| Freeport in Grand Bahama Island is the closest of all | | | | some cleaning up since I did see some cigarette butts |
| the Bahamas to the USA. A quick 45 minute flight | | | | and small litter scattered around. This is also true for |
| from Fort Lauderdale or Miami will get you into | | | | some of the areas around the Port Lucaya area in |
| Freeport. It is a very popular destination because of its | | | | general as it seems that nobody wants to take |
| close proximity and the fact that US dollars are widely | | | | responsibility for bottles and other trash visible to |
| accepted. There are two main clusters of hotels and | | | | tourists.The taxi fare to Port Lucaya from the airport |
| resorts on Grand Bahama Island. One is at the Port | | | | was $19 US. There is also a public bus service which |
| Lucaya area located on the south shore of island and | | | | utilizes vans to take people to other parts of the island. |
| the other is near downtown Freeport which is more | | | | The fare is $1.50 US per person to downtown |
| inland. There are also other individual resorts scattered | | | | Freeport so this is definitely a much more economical |
| around the west and south shores of the 97 by 17 mile | | | | way to get around. One can take this bus service to |
| island.I have traveled to Freeport twice and stayed in | | | | the nearest grocer called Winn-Dixie or the other |
| the Port Lucaya area both times. Most of the hotels | | | | major shopping area on Grand Bahama Island called |
| here are next to the Port Lucaya Marketplace which | | | | International Bazaar. International Bazaar is actually |
| is a collection of restaurants, boutiques and other retail | | | | next to downtown Freeport and near the other cluster |
| services. In addition to the higher end retail, there are | | | | of hotels there. This shopping area was similar to the |
| also small outdoor vendors selling cheaper goods such | | | | Port Lucaya Marketplace except that it had an |
| as souvenirs and t-shirts. One should be aware that | | | | international theme. Unfortunately, the International |
| much of the items available for sale from these | | | | Bazaar is rapidly going downhill as over half of the |
| vendors are not actually made in the Bahamas but | | | | stores are now closed. This is not that surprising since |
| overseas in Asia. There is also a nice sized marina | | | | even though there are attractive hotel rates and |
| here for those coming to the island via private boat. | | | | another casino located in this area, it is really too far |
| For those interested in scuba diving, the Unexso | | | | from the ocean to make it a decent Caribbean spot to |
| operator is very convenient since it is located next to | | | | stay. Therefore, it is highly recommended to stay in the |
| the marketplace. There are also deep sea fishing | | | | Port Lucaya area (or one of the individual resorts near |
| excursions offered here as well. At the center of the | | | | the ocean if one prefers more seclusion).Both of my |
| marketplace is the Count Basie Square where free | | | | trips to Freeport were primarily for scuba diving and |
| entertainment is featured on some evenings. A casino | | | | with opportunities to dive with both dolphins and sharks |
| is on location here as well. The white sand beach is | | | | here, I was not disappointed. |
| quite nice with no rocks in the water but it could use | | | | |