Review of Atlantis - Paradise Island Bahamas

Location: Paradise Island, Bahamas

June 22-29, 2013

website:   http://www.atlantis.com

Exhibits: Water park, dolphins, walk through aquariums

Price:  Check their website, to use the water park you can stay at Atlantis, Comfort Suites or come for a day on a cruise ship.  We stay at Harbourside, http://www.atlantis.com/accommodations/harborsideresort.aspx it has a washer and dryer plus a kitchen.  

How we got there:  Airplane and taxi

Best For: Kids 5-6 and up.  Before 5 they won't remember it anyway

Rating:  5 stars - this place is amazing!

Most Interesting Thing I learned: The dolphin trainers can tell the dolphins apart by looking at their fins.

Atlantis

Here I am in Bahamas - I went NUTS!!! 

Where do I start! This was so much fun, from the water park, food, to just walking around in town.

Water Park:

The water park is huge, my favorite part is the river ride, it has a wave machine and rapids.  The river ride is like a mile long and takes about 20 minutes to do one loop.  This ride is pretty rough for little kids, they should be able to swim, be comfortable in the water and not be afraid if one minute they are in their tube and the next minute are thrown in the air by a wave.  Even in a life jacket (provided by Atlantis) this is more than some smaller kids can take.  One parent should go around first and see if it's OK.  When you are in the river ride, you can choose to go down the rapids or go up the Power Tower (water slide tower) by a conveyer belt that tows you to the top.  You don't have to walk up steps unless you want to go on some of the more scary water slides. People loose sunglasses, hats, wallets, ID cards and just about everything in here.  Guys shouldn't have anything in their back pockets, because it will come out, and I found a lanyard with someone's cruise ship ID.  I recommend going early in the morning or late in the evening before it gets crowded. Tuesday and Wednesday are less crowded, since there aren't as many people from cruise ships on those days.  There is a tamer river ride by the Beach tower.

Make sure your kid is over 48 inches if you want to go on the slides.  They really measure, and a little bit under doesn't count. There are some slides where you go down in a tube - the serpent slide goes through the shark tank and it's really cool. The Falls and the Drop in the power tower are also fun.  Parents don't usually like the slides that you go on without a tube.  You can get major back burns and wedgies. 

We also went on the shallow water dolphin experience. You can't wear any jewelery, we didn't know that before hand and my Mom had trouble getting her ring off. It was scary for some of the smaller kids.  One of the little girls was screaming the whole time.  You stand in about 3 feet of water and get to play with a dolphin.  They take your picture a lot - so you can buy them later.  The Trainer for a Day program would be really fun but you would have to be more than 12.  I'd like to hear from someone who did this.

Cartoon Network had a promotion at Atlantis, but it's just there for the summer, there are TV shows and movies on a big screen at the beach .  They had an obstacle course floating in the lagoon. It was free, but you have to sign up, and you get about 30 minutes to play on it. You have to wear life jackets they provide.  Kids under 16 need to have a parent with them on the obstacle course...the whole time.  My Mom recommends parents just stay in the water and float around by their kid for 30 minutes, climbing back on the raft is tough.

Here's a picture of the kids pool.  The back has slides and nets or stairs to climb up, it's really for smaller kids, at 54" you are too tall and can't use it, so enjoy it while you can. The water is about ankle deep there.  The front part of the pool can be dangerous for little kids as it gradually gets deeper, and can be over small kids heads.  This pool get's pretty disgusting, so look out, as little kids have issues with puking, pooping and swim diaper loss. When this happens they close the pool for an hour.  This happens a lot.


Earth and Fire Pottery Studio is in the Beach Tower.  Each year we paint something and they have different stuff each year. They have added making a picture out of bits of glass too.  This year I made a Mom and Baby dolphin.  If you are going to do this, don't go on your last day, it takes more than 24 hours for them to fire it for you.
 

Where we ate:
To get to town you can walk over the inbound bridge, it's a long walk and will take you about 45 minutes.  You can take a taxi for $4 per person, or you can take a ferry boat - also $4 per person.  The ferry boat goes when it's full, so you can sit there a while.  While the boat is moving, a guy gives a speech about Bahamas and then asks for tips.


Food is very expensive in Bahamas, as just about everything (but fish) has to be brought in from somewhere else. We bring some snacks to eat for breakfast, have food at the pool at lunch (hot dog, drink and chips $9 or nachos $6.50) and have a really good dinner.  Atlantis has some less expensive options, there is a Quiznos and a Starbucks, but everything is higher than U.S. prices, plan ahead.  We haven't been to the Fish Fry just past downtown, but it's always mentioned as the most reasonably priced place to eat.

Luciano's of Chicago http://www.lucianosnassau.com/  is right over the inbound bridge.  You can walk over the bridge, make a right and walk about a block or take a taxi.  The food is amazing, they have seafood, steak and pasta.  Their mashed potatoes are marvelous.  This used to be an old house, so it's pretty cool inside.  You can eat inside, outside under the porch and outside on the patio.  They have great views of the harbor and Atlantis.

Cafe Matisse  http://www.cafe-matisse.com/ is downtown by the Parliament building on Charlotte Street.  If you are downtown at lunch this is a great place to go.  They have excellent pasta and I really liked their minestrone soup.  They charge for each iced tea, refills aren't free.

Poop Deck http://www.thepoopdeck.com/ is left over the outbound bridge about 2 blocks or take a taxi. I like the fried plantain and rice.  My parents like the fish.

Seafire Steak House http://www.atlantis.com/dining/finedining/seafiresteakhouse.aspx  This is in Marina Village, I like it, but I liked it better when they had tomato soup.  The portions aren't that big, but if you eat yours and your kid's you'll regret it, my Dad did.

Chop Sticks  http://www.atlantis.com/dining/finedining/chopstix.aspx This is in the Coral Tower, they had really good Chinese food and excellent egg drop soup with corn.

Carmines http://www.carminesnyc.com/locations/atlantis-bahamas/  This is in the Marina Village, it's a family style restaurant with big platters to share.  They have never seen one person eat one platter.  We had angel hair pasta, sauce and meatballs.  We took what was leftover back to the room and my Dad ate it for breakfast for the next 4 days.