Escape to Eleuthera, Bahamas
- findingfrankie2023
- May 31, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 21, 2024
Wow! There are no words to describe the beauty and simplicity of this island. I remember looking at our photos as we were waiting to board the departure plane and thinking they look fake!
Why We Chose Eleuthera:
We didn’t necessarily choose Eleuthera….it was chosen for us 😊In many ways, that makes planning easier. After all, the destination is the hardest part to plan. This was a family vacation with my husbands’ two brothers, wives, and a few (not all) of our grown children (some with significant others and some without). Oh and their mother (aka MeanMaw). A whole new season of life 😊
The Planning
I feel like there are 4 main components to take into consideration when trip planning: Food, Inclusive Entertainment, Transportation, and Shelter. If these aren’t close to right, someone will be “throwing FITS” 😊 Bob hasn’t planned any of our vacations because he is incapable of overthinking the details like I do. I confess, I plan “too much”. These 4 get 90% of my attention and are the focus of my stress mainly because they all influence one another and make a big impact on the enjoyment of the trip for everyone.
Food
The plan for food is always important. No one wants to cook all the time (or at least I don’t!). Eating out every meal can get expensive, and we do not enjoy large crowds in daily life let alone a relaxing vacation! Breakfast is Bob’s love language, so that’s always a given meal for cooking. A beach or a boat outing is not complete without a basic ham sandwich and pickles and olives. As we researched Eleuthera, we found numerous recommendations to bring your own food especially proteins and snacks. This is not only due to extremely high prices, but overall availability as well. I have NEVER flown with cooler, so this was a research project in and of itself! Check your airline for applicable baggage fees in both quantity and weight (round trip). And adhere to the no fruits and vegetables guidelines. The grocery stores get a re-stock from “the boat” on Wednesday’s and it is a highly anticipated day.
We only ate out on a couple occasions. Tippy’s was a fantastic outdoor setting with live music. The food and drink were fabulous. We were able to purchase stone crab, lobster and fish from the locals. (Oh, make sure to take plenty of cash $$. Expect Bahamian currency as change.) The boat excursion included grilled lobsters on the beach and the haul from brother’s fishing trip wrapped up the rest of the meals!
lobster
Inclusive Entertainment
Ensuring there is something for everyone is critical to the success of any trip. The more people you have, the trickier it can become. Bob's health and mobility capabilities can significantly vary day by day. Because of this, I like to have a plan B or at least options to make the most out of whatever he is capable of that day. This trip was about relaxation. The primary plan was to spend time together and soak in the beauty of the fabulous beaches.
The travel from the airport via Queen’s Hwy was the first adventure. The whole driving on the left side of the road felt so backwards and I fully appreciated the “KEEP LEFT” stickers on the driver’s side windshield! We booked a boat excursion with Captain Kid Tours where we were able to feed the sea turtles, snorkel the reef, enjoy a lobster lunch on the beach and wrapped up the day with a sandbar saunter. A low profile life jacket helped put my nerves at ease during the snorkling. And the captain took care of all the rest! Feeding and swimming with the sea turtles was a fun experience, but be careful! They can bite like a hammerhead (or so says my BIL). Towards the end of the week, the guys went on a chartered fishing trip, while some of the ladies went to Harbour Island. The introverts (which included myself) took advantage of the empty beach/pool, a great book, an adult beverage and solitude!
Transportation
We flew Delta this trip and decided not to take Bob’s scooter. My research showed that most of Eleuthera was not accessible and felt it was not worth the effort to take it. We made the right decision. The restaurants, boat tour, fishing trip, and grocery stores had close drop off points and I cannot think of one time we would’ve used it.
We had a layover in Atlanta which was the first time we traveled through there since the onset of Bob’s mobility issues. The mobility services were AMAZING in Atlanta. Make sure you ask to keep the wheelchair if you have a longer layover. Not only does it provide you with flexibility to move around, but makes for an excellent addition for a power nap. Eleuthera airport was surprising great as well. Disembarking the plane required the steep stairs of the plane, but a wheelchair was waiting for us. The airport staff were amazing in assisting me with luggage. The “airport” was smaller than our local Dollar General store, so be prepared for that!
Car rental on Eleuthera was a different experience than a state’s rental. IYKYK!
Shelter
We rented 2 separate houses that were a couple miles apart. My SIL researched and booked the house we stayed in. Whew! That is always the most stressful part for me. Although an older home, the views were amazing, the air conditioning was cool, and it had a generator! Apparently, power outages on the island are a common occurrence (at least 4 different occasions over the course of the week). The house had a really cool feature in that you could go on top of the roof which was flat and smooth. My morning coffee was paired with an epic sunrise every day!
Walking – With the Water
I didn’t hike any official trails, but I took the opportunity of peaceful walks along a very unpopulated beach in Palmetto Point. It was an amazing journey. On the first morning, Meanmaw and I walked all the way to the end of that point in the distance. She's pretty spry for an 80 year old (I mean, 39)! I do believe this is my favorite picture that Bob has ever taken of me!
The Experience – Introverts Paradise
This was a very relaxing experience. We took our own snorkel & fins and used them every single day. Our beach didn’t have a lot of shells, but there are many that do. Below is one of my favorite pictures of Bob and his mom. It felt like role reversal for her to be showing him the treasures she found on the beach. After dark, the no see ums come out. No amount of bug spray helped me. But, as a nighttime storm rolled in we fought the good fight to see the light show!
Hindsight – Next Time?
If we visited again, we would stay at another beach and check Google Earth for the reef rock in the water. Disney cruise line is opening a port of call mid-island this summer (2024). I’m interested to see the impact. The Seahorse National Park also opens this summer. I’m sad we missed it.
Was it an accessbile vacation? Not really. Fortunely, Bob was feeling pretty good and didn't need significant mobility assistance aside from airport transport. We hung out at the house, pool and beach most days and any restaurants or stores had easy drop off locations.
All in all, it was a fantastic vacation! Very relaxing. Scenic views everywhere. It’s a great place to decompress and get away from it all. I think the more trips you make, the easier it would become.
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