When you arrive at the airport, in the baggage claim area is an information counter with free brochures and literature on many of the island's activities. The Cayman Islands Activities Guide, and the restaurant book Good Taste, are especially good.


LOCAL ACTIVITIES

BEACHES: It is an island and there are beaches everywhere. Rum point is great with an easy beach for small children, snorkeling off to the left, and the restaruant. You cannot bring in outside food or drink, but they provide chaise lounges and there is no pressure to buy anything.

The sand and beach along Seven Mile Beach is beautiful, with beach access provided. The beaches in Grand Cayman are permited to be used anywhere. Just use the public access spots and do not head through the lobby of a big hotel with your beach toys. We like the public beach as part of Seven Mile Beach. It is a wide-open part up about two-thirds the way up. It has clean restrooms, showers, shade structures, and restaurants close by.

Smith Cove is south of George Town a short distance. It has a small entrance into the ocean between the rocks and a restroom. There is also a public beach on the Northside with a restroom.

SNORKELING: You can snorkel directly on the beach at the condo or nearby at Rum Point. There are many snorkeling sites easily reachable from shore, all along the North part of the island. Any good dive or snorkel book will list more possibilities.

There are some nice snorkel sites off Seven-Mile Beach. One is at cemetery beach and the other right downtown, just south of the docks. The downtown one is very close to shore and is marked with floats.

SCUBA: The Cayman Islands are regarded as a world-class diving destination. Wall, wreck, reef and famous Stingray City diving excursions are conducted daily. There are many great dive sites and lots of good dive shops on the island. The closest is Red Sails Sports located at Rum Point, very close to the condo.

STINGRAY CITY: There are actually two Stingray Cities. One is on the west side of the North Sound in 12 feet of water. This is a SCUBA trip. There are not as many stingrays there as prior years. The better spot is in three feet of water closer to Rum Point. This location, Stingray Sandbar, has plenty of friendly stingrays. This is an awesome experience.

FISHING: Sports fishing is also big in Cayman. Pick of a copy of Cayman Islands Activities Guide at the airport for the latest information on sport fishing charters.

GOLFING: There are three courses on the island. The best is the 18 hole at the Links at Safehaven. There is also a nice course at the Hyatt hotel

BOTANICAL GARDENS: These beautiful gardens, named after Queen Elizabeth II, occupy over 60 acres and are perfect for a leisurely walk. They are in the middle of the island about a 10-minute drive from the condo. The Visitors Centre, Heritage Garden and Floral Garden are spectacular additions.

TURTLE FARM: See 16,000 sea turtles, some as small as 6 oz, some as big as 600 pounds. This area has recently been remodeled and expanded. It is now called “Boatswain’s Beach”. This is a 23 acre site that is being turned into a major marine park. www.boatswainsbeach.ky

DOLPHINS: There are two dolphin parks putting on the typical dolpin shows. One is across the street from the Turtle Farm and the other in on the North Sound at the top of the island, new Morgan's Harbor restaurant. We have not been to either.
www.dolphindiscovery.com
www.dolphincove.ky

BOATING SIGHT SEEING: There are a number of boating related adventures including a semi-submarine, glass bottom boats, pirateship, and even a deeper water submersible. Most operate out of the George Town dock.

BLOW HOLE: Take a scenic drive on Frank Sound Road and visit the blowhole carved out of the shoreline. This quiet side of the island has a long ribbon of sparsely populated shoreline where natural “blowholes” spew water dramatically into the air. It is on the south side of the island, east of the turn off towards the condo.

HELL: The town of Hell is located in the northwest corner of the island. The jagged black rock formations are the perfect backdrop for this unique town. There is a store and post office where you can buy a postcard and mail it postmarked from Hell.

CAR MUSEUM: This private car museum is up on the North end above Seven Mile Beach and just past the Turtle Farm. The museum is the private collection. It is right across the street from the Cracked Conch restaurant.
www.caymanmautomuseum.com

USEFUL INFORMATION

GROCERIES: There is a small grocery store (Chisholm’s) about 5 minutes from the condo for basic needs. They have a nice selection of day-to-day stuff, but no fresh meats. (Frozen is available). There are several large supermarkets on the island. They are comparable to those found in the United States. Grocery and Liquor stores are closed on Sundays and many holidays.

Foster’s is the largest grocery chain and has several locations. The closest is at Savanah, about 30 minutes. There is a small one on the east end of the island about a 15 minute drive from the condo. There is also one near the airport and on Seven Mile Beach.

Kirk’s is also a large, nice supermarket located in the middle of the metropolitan area near George Town.

Hurley’s is located at Grand Harbor. You will pass it on your drive to the condo. Hurley’s is a large, very nice supermarket.

Cost U Less is a small warehouse style store and a variation of Costco. It is located near the Westin on Seven Mile Beach. Fresh foods, veggies and meats do come in smaller quantities. Price and quality are good.

LIQUOR STORES: You will find one next door or near every gorcery store. There are three main ones: Tortuga, Blackbeard, and Jacquer. Look for a discount coupon in the activity guide book.

SHOPPING: There is lots of shopping for any budget in George Town. This is a favorite cruise ship stop with all the duty free shops, jewelry stores and tourist souvenirs.

RESTAURANTS NEARBY: There is a beach bar and grill at the Kaibo Yacht Club and another at Rum Point. A nice smaller restaurant on the north beach is Over the Edge, serving everything from island favorites to steaks.

Finer dining can be found right next door at Kaibo upstairs, or down the street at Rum Point. Also try Tuka's or the Italian Kitchen at the east end. The Lighthouse is on the southroad and you pass it on the way to the condo.

TIPPING: Many restaurants add a 15% gratuity to your bill, but not all of them. So check closely and tip accordingly. Most people add about 5% on top of the 15% for good service.