Freeport in Grand Bahama Island is the closest of all the Bahamas to the USA. A quick 45 minute flight from Fort Lauderdale or Miami will get you into Freeport. It is a very popular destination because of its close proximity and the fact that US dollars are widely accepted. There are two main clusters of hotels and resorts on Grand Bahama Island. One is at the Port Lucaya area located on the south shore of island and the other is near downtown Freeport which is more inland. There are also other individual resorts scattered around the west and south shores of the 97 by 17 mile island.
I have traveled to Freeport twice and stayed in the Port Lucaya area both times. Most of the hotels here are next to the Port Lucaya Marketplace which is a collection of restaurants, boutiques and other retail services. In addition to the higher end retail, there are also small outdoor vendors selling cheaper goods such as souvenirs and t-shirts. One should be aware that much of the items available for sale from these vendors are not actually made in the Bahamas but overseas in Asia. There is also a nice sized marina here for those coming to the island via private boat. For those...