Grand Cayman boasts opportunities for kids to snorkel, and even swim with turtles.Don McDougall
Grand Cayman is known for its world-class scuba diving, typically an adult pursuit. But the island is also a premier destination for children, offering a bit of history, a little nature and a lot of fun. Here's a five-day plan for a family adventure:
Day 1. Get your feet wet
Check in to the Westin Grand Cayman, a recently renovated resort with sea-view rooms that has two kid-friendly pools (the deepest is only 1.5 metres) and a toddlers' "stream" that feeds the pools from a landscaped waterfall. The Westin Kids' Club Discovery Room offers programs ranging from sand-castle-building to local excursions. The resort fronts Seven Mile Beach, where the water is shallow a long way out, there's a playground at the main public beach and you can snorkel just a hundred metres from the sand. The kids can also ride a banana boat or learn to standup paddleboard. Two of the hotel's six restaurants (Ferdinand's and Tortuga Beach Grill and Bar) offer children's menus. (westingrandcayman.com)
Day 2. Pirates and castles
There's no better place to unleash your child's inner pirate than Grand Cayman, known as a pirates' paradise in the 1700s. Begin in the capital, George Town, with a visit to the Caribbean Pirate shop. Pick up the requisite eye patch or plastic cutlass, then take a two-hour pirate cruise on a replica galleon, complete with sword fights and plank walking. (jollyrogercayman.com)
After the swashbuckling, it's a 20-minute drive to a national historic site, Pedro St. James "castle," which has an excellent multimedia introduction that puts Disney to shame, followed by a tour of the 18th-century great house, which has a quirky pirate connection. A previous owner remodelled it to look like a castle and told guests that Captain Morgan slept here. He didn't. But the kids can explore cannons on site and search for one of the doubloons he reputedly hid on the property. (pedrostjames.ky)
Day 3. Back to nature
Day three is devoted to nature. Near Seven Mile Beach, you can take a two-hour guided kayak tour (for children 11 and older) through the mangrove forest, surrounded by colourful birds, fish and green iguanas. (caymanseaelements.com)
Then it's off to nearby Cayman Turtle Farm, a must-do for any family. It's a combined wildlife sanctuary, turtle hatchery and theme park. The kids will learn about efforts to save endangered sea turtles; they can pet them and can even swim with them. (turtle.ky)
If your crew is up for another excursion, a 50-minute drive from Seven Mile Beach will take you to Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Park. You'll hike through 60 kinds of palm trees, discover a swamp and check out blue iguanas (think Jurassic Park, with flowers). (botanic-park.ky)
Day 4. Seafaring
One of Grand Cayman's top attractions is Stingray City, a series of sandbars in a metre of warm water where you can interact with gentle stingrays. Kids of all ages will be delighted by these fascinating creatures, which they can pet and swim with. A three-hour cruise from Georgetown will take you there and back (marinelandtours.com). Or take an evening sailing trip and snorkel with the animals for an hour before sunset (redsailcayman.com).
You can also explore the waters without getting wet. Spend an hour on a glass-bottom boat above a reef filled with corals and colourful fish (aquaventurescayman.com), or take a deep dive (to depths of 30 metres) aboard the Atlantis submarine in the island's Underwater Marine Park (caymanislandssubmarines.com).
Day 5. Chill out
It's your last day, and definitely time to take it easy. Head to Rum Point, an isolated beach oasis with enclosed swimming area for children, about 10 kilometres from the Westin. Grab a hammock and finish that book, then take the kids for lunch at a brightly coloured picnic table under the palms at the Wreck Bar and Grill, a Rum Point staple right out of a Jimmy Buffett song (rumpointclub.com). There's a children's menu for them, and Caybrew beer for you.
The writer travelled courtesy of Air Canada Vacations and the Cayman Islands Tourist Board, neither of which reviewed or approved this article.