All about : Bahamas Vacation

A Bahamas vacation is a fun, close to home, warm weather getaway. It may also be a look at the history of the island, a shopping extravaganza, and a fisherman's dream. The Bahamas, a collection of over 700 islands and cays, located east of Florida and northern Caribbean Sea. Although not technically part of the Caribbean, the Bahamas often get together with them because of their similarity in weather, culture, and topography. Bahamas Notable past and present residents include actor Sir Sidney Poitier, singer / songwriter Lenny Kravitz, and supermodel Shakara Ledard. History
The Bahamas is believed to be the site of the first landfall of Christopher Columbus in the Western Hemisphere in 1492. Deemed to have landed on the island now known as San Salvador, which faced the Lucayan people. The subsequent Spanish history is a disgrace. The Lucayans, about 40,000 of them were deported to Hispaniola to work as slaves. Within ten years, all the people were dead from overwork, disease and famine. The Bahamas remained uninhabited for almost 200 years.
British settlers from Bermuda repopulated at least part of the island chain when it formed a community on the island of Eleuthra around 1650. The chain of islands came under British rule in 1718 the islands were further developed by American conservatives, who fled the United States around the time of the American Revolution. The Bahamas remained a British Crown Colony until 1973, when the island nation was granted independence. The country continues to be an active partner with Britain and is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Nassau and Paradise Island
Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, is located on the island of New Providence, in the central part of the island chain. It is the largest city in the country, with about 210,000 residents, or about 70% of the population of the Bahamas. The island is known for its excellent white sand beaches, especially on Cable Beach. The city of Nassau is also home to many examples of British colonial architecture, including Graycliff, once the home of a wealthy privateer and an elegant restaurant.
Just offshore from Nassau, accessible from the bridge is Paradise Island, a holiday mecca, lined with beautiful beaches and rich casino resort. This is the home of the Atlantis mega-resort, and a Club Med resort and the luxurious Ocean Reef Club. Freeport
Freeport is the closest resort town Bahamas to the United States. It sits just 100 miles off the coast of South Florida. Freeport is home to approximately 30,000 residents. many attractions include large parts of uncrowded beaches, the casino resort - the most popular of which are the Bahamas Princess Resort and the Lucayan Beach Resort - and duty free purchases. The island is also home to one of the major aquatic research in the world and dive centers, and visitors can swim with dolphins and learn more about sealife island there.