15 Best Things to Do in Freeport, Bahamas

Peterson Cay National Park

Roughly 1 mile offshore of Grand Bahama, Peterson Cay National Park is a tiny island surrounded by active coral reefs. Covering only 1.5 acres, it's the smallest park in the Bahamas, but it offers plenty of incredible opportunities for snorkeling and scuba diving. Visitors can reach the island either by boat or by jet ski; some tours will also include a stop on the island so that visitors can spend some time relaxing on the beach. The island itself is an excellent place to enjoy a picnic or do some birdwatching, and chairs, umbrellas, and lockers are available for rent.

Good to know: Best Time to Visit the Bahamas

Rand Nature Center

Nestled on 100 beautiful acres in the heart of Freeport, the Rand Nature Center is a nature-lover's paradise. Visitors can stroll along the 2,000-foot trail that winds through the pine forest and coppice; there are plenty of educational signs and exhibits that cover topics such as the local flora and fauna, traditional Bahamian culture, and visual art by local artists. The center is also home to a wide variety of bird species that reside in the park all year round, but the best time to birdwatch here is between October and May, when migratory birds arrive for the winter.

E Settlers Way, Freeport, The Bahamas, Phone: 242-352-5438

The Garden of the Groves

Perfect for anyone looking to relax and unwind, the Garden of the Groves is a tranquil garden oasis with plenty of shady paths and beautiful waterfalls and fountains. In addition to wandering along the trails and admiring the wide variety of lush tropical plants, guests can do a bit of shopping in the gift store, enjoy a meal or a drink at the garden cafe, or visit the picturesque little church. Families will appreciate the playground and the charming labyrinth, and the garden often hosts special events such as art classes, summer camps, and special birdwatching tours.

Phone: 242-374-7778

The Parliament Square Cultural Center

Constructed in the early 1800s by American Loyalists, Parliament Square is located right in downtown Nassau. The square is best-known for its pink colonial-style buildings, including the House of Assembly and the Supreme Court of The Bahamas. The Parliament Square Cultural Center offers unique, local-guided tours of this important landmark and of other attractions in the area. Tours also cover various aspects of Bahamian culture, including art and literature, Christianity, traditional handicrafts, and daily life. Guests will usually get the chance to participate in interactive experiences such as listening to music, dancing, and drinking traditional herbal tea.

Bootleg Chocolates & Cafe

Family owned and operated, Bootleg Chocolates & Café specializes in hand-crafted treats made using high-quality European chocolate. The recipes used have been passed down through the family for generations, but are modified to suit modern tastes. Ingredients like fresh fruit and berries, spices that are native to the region, and locally produced rum are used to produce decadent treats like Key lime caramels and black tea and ginger cream-filled chocolates. Visitors to the cafe can also sit down and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate or coffee along with their chocolate; lucky visitors may even get to watch the chocolates being made.

Port Lucaya Marketplace, Freeport, Bahamas, Phone: 242-373-6303

Bahamian Brewery & Beverage Company

Founded in 2007, the Bahamian Brewery & Beverage Company is the country’s only brewery owned and operated exclusively by Bahamians. Sands Beer was the first beer the brewery made, and it remains the favorite local beer in the Bahamas to this very day. The brewery sits on 20 acres of land near Grand Bahama Harbor; the brewery itself is roughly 60,000 square feet in size, and guided tours are available. All tours end with a complimentary beer tasting, and visitors are also welcome to enjoy the on-site beer garden, souvenir and retail store, and liquor store.

Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, Phone: 242-352-4070

Calabash Eco Adventures

Offering a selection of exciting nature-based adventures, Calabash Eco Adventures was founded by local Bahamian Shamie Basil Rolle, known to some as the Bahamian Jacques Cousteau. Tours are offered on both the land and the water; options include kayaking adventures, cavern dives in Lucayan National Park, birdwatching tours, and a bike ride tour along the island followed by the chance to snorkel off the beach. All tours include free pickup and drop-off anywhere in the Freeport resort area, and some also offer the opportunity to sample some of the local cuisine and learn about the fascinating history of the island.

Phone: 242-727-1974

Cooper's Castle

Situated on 46 acres of land on one of the highest points in Grand Bahama, Cooper's Castle holds the honor of being the only castle on the island. The castle was built in the 1980s by Mr. Harvard Cooper, a local Bahamian who went from owning only one pair of pants as a child to being one of the richest men in the country. The castle is inhabited by the Cooper family to this day, but guided tours are available to the public and the family sometimes accepts bookings for weddings and other special events.

Freeport, Bahamas, Phone: 242-727-3314

Rand Memorial Nature Center

Freeport’s Rand Memorial Nature Center consists of approximately 100 acres of scenic nature. Trails wind their way through exotic and native coppice, pine barrens, and make their way to a native plant arboretum and watchable freshwater wildlife pond. Benches and secluded areas can be found along the way. Inside the center are an art gallery and an exhibit room. There’s a collection of sea shells and natural history exhibits covering topics like island ecology and geology. A broad variety of native flora can be found at Rand Memorial Nature Center, and guided tours help highlight plants of the Bahamas and their uses.

E Settlers Way, Freeport, Bahamas, 242-352-5438

Flying Fish GastroBar

Flying Fish GastroBar is a dining establishment driven by several values and principles: pride, passion, community, quality, and comfort. Starting out as a fine dining, high end restaurant and now more casual cuisine, this unique restaurant set out to be renowned worldwide and make the island a food destination. Since it opened in 2012, Flying Fish GastroBar has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years such as TripAdvisor “Certificate of Excellence Award” for 2015-2022 and Traveller's Choice Award for 2014-206, AAA/CAA 4 Diamond Rated for 2014-2018, and the Caribbean Journal’s “Top 10 Restaurant in the Caribbean” for 2014-2021.

1 Seahorse Rd, Freeport, Bahamas, 242-801-5052

Pinetree Stables

Offering the opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful parts of the Bahamas on horseback, Pinetree Stables is home to gentle horses born and bred on the island. The rides are last approximately 2 hours and take guests through a wide variety of terrain, including through a pine forest and across the sand dunes to the ocean. The maximum rider weight is 200 lbs., and helmets are both recommended and supplied. Reservations are required, and the price includes round-trip transportation to and from the cruise ship terminal as well as photos of the trip sent via email.

N. Beachway Dr., Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Phone: 242-602-2122

Port Lucaya Marketplace

Located 12 miles away from the harbor, the Port Lucaya Marketplace is undoubtedly the best destination for shopping and dining on the island. In addition to over 40 boutique shops offering items like high-quality leather goods and cameras, there are roughly 120 vendors selling handwoven baskets, bags, and other handicrafts. After shopping, visitors can enjoy a meal in one of the 16 restaurants or purchase a snack from one of the vendors. If you want to take a break from the market atmosphere, beautiful white sandy beaches are within easy walking distance, and there are several companies offering watersport adventures and bike tours.

Phone: 242-373-9090

Unexso

Originally founded as a group for scuba diving enthusiasts, Unexso is now an experienced tour company that offers a variety of exciting dive trips and other adventures in and on the water. Tours are available for people of almost all ages and abilities; highlights include swimming and interacting with dolphins in the company's special dolphin lagoon, diving with sharks and dolphins out in the open water, and exploring mysterious sunken ships. The company is happy to cater to brand-new divers on most of their trips, but they also offer introductory diving courses in their on-site training pool.

1 Sea Horse Road, Freeport, Bahamas, Phone: 242-373-1244

15 Best Things to Do in Freeport, Bahamas :