Clifton Heritage Park

If you’re looking for beautiful beaches, amazing marine life, fascinating history, and more, Clifton Heritage Park is a Nassau location you’ll want to visit. With so much to offer travelers, no trip to Nassau is complete without a visit there. 

If there’s one place in the Nassau area that combines elements that can cater to travelers of every sort, it’s Clifton Heritage Park. From the stunning vistas it offers to the exquisite snorkeling opportunities and unique history, Clifton Heritage Park Nassau Bahamas is one place you won’t want to pass up on. 

Clifton Heritage Park: Explore Clifton Park Nassau 

Clifton Heritage Park Nassau: A History

Humans have resided in the Clifton Heritage Park Nassau area for nearly 1000 years. The Lucayan people were the original residents of the Bahamas, and they thrived throughout the archipelago, including at the site of Clifton Heritage Park, until Columbus arrived.

Centuries later in the 1780s, Loyalist planters fleeing the newly-established United States inhabited the area, with Great Britain granting them Crown Land to construct new plantations. The area passed from owner to owner over the following decades, but after Emancipation freed the slaves working there, much of the park returned to its original natural state. 

In 2005, Clifton Park Nassau, with its plantation ruins and landscapes, changed hands again, becoming the first national heritage park of the Bahamas. 

The Genesis Garden is a recent addition to the historic area.

Clifton Park Nassau: What to See

You can easily spend an afternoon soaking up all of the park’s history, culture, and natural beauty. Here’s what you can expect to see.

Stunning Vistas 

Clifton Heritage National Park is home to several different biomes, allowing you to get a clear sense of the diverse ecosystems that make up the Bahamas. From wetlands and rocky shorelines to coral reefs and cliffs, Clifton Heritage Park shows how there’s more to the island nation than sandy beaches (although you can find those here, as well). 

As you traverse the area, you’ll come across many of the animals that call the Bahamas home, including songbirds, seabirds, and more.  

You can also visit the Banana Hole, a naturally formed underground cave that the Lucayan people used for shelter during hurricanes.

The Banana Hole is an underground cave used by the Lucayan people.

Historical Structures, Artifacts, and More

In addition to the natural beauty showcased at Clifton Heritage Park Nassau Bahamas, you can also find relics of the site’s lengthy human history. 

Walking through the Slave Village, for example, gives you a sense of how the enslaved peoples who resided there made lives, despite being in bondage. At one point, as many as 67 people resided in the Slave Village.

The Slave Village showcases the darker historical side of Clifton Heritage Park Nassau.

Juxtaposed next to the Slave Village is the Great House, which contained the master’s quarters. Reminiscent of colonial-era architecture found in places like Georgia and South Carolina, the large building originally contained three floors. 

Underwater Attractions

Clifton Heritage National Park is also famous for its underwater attractions, specifically its sculpture garden. 

The Ocean Atlas is the largest underwater sculpture.

With sunken relics from movies like Jaws serving as artificial reefs and jaw-dropping water visibility on good days, the park is one of the best places to snorkel in the Nassau area. 

Getting in 

Like most places in and around Nassau, Clifton Heritage National Park isn’t difficult to get to. If you sign up for a tour, a complimentary shuttle service can pick you up and drop you off later that evening. Otherwise, a taxi ride will be your best bet. 

Clifton Heritage National Park is beautiful and not too touristy.

General admission doesn’t require pre-booking and comes with the following rates (as of 2023):

• Non-residents: $16.50
• Children (ages 3-11): $3.30
• Seniors (ages 65+): $3.30

Travelers looking to embark on a guided tour can expect to pay the following:

• Non-residents (Heritage): $22.00
• Children (ages 3-11): $5.50
• Seniors (ages 65+): $5.50
• Guided snorkeling tour with rental gear: $48.40
• Self-guided snorkeling: $27.50

Park hours are from 9 am to 4 pm. 

Getting Around

Given the diversity of attractions you can see at the park, getting around depends on what you plan on doing. Walking through the park’s winding trails will have you trekking along cliffs, through coastal wetlands, and along rocky shorelines. Because of that, close-toed shoes are a good option to protect your feet. Nevertheless, you won’t have to worry about getting dirty, as most of the paths are clean and in good condition. 

You can find stunning vistas everywhere as you walk around Clifton Heritage Park.

Our Travel Guide Suggests…

While there are cheaper, unguided options to enter the park, consider opting for a guided tour. Whether you choose to go snorkeling or learn about the area’s history on a heritage tour, the guides are knowledgeable, entertaining, and offer an engrossing experience. 

A tour guide can help you better understand what you see, including the Pirate Stairs.

Clifton Heritage National Park: The Best of Nassau

From its beautiful vistas to the site’s extensive history, Clifton Heritage Park is a fascinating site in the Nassau area. Whether you’re in Nassau for an afternoon or are staying in New Providence for a week, making a trip out to Clifton Heritage Park Nassau is never a bad idea.

If you’re craving more beach time after visiting the park, Jaws Beach and Love Beach aren’t far away. Plus, as New Providence is only around 80 square miles in size, you’re just a short taxi ride away from Downtown Nassau and all of the attractions there. 

Are you interested in learning about more great destinations in the Nassau area? Check out our other travel guides, and make sure to browse around our interactive travel map.