The second-largest city in The Bahamas, Freeport has earned its reputation as a tropical playground thanks to a wealth of great things to see and do.
The verdant surroundings of Garden of the Groves (Photo: elaine moore via Flickr / CC BY 2.0 DEED)
The main city on Grand Bahama, the northwest Bahamian island in the Caribbean, Freeport attracts tourists with its idyllic beaches, high-end resorts and diverse shopping opportunities. It’s also an ocean lover’s paradise, with the surrounding offshore waters featuring numerous popular dive sites. To help inspire anyone planning to visit this bustling Bahamas city, below are 7 of the most unique activities and attractions that Freeport has to offer.
Escape the hustle and bustle at a botanical garden
The Bahamas is home to an abundance of fauna and flora and in Freeport you can witness it all in one place at the Garden of the Groves. Spread over some 12 pristinely-maintained acres, visitors to this tranquil manicured garden delight in the winding trails that pass along lush vegetation, cascading waterfalls and sparkling fountains, all teeming with tropical plants and animals. Watch as indigenous and migratory birds and butterflies sip nectar and soak up the serene atmosphere that contrasts starkly with the built-up buzz of central Freeport just a few miles away.
Midshipman Road and Magellan Drive / Mon-Sun 9am-4pm
You can visit Garden of the Groves as part of a guided Freeport tour, bookable at Viator
Discover the Bahamas’ rich maritime history
Positioned in the heart of Freeport’s vibrant Port Lucaya Marketplace (see below), the Bahamas Maritime Museum takes visitors on an evocative journey through the rich history of the Bahamas, with a focus on its deep-rooted maritime heritage. One of Freeport’s newest attractions, having opened in 2022, the museum features a huge collection of maritime-themed artefacts, with the flagship exhibit featuring finds from the “Maravillas,” a Spanish galleon that sank in 1656 with a cargo of gold, silver and gems. Alongside these shipwrecked wonders are displays on topics including the Indigenous Lucayan people and the island of New Providence’s infamous role in the golden age of piracy.
Sea Horse Road / Mon-Sat 10am-4pm Closed Sun
An exhibit at Bahamas Maritime Museum (Photo: Bahamas Maritime Museum)
Soak up the atmosphere of a buzzing local market
There’s no better way of getting to know a place than by taking in the sights, sounds and smells of a local market. Situated a short drive from downtown and just steps from the white sands of Lucaya Beach, the open-air Port Lucaya Marketplace is a major commercial hub and one of Freeport’s most popular attractions. Dozens of handicraft vendors and specialty stores sit side by side with carriage rides, dance workshops, steel-drum band performances, and a vast choice of restaurants and bars serving authentic Bahamian food and drinks. Come for the atmosphere and leave with gifts, souvenirs and mementos aplenty from your Freeport adventure.
Sea Horse Road / Mon-Sat 5pm-2pm Sun 6pm-2am
Spend a day at the beach
Few visitors to Freeport will depart without having checked out one of its many sun-kissed beaches, where the breeze blows through palm branches and the crystal-blue waters lap at the soft, tropical sands. But which to choose, I hear you ask? Positioned east of Lucaya across Bell Channel Bay and easy to reach from downtown, Taino Beach combines a prime location with some gorgeous scenery and enough amenities to be able to spend an entire day here. Among them are a water amusement park (see below), numerous bars and restaurants, and a park with a small playground – that is if you can prize yourself off your sunbed.
The tropical environs of Taino Beach (Photo: elaine moore via Flickr / CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Join a guided food tour
Freeport has a vibrant culinary scene and visitors can get a taste of it by booking on to a guided food tour. Over three hours, you and your group will visit fruit, fish and conch vendors as well as learn about the broader cultural history of the city during stop-offs at notable landmarks and attractions including the Boiling Hole, the Mermaid Pond and Grum Ma’s House Cultural Center. There’ll also be a chance to walk through the settlements of the South Shore from Hunters to Pinder’s Point, all the while listening to your expert guide as they regale you with facts and stories that enrich your understanding of the city, the island and the Bahamas as a whole. The tour ends with a sit-down meal at a favourite local eatery.
You can book a Freeport food tour at GetYourGuide
Go wild at an adventure theme park
Another fairly recent addition to Freeport’s entertainment options, having opened back in 2018, Pirate’s Cove Zipline and Water Park offers a wide array of activities on land and sea across its 7.50-acre oceanfront venue. The adventure theme park draws families in their droves who come to enjoy everything from jet ski rides, parasailing, zipling and banana boat rides to kayaking, beach volleyball and tug-a-war challenges. Parents with older children can even let their kids loose while they treat themselves to a beach massage, or kick back with a drink at the a bar & grill restaurant.
Taino Beach West, West Beach Road / Mon-Sun 9am-5pm
Enjoy a round of golf
With its beautiful natural scenery and calm winds, the Bahamas is a hugely popular golfing destination. In Freeport, one of the most prestigious places for a round is the 18-hole links-style Reef course at the Grand Lucayan resort. Routinely named on lists of the world’s best courses, it is open to the public and offers a challenge for players of every level with its expansive greens and fairways, scattered with bunkers, water hazards and grassy rough. Afterwards, golfers can retreat to one of the resort’s many bars, restaurants and cafes to reenergise, reminisce and reflect on their performance.
Sea Horse Road