Ardastra Garden's - Nassau

[jennyprovo]

Has any one walked to Ardastra? It looks like it is less than 2 miles. Just wondering about the area for walking.

[scubagirrl]

Has any one walked to Ardastra? It looks like it is less than 2 miles. Just wondering about the area for walking.

 

Ardastra is an easy walk along the water, then a short block or two up a bit of an incline. I do it all the time, even with a bad hip.

 

Just walk to the Fish Fry and make a left after the Fort at the sign.

[jennyprovo]

Thanks Scubagirrl!

[Mommags123]

I presume since you walk it all the time that it is a safe walk? And going to the Fish fry and then turning from there is the safest route?

 

I will be traveling with 4 16 year old girl scouts and one other leader to Nassau in October. They sold a lot of cookies and saved up to take a short cruise.... I thought a side trip to the zoo would be a nice addition and not too expensive. And it wouldn't require a lot of liability waivers from scouts/parents like soem other excursions.....

 

The 2 mile walk there and back is doable plus passing by the straw market...

 

Best reccomendation for a safe and inexpensive place for lunch after the zoo on our way back to the straw market?

 

Thanks.

[CruisinCrow]

Why not take the bus? It's only $1.25 a person and it will drop you off at the Fish Fry. After the zoo, walk back down to the Fish Fry and have lunch there. There is a whole row of restaurants to choose from that are reasonably priced (for Nassau) with great Bahamian food. Then you could walk back to the straw market from there.

[Mommags123]

I am not familiar with the busses in Nassau, but I know my feet...... :)

 

If it is only a mile from the fish fry to the gardens, we can walk that and not be dependant on a bus schedule.

 

And with our luck, we would get on a wrong bus.......

 

Plus, we can walk off the previous night's dinner..... :)

 

How often do the busses run? Do they take U.S dollars?

Do you need exact change?

[CruisinCrow]

From the port to the Fish Fry it's about a mile and a half. From the Fish Fry to Ardastra, it's only a few blocks. It can be a nice walk (depending on the weather) but walking there and back and walking around the gardens and walking around the straw market would be a lot of walking. :)

 

To get to the Fish Fry, you would take the #10 bus (make sure it's the #10 and not the #10A). You can pick up the bus at the corner of Bay Street and George Street. The cruise line will give you a map when you get off the ship. Or you can just ask anyone for directions, and they will help you out. The buses leave every 5 minutes or so.

 

The drivers do take American dollars but they don't give change so you would need exact change (or round up).

 

Taking the buses in Nassau is really very easy. You could always walk to the gardens and then take the bus back to downtown.

 

Have a great time!

[Mommags123]

Thanks..... you make it sound so easy!!!

 

Maybe I will throw it out there and see if the girls want to do it.

[kmigrrrl]

I've been trying to figure out what to do the day we are at Nassau. It will be my husband and I and 3 year old son. Going to the zoo sounds like something we would all enjoy. My question is this... if we take the bus, is it a safe way to travel with my 3 year old??? Do the buses have seat belts? Does anyone have any opinions on the best way to get there with our son. We will have our umbrella stroller with us as well.

[CruisinCrow]

I don't remember the buses having seat belts. If you're concerned, you might want to take a taxi instead (although the taxi drivers don't drive any better than the bus drivers :) ). It might be easier with a stroller.

 

A taxi costs $15 for 2 people to go to Cable Beach, plus $3 for a third person. Ardastra Gardens is closer than Cable Beach so your fare shouldn't be any more than that.

[kmigrrrl]

This may be a silly question but does the zoo take American money or credit cards???

[scubagirrl]

This may be a silly question but does the zoo take American money or credit cards???

 

Both.. but they prefer cash.

[cruiseapril]

Ardastra Gardens was a good excursion for us.

 

We enjoyed the Marching Flamingos and the monkeys and peacocks, as well as the flowers and shrubs. Have fun.

[kmigrrrl]

Ardastra Gardens was a good excursion for us.

 

We enjoyed the Marching Flamingos and the monkeys and peacocks, as well as the flowers and shrubs. Have fun.

 

I am thinking we'll have great time. My 3 year should love the animals. Now just trying to decide the best way to get there and back to the port. Maybe walk there and then take the bus back or vice versa??? Also trying to decide if the fish-fry and straw market is something good to do with a 3 year old after we do the zoo. Bare in mind we get into port at 2PM. So by the time we get to the zoo and spend time there it will be the early evening and I just want to make sure it is safe where we are going to be.

[CruisinCrow]

I am thinking we'll have great time. My 3 year should love the animals. Now just trying to decide the best way to get there and back to the port. Maybe walk there and then take the bus back or vice versa??? Also trying to decide if the fish-fry and straw market is something good to do with a 3 year old after we do the zoo. Bare in mind we get into port at 2PM. So by the time we get to the zoo and spend time there it will be the early evening and I just want to make sure it is safe where we are going to be.

 

 

My thoughts:

It would be a long, bumpy walk with a 3-year-old in a stroller. :)

 

The Fish Fry is great and right across the road from Ardastra. But it's not fast at all. Just something to keep in mind with a toddler.

 

The buses stop running around 6 so if you go to the Fish Fry after the zoo, you'll probably need to take a taxi back to the port.

 

There's a lorry parrot feeding at the zoo at 3:30. Don't miss it! It's really fun to have the colorful birds eating out of your hand.

[CruisinCrow]

duplicate post

Edited February 20, 2014 by CruisinCrow

[nigelmoose]

We are going to Nassau in April and want to see this. Thanks for this helpful information. Looks like we can save a lot of money by going on our own vs. ship excursion.

 

If I want to be back on board the ship by 3 (it pulls out at 4) --what time (approx) should we be getting on a bus back to the port?

 

Thanks!

[scubagirrl]

We are going to Nassau in April and want to see this. Thanks for this helpful information. Looks like we can save a lot of money by going on our own vs. ship excursion.

 

If I want to be back on board the ship by 3 (it pulls out at 4) --what time (approx) should we be getting on a bus back to the port?

 

Thanks!

 

Since it's possible that could wait 10 minutes for a bus, I would give 45 minutes or so to get back to the port entrance. Plus you have to walk several blocks from the Zoo exit to the main road to catch the bus. An easy walk, but it adds a few minutes.

[kmigrrrl]

My thoughts:

It would be a long, bumpy walk with a 3-year-old in a stroller. :)

 

The Fish Fry is great and right across the road from Ardastra. But it's not fast at all. Just something to keep in mind with a toddler.

 

The buses stop running around 6 so if you go to the Fish Fry after the zoo, you'll probably need to take a taxi back to the port.

 

There's a lorry parrot feeding at the zoo at 3:30. Don't miss it! It's really fun to have the colorful birds eating out of your hand.

 

Thank you soooo much for your input. I am trying to get this all figured out now so I'm not stressing later although I'm sure I will be anyhow :-)

When you say the fish-fry isn't fast what do you mean? I am not even familiar with what it really is but I thought it would be a place we could pick up some dinner, but maybe not our best option???

And from what you're saying, I guess our best bet would be to catch the bus over there and then time permitting either the bus or taxi back to the port.

Again thanks for all your help!!!

[nigelmoose]

Since it's possible that could wait 10 minutes for a bus, I would give 45 minutes or so to get back to the port entrance. Plus you have to walk several blocks from the Zoo exit to the main road to catch the bus. An easy walk, but it adds a few minutes.

 

Thanks, very helpful! And are cabs plentiful by the zoo entrance if we decide to cab it instead?

[scubagirrl]

Thanks, very helpful! And are cabs plentiful by the zoo entrance if we decide to cab it instead?

 

Generally speaking.. no.. But staff can call one for you.

[nigelmoose]

Generally speaking.. no.. But staff can call one for you.

 

Cool, thanks!

[CruisinCrow]

Thank you soooo much for your input. I am trying to get this all figured out now so I'm not stressing later although I'm sure I will be anyhow :-)

When you say the fish-fry isn't fast what do you mean? I am not even familiar with what it really is but I thought it would be a place we could pick up some dinner, but maybe not our best option???

And from what you're saying, I guess our best bet would be to catch the bus over there and then time permitting either the bus or taxi back to the port.

Again thanks for all your help!!!

 

I know exactly what you mean! I like to have all the information ahead of time and that way I know what my options are and can play things by ear.

 

The Fish Fry is a row of colorful little restaurants with good Bahamian food. It's a great place for lunch or dinner or a snack as long as you aren't in any hurry. Food is all made to order and it's "Island Time". :) I just wanted to point that out since you have a little one who might be restless. We really liked eating at Goldies - excellent conch salad.

 

Enjoy!

[Giantfan13]

OK, let me set some of the record straight. We just got off the Carnival Splendor and did this exact thing. We are both seniors but walking is no problem. From looking at the map and chatting with people on this site, we decided to walk to the Zoo.

If we had to do it again, we would NOT.

 

Why, you ask?. It is very walkable, as was said, about 1 1/2 miles. We looked at the map, goes along the main street to the fish fry and then a few blocks in the other direction. We thought there would be people, shops etc all the way. NOT SO. Once you leave the main area of the city, we walked by ourselves and didn't see other people for blocks. Yes there are cars going all the time, but there were times walking, I thought about just hailing the bus. With all the publicity about crime in Nassau, staying in populated areas, even the ship put a special message in the daily bulletin about not straying too far off the main ways as crime is on the upswing, again, if we had to do it again, we take the bus. We did this coming back. We couldn't find the bus stop, saw the bus coming, waved to it and they stopped for us.

Just my humble opinion, but the way they publicize the crime in Nassau now, I would think twice about walking this.

 

The Zoo itself is very nice, even for 2 'older' folks. Whatever animals they have are out in their cages, not hidden under a rock some where. Several beautiful peacocks just roaming around the grounds.The feeding of the parrots was a lot of fun. They will give you as many apple slices as you like to attract the parrots to eat them out of your hand. The Flamingo show was cute and they let anyone who wants go out in the middle and sort of interact with the flamingos. Great photo ops.

 

We enjoyed our few hours there. We used a Credit Card to pay, and the staff is very friendly.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[kmigrrrl]

OK, let me set some of the record straight. We just got off the Carnival Splendor and did this exact thing. We are both seniors but walking is no problem. From looking at the map and chatting with people on this site, we decided to walk to the Zoo.

If we had to do it again, we would NOT.

 

Why, you ask?. It is very walkable, as was said, about 1 1/2 miles. We looked at the map, goes along the main street to the fish fry and then a few blocks in the other direction. We thought there would be people, shops etc all the way. NOT SO. Once you leave the main area of the city, we walked by ourselves and didn't see other people for blocks. Yes there are cars going all the time, but there were times walking, I thought about just hailing the bus. With all the publicity about crime in Nassau, staying in populated areas, even the ship put a special message in the daily bulletin about not straying too far off the main ways as crime is on the upswing, again, if we had to do it again, we take the bus. We did this coming back. We couldn't find the bus stop, saw the bus coming, waved to it and they stopped for us.

Just my humble opinion, but the way they publicize the crime in Nassau now, I would think twice about walking this.

 

The Zoo itself is very nice, even for 2 'older' folks. Whatever animals they have are out in their cages, not hidden under a rock some where. Several beautiful peacocks just roaming around the grounds.The feeding of the parrots was a lot of fun. They will give you as many apple slices as you like to attract the parrots to eat them out of your hand. The Flamingo show was cute and they let anyone who wants go out in the middle and sort of interact with the flamingos. Great photo ops.

 

We enjoyed our few hours there. We used a Credit Card to pay, and the staff is very friendly.

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

Thank you soooo much for this insightful post! I think we will stick with taking the bus!!!