If you’re planning a Bimini golf cart day, this is hands down the best way to explore the island on a cruise stop. We rented one as soon as we got off the ship, and it ended up being one of our favorite days of the entire trip.
Instead of being stuck on a tour schedule or limited to one beach, you can actually see Bimini. Multiple beaches, food stops, random pull-offs — all at your own pace. If you like doing your own thing (and not waiting on a group of strangers to finish their rum punch), this is it.
If you’re still figuring out your full day, you can also check out my guide to One Day in Bimini: The Perfect Island Itinerary to map everything out start to finish.
The second you get off the ship, you’ll see people asking if you want to rent a golf cart — they call them “buggies.” You don’t need to hunt anything down or pre-book.
We rented from Bahama Mama Spice, and the whole process took maybe five minutes.
Here’s exactly how it worked:
Cost: about $100 for the day
Return time: around 5pm
Driver’s license: not required
Payment: we used cash
Gas: included
They also gave us their WhatsApp number in case anything happened, which honestly made it feel even easier.
You can try to negotiate, but we thought $100 was fair and didn’t feel like haggling over it on vacation.
Before you even get your golf cart, the walk from the port is part of the experience.
It’s less than a ¼ mile and super easy. You’ll walk over a bridge right after getting off the ship — and look down.
We saw stingrays and a few sharks just casually swimming around.
Not exactly your average “walk to transportation” situation.
It also wasn’t crowded when we got off, so everything felt quick and smooth instead of chaotic.
Driving a golf cart in Bimini is about as low-stress as it gets.
A few things to know:
They drive on the left side of the road
Roads are mostly paved and in decent condition
There are a few potholes, but nothing crazy
No aggressive drivers
Even if you’ve never driven on the left side before, it doesn’t feel intimidating. The island is small, traffic is light, and everything just moves slower.
I felt completely safe the entire time.
This is where a Bimini golf cart day really shines — you’re not stuck in one spot.
We drove all over the island and stopped wherever looked interesting, which is exactly why I’d do it again the same way.
Instead of squeezing every stop into this post, I mapped out our exact route and timing in my full itinerary:
→ see my full guide to One Day in Bimini: The Perfect Island Itinerary
A few highlights from our day:
Blister Bay (my favorite beach — quieter and great snorkeling)
Multiple fresh conch salad stops (priorities)
Exploring different beaches around the island
If you want more details on specific stops:
check out my Blister Bay Bimini Guide: One of the Best Quiet Beaches on the Island
and learn more in my post about Best Conch Salad in Bimini: 3 Local Spots You Need to Try
The biggest advantage of a Bimini golf cart day is the freedom.
You’re not following a schedule, you’re not waiting on anyone else, and you’re not rushing through places just because a tour says it’s time to go.
You can:
Stop whenever something catches your attention
Stay longer at places you actually enjoy
Skip anything that doesn’t feel worth it
It turns the day into your itinerary instead of someone else’s — which, in my opinion, is always the better option.
A few quick things that make the day easier:
Gas is included
Parking is easy pretty much everywhere
You’ll get a contact number in case you need help
No license required
Plan your stops ahead of time (especially if you’re Type A like me)
Honestly, the whole experience was as easy as it gets. No stress, no confusion, no “what are we doing next?” moments.
Since most people are visiting Bimini on a cruise, your day is limited — which makes planning ahead worth it.
If you’re flying into Bimini, you can find options and pricing through sites like Skyscanner to compare itineraries and dates that include this stop.
If you prefer something structured but still want to explore, there are also a few island tours you can book here that hit the main highlights without the guesswork.
But if you want full flexibility, the golf cart wins every time.
Yes — I would 100% recommend a Bimini golf cart day. If I did this again, I wouldn’t change a single thing. It’s the easiest way to see the island, gives you complete flexibility, and makes the whole day way more fun than staying in one area or following a schedule.
And let’s be honest — beach hopping and eating conch salad on your own timeline is kind of the goal. If you’re deciding how to spend your time in Bimini, this is the move.
Booked this Bryson City yurt for the ‘ber months and it’s already my top fall pick this year. 🍂
The Junaluska Yurt sleeps six but feels more like a stylish cabin than a yurt, two real queen bedrooms with actual doors, a full kitchen, and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower. Check-in is just a door code texted to your phone, no lobby, no waiting.
The real win is outside: wraparound porch, private fire pit, free firewood, a gas grill, and Smoky Mountain sunsets that stop you mid-sentence, picture all of that with October color on the ridgeline. Heads up, the last stretch in is a gravel road, so skip the low-profile rental, and there’s no restaurant onsite, you’re minutes from Bryson City, Dillsboro, and Sylva for dinner.
Two to three nights is the sweet spot. (We actually stayed in the dead of winter and it was still stunning, fall just takes it up a notch.) Full review linked in bio.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
