sally

My husband and I and our two children(13& 10) have just booked a trip to Atlantis,we will have 41/2 actual days there. I want to know if there's enough to do for that long.What else is there to do besides the pools,ocean,slides,the Dig and the aquariums? What is there to do after the pools close? We are not into the casinos,I heard they a comedy place,Is it also for children and does the act change nightly or weekly? I forgot to say we are going in the middle of next April.Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

Anon

That is plenty of time to see all. The Dig is a walk through aquarium (20 minutes). My husband and I stayed in the Coral Towers which is centrally located and took the entire resort in in 1 1/2 days. It looks much bigger and more complicated than it actually is. Before we went there we did not think we had enough time, but 3 days was plenty. When you get there you will understand it's very easy and I think you definately have plenty of time. I do think there is a disco for kids, I do not know if the entertainment if R rated. We do not have kids but saw many children of all ages at night in the resort in the mall area shopping with parents. Did you see the Atlantis web site? Maybe it will help www.Atlantis.com.

Hint: The pool area that has the slides gets crowded very early so plan ahead and claim your space!

Mike

Evening activities for kids - when we there last winter, they had movies for the kids in the theatre. The comic was not for small kids. They have two age grouping for the kids disco - you're older son may be to go the one for the younger teens

You might also consider taking the kids to the Dolphin Encounter

We had no problem filling our time when we went - have fun!

Anon

I forgot to add - this is a great family vacation...something for everyone, it almost made us want to have kids. You will have a great time with your family , enjoy your trip!

Although, you must take time for yourself and enjoy the beautiful casino,it is a must see-must do(we are not gamblers) but we had THE BEST TIME there. Have your family picture taken in "The Chair"

Brad

Your kids will have plenty to entertain them for that length of time.
The beach outside Atlantis is pretty nice, and safe.
Please don't patronize the very sad dolphin encounter program. It is a truly cruel venture and if you were to learn even a bit about what really goes on there and how those dolphins are treated it would turn your stomach.

Beth2

Hi Sally!
We went last April with a girl (13) and boy (11). We spent 4 nights, so 3.5 days. We certainly did everything there was to do in a couple days, but we still hated to leave.
It's more of a "kick back" type of vacation for lounging by the pool. We didn't want to do a lot of activities that would run into extra money. The ocean was closed due to high winds and surf, but the interior man-made beach was not bad. Our kids brought snorkeling stuff with them, so we didn't have to pay for a fifteen minute novelty on a couple days! We all loved the slides, especially those around the Temple, where we parked ourselves every day for several hours. I don't like the sun, so I draped my chaise in towels and did a lot of reading and snoozing! I felt very comfortable letting my kids explore a pre-determined boundaried area, as there is no deep water and many lifeguards. I'd do an eye-ball check on them every 45 minutes or so; plus they were together. My son could not get enough of the dig, and explored there about 2-3 times a day. Plus there are great caves and paths over by the Beach Tower. We also spent one cloudy morning in Nassau. Unfortunately, the building where the Straw Market used to be burned down, but the vendors still operate in huge tents. The kids got a kick out of the high-pressure sales and bartering. They each bought a crazy souvenir there. One day father and daughter did the putting course (extra), and father did the health club a couple times (extra).
There is a definite lack of evening activities. I suppose they want you to gamble! The kids were not allowed to participate in each other's teen club age group, so they would have had to go alone. My daughter wanted no part of it, son was dyiing to get in for the video games, but I wouldn't let him go alone. One evening we bought an in-room movie (Lord of the Rings) for them, and went downstairs for a cocktail. We found one lounge in the whole complex that had live entertainment: a singer with a back-up keyboard. Two restaurants I'd recommend with kids are Murray's Deli for great casual food and Fathoms which had so-so food but great dinner entertainment.
Hope this helps. We had a fabulous family vacation, and I'm sure you will too.

Debbie

I think Brad may have confused the Dolphin Encounter on Blue Lagoon off Paradise Island with the one in Mexico (can't remember if it's Cancun or Cozumel). Anyhow, my son (age 11) and I have vacationed at Atlantis several times. Each year we add a couple more days to our stay (we spent 9 nights last year). The first year we went to Dolphin Encounters, we got hooked. We visit them for a swim every year. They are not cruel to the dolphins. The dolphins are very happy and protected there. These dolphins receive excellent medical care, and it's a fact that dolphins are healthier and live longer in that kind of environment. They have a website where you can find additional information: www.dolphinencounters.com My son and I both agree the dolphin swim is the highlight of each trip.

Also, shopping in Nassau is great. And there are lots of historical things to see in Nassau. Some forts with old canons still there that the kids will probably like. And snorkeling right off the beach at the hotel is great. Lots of angel fish and grouper. We never feel like we have enough time at Atlantis.

Besides the restaurants at Atlantis, there's a great Italian restaurant next door in the Sheraton. And don't miss Anthony's just outside the Atlantis resort going toward the strip mall. They have a mahi mahi that's better than any I've ever had.

Enjoy your trip.