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In today’s post I wanted to share some of my travel tips if you’re ever interested in visiting Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands are a place I could visit again and again. It’s the perfect place for a quick winter getaway, it’s safe, warm, and easy to get to. There’s a direct easy flight from Newark, and I think there’s also one through La Guardia as well. It only takes about three and a half hours to get there; it’s still in our same east coast time zone, yet feels a world away, which is why we love it. It’s incredibly safe - no one is soliciting on the beach. The weather is gorgeous, and the water is crystal clear. It’s such a fantastic place for an escape.
Where to Stay in the Grand Cayman
There are honestly so many gorgeous places to stay, and it really just depends on what your goals are for the trip. Here are my tips:
Snorkeling on Seven Mile Beach
Seven Mile Beach: This is kind of the ‘it’ place to be. The sand is white, the water is crystal clear aqua blue, and it’s family friendly. There are so many gorgeous hotels from The Ritz to The Kimpton, and the only downside is their price. You can expect to pay the big bucks for staying here, but on the up side, you’re literally on the beach, so there wouldn’t be much reason to rent a car, or really leave the beach area. There are also several places within walking distance if you wanted to get off the resort and try different restaurants or visit shops.
West Bay: About 15 minutes north of Seven Mile Beach is West Bay. There are a number of AirBnB’s and smaller hotels like Lighthouse Point. Depending on where you stay, you may be able to have a beach front space, but it might be rocky. The up side is that it’ll be far more cost effective than staying on Seven Mile, and you could always rent a car and drive to Seven Mile Beach, which is what we did this year.
Bodden Town: About 25 minutes south of Seven Mile Beach is a sleepy section of Grand Cayman called Bodden Town. There are a number of great AirBnB’s here, and you may be able to find beach front spots, although the water may have a bit of seaweed and may be too rocky to go in without water shoes. That said, you could always drive to Seven Mile Beach from here. I stayed here last year, and I loved it.
Rum Point: About 50 minutes from Seven Mile Beach is Rum Point. If you’re not looking to go to Seven Mile Beach everyday, this could be a great option. There are some excellent beaches here, and it’s away from the hustle and bustle which could be a good thing, if you’re just wanting to relax. If you have a family to entertain, though, you may want to be closer to Seven Mile Beach.
Macabuca BBQ Buffet
Where to Eat in Grand Cayman Island
The up side to eating out is that there are many great restaurants in Grand Cayman. The down side is that they can be quite expensive. Here are some of my favorites, arranged by price:
Most expensive:
Seven at The Ritz - excellent for a hearty, indulgent breakfast with a view. Head out to the beach straight afterwards.
The Lobster Pot - incredible food with a gorgeous view. Lunch or dinner, you can’t go wrong. Make a reservation, so you get a table close to the water.
The Cracked Conch - Excellent seafood and amazing view if you go around sunset. Make a reservation ahead of time.
Mid-Range:
Jessie’s Juice Bar Cafe - Such a cute little spot with the absolute best ingredients. Excellent for breakfast or lunch to grab and go or sit on their picnic tables outside.
Boggy Sand Cafe - Pick up their incredible jerk pizza and caesar salad for a relatively inexpensive dinner, and grab a bottle of wine from the liquor store next door.
Macabuca Tiki Bar - They have a great BBQ buffet on Monday nights that is absolutely fantastic for about $25/person. Expect ribs, authentic jerk meats, steamed fish and fresh salads. Get there really early.
Relatively Inexpensive:
Czech Inn - Awesome dive place with a fantastic jerk combo meal for about $15 a plate. Expect to wait around 30 minutes for your food after you place your order. Great after a long day on the beach.
West Bay Diner - Inexpensive breakfasts with no frills, authentic jerk meals that are relatively inexpensive. Visit Cemetery Beach afterwards.
Cemetery Beach
Beaches to See in Grand Cayman
I was aiming to do a whole section on what to do in Grand Cayman, but honestly I don’t do anything while on vacation. Most of my life is so go-go-go, that I don’t want to be entertained. I want to sit on a beach and do nothing. So that’s what I do. That said, below are some great beaches. I do know that there isn’t good shopping on the island. It’s one of the best places in the world to dive or snorkel, if those speak to you, and I know there’s Stingray Island and a Turtle Center you can check out, but honestly I’m just there to read and relax. If that’s your vibe, below are some beaches to definitely check out.
Seven Mile Beach: This is where it all goes down. Pros: Gorgeous, lots of hotels right on the beach, so you have easy access to bathrooms and restaurants. Cons: Can be crowded right in front of the hotels, but just 50 - 100 ft away there’s plenty of space.
Cemetery Beach: Gorgeous water, and excellent for snorkeling. It’s in West Bay, so you can hit up The Cracked Conch after, or West Bay Diner. More of a local scene, you won’t find a hotel or restaurant on the beach like on Seven Mile, but it’s nice to be away from the hustle and bustle.
Spotts Beach: Fantastic snorkeling, a few picnic tables, and lazy, quiet beach. Great for a full afternoon, and you can hit Czech Inn for lunch after.
Rum Point Club: This is great if you have kids or a really active family. Great little shop on property, quick and yummy lunch at a decent price, and pretty beach. The down side is that it can be noisy (the music is blaring - it’s meant to be sort of a beach club, family friendly scene). Not ideal if you’re looking for a quiet place to read a book, but awesome if you’re ready for drinks and a party atmosphere.
Czech Inn, in Bodden Town
How to Get Around in Grand Cayman
We just rent a car from Budget, which is located directly across the street from the airport. It is less than a 2 minute walk, and very easy to do. You also don’t need to have a car, depending on where you’re staying and what you plan to do, but we like having the option. For 5 days it was $193 for me through Budget, so I thought that was a good deal. Just be mindful that if you’re planning on renting a car, they drive on the left (opposite the side that we drive on in the US), and sometimes the cars have the driver’s side on the right, rather than what we’re used to on the left. They also have about eight billion rotaries instead of stoplights, so if you’re not a confident driver, this is not the place to try your hand at driving. The double and triple lane rotaries can be especially confusing (and remember, so many other people on the road are tourists as well, who may have less rotary know-how than you). We almost got into two accidents on our last trip, and every time we drive it gives us anxiety. If you go slow and you’re a confident driver, it’s probably fine, but just know ahead of time, it can be tough. If you’re not up for driving, there are plenty of taxis to take you where to go and the restaurants will happily ring one up for you.
Let me know what other questions I can help answer! I love this place so much, and we’re already looking forward to booking our next trip back. Be sure to check out my post on how to save money while on vacation while you’re thinking of planning your next trip!