Nassau: Buggy Tour New Providence, Queen’s Staircase & Local Tastes
Buggy rides Nassau with stops for guava duff and rum cake
You’ll drive your own buggy through Nassau with a local guide leading by headset, climb the Queen’s Staircase, taste fresh guava duff at The New Duff bakery, sample rum cake straight from the factory, and wander food stalls at Arawak Cay: all with pickup included. Expect laughter, unexpected moments, and flavors that linger long after you’re back home.
Options for this experience
3 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Buggy tour with local stops
- Begin tour and visit Queen's Staircase
- Tour John Watling Distillery
- Visit Graycliff Hotel cigar, wine, chocolate factory
- Stop at The New Duff for guava duff tasting
- Explore Arawak Cay and try local cuisine
- Final stop at Bahamas Rum Cake Factory tasting
- Queen's Staircase 25m
- John Watling's Distillery 30m
- Graycliff Heritage Village Marketplace 40m
- Arawak Cay Entry included 30m
- The Bahamas Rum Cake Factory 15m
What’s included
Your day includes hotel pickup in Nassau, bottled water kept cold in a cooler throughout your ride, use of your own buggy (with fuel covered), guided stops at historic sites like Queen's Staircase and John Watling Distillery, samples of local treats such as guava duff and rum cake along the way, and time at Arawak Cay to try Bahamian food before heading back.
Times
- Every day 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00
Information
Feel the breeze on a buggy tour of Nassau, sample guava duff, explore Queen’s Staircase & Arawak Cay, and enjoy local snacks with hotel pickup included.
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Traveler reviews
The experience
I’ll admit, I was a little nervous about driving a buggy through Nassau at first. The guy handing out headsets (Kenny, I think) grinned when he saw me fumbling with the Bluetooth. “Don’t worry,” he said, “just keep left and follow my voice.” The headset actually made it easier to relax. His running commentary was half history lesson, half stand-up routine. We zipped off with the salty air in our faces and the radio playing something local and loud. I still remember how the steering wheel felt kind of sticky from sunscreen, which sounds weird but somehow made it feel real.
Our first stop was the Queen’s Staircase. I’d seen photos but standing at the bottom looking up those 66 steps. It hit different. There was this cool hush in the stone corridor, and someone had left hibiscus petals scattered on one of the steps. Kenny told us about enslaved people carving it out by hand. He paused for a second before moving on, and that silence stuck with me longer than any fact. After that we rolled over to John Watling’s Distillery where you could smell sugarcane even before you got out, sweet and sharp. I tried their rum (just a sip), and Li laughed when I tried to say “thank you” in Bahamian dialect, probably butchered it.
The buggy tour kept moving: Graycliff Hotel next for chocolate that melted almost instantly in my hand (should’ve eaten it faster), then The New Duff for guava duff. Honestly? I didn’t know what to expect from a Bahamian dessert named after fruit and clouds. It’s warm, soft, kind of tangy-sweet. I can still taste it if I close my eyes. You get maybe fifteen minutes there but it’s enough to see locals popping in for their own boxes: felt like we were let in on something.
We finished up at Arawak Cay where you could grab conch fritters or whatever else called your name. Some people wandered off to try fish fry stalls while others just stood around talking with our guide about old Junkanoo parades. Last stop was Bahamas Rum Cake Factory (tiny place but packed with buttery smells), and then back in the buggies again, dust on our shoes and sunburn starting to tingle behind my ears. Not everything went smoothly (I nearly missed a turn because I was distracted by a goat on someone’s porch), but honestly that’s what made it feel like more than just another day trip around Nassau.
Top questions
Can I be picked up at my hotel?
You can choose: pickup at your hotel, or go straight to the meeting point. Pickup is included in the price. When you book, you choose your hotel from 45 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you arrange it with the operator after booking. Pickup is about 30 minutes before departure.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
How long is the buggy tour of New Providence?
The buggy tour lasts approximately 3 hours from start to finish.
What age do you need to be to drive your own buggy?
You must be at least 25 years old and show a valid driver’s license to drive.
What are some stops on this Nassau buggy tour?
The tour includes Queen’s Staircase, John Watling Distillery, Graycliff Hotel (chocolate/cigar/wine), The New Duff bakery, Arawak Cay, and Bahamas Rum Cake Factory.
Are snacks or drinks provided during the tour?
Bottled water is provided throughout the tour along with samples of local desserts like guava duff and rum cake.
Can infants join this buggy tour?
Infants can join. Specialized infant seats are available and infants must sit on an adult's lap if needed.
Is this Nassau day trip suitable for all fitness levels?
The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels but not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.
Operated by Virgo Car & Scooter Rental. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 5 days ago
Nassau: Buggy Tour New Providence, Queen’s Staircase & Local Tastes
3h–3h 30m · EN
from US$ 250 per group
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.