Excursion to Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island

We did this last November. The five hours is doable, but you need to be efficient. The ferry ride itself eats into that, plus you'll likely take a taxi or golf cart from the dock to the actual beach. You're looking at maybe 3.5 solid beach hours if everything runs smoothly. It felt like enough time for us to relax, but we didn't wander around the town at all. Beach chair and umbrella rentals were right there, but it wasn't super organized. A few locals had setups with chairs and umbrellas together for about $40-$50 for the day. We paid cash. Get there earlier if you want a prime spot closer to the water. The sand really is that pink, especially if the sun is out – it's pretty wild. One thing to watch for: the ferry departure times are strict. Build in a solid buffer to get back from the beach to the dock. We saw a couple sweating bullets because their taxi was late. Also, the water was incredible, but the surf can be a little rougher than some of the more sheltered beaches. Amazing day, just go in with a plan.

They ran out of umbrellas by noon when we went, so maybe pack a hat.