Getting there:
Grand Bahama, the northernmost island, is about 80 miles from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and accessible via a two-hour high-speed ferry ride on the Bahamas Express. A ferry also runs from Miami to the island of Bimini (www.ferryexpress.com).
Major airports:
Grand Bahama Island International Airport in Freeport and Lynden Pindling International in Nassau both serve as entry points for U.S. visitors. Flights are less than an hour from Florida and short puddle-jumpers can be chartered between islands.