10 Best Sights in Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas

Fortune Beach lies between two canal channels, and in the middle sits the Viva Wyndham Fortuna all-inclusive resort, where visitors can purchase day passes to use water-sports equipment and resort facilities. Steps from the resort, the secluded beach offers exceptional strolling, off-shore snorkeling, and swimming. The western end backs the Margarita Villa Sand Bar and the private homes along Spanish Main Drive, known as "Millionaire Row." The eastern end is home to Banana Bay Restaurant, where at low tide a shallow lagoon forms alongside a drawn-out sandbar, allowing you to walk yards out to sea with cold drink in hand. Amenities: food and drink; parking, near east end only (no fee). Best for: solitude; snorkeling; sunrise; swimming; walking.

Located just off the Grand Bahama Highway, 26 miles outside town, this secluded beach, extending for yards into the sea when the tide is low, is accessible via a lovely 10-minute walk through Lucayan National Park. The turquoise water is exceptionally clear, calm, and shallow. Occasional cruise-ship tours visit for a couple of hours around midday, but there is enough space that you will never feel crowded. The beach is almost nonexistent when the tide is high, and shade is sparse, but when the tide rolls out, it's one of the most spectacular beaches around, so time your visit accordingly. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

A 20-minute drive from Freeport, this beach's spectacular swim-to reef (called Deadman's Reef) is its best asset. Close to shore, you'll also find the longest man-made reef (composed of a long line of concrete reef balls) in The Bahamas, with spectacular marine life that includes various rays, sea turtles, and barracudas. Paradise Cove is a small native-owned resort with many different adventure packages, which all include return transportation from Freeport and Lucaya. The beach is short but wide, with scrubby vegetation and swaying palm trees. Snorkel equipment and kayaks are available to rent, and refreshments flow at The Red Bar. Beaches are public access up to the high-water mark in The Bahamas, so you can go and explore, but if you want to use any amenities, you must pay a small fee at the bar. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling.

About 45 miles east of Lucaya and 8 miles from Lucayan National Park, it's worth the extra drive to visit an authentic, old-time island settlement affected only lightly by tourism. Its beach spreads a lovely white blanket of plump sand, with stunning views in either direction. Time spent at the bar at Bishop's Beach Club on the waterfront with Bishop himself (aka Ruban "Bishop" Roberts) and his dog will make you feel like a local. Take a walk along the beach and its parallel road (rock outcroppings interrupt the sand in places) past the cemetery to the remains of a concrete lighthouse that shows the intensity of Hurricane Dorian, which completely changed the landscape of this and other settlements in 2019.

This beach on the island's west side is relatively unknown and rarely visited by tourists, with sand that's far less fine and powdery than what's found along the southern shores. However, it's the only spot on Grand Bahama to find sea glass. Adding to its uniqueness are its view of the large tanker and container ships anchored at sea for the island's industrial businesses and the pastel-painted heavy-equipment tires planted in the sand for seating. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: walking.

This stretch of sand divides into separately named beaches at the intersection of Sea Horse Road and Royal Palm Way. The eastern end is Lucayan Beach, monopolized by the broad spread of Lighthouse Pointe at the Grand Lucayan resort, where nonguests can purchase day passes from the hotel, which include the use of pools and nonmotorized water equipment, as well as access to restaurants. Feed jackfish, snorkel at Rainbow Reef, parasail, or take a WaveRunner tour. Near the long-standing Ocean Motion water-sports operation, there is no admission fee for the beach. Go west from here along Coral Beach, where the shore widens for easier strolling and the crowds thin considerably on the way to the Coral Reef Beach Bar. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; sunrise; swimming; walking.

This lightly visited beach will take you far from the tourist crowds and resorts. Considered one of the prettiest beaches on the island, with a wide scattering of sea biscuits, blinding white sand, and shallow turquoise water, you will most likely have the whole stretch of sand to yourself. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Along this beautiful stretch of beach, you'll find the famed restaurant The Stoned Crab and their photo-worthy swings over the shallow sea. A few steps farther is Outriggers Beach Club, home to the popular fish fry held every Wednesday night. This is also where you'll find the legendary Tony Macaroni's beach shack; be sure to give his roast conch a try. Plenty of green space edges the beach, and there's also a playground. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.

When the tide is high, this 1.9-mile slice of relatively hidden beach (from East Sunrise Highway, take Coral Road south, turn right onto Bahama Reef Boulevard, then left on Beachway Drive) can get a little narrow, but there's a wide area at its east end on Silver Point Beach near Island Seas Resort. Just west of here, a sidewalk runs the length of the beach along the road, and at low tide the beach expands far and wide for easy walking on the shore. Island Seas Resort has its own modern interpretation of the local beach shack, called Coconuts. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

The old Xanadu Resort of Howard Hughes fame has been abandoned and is all but crumbling, and even the surrounding buildings look depressed, but there is local talk that the day will come when the area will be restored and renovated. There are no longer amenities nor flocks of tourists on this beach. However, the mile-long stretch of sand is still serene and worth a walk at sunset, especially when cruise ships depart into the twilight. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.