Our 5 Favorite Things – Atlantis Resort. The Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas is easily one of the most visually impressive hotels you’ll ever come across. It stands atop an entire portion of the island and its grounds and amenities take up the vast majority of the rest. The place is one gigantic, purposefully-built paradise where you can lose yourself amid the sights and sounds and smells that fill the air around every corner. Yet, the very multitude of offerings can quickly become overwhelming if, like me, you hate being forced to make decisions about the day’s events.
While Atlantis does a great job of trying to cater their services to each individual guest, it’s just not possible to meet the diverse needs of thousands of people each day, so your best bet, if you want to stay sane and make your own choices, is to pick a few bigtime attractions you want to see, or you think might appeal to your little one, and make those the centerpiece(s) of the day. As you’ll be there for a few days at least, you should be able to make your way through whatever places you want to see in plenty of time.
My daughter and I spent 5 days there, so we had the option of devoting each day to arriving at one of the places on our list. No rush and no stress, we just went when we wanted, or when the locals told us it would be the least crowded. Here’s a brief rundown of where we chose. If you have a daughter under 10 years old, these should be perfect for you, too.
Bimini Road: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Have at least one of all three meals at Bimini Road. It doesn’t matter when you do it on your trip. Have breakfast one day, lunch another, then have dinner on your last night. Mix it up and make it your own, but make sure it’s on your to-do list when you hit the island. They offer the best local cuisine you’ll find anywhere and the people are super-friendly. They even have one of the best children’s menus found anywhere – period.
Channel Your Inner Indiana Jones
The Atlantis Resort is the Lost City reborn and should be explored thoroughly to find the real treasures. One of these is The Dig where you and your child can spend an afternoon delving through the tunnels and forgotten streets of the City That Sank. Discover a world of sunken ruins, marine life exhibits, and tons of interactivity everywhere – including an interactive aquarium. Get a Scavenger Hunt Map for your little one and they’ll have a blast figuring it out.
Earth, Wind & Fire – Literally
One afternoon, you and your child take a walk down to the Earth & Fire Pottery Studio. You can spend an afternoon painting ready-to-bake ceramics with colorful glazes. The craftsmen will then fire them for you while they joke and laugh along with you. When it’s done, you have an incredible memory made while sitting with new friends in a shop overlooking the sea.
Stingrays You Won’t Step On
The incredible Stingray Lagoon is a real treat for you and your child, I promise. There’s nothing that can prepare you for the first time you touch a living ray. They feel nothing like you’d expect and are as docile as can be. They’re in a shallow pool, quite large by the way, and you have the opportunity to touch and feed them. They are something you’ll never forget and your little one will have a story for a lifetime.
Go Swimming…With Dolphins!
With both shallow water and deep water swims, the chance to interact with the dolphins at Atlantis Resort’s Dolphin Cay is an experience that borders on the spiritual. It’s a magic that you don’t get to experience much in real life and it’s right there waitijng for you as soon as you arrive. If for nothing more than the look on your child’s face when they see a dolphin for the very first time. Then, to watch awestruck, as they actually interact with them in a way you, as a parent, will remember as one the most incredible experiences of your life.
Relax, Release & Enjoy
There’s far more at the Atlantis Resort than we’ve mentioned here. You could write tons of things about the shopping, the food, the people, the water park, the ocean, etc., etc. But, in the end, it doesn’t really matter what everyone else likes. It’s all within your grasp when you get to the resort, and every choice you make is a good one. So, just focus on what you’re there for – a great time with the one you love – and everything else will fall into place.