Our Magical Trip to Harbour Island

At the beginning of the month, we traveled to Harbour Island with friends for what proved to be the most magnificent few days under the Bahama sun. To say we had the BEST time is an understatement. This was my second time to Harbour Island and I loved it just as much as my first visit 4 years ago. In fact, my love for the island only grew after this trip. I’ve traveled around the Caribbean, around Florida, to a few Hawaiian islands, and a little bit in Mexico and I’m honestly not sure if I’ve ever seen water as beautiful, as turquoise, and as crystal clear as the water on Harbour Island.

And, yes, the sand really is pink. The sand + water combo will take your breath away. I can’t wait to return with friends but also with Rowan one day. It is a great island for kids and families!

Our Magical Trip to Harbour Island

Our 1 Night Pit-Stop in Miami

5 out of the 8 of us met in Miami for 1 night before heading down to Harbour Island. Let me tell you, I love Miami. Every time I go to Miami, I love it more and more. The city has so much to offer and I can never get enough. I’ve been countless times now and hope to go countless more times. This was a quick trip as we were there for about 30 hours but we were busy the whole time. We checked into The 1 Hotel, which I’ve stayed at before and love. I couldn’t wait to stay again and it did not disappoint!

My sister is a travel advisor so since we booked our stay through an advisor we got a very early check-in which was amazing because we landed in the morning. We then had a beautiful and delicious lunch at Mandolin (always a Miami must for me), shopped a bit around the Design District, spent the afternoon at both the pool and the beach at The 1 Hotel, had sunset drinks + sushi at Watr on the rooftop of The 1 Hotel, and had a marvelous dinner at Casa Tua. A big, beautiful day! The following day, we had a leisurely morning and breakfast at the hotel before heading to the airport to fly to the Bahamas!

Where We Stayed on Harbour Island

There were 8 of us on the trip so we decided we wanted to stay in a house together instead of staying at a hotel. We rented Coral House and fell in love with the house from the moment we stepped foot through the doors. It is a beautiful updated historic 4 bedroom cottage on the harbor side of the island. As a party of 8, we never once felt crowded in the house. The common spaces in and outside of the house are amazing and really spacious!

We spent a ton of time in the pool every evening after long beach days. It was the perfect buffer activity between day and night. The boys also started every day with a dip in the pool. After the pool each evening, we’d shower up (there’s an outdoor shower at the house!) and make cocktails outside at the pool bar before heading out for dinner or dining at home.

The house is also designed so beautifully and just all around has tons of character and personality.

I think it stems from the historic nature of the house. I really felt like I was in the Bahamas, which I loved. Chassity, who owns the house with her family, did the most incredible job of decorating the house to feel like a colorful, happy home away from home. It felt in stark contrast to your standard run of the mill VRBO rental home. Coral house is special. Simply put, Chassity and her husband have created something really special with this house. The house has soul, a personality, stories, character, and so much to offer. I really loved it and would 1000% stay there again.

I received a number of DMs about the location of the house and the ease of getting to the beach from the house. We LOVED the location! It is very close to the harbor where you dock when you arrive on the island, which is nice (a short walk!). We rented golf carts (more on that below) so getting to and from the house and the beach was a breeze. The house is also super close to some of our favorite spots to eat, get coffee, or get drinks like The Landing, Rock House, and COCOA Coffee. The island is pretty small so you can golf cart everywhere easily and quickly.

Getting To Harbour Island

As I mentioned, a few of us went to Miami for one night before heading to Harbour Island. So, we all met in Miami and flew from Miami to the island of North Eleuthera. The rest of our group, had a connection in Atlanta and flew Atlanta to North Eleuthera. You can also fly to North Eleuthera through Charlotte and Fort Lauderdale. So, you have options.

Upon landing on North Eleuthera, we all met up at the airport because our flights landed within minutes of each other. You then jump in a taxi van (they are always waiting outside of the airport) and take a less than 5 minute drive to the dock. The folks who work for the ferry load up your luggage and take you on a 5 minute ferry ride over to Harbour Island (you arrive at Government Dock). It sounds like a lot of steps but it is honestly so easy and over before you know it. I truly wouldn’t classify it as a hassle at all. The ferry is fun because excitement mounts by being on the water!

Getting Around Harbour Island

A lot of the island is walkable but you will definitely want to rent golf carts! It is the way of the island and really fun. Catching an island breeze in your hair while cruising around the island can’t be beat. On my two trips to Harbour Island, I have either rented through Major’s Rentals or Dunmore Rentals. Both of which can be viewed here. If you rent carts ahead of time, then they will leave your golf carts on the dock (Government Dock) for you when you arrive on the island. When you get off the ferry, your carts are waiting and away you go!

What We Did on Harbour island

There were countless highlights of our magical trip to Harbour Island but the day we spent on a boat might have taken the cake. How can you beat a day on the water jetting around from one fantastic spot to another? If you want to charter a boat one day, I would highly recommend either Da Salty Pig, Tyman Charters, or Conch and Coconut. You can’t go wrong! On this trip, we went out with Da Salty Pig and had a truly golden day. Our captain took us to Sand Dollar Sand Bar (a MUST!!!), to see the pigs, to swim with turtles, to a great snorkeling spot, to an ocean swing, and to a delicious lunch. It was a day I think I’ll pinch myself about for my whole life.

We also hand endless amounts of fun on the beach and swimming in the ocean.

We rented paddle boards on the beach. And we had a million beach side piña coladas, goombay smashes, and frozen lemonades. We took golf cart joy rides around the island. We played the ring game at Valentine’s. And we shopped at Blue Rooster Boutique, Dake’s, Miss Mae’s, Shine, India Hick’s Sugar Mill, A&A Hidden Treasures, and the Dunmore Boutique. We took glorious beach walks. We made daily coffee and smoothie runs to COCOA Coffee House. And we played lots of card games.

We swam in the pool for hours. We took over the piano at Ocean View Club. And we went out to Beyond the Reef and Daddy D’s. We danced forever on the Dunmore patio dance floor (we convinced the musicians to do about an hour long encore for us!). We had a former Sip Sip chef deliver us the famous lobster tacos to the house (we were assured by multiple people on the island that Sip Sip will reopen next year… fingers crossed!). And we had beautiful days full of incredible fun and incredible quality time together.

Things we wanted to do but we ran out of time:

The boys wanted to go bone fishing, ice cream cones at Tip Top, sunrise yoga on the beach, rent a boat to take out on our own through Lil Shans Watersports, spend a day on North Eleuthera jumping in the sapphire blue hole + shelling + lunching at The Other Side, and more. I know there is more I’m forgetting!

Where We Ate on Harbour Island

Another major highlight of the trip was having a chef come to Coral House to cook for us one night. I honestly never want to go on another trip where I rent a great house without doing a chef. It is such a wonderful way to use and enjoy the property you’ve picked out and paid for! Per Chassity’s recommendation, we hired Chef Portia Curry and she + her team were wonderful. I don’t believe she has a website but her email address is portiaskitchen242@gmail.com. That’s how we communicated and got everything scheduled. I will say she was a bit slow on email so don’t stress if you don’t hear back right away.

They cooked us SO much food including delicious appetizers they served us around the pool, a marvelous family-style dinner at the outdoor table at the house that they set and decorated for us, and a divine dessert. The cooked, cleaned, served, and were all-around amazing! It was the best experience!

We also had wonderful meals at The Dunmore (a dinner and a lunch), The Landing (dinner + their bar is such good vibes!), Ocean View Club (dinner), Coral Sands (lunch), and Cocoa Coffee House (breakfast). There are so many great places to eat on Harbour Island! We didn’t have enough time to go to all of them.

This trip was really what life is made of.

Spending time with my husband, sister, and some of my best friends in a beautiful place is not something I’ll ever take for granted. Enjoying time with Edwin when he isn’t working is a gift I’ll never turn away. It was a trip that filled me up for awhile (my cup is still full from it!), gave me so many memories and golden moments. It was a trip I won’t soon forget. After 2020, I think we all appreciated the ability to travel and enjoy the world more than ever! I’ll always be grateful for and look back fondly on our magical trip to Harbour Island (and Miami!). Here comes a bunch more photos from our trip… there are just too many and I can’t resist sharing!