On my first-ever cruise (all the thoughts on that coming soon, so subscribe!), we made a stop in the Bimini Islands, in the Bahamas. We were looking for things to do here – what is there to do in Bimini for just one day, coming off a cruise ship?
Bimini is trending as a destination for Americans right now, as it is so close to Florida (visiting Bimini can be done as a day trip from Miami), and a new cruise port was recently built (see below for details).
I always love seeing a new country, particularly one that has spectacular waters and a Caribbean lifestyle. So, of course, I have no regrets.
What was challenging (which you can read below) was how small North Bimini is. Blog posts and travel guides I had read before my trip made it seem as though there were a plethora of things to do. But we found ourselves simply golf carting around, puttering and exploring without an agenda.
Not that there is anything wrong with that! Finding a spot on a beach with Caribbean waters for a day is the stuff vacation dreams are made of.
I would just caution those explorers out there (like me) that this is about a slow life, a lazy day, and a cold Bahamian beer.
Here are some options for how to spend a day on a Bimini Island in the Bahamas…
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About Bimini, The Bahamas
The country of The Bahamas is a string of islands. Bimini is part of The Bahamas and is actually also a set of islands: North Bimini, South Bimini, and East Bimini (no idea where West Bimini went!).
The cruise ships dock at North Bimini, which is what this article will refer to.
Things to Know About Visiting Bimini
North Bimini is only seven miles long. The capital of the Bimini Islands is Alice Town, on North Bimini, and it is estimated that the population is 2,000 people. Most of the Bimini islands are privately owned (like Resorts World, see below).
Because it is so small, it is easy to get around. But here are some tips:
- Cruisers will be unloaded where there is a free tram to go to Resorts World but you can easily walk the distance rather than wait in line for the tram.
- Bring cash! Bimini is primarily a cash economy everywhere except inside Resorts World (where there is also an ATM). We did find one vendor at Radio Beach that took a credit card, thankfully, as we didn’t have nearly enough cash.
- Rent a golf cart to get around. Outside of Resorts World, where the cruisers enter the island, there will be a dozen locals shouting to rent you a golf cart for around $75-$100 USD for the day. Negotiate the price and be prepared to pay cash, but it is by far the best way to get around. Our golf cart was pretty janky (no parking brake, the steering wheel was upside down, etc.), but it did the job, and we loved having it.
Things to do on Bimini Island in The Bahamas
About Resorts World...
Resorts World in Bimini, The Bahamas, gobbles up a large portion of the island. According to their website, they have “305-rooms, sixteen bars and restaurants, four pools, and a 10,000 sq. ft slots & table games casino.”
It is owned by a Malaysian investment group, which has Resorts Worlds in other locations such as Las Vegas, and is the closest offshore casino to South Florida, only 50 miles from Miami. Construction began in 2014 (despite protests from residents with transparency and environmental concerns). The marina is expansive.
It operated as a Hilton until April 2025 and caters to cruise ship passengers. In fact, the cruise port was paid for and built by Resorts World in 2021.
Cruise passengers unload at a fairly simple and barebones dock – and Resorts World runs free trams to take cruisers to Resorts World. Note that it is a LONG wait to get a tram (there are a lot of people on a cruise ship) and that cruisers can easily walk from the boat to the resort if they wish.Â
For cruisers to enjoy the amenities, however, requires a day pass ($40-$45 for the day at the time of this posting) – unless you are on a Virgin Voyages cruise, which has a beach club inside Resorts World.
Look: This is decidedly not my thing. Resorts World takes up lots of the island with a curated, staged presentation. In Las Vegas, where it is a desert full of space to spread out and create, I expect this. And I am not against luxury resorts in Caribbean locations – this just felt so divorced from the local community. It felt like it was swallowing whatever local community existed. As we were carting around, there were swarms of American tourists all over.
It also didn’t help that Resorts World was the scene of an MTV-style college spring break when we visited. Loud, drunk college kids partying at 11:00 am is not my vibe (never has been). As a tourist, I feel the tension of being part of the reason why huge companies bully the environment and local communities to create places like this. But Resorts World felt all wrong to me.
NOTE: This is why I don’t have sponsored posts here on The Family Trip right now. This is completely my own honest opinion from just a one-day visit. Of course, many people have really loved their stays here (and the college kids seemed more than happy).
If you want someone who provides the counterpoint, head to Verbal Gold, who wrote a glowing review of her stay at Resorts World.
And Kath Eats (holla to another Charlottesville blogger!) just went to the Virgin Bimini Beach Club and has photos and thoughts about that if you are interested.
Beaches: Radio Beach + Cemetery Beach
Of course, it is the water here that is the showstopper. The Bahamas have clear blue water and sandy ocean bottoms that are just divine.
We found some local beaches and puttered up and down the stretch of road in our golf cart.Â
First, we went to the southernmost tip of North Bimini – to what we heard was a spot called Cemetery Beach. A lot of golf carts were parked where the road ended, and, as per its name, we walked through a cemetery to end up on a beach.
As there wasn’t much beaching to do here, with a pretty rocky shoreline, we walked a bit, then went back out to explore.
Heading back north, we turned off of Queens Highway and found Radio Beach.
This was fun! Lawn chairs and umbrellas (for rent), gorgeous views (including of our cruise ship), and a shack selling cold beer and conch fritters. We loved this stop.
For anyone not wanting to pay for a golf cart or pay to get into Resorts World for the day, at the end of the cruise port, there is a public beach. Here you can rent a chair or cabana, buy beverages, and be close to the boat.
Dolphin House Museum
This is a house built of concrete that an artist has covered in recycled materials. It stands out, for sure, and is right across from Radio Beach. The artist has lived on North Bimini his whole life and loves the island. This house has become a celebration of Bimini in a way.
It looked intriguing, but at $20 per person when we went, we didn’t feel the pricetag was the right fit for us.
Trying Bimini Bread
On our golf cart vendor’s recommendation, we found Nate’s Bimini Breads and bought a loaf of the fresh, sweet bread.
Nate’s is tucked away, off Queen’s Highway, on Hill Top Street. It is a residence, so we walked in where requested, rang the bell as requested, and a very kind young girl sold us a loaf for $8 (cash). We ate it while golf carting around, enjoying the sweetness.
Other Places to Eat
- Joe’s Conch Stand
- Stuart’s Conch Shack
- Smitty’s Beach Bar
Other Excursions
There are plenty of other excursions you can pay for on the Bimini Islands in The Bahamas:
- Diving or snorkeling the Sapona shipwreck
- Looking for the Fountain of Youth
- Swimming with dolphins
But we found these prices to be high – more than what our prices for similar excursions in Key West were listed for – so we decided to just relax around the island.
Bimini is a fun stop on a cruise ship destination: a real country versus a created cruise-ship island experience that so many cruise lines offer now. I appreciate that very much. I appreciated seeing The Bahamas and experiencing the stunning ocean waters they have all around them.
But I don’t feel any need to go back soon. I also imagine feeling quite constrained, just knowing myself, if I were to be on North Bimini for an extended period of time.
The local community members we met were lovely, with huge smiles and incredibly welcoming words. Driving around in our golf cart with the upside-down steering wheel, I knew we were creating core memories and having a unique experience that only Bimini could offer.
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