Tips for Visiting Atlantis with Kids
March 10, 2020 Atlantis Bahamas
Our trip was scheduled and taken before the COVID 19 lockdown. We returned home March 13, 2o2o and our state was locked down March 19, 2020.
5 Tips you should know BEFORE visiting Atlantis with kids
Traveling to Atlantis Bahamas was our first international trip as a family. Our children’s age ranged between 1-10 so we wanted to ensure it was a fun and smooth experience for all of us. For the most part, we planned things out very well but there are a few things we didn’t consider that would have made the trip that much more enjoyable. Here are some tips for visiting Atlantis with kids that I wish I’m happy we did.
Compare the Hotels
This is something that we spent a lot of time doing and it really paid off for us. While of course the price played a role in our decision we also considered convenience. We chose to stay in the Royal hotel mainly because of its location. It is close to the waterpark and the Marina. With us having a 1 year old to pack around, being close to the area we planned to spend most of our time saved us time and energy.
Even though we were closer, our walks to those locations were about 7-10. Had we chosen the Cove, Reef or Beach Towers, it would have taken much longer.
The room at the Royal Towers was comfortable and the view was nice. We paid for a room with a view facing the water attractions. Upon checking in there was a mix up with our room where our view was incorrect but it was easily fixed and we were moved to a different room.
The lobby of our hotel
Call for Promotions before you book
We had researched the trip so much that we began receiving promotions via social media. I figured that hotel would have something as well so I gave them a call. It turns out they had a promotion that fit the number of nights we were going to book. We received free lunch for our entire stay (limited to certain restaurants) and free bottles of water.
Free meals for a family our size is a big deal. The food there can get pretty expensive! We would eat breakfast, enjoy some activities and play at the water park then eat lunch. We ate lunch just before the cut off time and made sure the kids had enough. Once dinner rolled around they weren’t extremely hungry so we spent less. We spent the most on breakfast food our entire stay. At that time there was a restaurant in our hotel that had a breakfast buffet.
We also had so many vouchers for water that we ended up giving away quite a few before we left the resort. It can’t hurt to call.
Bring Snacks
The only sweet treat we purchased while on the resort was ice cream. We packed so many snacks in my girls backpacks that they lasted the entire trip! Now, we didn’t just throw a ton of snacks in their bags and call it a day. For my daughters, they chose snacks they really liked and I added a few that I knew they liked but did not tell them. They each had a large ziplock bag with the same amount of snacks. I gave them full control over when they could eat the snacks but advised them it would be best to eat them when we are traveling or in our hotel.
This saved us so much money because they weren’t constantly asking for sweets and if they did get a little hungry, they had a bag of snacks to choose from. This works amazing in the airport during our layovers.
Plan activities for everyone
Our oldest daughter loves adventure, our youngest daughter not so much. We knew our oldest would love the water slides and kayaking with dolphins but we wanted everyone to have a great time. We signed our youngest daughter up for Sea Squirts. She was able to interact with the stingrays and star fish around kids her own age but at a pace she was comfortable with. For our son, we booked the Rise and Shine with Dolphins at Dolphin Cay. We were able to have our feet in the water while the dolphins ate and went about their morning routine right in front of us.
You don’t have to purchase additional activities. There are plenty things you can do as a family at no additional cost. Here are a few:
- Watch a movie at the theater
- Enjoy the water parks
- Look at boats at the Marina
- Shop
- View the Marine Exhibits
Also, consider leaving the resort. We took a boat into town to look around and buy souvenirs from the locals rather than the resort. I’m not sure if this option is still available due to COVID 19 but someone at check-in should be able to assist you.
Plan your transportation
We booked our round trip bus service with Majestic Tours with our room package. Booking it together made things so easy. We received emails with everything we needed to know regarding where to board and what we needed. I was about to print our vouchers before we left and have them signed and ready to hand over upon boarding.
The ride from the airport to the resort is about 30 minutes long. During the ride we were able to laugh and learn facts about the island. Traveling internationally with little ones had me worried but completing this simple task helped tremendously.
Applying these 5 tips for visiting Atlantis with kids made our vacation easier and eliminated a lot of confusion. Transportation was handled, there was a plan for food and snacks and most of activities were discussed before we left. We plan to visit again once our son learns how to swim. Have you visited Atlantis? Did you use any tips of your own? Comment below and let me know!
