Here is my scoop on the Atlantis (we were there jan 02). We took a water taxi right from the pier ($6 roundtrip), walked a short distance to the hotel, which is AWESOME. I was aware that you have to pay $25 to get into the dig (the underground aquarium). The guards at the entrance were not paying attention and I walked in for free with my son with a group. My honest husband called me back out, and I bought two tickets for the dig (I wasn't going to pay for my son) in a booth in the middle of the casino. You get a wristband. We toured the dig, and then walked the whole grounds of the hotel. You are not allowed to use the pools or slides (unless you pay for a room, there is no daypass that will give you access to them), but the grounds themselves are beautiful. The place is huge, and there are a lot of aquariums - other than the dig - that are free. We walked to the beach, but it was very windy that day and nobody was there. I definitly suggest going there, and not just around the main towers, explore the parameters (they give you a map or you can get one of their website). The restaurants are very expensive, so we didn't eat there. We took some food from the ship with us, and had our own picnic next to the stingray pond. We spend about 5 hours there, lots of walking. I will be in Nassau again in 2 weeks off the Glory, and am very tempted to go back. Maybe I will use the slides. The day we went I didn't see any guards on the grounds, but I have read posts from other people that encountered strict guards. Just walk in with your head high, like you own the place and enjoy.
