General Info & Local Attractions
Harbour Island, at the northeastern end of Eleuthera, is the site of the oldest settlement in the Bahamas, Dunmore Town. It was here that the founding residents, the Eleutheran Adventurers, established the hemisphere's first republic. The colonial-era atmosphere of the town remains incredibly intact. Among its many attractions are the Hill Steps, which the settlers hand-carved and the beautiful pink sand beach on the Atlantic side of the Island. Try lunch at the very chic beachside Blue Bar at the Pink Sands resort. You may see somebody famous from Hollywood or members of the British royal family. Dress is beach casual.

Glass Window Bridge, originally the site of an extraordinary natural arch linking the Exuma Sound to the Atlantic, is one of the most impressive sights on Eleuthera. Unfortunately however, the natural formation was washed away in a hurricane in 1965, but the location itself is still immensely scenic. To watch the ragged, deep blue waves of the Atlantic crash and swarm across rocks toward the Sound is truly mesmerizing. Artist Winslow Homer painted this area in 1885, and called the painting "Glass Window". While man's relationship to nature always held a fascination for Homer, it was the awesome power of the sea that dominated his canvases. It was probably this fascination that attracted him to the "Glass Window", where the turbulent Atlantic, meets the serene Caribbean.

The small island of Spanish Wells is accessible by ferry off the north coast of Eleuthera. It is from the fresh-water reserves of this island that Spanish sailors renewed their water supply after the long Atlantic crossing, among them the legendary explorer who sought the Fountain of Youth, Ponce de Leon. The inhabitants of Spanish Wells are intensely proud of their past, and the islanders are known for their seamanship and fishing ability.

Preachers Cave, on the North end of the island, has both a natural and historical appeal. It was in this large, blue-shadowed cave that the Eleutheran Adventurers sought shelter after shipwrecking nearby. They had fled Bermuda in search of religious freedom, and it was in this cave that they held their first services in what would become their home.

Once a haunt of pirates and buccaneers (and it looks like one, too) Hatchet Cave is a towering, mile-long chamber rich in stalactites and stalagmites.

Best-known for its great food and exotic tropical drinks like its famous pineapple punch, Gregory Town is also gaining recognition because of its rock star resident, the vocalist and guitar-wizard Lenny Kravitz. Also it is the location of "Pam's Island Gift Shop", a store with a wide selection of native gift goods, including local books, maps, T-shirts, dresses, etc.
The Bahamas are composed of 700 islands. The most well-known islands are Grand Bahama, where Freeport is located, and New Providence, where Nassau is located. The other islands, including Eleuthera, are called the "Out Islands". Eleuthera is notable for its unusual elongated shape, with much seashore and many pink sand beaches.

Eleuthera is located about 180 miles southeast of Miami, and 50 miles from Nassau. It is about a one-hour flight from Miami to the Governor's Harbor Airport in the mid-portion of Eleuthera.

The island is 100 miles long, and at most a few miles wide. Surprisingly, it is very hilly in parts, and very undeveloped. There is one main road that goes from north to south, called the Queens Highway.