At Atlantis Paradise Island, A Barbie Beach Vacation in The Bahamas

It’s right on the beach, with sparkling views of the sea, copious aquatic creatures, infinite bathing suits and even its own special shade of pink. 

Atlantis Paradise Island isn’t a Malibu dream house, but the legendary Bahamian resort has temporarily transformed into its own version of Barbie World. 

This weekend, Atlantis kicked off its partnership with Mattel with the first-ever “Barbie Boardwalk Adventure,” an interactive event that’s part of a resort-wide Barbie takeover. 

The experience, set in the lobby of The Royal resort next the famous “Dig” aquarium, is an immediate crowd-pleaser, with everything from a huge ball pit to Barbie-themed temporary tattoos, water bottle designs, bubble mazes, slides and, naturally, a well-stocked Barbie doll shop. 

Beyond the Boardwalk Experience, which lasts about an hour and lets kids temporarily travel to Malibu (replete with life-size doll boxes for the perfect Instagram shot), Atlantis has added a host of Barbie touches across the Nassau Paradise Island resort. 

That includes special Barbie-themed suites and rooms, Barbie-designed Cabanas at the Coral pool; and a transformation of the popular Sun & Ice eatery into a pink-accented Barbie-themed ice cream parlor. In all, 11 different Atlantis eateries are offering some form of Barbie-inspired dish. 

My two daughters were among the first kids to try the Experience when it opened on Saturday, and it was an instant hit, particularly the ball pit —easily the largest one I’ve ever seen. 

And as an added amenity for an already fantastic family-friendly resort, the Barbie takeover, which runs through the summer, is a welcome addition.  

“It feels like I was in Barbie’s dream house,” my four-year-old said, highlighting the Barbie cruise-ship slide as a particularly strong inclusion. 

For my older daughter, the ball pit was the star. 

“It really felt like you were in the Barbie world.”

Kenough said. 

To learn more, visit Atlantis Paradise Island.