Chris and I love to travel and knew we wanted to do something different with our kids this year over their Christmas break. The beach, warm weather and fun, family activities were my must haves for the trip which is exactly what we found when traveling to Atlantis Bahamas. We have been once and loved it so much that we knew it would be the perfect place to relax, explore and unwind from work just a little. From the flights to the resort to the excursions…everything was easy to plan, book and enjoy. We are already wanting to plan our next visit!
Atlantis Bahamas has a variety of accommodations throughout the resort which each have their own unique activities and rooms. We stayed in a Suite at “The Reef” which worked perfect for our family. The room was spacious which is a must for us being a family of five and provided luxurious Caribbean amenities at an affordable price. One thing that I liked best about The Reef was all guests at this specific resort have access to their own private pool. Granted there are several pools all throughout Atlantis itself, but it was easily accommodating to walk out of our room and be at the pool in a matter of steps. Guests at The Reef also have access to a private area on Paradise Beach which also was very nice!
We started off our trip at Atlantis Bahamas by exploring the aquarium and marine exhibits which is on property. The convenience of being able to walk to this spot made for the perfect activity with the kids. There is a wide selection of sea life including sharks, barracudas, stingrays and several different species of fish. Atlantis has the largest open-air marine habitat in the world which is fascinating in itself. The kids loved walking under the different sea creatures and watching them interact in their own natural element.
Snorkeling was a top request per my kids even though I was a little leery of participating in this activity. We ended up booking a private snorkeling charter that was a 4-hour trip consisting of seeing sights, snorkeling over coral reef and several species of fish and getting to relax on a private beach. Even with different people being out snorkeling, we felt as if we had our own private section of the ocean all to ourselves. The weather was perfect, the water temperature was perfect and the company was perfect. It made for the best afternoon!
Hands down our favorite activity was partaking in the Exuma excursion. Chris, myself and our big kids hopped on board of a private charter booked through Pieces of 8 Charters to Exuma Cays for a fun filled 8 hour day. This excursion and private charter is exclusive to Atlantis Bahama Paradise Island guests only and consists of a 78-mile boat ride. Upon reaching Exuma Cays, we were greeted by the world famous swimming pigs whom were full of love and affection. I have dreamed of holding and swimming with one of these pigs and still can’t believe I got to fulfill a bucket list request. They were gentle with the kids and didn’t mind being handled by any of them either. We even got to feed the pigs which was an added bonus to the trip!
After hanging with the pigs, we got up close and personal with the ancient Exuma rock iguanas. This was one of Chris’s favorite activities! The iguanas were also friendly and would let you feed them. To wrap up the excursion, we got to swim with nurse sharks which was an experience in itself. A lot of people fear all sharks, but these nurse sharks were gentle and didn’t mind being held. Rylee and Jackson were in shock and awe both at being able to hold and interact with a shark. They couldn’t wait to tell all of our family about it!
Once we wrapped up swimming with the pigs, feeding the iguanas and holding the nurse sharks, our private charter took us to a separate part of the private island where we had lunch that was nothing short of amazing. Rylee and Jackson got to play in the ocean afterwards and see different types of coral and smaller fish which they loved! The ocean water in the Bahamas is crystal clear allowing you to see exactly where you’re walking and what you’re swimming alongside. Definitely one of my favorite things about visiting the Bahamas.
Another activity we absolutely loved was the dolphin encounter at Atlantis. We got to interact with the dolphins alongside a trainer for 30 minutes in Dolphin Cay which is an experience we will forever treasure. Dolphin Cay is one of the world’s largest marine-mammal habitats that is a safe haven for injured and stranded animals. Jackson and Rylee enjoyed watching the dolphins jump in and out of the water before swimming up to them to be loved on. We even got to feed the dolphins which had us all laughing including the dolphin himself! The dolphins were gentle, loving and patient with the kids including Reese, and they loved the extra attention and rubs. I highly suggest this encounter to everyone!
A spot we visited often throughout our vacation were the different pools and slides. There are 9 different family friendly pools, 3 kids pools and an adult only pool. The Cascades Pool which is exclusive to The Cove and The Reef guests only was where we spent majority of our pool time although Jackson and Rylee ventured out to some of the slides with the Challenger Slide being their favorite. Not only are there lots of pools and slides to choose from but you also have the option to float down their lazy river or take the more adventurous route of zooming down the rapid river ride. Both options are an absolute blast! If you wanted more of a private afternoon at the pool, there are a variety of cabanas you can rent as well. I assure you there is something for absolutely everyone!
In our down time, we enjoyed family time at the beach where the kids built sandcastles, jumped the waves and soaked up some sunshine. Reese even enjoyed playing in the sand this trip which was a huge plus! The view was breathtaking all around us especially closer to sunset, and we loved how it felt as if we had the beach to ourselves. Our own private oasis!
Besides hanging by the pool and lounging on the beach, we also got to enjoy some family time kayaking and playing in the arcade which the kids had a blast doing. We also got to enjoy a variety of delicious foods with some of our favorite spots being Nobu which has extraordinary Japanese cuisine and dinner alongside the harbor. When eating at the harbor, you get to experience a one of a kind view of the different boats and yachts while watching the sun go down for the day and enjoying local Bahamian cuisine. Chris, the kids and I enjoyed every meal at Atlantis Bahamas!
Overall, this was one of our top favorite family vacations. The food, the excursions and activities on property, the beach and clear ocean water…it all made for the perfect week with my family. We got to enjoy quality time together, and Chris and I were even able to have a little alone time to focus on each other. This trip was exactly what we needed, and I cannot recommend Atlantis Bahamas enough.
If anyone has questions or wants to know more in depth trip details, I would love for you to reach out! Happy New Years friends!
