HOME TOUR

Take me back. To the pink, powder-soft sand. To the warm breezes and smoothies and all those long, sunny days on the beach. Take me back. This was our first time to the Bahamas (it took A LOT of convincing for me to go anywhere else other than where we went last year) but I have to say from the onset, Pink Sand Beach was the prettiest beach I have ever seen. We’re big travelers the world over (this was my 47th country) but this was only our second beach vacation with all three kiddos. You can check out our first trip to the Dominican Republic here. I hope this Harbor Island, Bahamas Travel Guide helps inspire and prepare you for your own travels, especially those with kids. Put the Beach Boys on and come along with me on our tropical getaway!

GETTING THERE

We flew BOS –> MIA on a 6 am flight and then had a 2 hr layover in Miami where we caught a small flight to North Eleuthera Island. This feels like the world’s smallest airport, there’s not even an ATM. You land on a small runway, taxi off of it and the plane stops and opens its doors. You climb down and wait under an overhang to go thru one immigration booth. It’s charming if you’re not so exhausted from traveling with kids but luckily didn’t take long. We were ushered outside and immediately escorted to a taxi without much say. He charged us $10 a person to go less than 2 miles down the road to the boat dock. $50 felt expensive to us but we weren’t aware of another option and were too tired to argue. They take USD but you should try to get some Bahaman money because the coins are SO cute. Tipping is expected on Harbor Island, we had wished we would have had more $5 bills from the onset.

A QUICK BOAT RIDE TO HARBOR ISLAND

Three Islands Ferry Dock is tiny and a well-oiled machine. The boats are small and cute and arrive very consistently. We were charged $5 a person for the 10 min trip across to Harbor Island. Once you arrive at the dock on Harbor Island we found another taxi to take us to the Dunmore, equally expensive as the first and annoying when we realized just how close it all was. We were in that darn taxi for maybe a minute. On our way home, we ended up just pulling our luggage the less than 1/2 mile to the boat dock because it was so close. It seems that everyone rents a golf cart here but we didn’t and the kids were just fine walking into town. We decided to splurge instead for the 1/2 day boat charter. If you have little ones the golf cart would certainly make it easier.

BE PREPARED

I read many a travel blog about Harbor Island before leaving so I was prepared with my list of recommended restaurants and activities but felt like not a soul mentioned how expensive the food is on this island. Like “bougiest place we have ever been” expensive and we once stayed at the Ritz Carlton in the Red Square Moscow. I just want you to know that from the onset. Because as long as you know that, the $500+ check you’re handed at the end of a nice but not overtly fancy dinner for 5 will not surprise you like it did us. Go into it knowing you will pay $20 a smoothie and that the three tiny kids pancakes with no sides will run $25 each and you’re golden. Budget for it and bring snacks. It’s an island you get to from another island so all the food is imported multiple times over and therefore, expensive and this was pretty consistent the island over, no matter where we ate. Delicious and worth it but expensive and not something we thought about prior to arriving. Because we did not stay in a rental, every meal was at a restaurant or cafe and because I packed us all in carry ons, I didn’t pack snacks.

FAVORITE BEACH DRESS  |  SIMILAR SLIDES  |  SUNGLASSES

THE DUNMORE

From the first day I spied that turquoise-striped beach shack on a pink sand beach I added the Dunmore to my bucket list. And it was lovely. I’m an aesthetic person, my environment affects me and in this season of our lives, I choose lovely, well-designed places to stay. Go here for special anniversaries, honeymoons, babymoons or just easy beach trips with kids because it’s on the most magical beach of all time and they have all the beach toys you’ll need which simplifies packing.

The Dunmore really does have the feel of a private beach club from a bygone era. There’s a picture of the queen’s visit in the clubhouse. It’s a bit pretentious, yet surprisingly low key and a whole lot charming. They have dress code requirements for dinner, be prepared (my husband hates pants and didn’t bring any) and if traveling with kids, they only seat you at the 5:30 pm time slot. We found breakfast and lunch to be more low key. The staff is lovely but they leave you alone which makes meals long. We would have welcomed a bit more initial orientation because it was day 2 before we realized they filter their water on site and it is safe to drink right out of the tap.

BEACH SET  |  GARNET HILL ONE PIECE (SIMILAR HERE)  |  FLIP FLOPS

WHERE WE ATE

I love food! Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat out and I analyzed the Dunmore’s breakfast menu prior to arriving assuming we’d just eat at the hotel each morning. I’m not a morning person and while on vacation, I hate rushing. But kid’s always wake up immediately hungry. Matt is a morning person but had to work 5:30-9:30 am this trip because it’s his busy season. Luckily we had a tiny view of the ocean and good wifi from the porch which apparently makes work easier. He walked to the clubhouse early each morning and picked up the free croissants for the kids to tide them over. We then had brunch together later in the morning.

BREAKFAST

We ate breakfast twice at the Dunmore before venturing elsewhere for the remainder of the trip. Partially because what we kept ordering kept coming not as advertised yet were charged the same price. Lemon Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes should have all those ingredients. So to get plain pancakes (no lemon, no ricotta and no blueberries) because the shipment of blueberries didn’t arrive is irritating. This was our experience. Lots of people love meals here and it is a lovely place. Everything else we tried was delicious. The Blue Bar, a short beach walk away, had a great breakfast, we went twice. The Landing is famous for their breakfast and it was delicious. I’m still dreaming of the honeycomb butter on their hot cakes and working on a copycat recipe to share with all of you. Arthur’s Bakery came highly recommended but by the time we wandered there (9:30 am), they were sold out of most pastries. If you’re an early bee this one’s for you.

LUNCH AND DINNER

We tend to eat a later breakfast and then an early dinner, skipping lunch or grabbing smoothies (Cocoa’s Coffee House) in between. We found the Boat House at Valentine’s Marina to be the most kid-friendly and also had the best fish and gorgeous view. I ordered the fresh caught grouper grilled with Bahamian peas and rice. It was a-mazing, up there with best fish of my life. They even grilled our kid’s PB&Js for them. Our most memorable dinner was probably The Rock House because the view at sunset was spectacular and food delicious. One of the best cocktails of my life, don’t ask me what it was, something with elderflower syrup which I’m partial too because my drink of choice is now a Hugo after last year’s trip to Croatia. Tied for most delicious dinner was probably Malcom51. Everything we ate here was spectacular. The Dunmore was lovely at dinner but we were stressed out the entire time because Matt only had shorts. They seated us and didn’t say anything but that hasn’t been other’s experience per some blogs I read. Men don’t always pack pants and shoes for tropical island getaways so know before you go, you do need them if you stay or expect to eat here.

TANK TOP  |  SKIRT ATELIER 1756 (SIMILAR HERE)  |  SANDALS (SIMILAR HERE)  |  SHELL NECKLACE | AUBREY’S DRESS APOLINA

DUNMORE TOWN

Wandering this quaint British colonial town was a delight.  Think salty, turquoise and pinks, bougainvillea and swaying palm trees with buildings dating to the 1700s. Cade spotted a starfish out in the shallow harbor which was a memorable moment for us. Our first starfish of the trip. We loved it so much we went back the next day to check on our little friend. For the concerned among you, we were very careful to leave him in the water for most of the time, lifting him out so the kids could touch him and take a quick picture.

FARM RIO X ANTHROPOLOGIE DRESS | SIMILAR SANDALS | SIMILAR WOVEN EARRINGS | AUBREY’S DRESS WILD WAWA

CONCH AND COCONUT’S 1/2 DAY CHARTER

Perfect for those morning-averse among us, Conch and Coconut’s half day boat charter was a perfect splurge activity for us and the only thing we did all week. We did a brief shop around while we were there, stopping in at Valentine’s Dive Shop prior to booking this 1/2 day charter at the Conch and Coconut’s office. I’m assuming you’ll want to be a bit more prepared than we were and book this in advance, especially if going during a busier season but we waited until the day before we wanted to go watching the weather and luckily they had an opening. The half day charter left Valentine’s Marina at 2 pm and was back promptly at 6 pm. We saw everything we wanted, had fun with the crew and didn’t feel like we pushed the kid’s too hard. For our age ranges: 5-10 yrs, a half day was really the best option and frankly besides food, the only thing we purchased this trip. Experiences make the best souvenirs. We could have booked a similar experience for less $$ but I didn’t want to be on a boat with a bunch of potentially obnoxious strangers drinking or potentially melting down children.

We each had something we were most excited about. For the kids it was snorkeling and the sea turtles, for me it was the ocean swings. We shared our wish list with the captain and he made it happen. Our first stop after leaving Valentine’s Marina was a starfish lagoon just off the shore. So. Many. Starfish. I love them! My favorite ocean creature because 1) they don’t swim at you 2) they don’t bite 3) they come in a kaleidoscope of colors and each is unique.

A short ride away was an area where sea turtles congregate. There were a few boats here also feeding the turtles but it didn’t feel too crowded. We were told to watch our fingers and toes because they can sometimes bite thinking they’re getting squid. But Matt got bit in the back of the leg after a jealous sea turtle caught him trying to feed the sting ray. It bled and was pretty icky looking but didn’t ruin the trip for him or attract great white sharks (my fear thank you Animal Planet). We’re so thankful that it wasn’t one of the kids. Push them away gently when they get too close because bites do happen and hurt.

I got no pictures of the snorkeling portion because I don’t have an underwater camera. Aubrey was not having it though and sat in the boat after a brief attempt in which she cried the entire time. The rest of us loved it and it was stunning. We saw a giant starfish, turtles, purple sea fans and lots of pretty fish.

The pig island was ok. The kids loved the little piglets. I found shell collecting to be the most riveting part.

But the ocean swings. Oh I could wax poetic about these. On my bucket list from the first time Pinterest showed me these things. There’s something magical about swinging on a sandbar far from shore. It was made all the better with the little adrenaline jolt you got every time the massive sting rays swam by. We were there at high tide and it was up to our mid-thigh and the kid’s waist. There were no other boats around which added to the magic.

And just like that our tropical beach time was over and we were on our way back to our New England home. A final bit of travel advice: avoid Miami airport on your way home. We purposely picked a layover in Charlotte vs Miami because going through customs is a gazillion times easier ANYWHERE OTHER THAN MIAMI.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our Harbor Island, Bahamas Family Travel Guide. Traveling with kids is never easy but it is so worth it every time. It teaches flexibility, fills them with wonder, relaxes rigid routines, encourages them to try new foods and creates memories and oh what a privilege it is to be a memory maker! Our world is filled with beautiful people. Go out and meet some. They may think and act differently than you but oh how good it is to experience new cultures through new sets of eyes. Travel changes the lens by which you see humanity.

This post is not sponsored in any way and we did not receive any special treatment or discounts during our family vacation. If anyone wants to fly me back to the Bahamas though, I’m totally down for that. Clicking any link on Finding Lovely and purchasing products I recommend does not cost you any additional money but it does help me keep this blog up and running, free from ads which impact your user experience. Thank you for helping this stay at home momma work from home!