Within a short walk from Paradise Harbour Club, you can get to the Atlantis. It's full of things to do, including a movie theater, several restaurants and bars, aquarium, and, of course, the casino that Bahamians aren't allowed to gamble in but can work in (how unfortunate is that). You can find any game of your desire in the casino.

The aquarium will cost you about $20 US if you're not staying at the Atlantis. Or you can do what I did (not intentionally, of course). I arrived at 4:45pm and asked for a ticket. They closed at 5pm. Well, of course I wasn't going to pay $20 for 15 minutes. You can walk around the property, at no charge of course. As I was walking, I stumbled upon the aquarium! It has several entrances that lead outside to the pools. So, as I was walking, I just walked right in and enjoyed the marine life. Note that I'm not advocating it--I truly did just stumble across this solution.

In addition to the aquarium, there are several pools with sharks and other fish. These pools and waterfalls dot the landscape, and it's easy to just walk right up and take some pictures if you choose.

The Atlantis is HUGE--way too big for my taste, but different strokes for different folks I suppose. There are lagoons and beaches, a huge water slide, on-site bands for entertainment, novelty shops, a high-end boutique on-site right outside the casino, and some of the nicest staff I've ever encountered.

If you are a guest at Atlantis or Harborside, you are free to roam the grounds as often and for as long as you wish. We spent many hours with mouths agape at the beautiful marine exhibits. The Predator Lagoon is at the base of the Mayan Temple. Here nurse sharks swim lazily around acrylic tubes as guests ride the water slides through the center. There is another predator lagoon with an underwater viewing area where you can see more sharks, barracuda, stingrays, groupers and others.

The stingray lagoons are filled with various stingrays and black tip reef sharks. At Seagrapes viewing tunnel, you can see some really bizarre and beautiful fish. The most amazing one we don't have a name for. It was huge and looked like a Disney creation. It is teal with huge lips and a large bump on its forehead.

The Ruins Walk and Ruins Lagoon are beautiful. The Ruins Lagoon is what you view when you walk beneath it in what's called The Dig. This is absolutely incredible! Hammerheads, a huge manta ray, angels, triggers, tuna...so much more! Species tanks in the dig feature lookdowns, lionfish, spiny lobsters, piranha, seahorses, jellyfish. Be sure to read the daily "Fish & Chips" for times and locations of feedings. They call it "Seakeepers Sanctuary." Kids are allowed to pet the stingrays at feeding time, so don't miss it!