Vacation Like Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce At This Little-Known Bahamas Island
Harbour Island in the Bahamas — call it "Briland" to sound like a local — is an absolute dream vacation getaway. It has the most gorgeous pink sand beaches and stunningly clear blue water, everyone drives around in golf carts (no cars allowed!), and it's got a laid-back but luxurious vibe. And it now has the stamp of approval from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
In case you missed it, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Kelce and superstar Swift are dating. Their relationship started when they were both very busy — Kelce with the 2023 NFL season and Swift with the "Eras Tour." When they both finally got a little bit of downtime in March 2024, they chose to spend it like so many of us do — by going on an island vacation. But unlike the rest of us, they stayed at Harbour Island's Rosalita House, which costs upwards of $20,000 per night, via Vrbo.
It's a six-bedroom main house plus a guest house that comes fully staffed with a chef, housekeeper, and an on-call yoga instructor. The property also has a full gym complete with a Peloton bike and shoes, a heated pool, plenty of privacy, and some incredible ocean views. As amazing as Rosalita House is, there are many beautiful Caribbean beach villas for rent on Vrbo for a lower price point. Harbour Island also has a number of boutique resorts and hotels that won't break the bank.
Harbour Island's pink sand beach is a must-visit
Even if you can't afford a stay at Rosalita House, Harbour Island still has plenty to offer. The small island off the north coast of Eleuthera is only 1.5 miles wide by approximately 3.5 miles long, which makes it easy to explore without ever feeling rushed. Golf carts are the go-to form of transportation on the island, and as you drive through the streets of Dunmore Town, the island's only town, you'll see gift shops, art galleries, and candy-colored colonial cottages, some of which are over 200 years old.
The island is perhaps best known for its Pink Sand Beach on the east side of the island (photos of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce lying on the famous beach swarmed social media for days after their trip). The three-mile-long beach gets its pale pink color from the shells of "microscopic coral insects" called Foraminifera, according to the official website of the Bahamas. You can enjoy walking barefoot on this beautiful beach year-round since the sand reportedly doesn't get hot. Given how big the beach is, there are rarely crowds there, even in the high season.
The pink of the sand is rivaled in beauty only by the turquoise and blue of the water, and it's warm enough to wade and swim in all year — it rarely gets below 72 degrees Fahrenheit. To really enjoy all that Harbour Island has to offer, you'll need to get out on the water. From kayaking and standup paddleboarding to snorkeling and scuba diving, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Harbour Island has amazing food
For such a small island, there are plenty of delicious dining and drinking options. COCOA Coffee House — which has 4.5 stars on Tripadvisor — serves locally roasted coffee along with smoothies made from organic ingredients. The highly-rated Queen Conch reportedly serves some of the island's best conch dishes in an open-air setting right on the bay, and Wade's Takeaway near the Fishermen's Dock is a locally loved lunch spot with dishes like cracked lobster and homemade fries.
For a romantic dinner, Acquapazza in the Romora Bay Resort and Marina is the place to go for a sunset dinner; they serve Italian classics with Bahamian ingredients overlooking the water. "This is such a nice spot with views down to the private marina," one visitor wrote on Tripadvisor. "Exquisite dining and great memories."
If you're ready to book your Harbour Island vacation, keep in mind that getting there does take some work. It's easiest to fly into the North Eleuthera Airport, and then it's a 10-minute cab ride to the dock and a 5-minute water taxi ride to Harbour Island. You can also get there in under three hours from Nassau with Bahamas Ferries.