Last Updated: May 20, 2025
If you have a stop at Nassau on your cruise, or if you are visiting the Bahamas on your own, skip the paid walking tours and go on this fun, free, self-guided walking tour of Nassau with kids. It works great for kids of all ages – even preschoolers, toddlers or babies. It can be done in about 4 hours total, but you can also go at any pace you find comfortable.
It can get pretty hot, so take water and wear sun hats. This entire walk is also stroller-friendly. You will need to park your stroller to enter some places, so be sure not to leave any valuables in them.
This walk is 1.6 miles (2.7 km long). If you include the optional stop at Queens Staircase and Fort Fincastle, it is 2.5 miles (4 km) long. Just be sure to make it back to your ship on time and cut stops if needed.
Stop 1 – Prince George Wharf and Hair Braiding
Souvenirs – As you exit the cruise terminal, you will walk through a colorful shopping village built primarily for the benefit of tourists. Everything near the cruise port is priced at a premium, even if you walk a little further into town. The shops here usually have a fixed price tag, whereas in the Straw Market (stop 3), you are expected to bargain. So just buy your souvenirs based on which shopping style you feel more comfortable with.
We don’t like to spend much on souvenir shopping, but we usually buy a cheap keychain or two for our kids to hang on our Christmas tree as ornaments. Another great souvenir idea to take back home for co-workers and friends, is the famous Bahamas Rum Cake. The small amount of alcohol is cooked out when baked, so it is safe for children of all ages. They come in standard and mini sizes and in several flavors.
Hair Braiding – If you walk a little further, you will see a large plaza where you can have your hair braided for a few dollars. There were lots of kids getting their hair done here, and my daughter chose to get a few braids too. It’s amazing to see how quickly they work, and the whole process only takes a few minutes. My daughter was thrilled with her new look, and the braids stayed in great shape for the entire week.
Stop 2 – Parliament Square
Just one short block south, you will be at Parliament Square where you can see the House of Assembly, Senate and Supreme Court of the Bahamas. Next to the Supreme Court is the Garden of Remembrance if you want to enjoy a bit of green space. You will also see a beautiful statue of Queen Victoria – a reminder of Nassau’s colonial past under the British Empire.
Quick history lesson for kids: The Bahamas were a British colony for 250 years. The British brought slaves with them and built cotton plantations. Slavery was abolished in 1834, and the islands got their full independence in 1973.
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Stop 3 – Straw Market
This is an indoor market with small vendors running stalls selling handmade items like straw hats, bags, conch shell jewelry, and wood carvings. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, it’s worth spending 15 minutes wandering through the tightly crowded aisles to see some beautiful handicrafts on display. You can even see the artisans at work at their stalls, giving kids a glimpse into how some of these things are made. If you decide to buy something, you will most likely have to negotiate prices. Unless you’re a master haggler, don’t expect to find bargain basement deals. Just be prepared – if your kids are anything like mine, they might make it impossible to leave without buying something!
Quick tip: If you brought a stroller with you, it might be a tight squeeze inside the market.
Stop 4 – Pirates of Nassau
This is a fun, interactive museum that focuses on Nassau’s colorful pirate history. It has a life-size pirate ship and interesting exhibits for kids and parents. Notable pirates include Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and “Calico” Jack Rackham. All of them used Nassau as their base when it was known as the “Pirate Republic” – essentially a lawless pirate stronghold. My kids enjoyed the museum so much that we ended up as pirates for Halloween that year!
Just keep in mind that some of the stories and images might be a little scary or gruesome for very young children so cover their eyes if needed. It takes about an hour to walk through the entire museum. There is stroller parking in the courtyard behind the ticket booth. You can buy tickets at the door. The museum is open 9 am – 3 pm on weekends and 5 pm on weekdays.
Check admission rates and times on the museum website
Stop 5 – Graycliff Chocolatier
Your kids are probably hungry by now (aren’t they always?). Walk 5 minutes around the block and down a lovely bougainvillea-lined street to Graycliff Chocolate Shop. The shop is open from 9 am – 5 pm. As you turn the corner into W Hill St, look to the left to see Government house – the home of the Governor General of the Bahamas.
Graycliff makes handmade artisanal chocolate with some very creative flavors like Mint Mojito and Applewood Smokey Bacon. There is also a small interactive exhibit that shows how chocolate is made from bean to bar. If your wallet allows it, fill a box with one chocolate of every flavor and then do a sampling session with your kids in the little garden patio outside. For some extra sensory fun, have them close their eyes and guess the flavor by just using their senses of taste and smell.
Stop 6 – John Watling’s Distillery
The kids had their turn, now it’s yours. Walk 5 minutes to John Watlings Distillery. They are open from 10 am to 6 pm and give free 10-minute tours (no reservation needed), where you can see how Rum is made. Adults can get free samples at the end of the tour. If you need more of a drink, their Piña Coladas are excellent, and you can order virgin Piña Coladas for your kids so they don’t feel left out.
Note: If you want to end your walking tour here and spend the rest of the day on the beach, Junaknoo beach is about a ten minute walk away. It is the closest free public beach. From here it’s 15 minutes to walk back to the cruise terminal.
Stop 7 – Optional visit to Queens Staircase and Fort Fincastle
Start walking back toward your cruise ship. When you reach Parliament street, you have the option of taking a detour to visit two important historical sites. However, getting there and back adds about ten minutes to your walk each way (20 minutes total). If your kids are tired or you are running out of time, it’s ok to give this a skip.
The Queen’s Staircase, often called the “66 Steps”, was hand-carved from solid limestone by 600 enslaved people in the late 1700’s. Take a moment to help your kids appreciate how hard this must have been for those laborers. Then walk up to Fort Fincastle to get some lovely views of surrounding Nassau, and see the canyons that were once used to protect the island. You might need to pay a small entry fee, so it helps to have a few dollar bills in your pocket.
Stop 8 – Guava Duff and Authentic Bahamian Food
The final stop on this tour is a family-friendly restaurant called Bahamian Cookin‘ just a couple minutes walk from the cruise terminal. It serves authentic Bahamian food that you probably won’t find on your ship. If you’re not in the mood for a full meal, at least stop by to order Guava Duff – a beloved traditional Bahamian dessert with deep cultural significance throughout the islands. This sweet treat consists of a dough filled with guava, rolled into a spiral (similar to a Swiss roll), and then topped with a delicious rum sauce.
If you’re open to a bigger meal, other items on the menu to try are conch fritters, fish fingers and other seafood items. The entrance to the restaurant is not very well marked but once you’re inside, it is air-conditioned and has a warm, friendly decor. They are open 7 am to 4 pm.
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