LOCAL
ATTRACTIONS
Freeport/Lucaya:
The largest town in the Bahamas, Freeport in many ways
represents the post-WWII rebirth of the islands that has
been spurred by tourism. Before the rise of tourism, in
fact, the town did not exist. It was created expressly
for the pleasure of vacationers, and much of its
development was the brain-child of a single man, an
American from Virginia named Wallace Groves. True to his
vision, Freeport offers just about every type of vacation
activity imaginable. There are two casinos, dozens of
bars and restaurants, and facilities where you can
charter fishing boats or rent jet skis and scuba gear.
The town is the embodiment of adrenalized, tropical
entertainment.
Attractions in
Freeport:
The
UNEXSO Dolphin Experience:
The only park of its kind in the world, the UNEXSO
Dolphin Experience is a place where visitors can swim
with dolphins who are free to come and go. The Experience
was designed to study how dolphins and humans interact.
Due to its immense popularity, it is necessary to make
reservations, preferably at least six weeks ahead.
Garden of the Groves:
Though the word "groves" suggests lots of
trees, this garden was actually named after Wallace
Groves. Spread out over 12 acres, it has over 1,000
species of plants and flowers, waterfalls.
Hydroflora Gardens:
The attraction of these gardens is as much the process as
the product. All the flowers here are grown using
the science of hydroponics, in which plants are grown in
water rather than soil. There is also a museum dedicated
to that most Bahamian of sea shells, the conch.
Lucayan National Park:
Lucayan National Park covers over 40 acres and four
distinct ecological zones. Along with its abundance of
plant and animal species, there are also caves you can
explore via walkways.
Rand Memorial Nature
Centre:
Covering an area of over 100 acres, the nature center
features over 200 kinds of birds and 400 types of
plants. This is the home of the Flamingo, national
bird of the Bahamas.
Straw Market:
The Bahamas is well-known for its straw work, and at this
market you can find virtually every kind of straw object
made in the islands. There are also plenty of carvings
and other traditional goods.
International
Bazaar:
The International Bazaar is Freeport's main shopping
zone, a sprawling collection of stores selling a wide
variety of goods from all over the world, as well as
traditional Bahamian arts and crafts.
Outside of Freeport:
West End:
During the prohibition, West End and the nearby towns on
Grand Bahamas' west coast were the epicenter of
rum-running. The area is rich in stories, and also has a
long, gorgeous beach.
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