Nassau half-day bus tour: Rum cake, forts and Fish Fry
Three hours on a bus hitting Nassau's forts, colonial steps and the local fish market
A half-day guided bus tour of Nassau that picks you up from the cruise port or your hotel and moves through the city's main landmarks in three hours. You'll taste rum cake at the Bahamas Rum Cake Factory, walk the 66 limestone steps of Queen's Staircase, see Fort Fincastle built in 1793 to defend against pirates, tour John Watling's Distillery, and end at Arawak Cay Fish Fry to eat conch fritters and conch salad. The guide handles the route while you sit in an air-conditioned vehicle and collect the free samples along the way.
Step-by-step itinerary
Nassau cultural and food tasting tour
- Taste rum cake at Rum Cake Factory
- View historic fort with cannons
- Walk and photograph Queen's Staircase
- Visit Fort Fincastle for history
- Tour John Watling's Rum Distillery
- Enjoy views and activities at Junkanoo Beach
- Taste local dishes at Arawak Cay Fish Fry
- The Bahamas Rum Cake Factory Entry included 10m
- Fort Montagu 15m
- Queen's Staircase 15m
- Fort Fincastle Entry included 15m
- John Watling's Distillery 20m
- Junkanoo Beach 20m
- Arawak Cay 1h
What’s included
- Bottled water.
- air-conditioned vehicle.
- hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off.
- free rum cake samples at the Bahamas Rum Cake Factory.
- free pina colada samples at John Watling's Distillery.
- complimentary soft drinks.
- Every day 10:00 14:00
Information
Half-day guided bus tour of Nassau from cruise port or hotel, visiting Fort Fincastle and Queen's Staircase, with rum cake and pina colada samples at Arawak Cay Fish Fry.
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The experience
The tour starts with pickup from your cruise port or hotel and moves through Nassau on a fixed schedule. The first stop is the Bahamas Rum Cake Factory in the heart of the city, where you taste the local brand that's been made there for over 20 years. From there the bus heads to Fort Fincastle, built in 1793 on the eastern shoreline to protect the island from pirates. It still has four cannons mounted on it. You'll walk down the Queen's Staircase, a set of 66 steps carved from solid limestone by enslaved people in the late 1700s as an escape route, and stop for photos.
The route includes a tour of John Watling's Distillery, an estate founded in 1789 that makes John Watling's rum and Red Turtle vodka. You get a pina colada sample here. A stop at Junkanoo Beach gives you time to photograph the view and watch cruise ships enter and leave the harbor. The final stop lands at Arawak Cay, known locally as Fish Fry, where you order and eat conch fritters, conch salad, Kalik beer and other native dishes. This is where the tour ends, and you're on your own to eat and explore the market.
The bus is air-conditioned and holds mixed groups. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel or cruise port is included, along with bottled water and the food samples at the factory and distillery. The whole outing runs three hours from start to finish.
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 18 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you arrange it with the operator after booking. Pickup is about 15 minutes before departure.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 11 years).
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.
What is the Queen's Staircase and why do we stop there?
The Queen's Staircase is a set of 66 steps carved from solid limestone in the late 1700s by enslaved people as an escape route from bondage. The tour includes a photo stop at this landmark, one of Nassau's most recognizable historical sites.
Do we actually eat at Arawak Cay or just look at it?
Arawak Cay, called Fish Fry locally, is the final stop where you order and eat conch fritters, conch salad, Kalik beer and other native Bahamian dishes. The tour ends there, so you have time to eat and explore the market on your own.
What rum and spirits does John Watling's Distillery make?
John Watling's Distillery, founded in 1789, produces John Watling's rum and Red Turtle vodka. The tour includes a visit to the estate and a complimentary pina colada sample.
When was Fort Fincastle built and what was it used for?
Fort Fincastle was built in 1793 by Lord Dunmore to provide protection from pirates. The fort sits on the eastern shoreline of Nassau and is equipped with four cannons that were historically used to defend the island.
Is there time to swim or do water sports at Junkanoo Beach?
Junkanoo Beach is a photo stop where you can see the harbor and watch cruise ships. Water sports are available there, though the tour schedule is fixed, so time is limited before moving to the final stop at Fish Fry.
Operated by Viking Rentals. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated today
Nassau half-day bus tour: Rum cake, forts and Fish Fry
3h · EN
from US$ 79.99 per person
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