Reflecting About Harbour Island
📍 The Dunmore, Harbour Island
Dress || Sandals || Similar Clutch
Are you sick of Harbour Island pictures yet? Of course not! Sadly, this is the last post about our adventures in Briland. It was so inspiring to be there that maybe I can convince David on a return trip sooner rather than later. Whenever you travel to a destination for the first time, there are so many preconceived notions. Some of my absolute favorite bloggers (Look Linger Love, Palm Beach Lately, Julia Berolzheimer, LCB Style) have traveled to Harbour Island in recent years and were a major motivator in visiting for myself. For being such a small island, there’s still so much to uncover and absolutely deserves to be seen for yourself. Please bear with me as I do a bit of reflecting on Harbour Island.
The Very Beginning
My desire to visit The Bahamas extends far longer than blogging. A little known fact about me is that I lived in Wisconsin for a few years when I was a kid. Not to knock the Badger State, but my particular town was just too landlocked and cold for a young Floridian. One day, I remember coming across an issue of Islands magazine called “Best Islands to Live On.” Featured was a picture of Eleuthera and a description of what life there was like. It really spoke to younger me. She was ready to move to Eleuthera that day and was probably very disappointed in how long it took me to get there.
Eleuthera Revisited
Life passed by, and it took me several years to think about this childhood epiphany again. As I was researching a trip to Harbour Island, I found that the best airport to fly into was North Eleuthera (ELH). Suddenly, that childhood memory of looking at my Islands magazine until the pages were worn came flooding back. When I officially booked the trip, I felt my inner child do a full cartwheel. A vacation meant to help me relax and recharge felt like a mission. I wanted to make the absolute most out of this trip!
Chatting with the Locals
As soon as we set foot on Harbour Island, it felt so familiar. Years of daydreaming about a destination will have that affect on you. It also helped that nearly all of the locals exchanged greetings with me as I walked by. My favorite aspect of the trip was talking with those who grew up on either Harbour Island or Eleuthera (affectionately known as the “Mainland” here). Where were there favorite bars and restaurants? What spots do the locals not fully know about? Whenever I travel, whether it’s domestic or abroad, this is how I find the majority of my recommendations. Even if there’s a language barrier like when I was in Rome or Paris, the extra effort is always worth it!
What Harbour Island Means To Me
Sometimes people travel for a change in scenery and to see something see. Others travel as a means of escape, to truly get away from it all. The best destinations are somewhere in between. I felt an instant connection with Harbour Island and know that it’s going to be a place we visit for years to come. The art, the food, the people, the beaches are all perfect reasons as we think about our someday growing family. I joke that Bahamas Katie is my favorite, but the more I think about it, the more I think it’s true!
I guess what I’m saying is… Book the trip! To me, those are the most sincere and inspiring words of all! No matter how many years later you think about it, it’s never too late. After such a chaotic year, we all deserve to go on the trip of our dreams. If you’re anything like me, it’s something that fuels the soul and makes me feel even more fulfilled.
Love from Harbour Island,
Katie
As always, thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.