Ain’t no place in the whole wide world like Bimini! Bimini has been on our radar for a few years after seeing it on not only the Bachelor (anyone else remember when they went there on Nick’s season?) but also on the Jersey Shore. Bimini is a chain of islands about 50 miles from Miami. The proximity to Florida and the new high-speed ferry make it an easy travel destination!
Tony and I had originally planned an 8-day trip to Florida in November in need of some R&R. Our last few big trips had been international (Iceland and Mediterranean), so we wanted to do something simple and relaxing. And we did that for *most* of the time… but we got antsy! A few days before we left for Florida, we had the idea to take a ferry to Bimini for a portion of the trip. Not having an itinerary or plans at this point, we threw the passports into our bags (just in case!) I think it was the first day we were in Florida that we booked the ‘Set Sail’ package from Resorts World which included two roundtrip ferry tickets and 2 nights at the resort. At just over $400, this was money well spent!
Bimini has three different islands, but North Bimini is where most of the action is. We only visited North Bimini on our trip and we loved it! South Bimini is very isolated (lots of nature) and East Bimini I think is mostly uninhabited. North Bimini is about 7 miles long and about 700 feet wide. It’s literally one main road (“The King’s Highway”) with houses, shops and restaurants on either side of the road.
Getting There
We arrived in Bimini via the high-speed ferry. The ferry experience was HORRIBLE. Tony and approximately 100 under passengers on the ferry were all throwing up the ENTIRE time. We had gone out in Miami the night before (which was probably a mistake) and the seas were extremely rough. Between the hangover and the 10-foot waves, people were vomiting all over the place. If you are going there on the ferry, check the weather/seas ahead of time. If it’s not looking good, I would highly recommend rescheduling. There is an airport in Bimini , so I would consider checking flight options too, although this would make the cost of your trip go up significantly.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Resorts World Bimini. It was included as part of our package with the high-speed ferry, so it felt like the easiest option. We absolutely loved our stay and were super impressed with the resort, the food, the amenities, and the service. We highly recommend staying here!
Resorts are probably your best bet (if you want Wifi and other amenities) so I have included two additional resorts below. I also recommend checking out Airbnb for a more authentic experience!
Bimini Sands Resort – This resort is on South Bimini and would be a lot more isolated and intimate alternative to Resorts World.
Bimini Big Game Club Resort – We saw this resort and it doesn’t look near as nice as Resorts World. I’m guessing it may be cheaper though?
Getting Around
The best way to get around the island is on a golf cart! We rented a golf cart for 24 hours for around $70 I think? There are a bunch of different vendors on the island and they all congregate right around the ferry dock. We walked over there one day and negotiated with one guy for a few minutes. We talked him down from $100 (but beware, they will start the negotiation high!)
You can walk everywhere if you really want to (7 miles of walking) but I think it wastes too much time! Keep in mind that they drive on the left side of the road here (which was quite an interesting adjustment!) You can also drink while driving (or riding) which is fun!
What to Eat
Conch is pretty much the only renewable resource in Bimini so there is lots and lots and lots of conch in Bimini. While we were there I ate conch fritters (multiple times), conch salad, and crack conch (basically fried conch). You will eat so much conch it will be coming out of your ears.
Edith’s Pizza – Order any type of seafood pizza!
Stuart’s Conch Stand – Order the conch salad and add mayo if that’s your thing.
Sherry’s Paradise Beach Bar – Order the conch fritters! They were voted best on the island.
Nate’s Bimini Bread – Order the cinnamon rolls or just loaves of bread!
What to Do
We had some grand plans of what we were going to do in Bimini (snorkel one day, nature trail one day, etc. etc.) but the sea sickness really set us back! Here are some ideas of what to do (some things we did do, others we ran out of time for).
Lay on the beach – This is what we did most of the time. One day we went to Radio Beach (live music, food, and locals) and one day we went to Luna Beach (the resort’s beach). This is exactly what the doctor ordered!
Visit the Gallant Lady Shipwreck – We walked from Radio Beach south to the Gallant Lady, which is an old shipwreck right on the shore. Would be a very pretty view at sunset.
Visit the Dolphin House – The Dolphin House is a dolphin-inspired museum/house that has been built over the last 25 years by local historian Ashley Saunders. It was Tony’s favorite thing we did in Bimini!
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling – we did not do either of these activities, but they are extremely popular activities in Bimini due to the multiple shipwrecks in the area. You can also snorkel with sharks (which sounds terrifying).
South Bimini Nature Trail – I REALLY wanted to do this, but we never got a chance. Drive your golf cart down to the southern tip of North Bimini and hop on the ferry over to South Bimini for what sounds like a cool Nature Walk.
Random Tips
- Bring pretty much everything you anticipate needing (sunscreen, bug spray, etc.) – the shops are VERY expensive (since they import everything).
- As previously mentioned, check ahead of time for rough seas (if taking the ferry).
- Bring lots of cash, most places were cash only. Our credit card was also “compromised” while we were there, and we had random Netflix charges on our account. I’m not sure where or how this happened, but beware.
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