What To Do
1. Cayman Turtle Centre
This conservation facility is dedicated to the preservation of sea turtles. There are multiple tanks and different areas with things to do, including snorkeling and swimming with the turtles, wading pools with baby turtles, a water slide, restaurant, and educational exhibits. Book a tour or adventure on their website. Swimming with the turtles ends at 2pm everyday.
2. Stingray City
The most popular tourist attraction on the island! We were told by many people that this was a must do and it was! Stingray City is a sandbar accessible by boat, located a few minutes from shore. We chartered a boat with Island Splash Watersports and highly recommend it! Our guide was amazing with the stingrays and made sure we all got the opportunity to feed, hold, dance, and take pictures with them. The legend has it, if you kiss a stingray you’ll have seven years of good luck! We all made sure to give the sting rays a big wet kiss!
3. Starfish Point
This was another spot on our 3-spot tour and I’m so glad we experienced it. The kids got to hold the starfish, which ended up wrapping around their arms. We spent less than an hour here, but it was well worth the visit since it’s so close to Stingray City.
4. Cayman Crystal Caves
The caves are located about an hour away from Seven Mile Beach so another great half-day activity! The tours run about 1.5 hours and take you through tropical forest and underground caves.
5. Cayman Horseback riding
Nicki was amazing to work with and easy to fit within our schedule. Every tour is privately guided by her and she provides transportation as well. This is an activity for kids 10 years old and up.
6. Shop & Dine at Camana Bay and Georgetown
The two main shopping spots on the island. These are also more touristy spots and where the cruise ships drop off. If you’re not a cruise passenger, I recommend going to these later in the afternoon. We arrived at Camana Bay around 4pm to eat at Agua and the crowds were small and tables were available. I do recommend making reservations at any dining spots you’d like to go to though. It seemed like most of the shops closed at 7pm, so maybe plan to shop before you dine. Both Camana Bay and Georgetown are duty-free shopping havens!
7. Boat Tours
We used Island Splash and had the best time! They have boats for groups 7 or less, with one boat including a jet ski for extra fun! The half day (3 spot) tour was perfect for our family. We did all the must-dos like Stingray City, snorkeling the reef, and Starfish point. Another company that came recommended was Blue Point Sailing for larger groups.
8. Distillery Tour at Cayman Spirits Co
Grand Cayman’s only distillery, and the only source of handcrafted spirits in the islands. Tours cost about $20 per person, and end at the Tasting room where you can sample the rums and vodka of Grand Cayman!
9. Send a postcard from Hell
“Hell” is a small attraction best known for the black limestone formations that can be seen poking up from the ground. Hell is open to the public at all times and free to access. It’s a short trip with no much else to do there, but definitely a fun thing to do!
Where to Stay
The Ritz Carlton
This is where we stayed on the island and highly recommend it! The property is huge and separated into two towers. We enjoyed all the pools, kid’s water park, paddle boarding on the ocean, and beautiful views from our beach chairs. The staff was incredible and continuously brought out snacks and drinks for the adults and kids. The resort fee includes snorkel gear and fins, paddle boards, kayaks, aqua cycles and more. The eight dining options are amazing with SEVEN offering one of the best breakfast buffets, and Blue offering locally caught fresh seafood. The Ritz-Carlton offers the Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program, which offers activities and programs for kids of all ages during your stay. We participated in the resort wide scavenger hunt and the kids received stingray stuffies as a reward.
The Westin
Another Marriott property on the island that is great for the whole family. The Westin sits right on the beautiful beach and offers 6 different restaurants, including a swim up bar.
Palm Heights
Palm Heights is a gorgeous all-suite boutique hotel. I wouldn’t tag it as kid-friendly, but if you’re going with just adults, I definitely would recommend it! Palm Heights is home to one of my favorite restaurants on the island, Tillies.
Where to Eat
Tillies
The vibes of the restaurant, plus a gorgeous Cayman sunset is absolute perfection. Tillies menu takes you through all of the Greater Antillies, offering local seafood, plus dishes of many caribbean flavors. The Tuna Tartare and Tuna Ceviche (has some spice!) were delicious!
Mykonos
A mix between a restaurant, club, and bakery, Mykonos has something for everyone while keeping with its Greek roots. While it’s an upscale restaurant, the club vibes and music made it super kid-friendly. The interior decor is pink (goals!) and they have a great outdoors section as well.
Aqua
Agua is located in Camana Bay and outdoor seating is a must at sunset. This is where my daughter fell in love with fresh tuna because of their Tuna Sashimi.
Union
Known for their steaks being fine dining. Union is also located in Camana Bay and has outdoor seating for a more relaxed evening.
CasaNova By the Sea
Highly recommended by our boat captain, who happens to be from Italy!
Dukes
A laid back paradise seafood and rib shack! This is a must do during your cayman trip if you’re looking for somewhere to go after a long day on the water..
Peppers
Where the locals go for authentic Jamaican cuisine! The best jerk chicken you’ll find on the island.
