Why go
Fort Charlotte sits on a low hill about a mile west of downtown Nassau and is the largest of Nassau’s three colonial-era forts. Lord Dunmore had it built in 1788 to guard the western approach to Nassau harbour, and its cannons have never been fired in anger: its guns and dungeons are preserved more or less intact, which makes it an easy place to picture how the fort once worked rather than just read a plaque about it.
A dry moat and underground passages run beneath the main structure, and the walk around the ramparts gives one of the better harbour views in Nassau, looking out towards the cruise port and Paradise Island.
Visiting: hours, admission, booking
The facts box on this page shows the daily opening hours and the adult admission price. Children under 12 pay $2.00 and seniors pay $3.00, so check the current rates before you go if you are visiting as a family.
There is no advance booking: you pay at the gate and can walk the grounds and dungeons at your own pace.
Getting there
Fort Charlotte is on West Bay Street, about a mile west of downtown Nassau on New Providence. A taxi from the cruise port or downtown is the simplest way in; it is also a plausible stop on a walk or drive along West Bay Street if you are already heading towards the western beaches.
Nearby
Nassau’s other colonial forts and the harbourfront sights sit closer to downtown, so a stop at Fort Charlotte pairs easily with a half-day in the old town. For the rest of what Nassau offers, see the Bahamas things-to-do page.