jredknapp11

So it seems I will be stuck in NAS for about 5 hours. I know the airport is small and isn't an ideal place to be stuck in but that's about the extent of the info I have on NAS. Not much out there in terms of maps and overviews, I'm curious to know what my options are for a 5 hour layover. Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated.

flyerwife

There's nothing much of note in the airport (though the choices have gotten better over the past few years...a Dunkin Donuts now, IIRC.. a local goods stand, a t-shirt place, a few mediocre no-name eateries) and there is nothing at all on that side of the island at all to see.

Depending on how long it would take you to clear back into NAS, perhaps you might want to take a cab over to the Atlantis resort complex? A cab would take about 40 mins each way so you may only have an hour or so to look around, but you might find that to be an interesting way to spend your time. They have a huge casino and while many of the beautiful areas are reserved for guests only, you can definitely get a taste for the resort by walking around for an hour (amazing yachts docked out near the Marketplace restaurant area).

Downtown Nassau isn't what it once was, and I believe the Straw Market took a hit in one of the recent hurricanes (Irene?)...but if you are a jewelry aficionado like I am, you might enjoy a couple of hours of window shopping at places like Solomon's Mines, John Bull, Colombian Emeralds, etc. You could also stop at some of the liquor stores that offer free samples. Just check at NAS to make sure the stores are open; last time we were there, it was a local holiday and all shops were closed.

Hope this helps. Have a safe trip.