We decided to check out Eleuthera on a whim back in March 2018. Why go to the Out Islands of the Bahamas? Well, why not? The photos looked stunning, and I was drawn to the idea of taking the road less traveled.
Eleuthera Island, which you can learn more about here, has a pretty cool history. It was established back in 1648 and is actually where the Bahamas all began. Captain William Sayles and a bunch of Puritans, known as the Eleutheran Adventurers, set sail from Bermuda in search of religious freedom. Along the way, they stumbled upon this gorgeous gem of an island and decided to call it Eleuthera. The name “Eleuthera” comes from the feminine form of the Greek adjective ἐλεύθερος (eleútheros), which means “free”.
We hopped on a Jet Blue flight from JFK (NYC) to Nassau, Bahamas (check it out on Expedia). Then we had to catch a Bahamas Air flight in Nassau to get to Governor’s Harbour Airport, Eleuthera. But man, we got stuck with a 5-hour delay between the two flights. The airport there had one measly place to grab a bite, a tiny souvenir shop, and a little play area for the kids. Thank goodness for that play area – kept the little ones entertained for a bit. Oh, and by the way, if you’re headed to Spanish Wells and Harbor Island, you might wanna consider the North Eleuthera Airport (check it out on Wikipedia) up north.
Quick tip: Most folks coming to the island switch planes in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, using Silver Airways (Expedia). They say there are hardly any delays with them. Might consider that for our next trip, ’cause apparently the Nassau transfer often lags behind.
Once on the island, we rented an older SUV-type car. They might be a bit worn out, but ours was comfy and clean, so no complaints there. The roads, though, woof. So many potholes and junk on the road, which caused us a bit of trouble. But I’ll save that story for later.
We were gonna stay at Buttonwood Reserve, but the condos were all booked up. We checked out the place though, and we were totally digging it. Ended up finding a sweet spot about 10 minutes south, but it’s not for rent anymore. Now that I’ve been there, I can recommend two awesome places to stay if I ever go back. First up, the Caribbean Sandcastle is the bomb for a vacation. It’s right on my favorite beach in the whole wide world, Alabaster Beach. I’ve been to Bora Bora and other similar spots, but let me tell you, I was blown away by this beach. It’s like my benchmark for all other beaches. I’ll fill you in more about Alabaster Beach in a bit… to be continued!
On our first night, we went for dinner at Pascal’s Oceanfront Restaurant and Bar at The Sky Beach Club Hotel. The beach club had an amazing pool and the location was just perfect. If you’re not sure about staying in a house in Eleuthera, I’d totally recommend checking out the Sky Beach Club for your stay. The food was so good and the service was just fantastic.
The next day we headed up north to check out the Glass Window Bridge. It’s seriously one of nature’s coolest spots, where you can see the deep blue Atlantic Ocean on one side of the road and the peaceful Bay of Eleuthera on the other, with just a narrow strip of rock in between. The water’s colors are so different, it’s crazy! On the way back, we grabbed a bite at the Front Porch restaurant. The food was amazing, and let me tell you, the fruit punch was awesome. It was so fresh and we all loved it. Before going back to the villa, we stopped by the store to pick up some groceries. Good thing we did, because we ended up getting a flat tire on the way to the villa. Must’ve hit a pothole, ’cause we heard a pop and had to park the car just 50 feet from home. We called the car rental agency right away, but things move slow on the island, you know? I kept checking on the car all evening – 7pm, still on the jack; 9pm, same story; 11pm, no change. I was starting to freak out. But by morning, we had a new tire and we were back in action. This whole tire ordeal is really making me reconsider staying at a hotel or condo where there’s more people around to help out. Even if it’s just to call for assistance or make you some food. That night, we had a simple dinner of spaghetti with butter, toast, and Haagen Dazs Chocolate Ice cream, and let me tell you, the kids were over the moon.
The next day, we took a trip to Governor’s Harbour to check out the “city”. It’s small, but it’s got everything you need for a vacation, including a big liquor store. We had breakfast at Da Perk, and for lunch, we grabbed some food to go and hit the beach. We stopped at the Buccaneer Club for lunch, and there’s a cool souvenir shop next to the restaurant and in town. Then, we headed back up north to Alabaster Beach/Receiver’s Beach for a day of swimming and playing Frisbee. This beach is unreal – no waves, just like a giant pool. The water’s crystal clear and full of gorgeous seashells. It was like stepping into a National Geographic magazine. We saw a pelican hunting for food, a stingray just 10 feet from us, and a live sand dollar that a friendly tourist showed the kids. We’re a family of four, and there were only 7 people on the beach while we were there. Not bad for a hidden gem, right? The downsides were the lack of beach chairs, umbrellas, and food, and there weren’t any bathrooms. With kids, that could be a problem, but staying at the villa we mentioned earlier would solve that issue.
It was time to leave and we headed back to Nassau to catch our flight to the US. Thankfully, the plane was right on schedule and everything went super smoothly. Pro tip: Don’t forget that you go through US customs in the Bahamas. This saves some time when you land in the US, but you might need some extra time in Nassau because of this.
If you ever travel to any Out Islands in the Bahamas, you won’t be disappointed.
