the second largest city in the islands, is one of the best-known destinations in the Bahamas. The city was specifically designed for the tourist trade, and
as a result features terrific duty-free shopping and many attractions to keep visitors entertained and enthralled.
The 10-acre International Bazaar in downtown Freeport
is divided into sections that represent different parts of the world, each with its own collection of shops and restaurants.
Lucaya
boasts its own shopping mecca, the picturesque Port Lucaya Marketplace and Marina, located across from the beach in Lucaya.
This 6-acre complex is a great place to spend an afternoon or evening exploring the duty-free
shops or chowing down at one of the many popular restaurants. Boaters won’t want
to miss the impressive array of luxurious yachts anchored at the huge marina, an official port of entry into the Bahamas. The Our Lucaya
Beach & Golf Resort nearby features
a medium-sized casino in addition to lovely beaches and luxurious accommodations. And with
the evening breeze come the sounds of tropical rhythms from live entertainment in the Count Basie Square.
After the sun
sets in Freeport/Lucaya, the night comes alive with entertainment
and spectacle. Sit back and enjoy a dazzling show at the Casino
Royale Theater, Joker’s Wild, or Club Tropicana, or visit one of the
many nightclubs where you can catch the sounds of local bands. If you’re feeling lucky,
the gaming action at the casinos rolls on virtually non-stop, featuring craps, blackjack, roulette, mini-baccarat, and all
of the latest slot machines. There are also lessons for novice gamblers as well as the
Sports Book betting facility, where you can place wagers on football, basketball, or hockey games. Later,
when you’ve had your fill of partying and playing the odds, you can search out a cozy bar on the beach and watch the
moonlight skip across the ocean while you eat conch fritters and toss back Bahama Mamas.
Nature lovers
will want to leave the modern amenities behind to explore the eco-structure of the Bahamas in
Freeport’s Garden of the Groves,
an 11-acre botanical park filled with plants, flowers, trees, and waterfalls. The Rand Nature Center offers 100 acres of winding
nature trails showcasing native Bahamian plants. Experience
all the major habitats found on Grand Bahama in the 40-acre Lucayan National Park, famous for its limestone
caves. Explore one of the two caves that are open to the public, afraid of bats? Water sports of all kinds abound on Grand
Bahama, from cruises and deep-sea fishing to swimming with dolphins and sharks. Snorkelers
and scuba divers will find themselves right at home in the waters around the island exploring some of the world’s finest
coral reefs. Guided tours are available everywhere, with the best spots located near Deadman’s Reef on the island’s west end.
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