North Carolina Coast: The Best Beaches, Hotels And Restaurants

Waterfront beach houses in Nags Head, Outer Banks, North Carolina. Photograph: Alamy

With its white beaches, warm sea and crab shacks, the North Carolina coast rivals the Caribbean. Douglas Rogers picks its most alluring resorts, plus great places to eat and sleep


 W hen my wife and I moved from New York to Virginia three years ago, one of the first things we noticed was an unusual bumper sticker. Every second car (I exaggerate only slightly) had a white oval sign with the letters OBX on it. Often, alongside those three letters, was a skull and crossbones or pirate face. At first we assumed it was a local sports team, until – seeing the same sticker on vehicles from Maryland, Kentucky and the Carolinas – we asked a neighbour to enlighten us.
“Outer Banks, North Carolina,” she said. “Best beaches in America.”
“And the pirate?”
“That’s Blackbeard. He hid out in the Banks, lost his head there. You’re English – don’t you know this?”
I confessed I had no idea. I thought the US’s best beaches – at least on the east coast – were in Cape Cod, Long Island or Florida. As for Blackbeard, to me he was all about the rum-soaked islands of the Caribbean. What was he doing pillaging North Carolina?

But it turns out the Outer Banks – and much of the North Carolina coast – is a pretty decent copy of the Caribbean. In summer, its beach towns and barrier islands, from the Virginia border to Wilmington, near South Carolina, are crammed with surfers, sun-seekers and holidaymakers from across the American south. And with temperatures in the 20s in May and well into October, it’s an ideal (and quieter) choice for some spring and autumn sunshine, too.
People come for powdery white sands, bath-warm water that turns turquoise around the islands, and maritime history: Blackbeard – Bristol-born Edward Teach – was killed in a naval battle off Ocracoke Island in 1718. But the area also has windswept national parks, feral horses descended from Spanish mustangs sent ashore from galleons in the 16th century, and remote colonial beach towns that, until recently, were so cut off that older residents still speak with the regional English accents of their forebears.
The coast is long, of course, over 300 miles, and unlike in California there is no highway to connect it all. It’s good to know where to go before you start to explore. Here are my five best islands and beach towns in the Tar Heel State. Pack your surfboards – and your swords.

Corolla and Duck, Outer Banks

Wild horses on the Beach north of Corolla. Photograph: Alamy

The Outer Banks is a narrow ribbon of barrier islands, barely 100 metres wide in parts, stretching 200 miles from the Virginia border to Hatteras, a windswept fishing village. The main tourist towns are Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills, where the Wright Brothers famously took flight, but the northern villages of Corolla and Duck are more refined, with pretty hedgerow-lined lanes and stilted beachfront mansions.

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On our first visit, we rented a house on Corolla’s 4x4 Beach – so named because that’s the only way to get to it. The beach is part of a wild horse sanctuary, and every morning we were woken by neighing mustangs cavorting in our backyard. Bob’s Corolla Wild Horse Tours (from $39 adult, $29 child, +1 252 453 0939) offers two-hour open-top Jeep safaris with expert guides. In Corolla, the red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse, built in 1875 is still operational and, from the top, 220 steps up, there are views of Roanoke Island on the inlet side of the Banks, site of the first English settlement in the Americas in 1585. The 107 men and women were never seen again, so the island is referred to as the Lost Colony.
North Banks restaurant, Corolla
This vintage wooden-floored tavern and cocktail bar serves seafood classics such as lobster tail, steamed clams and grilled line-caught fish. It’s not on the water, but the produce is caught fresh by local fishermen on either the ocean or the Currituck sound side.
• Mains from $18, Tim Buck II Shopping Village, 794-G Sunset Boulevard, northbanks.com, +1 252 453 3344
Twiddy Vacation Rentals
This site lists over 1,000 properties in the OBX, from two-bedroom flats to seven-bedroom mansions. Seven days is the minimum stay, but four-bedroom houses cost as little as $450 a week in spring or autumn.
• twiddy.com
The Sanderling, Duck

For those who don’t want to self-cater or can’t stay a week, this is the coolest hotel in the OBX: a chic, orange-hued resort with three pools, a spa, two restaurants and private access to a glorious beach. A day spent in the sun ends around the firepit by the alfresco Sand Bar, as waves crash just beyond the dunes.
• Doubles from $159, +1 855 412 7866, sanderling-resort.com

Ocracoke Island

The village of Ocracoke from the ferry. Photograph: Peter Ptschelinzew/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

Only accessible by boat or small plane, Ocracoke (pop: 948) lies 21 miles south of Hatteras in the Pamlico Sound. The free Hatteras ferry only takes an hour, but it lands passengers in an earlier century. Blackbeard hid out on the protected sound side with pal Calico Jack Rackham, just off what is now the busy harbour. Cedar-shaded lanes, crunchy with seashells, lead past period homes and spooky vine-covered cemeteries. Time slows down here: the main mode of transport is the golf cart or bicycle. There’s an annual Blackbeard Pirate Jamboree at Halloween, but the history is not all piratical: older locals still talk of seeing German U-Boats off these shores during the second world war, and the British cemetery is the resting place of sailors from HMS Bedfordshire, torpedoed in 1942. The main attraction, though, is the spectacular coastline. Families will enjoy Lifeguard Beach, with white sand, clear blue water, and showers and toilets. Locals and summer regulars like to drive on to Airport Beach a little way south, to bathe, picnic and fish as the sun goes down. The water is so warm that swimming is pleasant even in October.
Flying Melon Café

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There are scores of seafood joints in Ocracoke, notably SmacNally’s on the docks, but the best fish in town is at the Flying Melon, which offers Creole-influenced food cooked by a New Orleans transplant. The parmesan-crusted flounder and drumfish étouffée (stew) are as good as any in the French Quarter.
• Mains from $25, 181 Back Road, +1 252 928 2533
Blackbeard’s Lodge

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Ocracoke Island Realty is the main holiday rental company, but characterful Blackbeard’s Lodge is a good choice among the many hotels and motels. Rustic, pirate-themed and timber-built, it is run by a descendant of one of the early Ocracoke settlers, and has a small pool and bike rentals. In the mornings, there’s a wonderful smell of crepes and fresh artisanal breads from the Graceful Bakery food truck, which parks just across the street.
• Doubles from $60, +1 252-928-3421, blackbeardslodge.com

Beaufort, Crystal Coast

White sands, clear waters, sunken galleons … It’s easy to believe you’re in the Caribbean on the Crystal Coast, an 85-mile stretch of shore south of the Outer Banks. Its ocean-side barrier islands can be visited on day trips from the historic town of Beaufort (est. 1718, and dubbed by some “the coolest small town in America”). Atlantic Beach, 20 minutes away by ferry, has two miles of pristine waterfront, an old-school pier and scores of crab shacks, diners and commercial fishing charters. But Shackelford Banks, part of protected Cape Lookout national shore, offers true isolation. It’s possible to sit on a beach towel and watch dolphins cavorting in the waves in front, and horses frolicking on the dunes behind. In Beaufort itself, the North Carolina Maritime Museum on Front Street is the official repository for all the artefacts – masts, anchor, cannons – recovered from Blackbeard’s ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, which ran aground here in 1718, and was only rediscovered in 1996.
Ann Street Inn

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In the heart of Beaufort historic district is this three-bedroom 1832-built guesthouse run by Louisiana transplant Donna Babington. The Duke of Beaufort room has a Jacuzzi and private porch, and breakfasts are decadent: bacon quiche, sausage casserole, shrimp and grits.
• Doubles from $100, +1 877 266 7814, annstreetinn.com
Front Street Grill at Stillwater
This rustic-chic restaurant and rum bar is in a restored marine boathouse right on the waterfront. Recommended are the seared back-fin crab cakes with remoulade ($22), and “dark and stormy” cocktails, made with Goslings Black Seal rum and Saranac ginger beer – every pirate’s favourite poison.
• Mains from $19, 300 Front Street, +1 252 728 4956, frontstreetgrillatstillwater.com

Wilmington

Downtown Riverwalk, Wilmington. Photograph: Alamy

One might expect North Carolina’s largest coastal city to be a trifle rough, but its 300-block historic district is like a live-in Victorian museum. Horse-drawn carriages trot tourists past gorgeous colonial-style mansions, vintage riverboats cruise the Cape Fear river, locals in top hats tout ghost tours down oak-lined streets and everyone keeps an eye out for movie stars. Known as the Hollywood of the east, the city is home to EUE/Screen Gems, the largest US studio complex outside LA. The spectacular beach towns of Kure, Carolina and Wrightsville are only a few minutes’ drive away. Wrightsville Beach is best. Unlike on the barrier islands, it has some large, Florida-style resort hotels, but they overlook crashing waves and white sands, and the crowds are better behaved than at Myrtle Beach across the border in South Carolina. A highlight is surfing lessons for children, teenagers and adults at WB Surf Camp (from $70 an hour, + 1 866 844 7873, wbsurfcamp.com).
Dockside Grill, Wilmington
Steamed clams, hand-cut calamari and rum cocktails are the name of the game at this laid-back spot on the water’s edge. Good ol’ boys and well-groomed yachtsmen pull their boats into the dock and order from on deck.
• Mains from $18, 1308 Airlie Road, +1 910 256 2752, thedockside.com
Shell Island Resort, Wrightsville Beach
This is a slab-like modern all-suite hotel but it overlooks a great swathe of white sand, and has a fully catered beachfront pool.
• Doubles with kitchenette from $130, +1 910 256 8696, shellisland.com

Bald Head Island

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The northern tip of Bald Head Island. Photograph: Alamy

A 25-minute ferry ride from Southport, this four-mile-long island at the mouth of the Cape Fear river is a world apart. There are no cars (all rental houses come with golf carts or bicycles) and 10,000 of its 12,000 acres are protected. The result is an ecological idyll with a spectacular oceanside beach for surfers; the calmer South Beach is great for families. Old Baldy lighthouse in the harbour, commissioned in 1817 by Thomas Jefferson, is the oldest in the state, and it’s worth climbing its 108 stairs for a 360-degree view of the island’s natural wonderland of beach, marshland and maritime forest.


Mojos on the Harbor
This is a popular locale for sipping rum and tequila cocktails while watching the fishing boats and ferries come in. It does great sushi, grilled shrimp and line-caught fish, and live bands play most nights.
• Seafood mains from $19, 16 Marina Wynd, +1 910 457 7217, mojosontheharbor.com
Shoals Club
The in-thing for summer regulars is to get temporary membership (from $150 a week) of this family-friendly beach club overlooking Cape Fear Point. It has two pools, an outdoor Sandbar Grille, boules court and formal dining room, so it’s easy to spend the whole day here, between beach, pool and restaurant.
• +1 910 457 733, shoalsclub.com
Bald Head Island Limited Rentals
There’s one hotel on the island – the Marsh Harbour Inn, with doubles from a hefty $275 a night – so house rentals are the way to go. Bald Head Island Limited Rentals has hundreds of homes, from simple one-bedroom cottages to large beach-front homes. I like Captain Charlie’s Three(www.baldheadisland.com/vacation/rentals/captain-charlies-3),, a , a former lighthouse-keeper’s cottage perfect for three couples, costing $2,400 a week. couples.
• +1 800 432 7368, baldheadisland.com/vacation
More information at uk.visitnc.com. On skyscanner.net, flights from Heathrow to Raleigh/Durham via New York currently start at £589 return with American Airlines; Finnair has direct flights from £684

By 
Douglas Rogers

4 Neighborhoods Parisians Think are Très Cool

Contributed by Stephen Lioy

Flickr/joel52

First-time visitors to Paris should definitely visit the Marais for art galleries and falafel shops, and Bastille for modern art and antique records, but these areas are just too “bobo“ to impress your Parisian friends. Instead, head for these lesser-known neighborhoods for a rendezvous that will show the world that you’re very chic. We’ve offered tips on a couple of places to visit in each neighborhood, but be sure to explore on your own to see what other surprises you can find.

Republique
You’ve probably switched metro lines here, but have you ever actually had a look around? Full of students, cheap bars, and affordable restaurants; Republique is a great place to hang out.

Do: Wander along the popular Canal St. Martin, and be sure to stop by Point Ephemere for artists’ workshops by day and live music by night.

Eat: For down to earth food, the traditional(-ish) crepes at West Country Girl are worth waiting in the line you’re likely to find.

Drink: The area around Republic Square is full of bars, and on busy nights your best bet is to listen for the music that draws you in. If you can’t make up your mind, Le Cinquante  is always a good bet for music and reasonable drink prices.

Belleville
Famous for its taverns as far back as the 14th century, until recently Belleville has been considered a fairly rough part of town that didn’t draw a lot of visitors. With great food options and tons of music and drinking dens, the area has seen resurgence.

Do: The terrace at the top of the Belleville Park offers an unexpected but impressive panorama of Paris. Though the park itself closes at 6:30 p.m. or earlier, the terrace is accessible all day and night.

Eat: Belleville is one of the best places in Paris to find East and SouthEast Asian restaurants and grocers. For a spectacular Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwich (for only €3.50/$4.75), visit the unassuming Panda Belleville restaurant.

Drink: Right in the middle of Belleville Boulevard, Le Buzz is a reliable favorite for undiscovered musical acts and cheap drinks any night of the week.

Menil Montant
Compared to Belleville’s rough-and-tumble feel just next door, Menil Montant is all arts and diverse blend of cultures. You can find a little bit of everything here.

Do: The Pere LaChaise Cemetery may be a popular tourist draw, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time. Both a manicured park and a historic graveyard, it can be equal parts beautiful and atmospheric.

Eat: La Maroquinerie offers a limited but tempting dinner menu, and since you’re already here, you’ll be in prime form to catch a show here or at the Bellevilleois performance venue across the street.

Drink: Flea market by day and bistro by night, Eva Pritsky is something altogether different from most of Paris’ drinking spots. Stumble in here while a live show is on, and in a room where thirty patrons is a crowd you’d have to try hard not to make new friends.

Aligre
Despite the annual Festival d’Aligre and one of the most centrally located flea markets in Paris, the Aligre neighborhood remains relatively unknown. This area has a very down-to-earth, and welcoming, vibe.

Do: While the covered market at Aligre operates daily, with stalls selling meat, cheese, and everything else a Paris market should offer, the real draw here is the Sunday flea market. Antique and vintage goods abound, and there’s a fair bit of international art as well.

Eat: If you’re looking to eat a lot of good food without spending a lot of money, the couscous at the 3FC restaurant is a winner. At 16 rue Aligre, the restaurant is just steps from the flea market on the main square. 

Drink: After picking up groceries and vintage clothes at the market, and filling up at 3FC, celebrate your day with a glass of red wine at  Le Baron Rouge. On a sunny Sunday, after shopping at the flea market, this is one of the best ways to spend a day in Paris.

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Jumping Ship: Carnival’s New Money-Back Guarantee Explained

Contributed by Donna Tunney

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Carnival Cruise Lines endured a negative media frenzy earlier this year when its Carnival Triumph lost power due to an engine room fire and became stranded in the Gulf of Mexico. Shortly after, propulsion and power problems affected two other Carnival ships, causing the suspension of a cruise and missed port calls.

In order to convince potentially weary consumers to book a cruise, the line has launched the “Great Vacation Guarantee,” a policy that enables dissatisfied passengers to disembark the ship and end their voyage early. They’ll also receive a 110 percent refund, free transportation home, and a $100 credit for a future sailing – that is, if they weren’t sufficiently spooked to never book again.

Taking a closer look at the new “guarantee” policy, a few things jump out:

To qualify for the refund, transportation, and $100 credit, passengers must notify the ship’s guest services desk within the first 24 hours of the voyage. That’s not much time. The first day of a cruise tends to be chaotic. People are unpacking, finding their way around the ship and recovering from travel. A Carnival spokesman said the clock starts ticking when the ship departs the port, and that’s typically 4 p.m. Twenty-four hours is probably not enough time for most passengers to make an informed decision about whether to stay or go. (But just enough time to make them think they can).

That being said, refunding 110 percent of the cruise fare paid is a nice bonus, albeit a small one. On a five-day Western Caribbean cruise from Miami in mid-December, for example, an inside cabin sells for $219 per person via the Carnival website, thus entitling the customer to an extra $21. Book a suite on that same cruise, for $699 per person, and the bonus refund is close to $70 – pocket change to some, but it could offset some portion of the onboard bill, which is not reimbursed under the guarantee.

The cruise line also pledges to cover return air fare, ground transportation, and hotel costs, if necessary, for those who call it quits. Consider that hotel rates are particularly high in the Caribbean during winter season, when a last-minute stay in a mid-range property can easily run $300 a night. As a result, this actually can have a lot of value, potentially worth hundreds of dollars, depending on the passenger’s final destination and whether an overnight is involved.

As a part of the guarantee, Carnival will handle the return arrangements. And if your vacation is coming to a close after just one day, you probably don’t need any more aggravation. Let the cruise line figure it out for you.

Our conclusion? The Great Vacation Guarantee is a solid, valuable offer that will entice mostly first-time cruisers to give Carnival a try, without fear of losing money or time.

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5 Cruise Myths, Debunked

Contributed by Donna Tunney

Christian Lambert Photography

Of all the vacation trip choices out there, cruising appears to have the greatest need to defend itself. Non-cruisers often are misinformed about shipboard life, landlubbers are anxious about the possibility of seasickness, and those who dislike closed spaces will avoid cruise ship cabins — just to name a few. But we think that these “obstacles” shouldn’t dissuade consumers from booking a vacation at sea. Here are five cruise myths, debunked:

1. Mass market ships are just party boats.
While it’s true that many cruisers aboard  lines such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International are looking for a festive atmosphere, others who want peace and quiet can easily find it on those very same lines. Today’s cruise ships are large enough to provide tranquil spaces, in the form of adults-only pool and lounge areas, out-of-the-way bars, and intimate dining venues. Passengers can read a book, sip a drink, or enjoy dinner well away from the mayhem in all of these spaces. If you are looking for extra relaxation, take a look at a ship’s deck plans and review public area descriptions to see if the facilities fit the bill.

2. Cabins are claustrophobic.
Cruisers have a wide range of cabin choices these days. For those who don’t like closed spaces, a balcony cabin is the answer. Of course, not all vacation budgets can accommodate such staterooms — but options like a partial-view porthole cabin provide a less-cramped ambience at very small increases in cost. (A partial-view cabin refers to one that has a window that’s partly obstructed by something outside, such as a lifeboat.) Disney Cruise Line also boasts “magical portholes” in many of its inside cabins, featuring screens displaying outside views to give the illusion of a window.

3. Cruises are more expensive than land trips.
Cruise rates change very frequently, based on occupancy levels day to day and week to week. The industry currently is offering some of its lowest rates in years on summer and fall Caribbean cruises, many as low as $50 or $60 per person, per day. Considering that all meals and entertainment are included in the fare, consumers are likely hard-pressed to find a better value. (Tip: You can find one if not more of such cruises in ShermansTravel’s weekly Top 25 deals.)

4. I’ll get seasick.
High winds and rolling seas can make a cruise ship tilt from side to side as it steams toward its next port call. But anti-seasickness medications are always available — for free — from a ship’s medical office. Passengers have also had luck with anti-seasickness wristbands, found in any pharmacy and reusable.

5. I’ll be bored on a ship.
This statement may have been true 20 years ago, but certainly not today. Outdoor activities on many ships include ropes courses, climbing walls, basketball courts, mini-golf courses, dive shows, and more. Inside, a vast array of music performances, movies, games, and sports bars provide hours of entertainment. That’s not to mention shore excursions where cruisers can stretch their legs dockside (a weeklong cruise will typically have at least three ports of call).

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The Bahamas Are A Perennial Favorite Weekend Destination. Here’s Where To Go To Escape The Crowds (Or Join Them)

Alexandra Penney

This beautiful cluster of Atlantic islands are not only an easy flight from the U.S. mainland, but they offer a little something for every type of traveler.

Contributed by Sarah Wildman

The Bahamas are a perennial favorite weekend destination. And with mega-luxe resort Baha Mar slated to open later this year, the destination, we predict, will be more popular than ever. But as always in the Bahamas, it’s easy to escape the crowds. That’s good news for travelers looking to get away from it all without going very far at all.

Stephen Frink/Corbis

Adventure on Cat Island

On every island in the Bahamian chain there’s something for adventure-seekers, but why not go where no one else is—and have the waters, mountainsides and swimming holes all to yourself? Cat Island calls.

Dry Heads Reef: Go snorkeling in some of the shallowest waters in the Bahamas, reached through Fernandez Bay.

Mount Alvernia: Climb the highest point in the Bahamas and check out Hermitage, a former religious retreat.

Mermaid Hole: The blue holes of Cat Island—natural limestone pools and tunnels where the ocean flows in and out—are great to explore. Mermaid hole is rumored to be home to a fantastical longhaired she-fish.

Fernandez Bay Village: Featuring cozy cottages or private villas, Fernandez Bay also offers kayaks to guests for exploring the shallow waters around the island, as well as paddle-boarding tours, and hiking itineraries. 7744 Peters Rd. (242) 342-3043; fernandezbayvillage.com; doubles from $250.

Shane Pinder / Alamy

Romance on Eleuthera Island

Eleuthera Island is practically synonymous with honeymoons, with its white sand beach and 80-degree water. It’s the ideal place to de-camp for a romantic getaway.

Glass Window Bridge: From this natural “bridge” north of Gregory Town—the narrowest point on this narrow island—you can see the Atlantic on one side, and Exuma Bay on the other.

Lighthouse Beach: This stretch of sand in South Eleuthera, near Cape Eleuthera, is known for pink sands and its eponymous lighthouse.

Beachhouse Tapas: At Governor’s Harbor, this open-air Spanish tapas restaurant flaunts its views of pink sand and blue blue sea. Banks Road; (242) 332-3387.

Oceanview Farm: Horseback riding tours of the island depart twice daily; $100 per person. oceanview242.com.

The Cove, Eleuthera: Take your pick of private villas or sumptuous rooms at this island resort 50 miles east of Nassau, which features bicycles, free wi-fi,  iPod checkouts, and kayaks. Gregory Town; 93-23-335-5143;thecoveeleuthera.com; doubles from $319.

Courtesy of One&Only Ocean Club

Family Getaway in the Bahamas

A plethora of all-inclusive resorts make the Bahamas typical family fare, but there’s plenty for parents and kids to do off campus here.

Dolphin Experience: On Blue Lagoon Island, across the bay from Nassau, even the most timid of swimmers can play with the dolphins. dolphinencounters.com.

Yoga Babies: Across the bay from Nassau, Sivanada Ashram offers yoga retreats with programs oriented specifically to young yogis. sivanandabahamas.org.

UNEXO: Underwater Explorers Society, in the Port Lucaya Marina, offers dolphin swimming and scuba exploration for all ages.unexo.com.

One & Only Ocean Club: Not just for honeymooners, this family-friendly all-inclusive has a kids-only pool and a Jean-Georges restaurant with children’s menu. Casino Drive, Paradise Island, Nassau; (242) 363-2501;oneandonlyresorts.com; doubles from $600.

National Geographic Image Collection / Alamy

Affordable Getaway on Long Island, Bahamas

Islands are never cheap, importing, as they do, much of their produce and dry goods. But Long Island, Bahamas, especially off the beaten path, offers some wallet-friendly options.

Max’s Conch Bar & Grill: This thatched roof haunt has some of the best (and cheapest) conch fritters in the islands. Queens Highway, Deadman’s Cay.

Dean’s Blue Hole: You’ll find the deepest “blue hole” (a 663-foot-deep sinkhole), which also doubles as an amazing natural swimming pool, just west of Clarence Town. It’s a major draw for snorkelers and scuba divers alike.

Long Island Museum: Mapping Long Island from pre-Columbian era to the present, this institution shines the spotlight on local music, indigenous peoples, and shipwrecks. ammcbahamas.com.

Conception Island: Weather permitting, charter a boat from the water sports office Stella Maris Water Sports at Stella Maris Marina (Ocean Drive; (242) 338-2055; stellamarisresort.com) to sail 1.5 hours north of Long Island out to this beautiful deserted isle known for its birds, exceptional snorkeling, and isolation.

Gems at Paradise Bay: All of the rooms at this beachfront property have balconies overlooking the bay.Clarencetown; (242) 337-3016; gemsatparadise.com; doubles from $50 (two night minimum).

Courtesy of Graycliff

City Tour of Nassau, Bahamas

This paradise city—the capital of the Bahamas—has a rich culture scene, and lots of great places to eat and drink.

John Watlings Rum Distillery: Try a tasting or tour at this two-acre garden-filled estate named for a pirate. 17 Delancey St.;johnwatlings.com.

Graycliff: Known as both a posh hotel and restaurant, but this grand dame also has an on-site chocolatier with tours (and samples!) of the chocolate making. 8-12 W. Hill St.;graycliff.com.

Arawak Cay Fish Fry: Have a beer and do as the locals do here, have a conch fritter or a fried snapper sandwich. W. Bay Street.

Café Matisse: Italian dining for when you’ve had your fill of fried conch. (242) 356-7012; cafe-matisse.com.

MELIA Nassau Beach Resort: With its excellent beach front, three pools, and a sunny gym, this Bahamas resort is a smart choice in Nassau. 4914 W. Bay St.; (242) 327-600; melia.com; doubles from $200.

From http://www.travelandleisure.com/

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