Six proven ferry routes from $155 round-trip, a 7-day itinerary, and hotel picks for Bimini, Nassau, Eleuthera & Harbour Island — written from 50+ family trips.
Last updated: May 13, 2026 · Mark Sullivan, Fort Lauderdale
| Best entry-point ferry | Balearia Caribbean — Fort Lauderdale to Bimini (~2 hours) |
| Cheapest Florida → Bahamas ferry | Fort Lauderdale → Freeport, from US$155 RT |
| Main inter-island operator | Bahamas Ferries (Nassau hub) — Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells, Andros, Exuma |
| Out-Island ferry network | Albury's Ferry in the Abacos — Marsh Harbour ⇄ Hope Town / Man-O-War / Guana Cay (20–30 min hops) |
| Hurricane season | June 1 – November 30 (peak Aug/Sep) — travel insurance worth it |
| Passport rule (US citizens) | Valid US passport required for flights; sea travel may accept passport card / birth certificate |
| Typical 7-day budget | US$1,500 – $2,500 per person (ferries + budget hotels + food, excl. flights home) |
Sources: Balearia Caribbean (baleariacaribbean.com), Bahamas Ferries (bahamasferries.com), Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, NOAA Atlantic hurricane season dates. Prices verified May 2026 — confirm at booking.
Six combos that actually work — with current ferry operators and starting prices.
3 days, 2 nights
5 days, 4 nights
10 days, 9 nights
7 days, 6 nights
8 days, 7 nights
6 days, 5 nights
Learned these the hard way so you don't have to!
Not all ferries run daily! Nassau to Harbour Island? Weekends only. Bimini ferries? Check for Tuesday blackouts. Always plan your trip around ferry schedules, not the other way around. Trust me on this one!
Local water taxis, small ferry operators, and many island restaurants only take cash. Hit the ATM in Fort Lauderdale or Nassau — Out Island ATMs are spotty at best. We bring $500 minimum for a week.
You'll be hauling bags on and off ferries, water taxis, and golf carts. One carry-on and one personal bag per person MAX. Soft-sided luggage is way easier to manage than hard cases.
Weather happens. Ferries get delayed. Add a full buffer day between major hops, especially if catching a weekend-only ferry. Missing that Harbour Island ferry means waiting 5 more days!
Harbour Island has maybe 10 hotels total. Hope Town? Even less. During season (December-April), book at least 3 weeks ahead or you'll be scrambling. We learned this the expensive way!
Best months for smooth sailing: March-May and November-December. July-October can get rough (but also way less crowded!). Always check marine forecasts, not just regular weather.
This is the exact trip I recommend to all first-timers!
Catch the morning Balearia Caribbean fast ferry from Port Everglades — arrive at least 90 minutes before sailing for check-in and parking. About 2 hours at sea, often with dolphin sightings. Check in at Hilton at Resorts World Bimini or a North Bimini guesthouse. Afternoon at Radio Beach (calm, family-friendly). Dinner at one of the conch shacks on Alice Town's main strip.
Rent a golf cart (from about US$80/day) and explore North Bimini end-to-end. Morning snorkel at Rainbow Reef or the SS Sapona wreck. Lunch at Stuart's Conch Stand — the conch salad is the real deal. Afternoon at Blister Beach for shelling. Sunset cocktails at a beachfront bar near Bailey Town.
Heads-up: there is no scheduled passenger ferry Bimini → Nassau. Take a short flight on Western Air or Bahamasair (around 30 minutes, from US$140 one-way), or board a mailboat from Bimini if you have time and patience. Check in to a downtown Nassau hotel. Walk Bay Street, then dinner at the Arawak Cay Fish Fry — local conch fritters and cracked lobster.
Book a small-plane or fast-boat day tour to the Exuma Cays (typically US$300–$500 per adult, including park fees and lunch). Highlights: swimming pigs at Big Major Cay, iguanas at Allen's Cay, snorkeling at Thunderball Grotto, sandbar stop at Pipe Cay. Operators with consistently good reviews: Powerboat Adventures and Bahamas Air Tours. Back to Nassau by early evening.
Morning Bahamas Ferries fast ferry from Potter's Cay (Nassau) to Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera (about 2 hours; tickets from US$155 one-way). Rent a car at the dock — book ahead, fleet is small. Lunch in Governor's Harbour, afternoon at French Leave Beach. Overnight in Governor's Harbour or a Bannerman Town guesthouse.
Morning at Queen's Bath (only at low tide — check tide tables!) and Glass Window Bridge for photos. Lunch at Tippy's near Pineapple Fields — reservations recommended in season. Drive north to Three Island Dock and take the water taxi (about 10 minutes, US$5 each way) to Harbour Island for the pink sand beach. Evening Bahamas Ferries return to Nassau.
Atlantis Aquaventure waterpark is normally guest-only — non-resort access is limited and pricey. A better budget alternative: Cabbage Beach is right next door and free. Spend the morning there, last-minute shopping at the Straw Market on Bay Street, then taxi to Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) for your flight home.
The map below shows the main Bahamas ferry hubs. Use our trip planner to combine routes, check schedules and estimate the total cost.
Launch Trip PlannerHand-picked hotels and guesthouses for the four main island-hopping stops. The map compares real-time prices across Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com and Airbnb.
2 hours from Fort Lauderdale
Main hub for inter-island ferries
2 hours from Nassau by ferry
10-min water taxi from North Eleuthera
Affiliate disclosure: BahamasHopping earns a commission when you book through these links — at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
How we save thousands every year
Here's the truth: we're not rich. I'm a real estate broker, my wife's a nurse. But we've figured out how to give our kids incredible island adventures without breaking the bank. Ferry hopping instead of flying saves us $800+ per trip. That adds up to real money — like, college fund money!
Skip the booking sites! Balearia's website often has promos. Tuesday/Thursday ferries are cheaper. Kids under 2 are free, under 12 half price. Group rates kick in at 10+ people.
Skip the resorts! Vacation rentals on VRBO are half the price. Many include golf carts on Out Islands. Kitchen = huge savings on food. We save $200+ per night this way.
Resort restaurants will kill your budget. Hit local spots: fish fry stands, conch shacks, bakeries. Peas 'n rice with fried fish = $12. Same meal at resort = $45. Do the math!
It's about way more than saving money
Look, I could talk about the money we've saved (over $40k!) or the stamps in our passports. But what really matters? My kids have swum with dolphins, caught their first fish, made friends with Bahamian kids, and learned that adventure doesn't require a trust fund. They've discovered that the journey really can be as amazing as the destination. That's worth more than any amount of money saved.
The questions we get most often about Bahamas island hopping in 2026.
Yes — but only some islands are connected by scheduled passenger ferries. Balearia Caribbean runs Fort Lauderdale to Bimini and Freeport. Bahamas Ferries (the local operator) runs Nassau to Eleuthera, Harbour Island/Spanish Wells, Andros and Exuma. Between islands not on these routes (e.g. Bimini ↔ Nassau) you'll need a short flight or a mailboat.
A 3-day Bimini round-trip from Fort Lauderdale by ferry starts around US$200 per person. A 7-day multi-island itinerary using ferries plus one short inter-island flight typically costs US$1,500–$2,500 per person, including budget accommodation and food. Resort-only stays push this much higher.
Yes. US citizens need a valid US passport for all air travel to and from the Bahamas. For closed-loop sea travel a passport card or birth certificate plus government photo ID may be accepted, but a regular passport is strongly recommended to cover emergency flights home. Children under 16 traveling by sea can use a birth certificate.
Mid-March to mid-May and mid-November to mid-December offer the best mix of calm seas, lower prices and dry weather. Peak season is December through April. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with peak activity in August and September — fewer crowds but expect more ferry cancellations and weather delays.
No. Inside the Abacos there is a frequent local ferry network (Albury's Ferry between Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, Man-O-War and Guana Cay, 20–30 minute hops). Otherwise inter-island travel is by mailboat (slow, cheap, very local) or short-hop flights operated by Bahamasair, Western Air, LeAir and FlamingoAir.
Fort Lauderdale → Freeport (Grand Bahama) on Balearia Caribbean is the cheapest gateway, with ferry tickets starting around US$155 round-trip. Add a vacation rental on Grand Bahama and a day trip to Lucayan National Park for a budget-friendly long weekend.
Compare current ferry schedules and lock in your first leg from Florida.
