Your Nassau & Paradise Island CME conference.

Nassau after your study day

Study days finish at 2:00 PM Nassau time. For an easy afternoon, choose one outing near your study setting: Junkanoo Beach, which the destination site places nearest the cruise port, a walk through downtown’s shops and museums, or a plate of conch at the Arawak Cay Fish Fry. Leave time for getting there; the destination site notes that driving is on the left and that ride-hailing apps are not available.

Travel, accommodation and attraction admission are arranged separately. Your conference follows your specialty and interests; Nassau is simply the setting you choose for it.

Downtown history on foot

Downtown Nassau packs museums and old buildings close together, and the destination site says that once you are downtown you can explore on foot. The Pirates of Nassau Museum covers the Golden Age of Piracy, when privateers turned Nassau into a Privateer’s Republic until Governor Woodes Rogers arrived in 1718. The Educulture Junkanoo Museum covers the origins of Junkanoo and sits on Bay Street, the Junkanoo parade route.

The Heritage Museum of The Bahamas features the antiques collection of the British collector Hamilton White, and the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas showcases Caribbean artists. Christ Church Cathedral dates to 1670. Parliament Square was built in the late 1700s and early 1800s by Loyalists from North Carolina, and Government House is now the Governor General’s official residence. Fort Fincastle, Fort Charlotte and Fort Montagu are Nassau’s three historic forts from the 1700s, and the Queen’s Staircase has 66 steps. The Heritage Village Artists’ Studio lets visitors meet and talk with artists. Junkanoo performances are held around Christmas and New Year’s Day, and the Educulture Junkanoo Museum gives year-round access to the story. Compare museum hours with your 2:00 PM finish.

Straw Market, crafts and the Fish Fry

The Straw Market is in Nassau’s shopping district and sells hand-woven straw hats and bags, wood carvings and conch shell jewelry; bargaining is expected. Doongalik Studios & Art Gallery is a downtown art gallery and studio, and Craft Cottage Bahamas sells locally made home décor, jewelry, soaps and glassware. The destination site also lists a Bites of Nassau walking tour that combines downtown sights with stops at local eateries.

The Fish Fry at Arawak Cay serves made-to-order conch salad, conch fritters, fried fish and cracked conch. The cruise port’s guide describes it as a popular hangout spot for locals on the weekends, a 10-minute drive or 30-minute walk from the port.

Cabbage Beach, Cable Beach or Junkanoo Beach?

Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island is a two-mile stretch of white sand, and Paradise Beach is a mile-long stretch on the same island. Cable Beach, about three miles from downtown, has a number of upscale resorts along it. Junkanoo Beach is the closest to the cruise port and is usually busy with activity.

For a quieter afternoon, the destination site describes Love Beach as having a more relaxed feel, about 20 minutes from downtown. Saunders Beach lies east of Goodman’s Bay. Check how you will get to the beach you choose before you set out.

Crossing between Nassau and Paradise Island

Two bridges cross Nassau Harbour to Paradise Island, and the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge is one of them. The destination site puts downtown Nassau about 5–10 minutes away from the bridge by car or taxi. Water taxis also connect Nassau and Paradise Island in about 10 minutes each way, and jitneys, the local minibuses, serve downtown Nassau and Cable Beach. Confirm departure points before you plan around a ferry.

When to visit Nassau

The destination site describes winter daytime highs in the low 70s, with breezy mornings and evenings. Spring climbs into the mid-70s, and humidity begins rising in May. Summer highs reach the high 80s with frequent but short scattered thunderstorms, often in the afternoon, and September and October are hot and humid. November is cooler and drier, with highs in the high 70s and plenty of sunshine. Use the local forecast when you plan outdoor time.

Getting to Nassau and your study setting

Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) is on New Providence Island, about 180 miles southeast of Miami, and is the arrival point shown in this guide. The island covers about 80 square miles, and the destination site lists Saunders Beach as about 20 minutes from the airport. Choose your accommodation and ground transport with your study setting in mind.

The map shows straight-line distances from Shift’s designated center. These are orientation distances, not driving distances or travel-time estimates. Check your exact address against the conference’s check-in area before booking.