Did someone mention a surry ride...
The Bahamas are only 50 miles from the U.S. There are over 700 islands in the Bahamanian archipelago. Less than 50 are inhabited. The islands derive their named from the Spanish "baja mar", which means "shallows".
While docked in Nassau, you can either take a shore excursion arranged through the ship, or do things on your own. You can snorkel with sting rays on Sting Ray Island, swim with dolphins, take a horse-drawn surrey ride through the city to see historical sites, shop on Bay Street where one boutique leads right into another, or visit the Straw Market which is famous for its native handicrafts.
The shopping boulevard, the surrey ride station and the Nassau sightseeing information booth are all just a 4-minute walk from where we dock.
This trip, I plan on taking the surrey ride. It takes about 25 minutes and is $5 per person. Each surrey holds two people. It's best to go in the cool of the morning, perhaps after your breakfast on ship. The horses are rested every day from 1-3 PM, another reason to surrey early.
The ride takes you past historical sites of British colonial times as well as other points of interest in the immediate downtown city area.
After the freeper Linda Tripp banquet in South Carolina several years ago, I had a few hours to sight-see in Charleston. I took a Sunday morning surrey ride through neighborhoods containing beautifully-preserved homes dating back to the Revolutionary and Civil wars.
Though a surrey ride may sound corny, it's actually a great way to take a mini-tour, as I discovered. You get a close-up view of things and can absorb the sights, sounds and feel of your lovely and historical surroundings much better than from a bus or taxi.
Leni