You know how they say good things come to those who wait? Well, friends let me tell you, if this isn’t the case on today’s blog post I don’t know what is. Geoff and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary and as a MAJOR surprise, he planned the perfect belated honeymoon in the Bahamas without any of my knowing. Traveling to the Bahamas for our honeymoon was never something I considered, and now I want to make it a go-to place to travel as a family. Today on Lemons to Love I’m sharing all of our favorites in the Bahamas from where we ate, excursions we took and the best accommodations on the island! So buckle up for a lengthy post, I left no stone unturned with our time and fun had in the Bahamas!
Some of you may already know this, but when Geoff and I first married he deployed to Afghanistan just two weeks later for quite a bit of time, eleven long months to be exact. When he got back we really didn’t have the means to take the honeymoon we wanted, so we waited and filled our adventurous spirits with small trips around the Pacific Northwest. Eight years later I am happy to say the wait was well worth it, in every single way. Going to the Bahamas for a belated honeymoon was everything you’d want a honeymoon to be: relaxing and carefree.
The next day we were whisked away for a honeymoon to the beautiful blue-green waters of Paradise Islands in Nassau, Bahamas.
A honeymoon in the bahamas
Months leading up to our trip Geoff had planted the vacation seed by telling me we were getting away for the weekend to Asheville, NC for a lacrosse tournament he was going to be in. We’d make it a sweet weekend getaway for two, just a short drive and state away. I was here for it. But little did I know that Mr. C had other plans up his little romantic sleeve.
I’d packed under the assumption we’d walk around some, go to the pool some and go out to dinner each night we were there (he’s definitely smart in that way and knows me well – a girl needs her ‘fits). The day before we were to be leaving I get a flowery delivery in the mail with a note saying ‘Pack for somewhere warm, plane leaves tomorrow at 7am’. I immediately start ugly crying because honestly, I’m just so thankful..for it all. He’s a gem and I feel so lucky to call him my husband. The next day we were whisked away for a honeymoon to the beautiful blue-green waters of Paradise Islands in Nassau, Bahamas.
The cove
Geoff booked us a beautiful room with a view at The Cove towers, an addition to the Atlantis property. The Cove was so pretty. Immediately upon arrival the scene was set for a relaxing, beachy vacation. With little streams running through the hotel full of koi fish and lush tropical landscape planted along the walk ways, I was sold. The staff were so kind, helpful and added to the vacation ambiance in an all-white ensemble. #socute The concierge was more than helpful with restaurant recommendations and exciting excursions to book around the island. I loved that the hotel also provided multiple pool options around the property – family friendly and adults only – depending on the company you were traveling with.
Our first day there I wanted to relive my childhood and do some of the activities at the Atlantis – but not before eating some bites and having a few adult refreshments at the pool. #priorities We walked on the beach, floated through the rapids and relaxed drank by the pool until they closed. For dinner that night we went somewhere close by recommended by the Cove concierge – the Seafire Steakhouse. More on our eats later…
I can’t remember the last time I felt that relaxed, it was the truest sense of vacation mode.
The beach
Again with the surprises, G got us a cabana on the beach with the inlet on one side and the ocean on the other. It was…so perfect – beautiful and peaceful, with food and drink services fit for honeymooners. We did nothing other than relax in the water, by the water, listening to music or the sounds of the waves. It was the perfect representation of what a vacation feels like. I can’t remember the last time I felt that relaxed, it was the truest sense of vacation mode. I love that feeling of just being a couple again with no responsibilities, no needs, no agenda… like zero. I got lost in the waves of the ocean, lost in conversation with G, and lost track of time. #heaven
The boat
When I was a little girl I wanted to be a Marine Biologist and being in the Bahamas brought all that back. Say hello to 5 year old Lindsay. One of the days we were there we took a boat out with Born Free Fishing Charters for the day to explore, swim with sea turtles, snorkel and booze cruise around the ocean waves. Captain Bobo and his sweet crew member, Mr Freddie, took us to designated spots where sea turtles are known to swim through the currents, the reefs are full of colorful fish, and a private island will feed you lunch and drinks called ‘The Leg Spreada’ 👌🏼 [Shout out to Footprints Bar & Grill for getting Geoff white girl wasted.] Floating through the pool-like ocean waters of the Bahamas, and getting lost in the day with Geoff was one of my favorite moments of 2019.
The dinners
It was everything. Beachy with sophisticated style, friendly staff with a knowledge of food, and a view for days you never want to leave. It was perfect. Romantic. Comfortable. Memorable.
While we dabbled in island food pool side, beach side, and boat side we also took advantage of some of the finer dining options around the island. Our first night we got a few recommendations for local dining by the concierge at The Cove. The place we decided on was the Seafire Steakhouse located on Paradise Island in a charming village just walking distance to other shops and restaurants. The Seafire Steakhouse was the perfect opener to our date night dining over the weekend. With colorful tile, a mix of patterns and seating options, it felt like we’d transported to a cafe somewhere in Europe. The food smelled divine and the wine list paired nicely with 1st through 7th meal. 😉
Our second night there we took a taxi (so cheap there!) over to the Atlantis where we had reservations at Nobu. You might remember in our dining at Nobu during our trip to NYC. While I love sushi in all forms and the Nobu dining experience is unique in it’s own right, looking back I wish we would’ve tried somewhere unique to the island. Nobu is good, but why go somewhere you can get in the states when you just used your passport over international waters? #amiright Note to self: find more local dining spots.
Our last night was my most favorite meal there and definitely in the top 5 dining spots ever. After a long day on the boat soaking in the sun we were both pretty exhausted, but with it being our last night I didn’t want to cave on Geoff’s last surprise of the trip. We got casually dressy, grabbed a cab and headed to a destination unknown, for me. We drove through a private gate with a long winding road and more beautiful tropical landscaping that any horticultural novice would drool over. We pulled up to a grand, albeit slightly unassuming, white pillared building with warm smiles greeting us for our reservations. Turns out, we were on the private and pristine grounds of the Four Seasons and meandered back to The Ocean Club for a romantic, beach view dinner. It was everything. Beachy with sophisticated style, friendly staff with a knowledge of food, and a view for days you never want to leave. It was perfect. Romantic. Comfortable. Memorable.
The wardrobe
For July, it’s obviously quite warm…HOT, it’s hot there. Expect to glisten your way to dinner, wear bathing suits all day and linens by night. I brought a pair of heels for our last night of dinner, but a dressy slide or sandal would’ve been completely acceptable. I packed a bathing suit for each day we were there, plus a few extra for mid-day change options. Beachy sandals, coverups and hats were on high pririoty. Don’t forget your sunscreen because they will charge you an arm and leg there. I would much rather spend those funds on drinks and snacks. 🙂 If you plan to do a little shopping, I found one of my favorite dresses (the flowy orange-y number in date night photos above) to date in a boutique at The Cove. There were fun designer stores in the Atlantis we dabbled in and out of and if you’re looking for some fun island pieces, the straw market is a fun place to visit! We didn’t go on this visit but I remember strolling through there when I was younger and loving it.
Our honeymoon in the Bahamas was a magical little getaway I will never forget. I’m so happy we waited. I’m so thankful for a husband more romantic than me. I’m forever thankful for family who will watch our Brooks so we can get away. And I’m so thankful for all the kind people we met while we were there! We’re planning on going back this year and taking Brooks with us. I can’t wait to share this happy experience with him and make new memories as a family!
A note from me
Aside from this long overdue blog finally getting posted, today is also special to me because it marks SEVEN years with Lemons to Love. I started this blog 7 years ago when we had just moved to Washington. I felt alone and isolated and needed an outlet to write and share my life with friends and family back home in the South.
I’ve had a number of business ventures, adventures, moves and creative changes in my life since then. If you’ve been with me from the beginning, thank you…we’ve been through it all together, including my eclectically creative resume, pursuit of my second degree, all to find myself in my own creative space with a business owner in photography and branding here in Nashville. For a good laugh and stroll down memory lane check out this post here or here and read little bit more about the meaning behind Lemons to Love here.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing a memory from our honeymoon in the Bahamas!
Lemons to Love,Interested in more content from me? Keep in touch and subscribe to Lemons to Love. You will receive content, new blog post updates and access to all the exciting things happening with LtL.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.