If you and your family have never had the chance to visit Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas, this is an absolute must to add to your bucket list!
There's something for all ages here: the most incredible water park and aquariums that you've ever seen, swimming with dolphins, fantastic dining and shopping and even a casino that your kids might think is the largest arcade they've ever seen.
Speaking of the kids, what would they say is the best part about Atlantis Paradise Island? As a parent, you probably think you know what will matter most to them as you're planning a trip, but you'll probably be surprised to hear which things are their actual favorites when you ask.
When 10Best visited Atlantis Paradise Island, here's what the kids said were their favorite things about Atlantis:
1. Dolphin Cay
This is the highlight for any child. You get waist deep in the water with one of the amazing dolphins at Dolphin Cay. The dolphin will do tricks for you, and you'll have a chance to hug and kiss them.
Such a blast!
SpecialGlobe Tip: There are beach wheelchairs onsite.
Dolphin Cay at Atlantis Paradise Island — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island
2. Serpent Slide
Grab a single or a double tube and climb up five stories to the top of the Mayan Temple to take a winding ride in the dark that shoots you out into the Predator Lagoon.
No worries: you are enclosed in a clear tube, but it's super cool to see the sharks swimming all 'round you!
Also, this is home to the Leap of Faith, which is a five-story vertical drop through the same lagoon. Kids seem to love it.
SpecialGlobe Tip: Your child has to be able to climb the five stories, as there's no elevator to the top.
Serpent Slide — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island
3. Lazy River
Grab a single or a double tube and take a ride on a one-mile lazy river!
This is no ordinary lazy river. You'll encounter big waves, rapids and twists and turns in addition to some calm and relaxing drifting!
This is super fun!
SpecialGlobe Tip: There are lots of places to enter along the one-mile loop. If you get in near the toddler water park, there's a section with a zero entry.
Children enjoy the Lazy River — Photo courtesy of Meghann Harris
4. The Dig
Discover the lost city of Atlantis! Explore underground caves with big picture windows looking out to Atlantis.
You'll see over 100 venomous Indo-Pacific Ocean lionfish, 500 piranhas, iridescent jellyfish and six-foot Moray eels.
SpecialGlobe Tip: The underground dig is wheelchair accessible. You can take an elevator down to the entrance via the lobby.
The Dig — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island
5. Kid's Club
For children ages three through 12, the Kid’s Club is great fun! You can take culinary lessons, do arts and crafts, participate in theater, use computers and enjoy outdoor play.
SpecialGlobe Tip: The staff is fully trained to work with kids with special needs, and they can even provide a one-to-one instructor.
Kid's Club — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island
6. The Wind Tunnel
This one is kind of funny. There's a passageway that you walk through from the lobby of the Royal Towers towards the Kid’s Club.
When you walk around the corner to head through the tunnel, a big gust of wind hits you in the face.
The Wind Tunnel — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island
7. Marine Life Observation
Throughout the grounds at the Atlantis resort, there are 14 lagoons that showcase more than 50,000 aquatic animals representing over 250 marine species. There's over eight million gallons of salt water needed to fill these lagoons!
It is truly remarkable.
Hammerhead sharks — Photo courtesy of Meghann Harris
8. Rope Tunnel Bridge
There are lots of great trails throughout the grounds of Atlantis. There are so many ins and outs and secret pathways that lead you to a lagoon filled with marine life.
One of the kids' favorite passageways is usually the rope bridge near the lagoon filled with hammerhead sharks. The bridge wobbles and shakes and looks like something out of Robinson Crusoe.
The rope bridge at Atlantis Paradise Island — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island
9. Murray’s
Modeled after a 1950s New York-style restaurant, Murray's restaurant is a favorite place for kids to eat at Atlantis Paradise Island.
Popular options include the grilled cheese, French fries and ice cream shakes.
Murray's — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island
10. Mayan Temple Pool
This pool is at the base of the Mayan Temple, and it's lots of fun for kids. It has a mini-waterslide that the kids will love to play on.
SpecialGlobe Tip: This is a zero-entry pool.
Mayan Temple Pool — Photo courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island