Our Free Bahamas Vacation: Part One

Ya mon! After six sun-filled days on our free Bahamas vacation, we’re home. I already miss the crystal clear turquoise water. My husband won us an all-inclusive trip to the Bahamas last year on the Price is Right. In case you missed my post about it, here’s the video link. Watch closely and you’ll see me jumping up and down after he wins.

We’ve been looking forward to this trip for months. Neither of us have been to the Caribbean and we haven’t had any adult time away from our kids since our daughter was born. Thankfully, my parents graciously offered to watch the kids. Leaving the kids was harder than I expected. I teared up when I said, “I love you” to my son, tucking him in for bed before we caught our red-eye.

Once we got to the airport, my brief sadness turned to excitement for the trip to come. We flew all night to Miami and arrived in the Bahamas the next day.

Flying out of Miami and into Nassau was a trip highlight on its own. On the way out of Miami was saw the gorgeous coastline.

Only minutes later, we were over the vast ocean, dotted with tiny islands every time we peeked out the airplane window. We captured a few pictures of them, but even they can’t do the view justice.

Once we arrived in the Bahamas, a shuttle took us to the resort, meandering through roundabouts and driving past miles of stunning ocean views and white sand beaches. When we arrived at the resort, we were greeted with champagne.

If you’ve never been to an all-inclusive resort, there is something to be said for the accessibility of everything. Food, drink, entertainment, water sports and other recreational activities are all within arms reach. As club-level guests, we even shared a concierge and dining specialist to help us make reservations, suggest off-site destinations, and answer the countless questions that arose.

One of my favorite memories of the week was snorkeling for the first (and second) time. I was mesmerized by the schools of fish that swam by, the loner fish that seemed to be on a mission, the creepy eel that slithered past, and the coral swaying peacefully on the reef. The vibrant colors and uniquely shaped fish all seemed magical as I floated on the surface of the water. It was like I was looking down into a giant salt water aquarium.

There was one fish that particularly caught my attention. The boat captain told me it was a parrot fish. This multi-neon-colored fish was simply breathtaking. It was so striking, I swam around to follow it for awhile. I snorkeled two different times, because I found the entire experience so beautiful.

Although we enjoyed the many conveniences the resort offered, we wanted to venture outside of the resort to experience the real Nassau. Tomorrow I’ll share with you some of our favorite moments in and around the city.