On the west side of Hope Town Harbour you will see Abaco's main attraction, their famous Candy Striped Lighthouse.! It is the last hand wound kerosene fired, manually wound lighthouse of its type in the world. It's seen in many of the Bahamian tourist brochures. This area is described as the most photographed in all of the Bahamas and we concur. It is a photographers delight, from the lighthouse to its brightly painted houses all punctuated with flowering shrubs and plants. A video on Bahamian Lighthouses can be found here.

Note: Hope Town's Lighthouse is only accessible by boat. Another reason to rent a boat. If you don't have a boat at your disposal, head down to one of the town dock and ask for a ride. Someone is usually heading out and will drop you off as they pass by. Even the ferry will drop you off for free but you might have to hitch a ride back. It's only a 5 minute ride and a trip to the top is worthwhile and free, so make the effort and bring your camera.

When in Hope Town a must see experience is a visit to the Wyannie Malone Historical Museum. Here you'll step back to earlier times in this island settlement surrounded by artifacts of a bygone era. Check first to be sure they are open as their hours are irregular.

In Hope Town, island life surrounds the harbour which has a narrow and shallow opening for the many visiting yachtsmen. As you would expect there are a couple grocery stores, gift shops and a liquor store. Vernon's grocery and bakery is the oldest. Be sure to stop by for one of his homemade pies. Buy the way, Vernon moonlights as the town's justice of the peace and minister. Weddings are big business on the Cays and in Hope Town, Vernon is the main Man. Fact is he married us! We were number 618. He definitely qualifies for an Abaconian "Character" award. You'll see him about for sure.

If you can't rent a boat, consider renting a golf cart for getting about for island exploration. The newest on Elbow Cay is owned by one of the cays "Nine Sisters" and that be Wilma at Elbow Cay Cart Rentals. A couple others that come to mind are Island Cart Rentals and T & N Cart Rentals (Wanda at 366-0069). All are often booked during peak periods, so plan ahead. For adventures of all types stop by Froggie's. They are next to the main town dock. They offer snorkeling and dive trips with or without lunch at a neighboring island restaurant. In addition they offer all sorts of out door adventures, hiking, kaiaking etc.

It's time we define resort in the Abacos: A resort includes hotel and or rental villas with bar(s), restaurant(s), pool, beach, and marina . Some times the marina, or beach is optional but near by.

In the village of Hope Town there is one resort, Hope Town Harbour Lodge It is on the southern edge of town. It has a lovely reef for the beginner snorkeler right in front of the Lodge. Add to that their ever popular pool bar and you've got a fun place to spend the day. At the Lodge, lunch is served on the patio deck pool side and dinner in their "Great Harbour Room" restaurant, with breakfast at both. The Lodge's, restaurant is the finest on the island (casual dress). It is where we had our wedding reception in '07 when one was allowed to smoke cigars in "Rays Place", the Lodge's bar. The Lodge has no marina, just a dock for bow in parking of small boats - 24' or less for guests and visitors. The ferry stops in front of the dock, so dock your boat on the side. The Lodge offers cottages, pool side cabanas and of course rooms in their main building.

Hope Town Village without telephone wires

Just up the "upper road" from the Lodge is the school house. It's so cute to see the children going past all dressed in their tidy uniforms. Too bad we don't have that in the States. Keep on going and you will arrive at the cemetery which has been undergoing restoration the last few years. The epitaphs are worth a read.

Throughout Hope Town and Elbow Cay there are numerous rental homes, one that comes to mind is, Calypso - the proprietor of which graciously provides us folks with a Webcam. The home is especially suited for large families or a Hope Town Wedding. It's just south of town right on the ocean and minutes away from your dock on Nigh Creek. What's more, the home provides immunity from such dubious out island inconveniences as routine power outages with a house full of guests. If you like activity, you might want to check out The Hope Town Villas right at the harbour entrance where you can see all the comings and goings. You can even wave to your friends on the ferry before they put a foot on shore. See Accommodations & Services Page for more.

A twenty minute walk south of town you'll find The Turtle Hill Villas, An assemblage of 2-3 BR homes for rent. It's also the home of On Da Beach Bar and Restaurant (& Rotisserie), A couple days a week you can order a rotisserie chicken to take home. Just call up in the morning 366-0558 and have a lovely crispy rotisserie chicken ready for you by 6:00. The restaurant/bar, as you'd expect, is right "On Da Beach".

On the other side of the harbour you'll no doubt spot the Lighthouse Marina which is point of entry to the Lighthouse. They house a well stocked gift shop and Wine and Spirit Shop that, "will deliver". Remember this side of the harbour is only accessible by boat. Still, there have been many changes on this side. The marina folks after buying Club Soleil now bought the Hope Town Hideaways cottages, in effect making the west side of the harbour one establishment now called Hope Town Inn & Marina. My apprehension about their dinghy dock being large enough to accommodate crowds at cocktail / dinner hours proved correct as I recently found out. Get there early. Lastly, rumors have been circulating that has the Inn & Marina acquiring Johnny Cay, a four acre island to the north of and between Elbow Cay and Man-O-War. Their plans are to make it a an exclusive destination wedding venue by 2019. (Image/map)

On the town side of the harbour, you'll find Captain Jacks restaurant which is right on the water facing the lighthouse. Here trivia pursuit and bingo are played a couple nights a week for 80% of the pot and free drinks. Their newest event is Walmart Night when everybody dressed in "Walmart clothes" for prizes. Red neck drinks sold. Just down the harbour is the Harbour's Edge, another lively spot. Both have music a couple a nights a week and both are closed one night too. Cruising through Hope Town you'll no doubt noticed the new coffee shop in town, WiFi and all, called appropriately enough the Hope Town Coffee House, and offers fresh baked pastries, quiches and stratas all based on family recipes. The town's newest spot is, "Sip Sip" - a common term in the Bahamas meaning to Gossip. It's proprietor is Bonnie Hall, preacher Vernon's daughter. Sip Sip is a wine bar that includes after dinner drinks and cordials. No Pina Colada here. If you want a cigar, you have to step out onto the back porch. She's located on the upper road next to the liquor store.

The White Sound Area of Elbow Cay lies three miles south of Hope Town where you'll find Elbow Cay's three other resorts. Two lie between White Sound and the Ocean. They are, The Abaco Inn, where we stay on alternate trips, and the Sea Spray a short walk beyond. We should mention, this area usually suffers serious damage by passing hurricanes as it did with Floyd then some years later by Jeanne. Just south of the Abaco Inn during both of those storms, the island was cut in half with the opening of a pass between White Sound and the Atlantic Ocean isolating the Sea Spray and the whole south end of the island. The locals, true to form, had the pass filled in, in no time at all. Today there is no sign of the devastation. Fact is things were pretty much rebuilt in time for the next tourist season. Imagine that happening in the US.