A few days ago we decided to have a fun-in-the-sun trip in September since we didn’t head south in February.  We wanted to keep the budget small and go somewhere we could get to fast, even from Pittsburgh.  I tried my best to find something around our old haunts of the USVI and BVI, but getting there was costing us valuable time. And since our favorite hotel, Villa Olga, closed on St. Thomas we were a little less motivated. We could have made our way back to Playa del Carmen, Mexico but we’ve been there a few times and really wanted to try something different.

I opened up the aggregators like Orbitz and Kayak and even a few airline pages and finally found what we we’re looking for: a place that fits our budget and we can get there fast. We found a great deal on flight and hotel combo through JetBlue for Nassau, Bahamas. I’ve never been to the Bahamas and Amanda has only been to Atlantis on Paradise Island, so it even checked the “not been there box.”

We’re booking the British Colonial Hilton for 4 nights for $1,646 — including airfare for two. We had looked at one or two other places suggested but the location of the Hilton is what sold us. The hotel is near downtown and only 20 minutes from the airport, making it perfect for a day of exploring the sights of Nassau like the Straw Market (an open-air flea market), the water tower that gives you great vistas of the island from its highest point, as well as the many bars and restaurants catering to western, eastern and Bahamian palates.

I’d have to say one of the key selling points for Amanda is that the Hilton is right on the water, and we know how she loves the water.

We’ll keep you up to date with our Bahamian escape, and the planning for our other upcoming adventures to Italy and China.