Recommendation for a family real bahama getaway

We are planning a trip to the Bahamas for next week for about 8 to 10 days. We are looking for a place we will want to come back to again and again . Atlantis is not an option! Cat Island? Abacos? Exumas? etc etc.... Have talked to travel agents but they all seem to be full of false statements regarding where we should go. We want to go where there are other families with 5 to 8 year olds that know the bahamas and go back to where we are over the years because it gives them what we are looking for......the real Bahamas but with enough other families where we dont feel we are on a deserted island....at least every day for 8 to 10 days.........Must be able to rent a center console or other for exploring a few days. Not looking to camp but dont want Disneyland either and certainly dont want to be bombarded by cruise ship passengers.

As we are also going to Ft Lauderdale enroute to physically inspect and sea trial a 1995 50 ft Viking we are pursuing, we had also thought of getting it into the Bahamas as well and using it a bit while there. The problem is my wife doesnt want to evolve our vacation around trying to buy a boat in S Fla and trying to use it in the Bahamas as well while there. I,m in agreement as we have never been to the Bahamas and feel on this trip, we need to not try and do it all with the boat ( if we indeed complete the purchase which will take time obviously ). I would rather inspect and sea trial the Viking and then proceed to a separate vacation in the Bahamas while the surveyors do there job in Florida. I,ll rent a small center console while there for a couple/few days and enjoy island time while the Viking goes through the process on the mainland.

Thoughts please!

Thanks Pascal, I looked at the site and will discuss with wife. I think she is going to opt for more of a resort but will see. As we have never been to Bahamas before, my thoughts were to go to a spot that is more developed ( without being an Atlantis or Ritz Carlton ) with more condusive amenities for families with young children. My boat broker on the Viking recommended Elbow or Treasure Cay as he goes there a lot. I am considering renting a private home in Elbow Cay and renting a CC for a couple/three days to explore. I also looked into a resort on Treasure Cay centered around the harbour there. Found Abaco Beach Resort as well so obviously there are options. A bit confused. Its like going to a restaurant with an incredible menu where everything looks great, your starved, and only get one shot.........More than one trip to the Bahamas a must obviously but logistically difficult so trying to find a gem first time!........Lots of Luck right???????


Craig

Sampson Cay looks incredible but I,m afraid my wife will feel its a bit remote. We might be better off in the Abacos with a bit more families and small fries running around. I know it sounds a bit odd to want to be around a bit more families but compared to where we live and have gone through between vacations for a while, Atlantis would probably feel somewhat relaxing......at least during the weekdays...... Is there a place that is upscale like Sampson but bigger with lots of families?????? We do want the real Bahamas though.

Well, we are actually back and after 12 days, I can say it was a great trip in the end but worth posting what we went through.
Day one: Arrived at Atlantis to commence a 4 day stay to satisfy the 6 year old. 6 year old had fever so Advil saved the day so far.
Day two: could not walk ( literally ) as blown disc/previous epideral from motorcycle racing history flared up from too much water sliding or ?? during day one. Went to Atlantis med clinic and got steroid prescription ( Medrol ) along with 1000mg Advil dosages all day. Atlantis was willing to RENT me a wheelchair for the day out of the kindness of their hearts. Wheeled up to edge of pool , transferred to chaise lounge and had 6 year old/wife pour water on me all day while she enjoyed the pool with wife. Thoughts of needing a $5,000.00 spinal epideral performed there at Doctors Hospital Nassau kept me pushing to get vertical some way some how. Very concerning!!!!!!! 6 year old still had fever which we kept at bay with Advil. No other symptoms......just a fever and she was as happy as one could be.

Day three: turned in wheelchair and traded down for a pair of mismatched crutches. Kind of like crutching around looking like the hunchback of Notre Dame as one side was higher than the other. Did get me around though along with apparent success of steroids and Advil dosages. 6 year old still had fever but controlled with Advil still. She enjoyed everything without a hitch.

Day four: Got around without crutches but extremely cautuosly due to fear of having a relapse and subsequent Bahamian spinal epideral. Daughter and wife enjoyed the Dolphin swim, etc...All good excpet wife was feeling like going home with two patients to deal with.....in a hotel in the Bahamas!

Day five: Convinced wife to fly into N. Eleuthra airport and ferried to Valentines Resort on Harbour Island for 3 days. Rented golf cart and explored island driving on the absolute worse pot holed roads on the planet. Back flared up on and off but overall...survived the time there. 6 year old had had enough pink sand beaches along with wife by this time and we opted to take her back to Nassau and stay at Sheraton Nassau Resort ( Non Atlantis type ) for more island time there. Enjoyed the zoo there, Blue Lagoon Island where she swam/skied with dolphins as well as the sea lions, etc etc etc.

Day six through ten: Wife had enough of Bahamas along with 6 year old so we attempted to fly back into Ft Lauderdale only to be turned away due to no space available due to their holiday their for Emancipation Day. Ended up flying out space available the next day but into Miami as no space avail for Ft Lauderdale.

Day eleven: Flew into Miami Intl and took shuttles/train to Ft Lauderdale Intl and tried to change flight home on earlier flight. Rather than pay $ 1200 to change flights ( Jet Blue ), we opted to stay in the Keys for the night and fly home the next day. Stayed in the Keys and drove to Key West for dinner.

Day Twelve: Visited Zoo Miami until heat/humidity said we should head out to airport for flight home.

Summary: Plains, Trains, Automobiles, Shuttles, Boats, Ferries, Golf Carts, wheelchairs, crutches.....4 day fever for 6 year old, herniated disc relapse,
lots of Gumbay Smashes, Tequilla Sunrises, Mai Tais, etc ( after Medrol completion of course ), I can honestly say we really still enjoyed the Bahamas very much. Visited Atlantis for just the right amount of days, visited an outer " family " island enough to get a feel for the real Bahamas, ate huge Mangos in the water at Coral Sands Beach ( very messy otherwise ), and met what I can honestly say are some of the friendliest and happiest people on the planet. We loved the Bahamas and will return. With a 6 year old, the outer family islands get a bit boring so breaking it up worked perfectly.

I want to thank all that responded with suggestions as they were perfect. Valentines was incredible as were the people of the Bahamas ( other than a couple in Nassau but over all, incredible people.)