Inside: On the lookout for a calming trip in a stunning locale? We spent spring break in Grand Cayman on the East Finish with our teen. Right here’s our day-to-day itinerary.
Years in the past, my husband and I vowed to take a household trip yearly to construct recollections with our youngsters.
After a few journeys that had been enjoyable however extra adventurous than enjoyable (learn Our Spring Break in San Francisco and One Wonderful Week in Costa Rica With Teenagers), I used to be able to press the simple button.
I didn’t know a lot concerning the Cayman Islands (I needed to look on a map to determine the place they had been!), however a pal of mine not too long ago vacationed there and had good issues to say.
The Cayman Islands are positioned within the Caribbean Sea. They’re simply south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica. Grand Cayman is the biggest of the three islands, however it’s solely 22 miles lengthy.
Although the most well-liked space in Grand Cayman is Seven Mile Seashore, recognized to be one of many prettiest and most pristine seashores on the planet, we stayed on the other facet of the island, referred to as the East Finish. Throughout my analysis, I ran throughout this weblog submit from Our Candy Adventures and was satisfied that this quieter, much less crowded facet of the island was a greater match for us.
I used to be proper. Although it was an extended drive from the airport and farther from among the massive sights, the East Finish was rather more our velocity and an awesome place for a really enjoyable trip.
If you happen to want inspiration for a brand new trip vacation spot, listed here are extra particulars about our journey, together with our day-to-day itinerary:
DAY ONE
- Arrived in Grand Cayman early afternoon. Walked throughout the road to Alamo and picked up our rental automotive.
- Drove 40 minutes to the Wyndham Reef Resort, stopping on the small grocery retailer throughout the road from the resort to choose up objects like sunscreen and snacks.
- Checked in to the resort, and talked to the parents on the concierge desk about attainable outings. Additionally grabbed a calendar of resort occasions.
- Picked up our snorkel gear, which is a free rental with the all-inclusive package deal (which we did).
- Settled in to our room. We had a one-bedroom, one-bathroom, ground-level condominium. The bed room had a king-size mattress, and there have been two single beds in the lounge that pulled down from the wall. The condominium had a full kitchen as effectively.
- Explored the resort a bit, had dinner, and went to mattress.
DAY TWO
- Had the breakfast buffet, and spent the morning snorkeling. Grand Cayman is understood for its snorkeling spots and unbelievable dive websites. And although there are rather more strong areas on the island for snorkeling, we had been proud of our seaside. We might go in proper on the shore and noticed loads of fish, particularly across the two piers on and close to the resort.
- Ate lunch on the seaside bar.
- Drove to George’s Watersports for the Bioluminescent Bay Evening Snorkeling Tour. This was my one planning misstep. It was an extended (and furry–15 roundabouts every method!) drive from the resort. Although it was cool to snorkel at nighttime and see the bioluminescent plankton mild up as we moved, we had been disillusioned within the tour guides, who largely spent the boat journey flirting with a pair of younger ladies on the tour!
- Received again dwelling after the resort restaurant was closed, so we made peanut butter sandwiches in our condominium for dinner and went to mattress.
DAY THREE
- Had the breakfast buffet–I ate calmly as a result of I went to water aerobics on the pool afterwards!
- Snorkeled within the morning, ate lunch on the seaside bar, then headed to Cayman Crystal Caves, which was a really quick drive from the resort. We favored this guided strolling tour via a number of caves that had been shaped over tens of millions of years. My teen particularly loved this outing.
- Ate dinner on the resort restaurant and went to mattress.
DAY FOUR
- I attended yoga by the pool whereas the fellows slept in.
- Ate breakfast on the buffet, then drove to Starfish Level, about half-hour away. We thought this could be a great snorkeling spot, however it wasn’t. As an alternative, we checked out the starfish that dotted the sand within the clear water. It is a extra crowded spot, and there have been a number of tour boats there. I used to be pleased we might drive there ourselves and see it without cost.
- Ate lunch on the seaside bar.
- Snorkeled on the resort.
- Drove again to Starfish Level to look at the sundown. If you happen to’re staying on the East Finish, this was an awesome spot for the sundown.
- Had a late dinner on the resort, did some stargazing, then went to mattress.
DAY FIVE
- Watched the dawn from the resort dock then learn on the seaside for 2 hours (heaven!)
- Had the breakfast buffet, snorkeled, and ate lunch on the seaside bar
- Drove to Spott’s Seashore. Alongside the way in which, we made pit stops on the Wreck of the ten Sails Memorial and the Blow Holes (the Blow Holes had been a favourite!).
- Snorkeled at Spott’s Seashore. I had learn this was one of many common spots for snorkeling, however the water was too deep and uneven for me. My husband and teenage stayed in and ended up seeing three sea turtles.
- Ate dinner on the resort.
DAY SIX
- Ate breakfast on the buffet, checked out, and left for dwelling.
What we favored concerning the resort
Staying at an all-inclusive resort has its professionals and cons. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a calming place the place you’ll be able to merely present up and have all the pieces taken care of, it’s good. If you happen to favor to strive totally different eating places and have a extra personal expertise total, you’re higher off at a lodge or Airbnb.
That is what we favored concerning the Wyndham Reef Resort:
- Our condominium felt spacious, and every one has an ocean view. If you happen to go, ask for a condominium away from the seaside bar, which tends to get noisy particularly within the night.
- You’ll be able to snorkel proper from the shore (you received’t see as a lot selection as you’ll at among the common snorkel spots or on a snorkel tour, however it was high quality for us).
- There was ample shade. This was necessary for me. There have been loads of umbrellas, in addition to palm timber that offered shade.
- The meals was good. I cherished the recent fruit and in a single day oats at breakfast (the primary time I’ve really loved in a single day oats!). My husband and teenage thought the wings on the seaside bar had been among the greatest they’d had. We ordered the mahi mahi a number of nights for dinner. And my son and I ate key lime pie each evening for dessert.
- The seaside was steps away from our room. It was straightforward to shuttle from the seaside to the condominium all through the day. We had learn that the seagrass might get heavy on the Grand Cayman East Finish seaside, however it wasn’t unhealthy and didn’t trouble us in any respect.
- It felt small and informal. The buildings had been solely two tales excessive. And whereas it was pretty, it didn’t really feel fussy or fancy. Some folks had been dressed up at dinner, however we felt simply high quality in our shorts and Birkenstocks.
What we didn’t like:
- As a result of it’s a small resort, the seaside space is true in entrance of the swimming pools, which might get loud with youngsters taking part in.
- The seaside bar might get noisy with nighttime actions like karaoke and theme dinners, which we didn’t do. Nevertheless it was quiet in our condominium, which was a distance away.
What I’d do subsequent time
We needed to spend extra time enjoyable than driving round, so we didn’t hit all the pieces we needed to see. Listed below are among the spots I’d wish to go if I return sometime:
- Cayman Parrot Sanctuary: Positioned on the East Finish, and a four-minute drive from the resort.
- Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Backyard: That is positioned on the East Finish, about quarter-hour away from the resort.
- Stingray Metropolis: A sandbar the place you’ll be able to rise up shut and private with stingrays. That is farther off shore and requires a ship journey.
- Cayman Turtle Centre: That is positioned on the west facet, which was longer drive from the resort.
- Hell: It’s a cool geological website on the island of black limestone and is free to go to. I actually needed to go to the submit workplace there and ship a postcard from Hell!
- Snorkel tour: The Wyndham has a dive store referred to as Ocean Frontiers and charters excursions to shipwrecks and reefs for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Useful issues to deliver
- Cowl-ups, together with swim shirts (each lengthy and quick sleeve). The solar is intense!
- Water footwear. The ground of the ocean off the shore could be rocky, and water footwear are a lifesaver. I really wore them in lieu of flippers whereas snorkeling (my husband and teenage most popular flippers). These are those I obtained for everybody.
- Hats and sun shades
- Closed toed footwear to discover the caves
- Sweatshirt or mild jacket for evenings. The evenings obtained cool with the breeze, and I want I’d packed a couple of long-sleeved prime.
- Reusable bag. I packed the one proven within the photograph above to make use of for purchasing and as a seaside bag.
- Waterproof telephone case. Not a necessity, however we used this for taking footage underwater and to guard the telephone throughout the boat journey to the bay.
- Some money for tipping, particularly tour guides.
Q&A about spring break in Grand Cayman
What’s the forex?
They settle for US {Dollars} and Cayman Island {Dollars}, so we didn’t convert any of our cash. Remember that in case you pay money in US {Dollars}, you might get Cayman Island {Dollars} again in change. After we paid for issues, we principally used our bank card.
What airport do you fly into?
You’ll arrive in Grand Cayman on the Owen Roberts Worldwide Airport. If you wish to go to the opposite two islands, you’ll must take one other quick flight.
What’s the greatest time to go to Grand Cayman?
The Caymans keep fairly heat year-round. The most well-liked time to go to is March-June. The summer time months and fall are usually probably the most inexpensive, in keeping with the vacationer bureau.
Is Grand Cayman protected?
We felt very protected in Grand Cayman. In contrast to in Costa Rica, we weren’t given any warnings about leaving our rental automotive or belongings unattended. We didn’t have unfavourable experiences anyplace. As of this writing (Spring 2024), the US Division of State doesn’t have any advisories or cautions towards touring to the Caymans.
What time zone is Grand Cayman in?
The Caymans are on Japanese Commonplace Time however don’t observe daylight financial savings time. So after we had been there in April, it was an hour sooner than our dwelling state of Ohio, which is on EST as effectively.
Do we’d like passports?
Sure. The Caymans are a British Abroad Territory. So except you’re a British citizen, you have to a passport to journey there.
What was the driving like?
In Grand Cayman, they drive on the left facet of the street. Our rental automotive’s steering wheel was on the other facet as effectively. My husband did all of the driving (I plan the journey, and he drives!). He’s a assured driver and did high quality. However personally, simply the thought of doing roundabouts on the opposite facet of the street makes my head spin! The roads had been emptier and simpler to navigate on the East Finish.
What language do they communicate within the Caymans?
In response to the Cayman Islands Vacationer Bureau they communicate a “British type of English”, however every district has a singular dialect. We had no hassle speaking with anybody.
Extra journey posts
I’m a participant within the Amazon Providers LLC Associates Program, an affiliate promoting program designed to supply a method for me to earn charges by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites.
Hello! I am Sally, a registered dietitian and mother.
I consider that EVERY mother can really feel profitable and assured about feeding her youngsters. Be a part of my subscriber group and I am going to ship you my greatest kid-tested recipes.
