When it comes to travel destinations- I consider myself to be very close to an Eleuthera expert! I grew up going to this gorgeous Bahamian island because my father fell in love with it when I was a kid. I spent many summers in Eleuthera and even considered studying at The Island School for a semester in high school. Now that I’m an adult and have my own family, my dad’s love for the island and it’s people has passed down to me and my own kids.
Back in 2021, we sold our house in Austin and decided to live out the summer in Eleuthera. We felt absolutely crazy but with our kids being so young (2 & 5), we also felt like there may never be another chance to “move to another country” again. So, we packed everything up and spent two months living the island life! That experience really allowed me to get to know the island on a deeper level because we did everything! Our kids even attended a Bahamian daycare a few days a week so we could work a little bit too.
With all of that being said, I think I’ve definitely got some Eleuthera experience to share if you’re looking to travel there soon! I would say that the ideal Eleuthera traveler is someone who isn’t afraid of a little adventure. If you’re more of a resort goer, there are a few nice resorts I will list below too.
Here are some of my top sites/ places to check out on the island. Depending on where you stay, you will most likely need to rent a car to get to these places.
- Sapphire Hole– a beautiful sapphire blue hole and about a 20 ft jump or so. The water is beautiful and the jump is fun but be sure you have enough strength to climb out. Since I last visited there was an updated ladder to use to get out of the hole and that made it a lot easier than it used to be.
- Levy Preserve– a 30 acre botanical garden and the first national park on Eleuthera! There is a huge lookout you can climb and is lots of fun with kiddos! Be prepared to walk and bring water!
- Glass Window Bridge & Cliffs– where the pacific ocean meets the Caribbean! These are giant cliffs you can climb to look over into the water. Bring tennis shoes for this!
- Queen’s Bath – located just by the glass window bridge, also called Hot Tubs, are a collection of natural pools that border the rugged Atlantic Ocean side of the island. I climbed in one for a drone shot but had to be EXTRA careful to avoid the sea urchines. However, do check the tides before you go and only venture in with calm seas and low tides.
- La Bougainvillea– less adventure and more relaxing! If you come eat at the restaurant, you can also enjoy the pool and beaches.
- The French Leave Beach – Located across the road from The French leave Resort, this beach is nice and open and great place to set up camp but this beach does tend to have bigger waves.
- Harbour Island – The north part of the island! You can ferry over to Harbor Island from Eleuthera (only a 5 min boat ride) and you will find pink sand beaches, horseback riding, shopping and lots of food! Grab a golf cart when you get off the ferry to explore the island more!
- Spanish Wells – another island to ferry over to, but a little more chill than Harbor Island. Smaller too. Rent a golf cart and ride around the island looking at the cute little homes and grab a bite to eat!
- Twin Coves Beach– Some of the best snorkeling on the island! Take some snacks and a picnic lunch and hang out for the whole day!
- Ten Bay Beach – The best beach for young kids/toddlers!! The water is very calm and shallow and you can hang out in the water with the kids and feel safe with them near you. There are lots of sand dollars here too so be sure to bring your snorkels and let the kids explore!
- The Island Farm– We loved going to the island farm when we lived on the island. They have fresh veggies, and fresh bread and you can also grab some homemade jams, salsas and more. They also have liquor, water and other grocery related items. Located in South Palmetto Point.
- Preacher’s Cave – A small cave to explore, discovered by William Sayle and a group of Christians seeking religious freedom in the mid-17th century. They were shipwrecked off the Eleuthera coast on a reef called the Devil’s Back Bone and took refuge here after coming ashore.
Here are some sweet mems from the past few years!
Places to Eat (Centralized on the Island)
- 1648 Restaurant at The French Leave in Governor’s Harbor
- The Buccaneer’s Club in Governor’s Harbor
- Sunset Inn in Rainbow Bay for yummy pizza!
- La Bougainvillea in Governor’s Harbor
- Tippy’s in Governor’s Harbor
- Meg’s Snack Shack near James Point (North of Governor’s Harbor)
- Pascal’s Oceanfront Seafood and Pool – Grab a piña colada from Sammy!
- The Cove- A resort but sometimes they have the restaurant open to the public.
Resorts
- The Ocean View Club – Harbor Island (We stayed here in 2021)
- French Leave Resort – Governor’s Harbor (We stayed here in January)
- The Cove
- La Bougainvillea – Governor’s Harbor (Have visited the pool and restaurant many times)
- Sky Beach Club
- Pink Sands Resort
- Cape Eleuthera – Southern part of the island. This is where I grew up going!
- Valentine’s Resort & Marina ( We stayed here in 2022) – on Harbor Island
There are so many airbnb’s too!
Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask locals for help around the island! There are so many sweet people in Eleuthera and they are usually very happy to help tourists navigate. If you rent a car be sure to drive on the left side of the highway and carefully read the road signs. Bahamians drive fast so if someone comes up on you quickly- don’t be alarmed, just let them pass you.
If you’re going to a resort you can get a taxi from the airport (we prefer flying into North Eleuthera but they recently remodeled the governor’s Harbor airport) and we rode with Jarrod Cokely last time we were on the island. You can ask around at the airport when you arrive and go through customs or you can request a ride from your resort too. Everyone knows everyone!
I hope this was a helpful post! The biggest thing to remember is that the island is very laid back and everyone is friendly enough to help you. Comment below if you have any questions or you can always reach out to me via instagram DM’s. www.instagram.com/heykailymae
