Grand Cayman Family Vacation: Top Activities + Where to Stay (2023)
Are you considering a Grand Cayman family vacation?
Relax and read on. This can be one of your easiest family-friendly vacations to plan!
If you’ve been thinking of booking a Grand Cayman family vacation, then this is for you! We visited Grand Cayman as a worldschooling family of four and are here to guide you on how to have an unforgettable family vacation.
From the best kid activities to the best Grand Cayman family resorts, to some key things you need to know to when visiting the Cayman Islands with kids, let us guide you on this beautiful island of paradise!
Top Things to Do on Your Grand Cayman Family Vacation
There are many great things to do in Grand Cayman for families to keep everyone happy while on vacation. Here’s a look at some of our favorites.
1. Visit Pedro St James
Getting the history of a place, makes us appreciate and understand it more. We loved Pedro St. James Castle for this reason. You start with a ‘movie’ production (it is a well-done production) to learn the history, followed by walking the grounds.
We had a guide show us around and she was full of fantastic information, as well as super entertaining! There is a small playground that the kids really enjoyed and lots of space to run. This is easily one of the best things to do in Grand Cayman with kids of all ages.
✅Buy Your Ticket to Pedro St James in Advance
2. Stingray City Boat Tour from Rum Point
Located right a Rum Point, take Red Sail Sports boat trip out to Stingray City, where you will also get an opportunity to snorkel at a reef. We thought it might be too touristy, but it ended up being one of our favorite family activites in the Cayman Islands!
Note: Many of the tours to Stingray City depart out of West Bay or George Town. If you’re looking for a boat tour from George Town to Stingray City and to two of the best snorkeling spots near the island, check out this top-rated tour.
✅Book a Boat Tour to Stingray City from George Town
3. Rent Aqua Trikes, Kayaks & Paddleboards
We also spent a morning paddleboarding, kayaking, and riding the aqua trike through Red Sail Sports (located at Rum Point). This was really fun for the whole family, and should definitely be on your Grand Cayman itinerary.
Plus you can easily access the calm bay and clear waters. (The aqua trike is a workout, but definitely the most entertaining!)
4. Eco Tour to Starfish Point and the Mangroves
Located at Kaibo, we took Sweet Spot Watersports: Eco Tour to Starfish Point and the Mangroves. You can choose to paddleboard or kayak! You will hear all about the mangroves and paddle through the serene, calm groves.
It’s a bit of a hike to paddle out to Starfish Point, but worth it to snorkel around to see all the starfish!
Remember: Don’t lift the Starfish out of the water; it can kill them.
5. Bioluminescent Boat Tour
Definitely put Sweet Spot Bioluminescent Boat Tour on your Grand Cayman itinerary for your family vacation. You will take a boat ride when night falls (it will be dark!) to see the starfish and upside-down jellyfish. Then your boat will continue into the canals to see the bioluminescent waters glow!
Be prepared to jump in and snorkel – it is really the only way to truly understand the bioluminescent glow. It’s spectacular!
This is definitely one of the best things to do in Cayman Islands for families, especially when you have kids who are old enough to snorkel independently.
6. Wreck of 10 Sails
In 1794, ten British Ships wrecked on a reef off the East End in Grand Cayman. There is a walkway and monument to commemorate the fact that the local residents of the island went out to save the people in the wreck. They ended up saving about 450 people, one of them being the son of King George III.
Legend has it that because of this rescue, Britain freed Cayman from ever having to pay tax. This site is a great place to teach your kids about Grand Cayman’s history, landing it a spot on our list of the best Grand Cayman kids’ activities.
7. See the Blowholes
You can easily find The Blowholes in Grand Cayman on Google Maps. As we pulled up here to park along the side of the road (careful, because the cars fly by!), a local man came up to our window and introduced himself. Not sure what was going on at the time, we went with it.
This local man is the self-proclaimed “tour guide” for the blowholes. He just sets himself up there and gives tours for tips.
We found him to be funny, entertaining and full of interesting tidbits that we would have never known! Look for him and get out some tip money, it’s worth it!
There are fossils among the rocks in that area that are fun for the kids to explore. Plus, the blowholes themselves are always interesting. Just be careful not to get too close…you will get wet!
8. Feeding the Frigate Birds
When going out to eat at Tukka Restaurant, you can also enjoy seeing the frigate birds. To be honest, we weren’t sure what to expect, however feeding these HUGE birds that come to shore was so fun!
Tukka sets up the feeding and gives them some fish scraps. Meanwhile, you put on a glove, then hold your hand up high.
Soon, the frigate birds come swooping in before you even have a chance to grasp what is going on. They are massive, much larger than we anticipated.
The atmosphere and food at Tukka are just perfect! We definitely found this to be one of the best (and cheap!) Grand Cayman activities for kids.
9. Seven Mile Beach
Depending on where you are staying you can rent a car or take a bus to Seven Mile Beach. Or you can check out Kimpton Seafire Resort to stay right on the beach!
Seven Mile Beach is a long stretch of beautiful soft sand and clear warm water. It also makes a nice kid-friendly activity if you are visiting Grand Cayman for a day on a cruise.
We walked to the public bus depot from the cruise port and took a mini bus (van) to Seven Mile Beach. The public “buses” are super easy & efficient!
Check out our family adventures at Seven Mile Beach in this video!
Looking for more incredible beaches around the world? Check out the best beaches in Syros, Greece.
Where to Stay in Grand Cayman with Family
While many people assume they should stay at Seven Mile Beach for their family vacation, I recommend Rum Point if you’re seeking an easy, less touristy and less crowded area.
Where to Stay in Rum Point with Family
If you want to stay away from all the crowds and enjoy a little more R&R, I recommend staying in Rum Point. There are a group of houses called “Island Houses” which are the perfect place to stay in Grand Cayman with kids or to have space for multiple families.
The Island Houses have huge screened-in porches. Plus you walk out to sand and water, a perfect backyard! Access to the beach is perfect for staying in Grand Cayman with kids who want to play in the sand all day.
The Island Houses are situated right on the inlet that leads into the bioluminescent bay. There is also a pool at the complex of Island Houses, which again adds to the convenience for families with kids.
An additional benefit is that you can walk to Rum Point and it’s just a 5-minute drive to Kaibo & The Sweet Spot.
Where to Stay in Seven Mile Beach with Kids
Seven Mile Beach has lots of options for Grand Cayman family resorts (both all-inclusive and not). While it’s hard to narrow in on what is the best family hotel Grand Cayman has to offer, we are particularly fond of the Kimpton Seafire Resort.
✔️Kimpton Seafire Resort – Best Family Resort in Grand Cayman
If you are looking for a more upscale Grand Cayman family resort on Seven Mile Beach, look no further than the Kimpton Seafire Resort. With pools, delicious food, lots of onsite activities and a spa, this resort is beautiful.
What makes Kimpton Seafire Resort truly a top Grand Cayman family resort is its kids-only Camp Seafire, a kids club day camp within the resort for kids ages 5-12. With tons of kids’ activities daily, you can rest assured that your kids are having just as good of a time as you are on the resort.
Plus they have family rooms with bunk beds – and what kid doesn’t get excited about bunk beds? For many reasons, the Kimpton Seafire Resort is easily among the best family resorts in Grand Cayman.
Looking for more great island resorts? Check out our post on the top resorts in Barbados!
Best Restaurants in Grand Cayman for Families
There are many friendly-family restaurants in Grand Cayman. As foodies in search of high-quality, fresh foods wherever we travel, we have a thing or two to say about food. Here are a few of our favorites restaurants we discovered in Grand Cayman.
Tukka Restaurant
We tried so many “firsts” here – Lionfish, Kangaroo, Crocodile & Conch Fritters! The atmosphere and views are perfect and all the food we tried was delicious (see the video below). Plus the service was amazing.
This is also where you can feed the Frigate Birds.
Camana Bay
This is a great spot to go if you want options for everyone! There are many shops, restaurants, grocery stores and a little ‘beach’ like area for the kids to play, making it an easy win for the best places to eat in Grand Cayman with kids.
They also have a nice farmer’s market on Wednesdays and a lot of events going on throughout the week.
Coccoloba
This upscale Mexican street food restaurant is located right on the beach in Seafire Resort. They juice their own juices- even to make their cocktails. The mudslide was also amazing.
The Wreck Bar
Located right at Rum Point, they have picnic tables in the sand with the water just steps away. The fish sandwiches we had were delicious thick cuts of fish.
Getting Around Grand Cayman with Family
You can take a public Mini Bus (a van) around the island quite easily. There is also a ferry at Camana Bay that goes to Kaibo (the place where you can the Sweet Spot Starfish, Mangroves and Night Bioluminescent Tours).
That said, if you stay out at Rum Point, I would consider renting a car. We stayed at Island Houses on Rum Point for a month during one of our family visits to Grand Cayman.
While you don’t need a car to get to the restaurants, bars and beaches in Rum Bay, it is nice to have a car to drive around the island more freely. We rented a car from Avis at the airport, which was very convenient.
✅Book a Rental Car in Grand Cayman
Should I Visit Grand Cayman with Kids?
Grand Cayman can be the perfect blend of relaxation and interesting kid-friendly activities, so no one in the family will ever be bored. With a wide range of water activities, historical sites, and naturally beautiful sites to see, the Cayman Islands is bucket-list worthy in many ways – even with kids in tow!
The Cayman Islands are a perfect destination for kids of all ages, as well as a great multi-generational trip. So bring the grandparents along too!
What is the Best Time to Go to Grand Cayman?
The island has warm weather year-round. However, the most comfortable temperatures are from December through March. You’ll find the hottest temperatures to be from June through September, as well as the most rain.
If you are looking for the best deals, consider traveling to Grand Cayman from March through June. After that, summer can be hot and busy with family vacations. Additionally, the fall can be a nice time to travel for lower rates and better temperatures, but there is always a risk of a tropical storm.
How Many Days Do I Need in Grand Cayman?
A week in Grand Cayman with kids is a good amount of time to get a taste of the island and partake in many activities, while still having time to relax. Obviously, if you have longer, you will get to enjoy the benefits of slow travel.
If you only have one day in Grand Cayman because you’re arriving via cruise ship, you can really only choose one main activity.
Is a Cayman Islands Family Vacation Cheap?
A family vacation in Cayman Islands isn’t a cheap getaway, yet with the right planning, it doesn’t have to be expensive either. The local currency is the Cayman Dollar, but everywhere accepts US Dollars as well.
You will find your normal grocery items to be more expensive. Likewise, eating out at restaurants can be pricey too.
However, there are lots of free things to do in Cayman Islands with kids! Taking advantage of the free things to do with kids in tow can really help cut down on your vacation costs while adding to the fun of your trip.
P.S. If you are looking for a budget-friendly family beach vacation, consider Colombia!
Interesting Facts about Grand Cayman
- The currency is Cayman Dollar, but everywhere accepts US Dollars as well.
- English is spoken in the Cayman Islands.
- Grand Cayman Island has really good grocery stores (this seems to be a rarity for us when traveling). Our favorites were Bay Market (at Camana Bay) and Hurley’s. Both had decent organic options.
- The roads are good and everything seems quite clean here.
Fun Facts About Lionfish in Grand Cayman
Lionfish are harmful to the reef systems in Grand Cayman. They multiply really easily, laying approximately 30,000 eggs every 5 days! They are able to eat up to 30x their stomach volume, therefore devastating the juvenile fish and reefs.
With this being said, lionfish are a good sustainable fish option to eat. To catch them, you need to spear them carefully, as their spines are poisonous.
TIP: Try delicious Lionfish Tacos at Tukka Restaurant!
PERFECT SOUVENIR: Mermaid’s Touch is one of the vendors at the Wednesday Farmer’s Market at Camana Bay. She sells jewelry made with lionfish fins – she catches them herself, eats the meat, and uses the fins and scales for jewelry!
Reef-Friendly Sunscreen
As with any ocean destination, please consider only using Reef Friendly sunscreens when you swim. There are more options to choose from as people are becoming more aware of the dangers of using sunscreens with particular chemicals that kill our reef systems and can affect the entire ecosystem.
Make sure your sunscreens don’t have Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, or Parabens. Zinc is safe for our reefs, as long as it is Non-Nano Zinc Oxide.
MY PICK: My favorite reef-friendly sunscreen is Beautycounter because they are all formulated with non-nano zinc and they don’t leave you pasty white! Click below to see my reef-friendly sunscreen recommendations for your Grand Cayman family vacation:
✅Reef-friendly Sunscreen Recommendations
Conclusion: Grand Cayman Family Vacation
Your trip to Grand Cayman with kids (or as an adult family!) can be absolutely memorable for all ages. There are some really incredible Grand Cayman activities for kids, and the island provides the perfect atmosphere for every member of your family to relax and unwind during your family vacation.
We hope this list of the best things to do in Grand Cayman for kids (and adults, too!) gives you plenty of ideas for your travels ahead.
Check out the video below to get more ideas for your Cayman Islands family vacation.
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