If you have been following along on Instagram and Snapchat, you know that I recently celebrated a big birthday and to do so, went on a trip with my sister to the gorgeous islands of Bimini. I am so excited to share with you all about our trip!

Where is Bimini?

First up! Where in the world is Bimini?

Thanks to The Bachelor this past season, many of you might be familiar with this little place of paradise but for those who are not, Bimini is part of The Bahamas and it is the western most chain of islands. This means that it is technically the closest to the United States and only about 50 miles off the coast of Miami – making it super easy to get to for all you Sunshine State-ers like myself.  I must add that even though it’s just 50 miles from Miami, it truly feels like a world away.

Bimini is best known for its fishing, rumrunners back in the day and beautiful turquoise clear waters. Legend has it that Ponce de León found the Fountain of Youth here. Other greats like Hemingway (Islands in the Steam was set in Bimini), Martin Luther King, Jr. (wrote part of his “I Have a Dream” speech here) and my favorite parrothead, Jimmy Buffett, also enjoyed Bimini and its beauty.

How To Get There

Many people get to Bimini by boat (or yacht, ha!). There is also a ferry service now from South Florida and of course, there is the option to fly! We boarded a pink plane a la Silver Airways out of Miami since we spent the day before down there. It is about 15-20 minutes once in the air and there is also the option to take Tropic Air and land right on the water in a seaplane.

Once we arrived in South Bimini (where the bright colored airport below is located), we took a quick taxi to the resort ferry and headed across to the island of North Bimini.

What To Expect

If you’ve been to more touristy parts of the Bahamas, Bimini is quite the opposite. It’s made up two small islands.  North Bimini is only 7 miles long and most people travel by golf cart around the island (I recommend renting one during your stay) and you might miss the town square if you blink. With that being said, it’s absolutely beautiful, Biminites are quite friendly people and the local spots and beautiful waters were our absolute favorite part of the trip.

What To Bring 

Sandals, bathing suits, hats and plenty of sunscreen! I brought along a beach tote full of my favorite Hampton Sun products too.

Bimini is very casual and truth be told, I didn’t wash my hair once on this trip (thank you, Drybar). It smelled like sunscreen and salt water by the end and I did not mind one bit.

I’ve included some more of my looks below and links to other ones as well throughout the post. Oh yes and don’t forget your passport.

 

{Off the Shoulder Dress c/o & Pink Tassel Earrings c/o}

{Tassel Earrings – Kendra Scott}

Where To Stay

Resorts World Bimini offers an array of world class amenities, as well as homes, condos and of course, the Hilton property (where we stayed for the week). Not only is there breathtaking views of Bimini Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, but the resort also has several pools including a rooftop and an infinity one, a serenity spa, private beaches and numerous dining options and offshore excursions.

Our room at the Hilton was beautiful with two comfortable beds, an amazing bathroom and shower and while we spent most of our time by the pool or on Paradise Beach, it was a lovely place to come home to each evening.

What To Do

Head into Town!

If there is one thing you absolutely must do on your Bimini trip, it’s stop by for an afternoon at Stuart’s Conch Stand in Alice Town. The stand/bar is family owned and operated, and we had such a great time with the locals and visitors alike, that we went two days in a row. I recommend the conch salad, conch and lobster salad and the homemade rum knockout punch – it’s absolutely delicious, made each day and comes in convenient  to-go bottle. We tried another local conch stand too and having been to both, Stuart’s wins hands down! Truly, the conch and all the seafood in Bimini is brought right in off the boats, and would only be fresher if you ate it underwater.

Heading to CJ’s for a fresh coconut drink on the local Radio Beach is also highly recommended by yours truly. A lot of the other friends we made along the way enjoyed Edith’s Pizza in town (for those that can eat gluten, Bahamian bread and crust, I’m told, is some of the best around).

{Earrings c/o}

For those that love fishing, diving and snorkeling – Bimini will be your paradise. You can snorkel out to a shipwreck in the middle of the ocean and explore at Resorts World Bimini. And for those of you that do not enjoy sharks (like myself), you can still take in Bimini’s beautiful waters and a shipwreck up close at the Gallant Lady. It’s breathtaking at sunset and there are resort trams that can also take you there.

After long days on Paradise Beach, under yellow umbrellas on blue and white striped chairs (rum drinks in hand), my sister and I enjoyed several of the restaurants at the resort. We had room service delivered in the mornings and enjoyed jerk chicken fries and fresh shrimp by the pool at Oasis. We also ate dinner at the Tides and the hotel has a lovely Raw Bar in the lobby with a happy hour. Leroy was our favorite bartender there! However, by far, our best meal on property was the sushi at The Sushi Bar where we ate the last night. It goes without saying that all of the seafood in Bimini (on property or off) did not disappoint.

This trip was the perfect way to bring in a new decade and it’s easy to see why Hemingway, MLK Jr., Ponce de León and Jimmy Buffett loved it so much too.

I am counting down the days until I’m back! If you go, you have to let me know!

{Thank you to Resorts Word Bimini for hosting this media stay. All opinions are my own.}