17 Best Things to Do Beyond Seven Mile Beach in the Grand Caymans
There’s more to Grand Cayman than lovely coastlines, luxury resorts and also economic services.
The biggest of the three Cayman Islands, this Caribbean idyll sets bench high when it pertains to fascinating social, cooking and also all-natural attractions. Untamed treking tracks, good-looking heritage websites and otherworldly aquatic experiences number among numerous memorable points to do in Grand Cayman. Prepare to go beyond the amazing yet traditional Seven Mile Beach with the complying with unmissable tasks.
Stroll around pretty George Town
Cayman is a popular pitstop on Caribbean cruises– and also the capital, George Town, is generally the first blush passengers see. Whether you’re looking for things to do during a port of call or seeing the island separately, strategy to spend a hr or more discovering this little city.
George Town is very photogenic, with wood buildings in gem colors lining the waterside. They house a combination of venues, from duty-free shops selling perfume and rubies to cool cafes providing Buddha bowls, vegan brownies as well as almond-milk cappucinos. You’ll likewise identify the Cayman National Gallery along the waterfront: it deserves popping in for a lesson on regional background.
Hike the Mastic Trail
This offbeat locale is the polar reverse– both geographically as well as figuratively– of the clean funding. The Mastic Trail weaves its means with a safeguarded mangrove woodland on the island’s east side, supplying a taste of Cayman in its most natural state.
High moisture and also a deluge of bugs make strolling the 4.6-mile route a fairly non-touristy point to do in Grand Cayman. If you enjoy to slap on some insect repellent and pull on comfortable footwear, you’ll be welcomed by a variety of lush regional plants as well as fauna. A lucky few might even reach peek the evasive (and endangered) blue iguana collapsing via the copse.
Visit Cayman’s oldest stone building
A rare trace of Cayman Islands background, Pedro St James is Grand Cayman’s earliest rock structure. Its 18in-thick walls and also imposing style have made the structure the nickname “Pedro’s Castle.”
The 18th-century vineyard home sits past Spotts Bay and once acted as the residence of the island’s very first governors. Nowadays, it’s a wonderful heritage gallery, full with a typical exterior kitchen area. As you explore all three tales, bear in mind of the good-looking mahogany interiors and also the sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea from its several verandahs.
Pedro St James additionally holds normal and one-off occasions. Check out the regular stargazing evenings or, if you’re visiting in February, attend the yearly Coco Fest.
Swim with the rays at Stingray City
Search for the very best points to do in Grand Cayman and also this will possibly come up as top– with great reason. Stingray City describes a sandbank in the island’s North Noise that has actually come to be a gathering point for lots of stingrays for many years. Apparently, this gathering began decades ago when anglers used to intestine their fish at that very spot.
See with a trip and also you’ll locate the overviews can acknowledge much of the stingrays independently. The sandbank is less than a meter deep, which makes it easy to hop into the water as well as get up near these magnificent– as well as extremely friendly– animals. The endure among you may want to stroke their tough skin, and even cradle one delicately simply below the water’s surface.
Spend an afternoon at Camana Bay
This modern-day dining, retail as well as enjoyment facility is a popular hangout for both citizens as well as deportees, and also it’s smoothly available from Seven Mile Beach via a footbridge next to the Burger King. Camana Bay has several of the very best garments shopping in Grand Cayman, plus a selection of cafes.
Head to the waterside location to cool off with lush gelato from Gelato & Co. prior to ascending the actions of the Camana Bay Monitoring Tower. The wide stairwell is lined with a sensational under-the-sea mosaic; the sights from the top let you appreciate simply exactly how flat the island is. Going to on a rainy day? The movie theater shows all the latest blockbusters.
Kayak in Bioluminescent Bay
If you’re in search of distinct things to do in Grand Cayman, a nighttime journey to Bioluminescent Bay fits the bill. This small, remote bay is not far from Rum Point yet just actually available by water thanks to the circle of homes along its coastline.
Join a boat trip after dark to require to the water as well as experience hundreds of tiny bioluminescent plankton gleaming all around you. Due to reports of jellyfish at particular times of the year, you may prefer a kayak trip such as those supplied by Cayman Kayaks. Note that the level of luminescence differs depending time of the month; the most effective time to go is throughout a new moon.
Explore the Heritage Garden at Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park
Not far from the begin of the Mastic Route is the entrance to this much less wild yet no much less peaceful all-natural destination. Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is outlined in a collection of themed gardens, consisting of the captivating Heritage Garden. An enchanting wood home sits at its heart, bordered by different fruit and also spice trees native to the area. Sometimes blue iguanas can be seen wandering with the flowerbeds; you’ll likewise have the ability to spot them at heaven Iguana Preservation center at the northern edge of the park.
Sip mudslides at Rum Point
While you might expect to sip rum mixed drinks at the evocatively named Rum Point, it’s in fact a vodka-based drink that’s best related to this laid-back cove. Essentially an alcoholic milkshake or smoothie, the landslide is the most preferred order at the Rum Point Club; the mixture was inadvertently invented back in the ’70s when a bartender substituted fresh cream for Baileys in a White Russian. Revitalizing and also full of simply a dashboard of cinnamon, a landslide is a present on a hot day.
Take a road trip to East End
You do not need a cars and truck if you’re staying along 7 Mile Beach– though working with one supplies a way to experience the drowsy, non-touristy side of the island. During a leisurely day of driving, you can stop in at numerous, quirky sites along the way.
The Blowholes, craggy sedimentary rock rocks right before East End, are excellent for photo ops. There’s additionally Barefoot Coastline (as blissful as it seems) as well as the Cayman Parrot Haven, amazing for kids. Visit for lunch at Tukka to dig into delicious Australian-Caribbean combination dishes like lionfish tacos and lobster spring rolls. While you dine, transform your look seawards to detect the ragged poles of the Accident of the 10 Sail poking up with the waves.
Ride through the shallows at Barkers National Park
Barkers National Park rests less than a mile from Seven Mile Coastline yet really feels a globe away. The slim stretch of wild on the western idea of Grand Cayman is flecked with mangrove forest and fringed by a long white-sand beach that’s more likely to be occupied by seabirds than people.
Barkers is Grand Cayman’s hotspot for wind sporting activities thanks to its regular winds. If windsurfing isn’t your point, there’s an additional means to take in the area’s virgin elegance. A number of riding stables rest along the roadway bring about the park, each one offering treks along the sand. It deserves paying extra to ride bareback as your steed swims in the cozy sea waters.
Dive through the wreck of the Kittiwake
Cayman has a remarkable selection of dive sites, particularly the remarkable Cayman Trench drop-off near Little Cayman). Off Grand Cayman, the former submarine rescue vessel USS Kittiwake was sunk off Grand Cayman’s west shore in 2011 as well as now creates a synthetic coral reef including marine life.
Tread water alongside sea turtles at Spotts Beach
Worried about diving? Pack a snorkel mask instead and also head to Spotts Beach to swim alongside friendly sea turtles. Prime times for spotting them accumulating sea turf from the ocean flooring are first thing in the morning and also in the hour prior to sundown when the sea cools down a bit.
Discover why Grand Cayman is the Caribbean’s culinary capital
2 major food festivals and 200+ dining establishments offer Grand Cayman severe culinary credentials. There’s someplace to match every yearning, whether you desire Michelin-star great eating, passionate Italian food, spectacular seafood or plant-based thrills.
You can also take pleasure in a preference of the Cayman Islands at areas like Cimboco, Grape Tree Cafe and also Boggy Sands Cooking Area. Hen! Hen! is the location to choose zesty jerk chicken, while Rackam’s in George Town nurture serves delicious conch fritters, a specialty of the Cayman Islands.
Go rum tasting at Cayman Spirits Co.
Several rum distilleries in Grand Cayman welcome visitors for sampling sessions. Cayman State Of Minds Co. is a prominent pick, many thanks partly to its Seven Fathoms rum, stored in oak bourbon barrels as well as aged 42ft (or 7 fathoms) below the sea’s surface. Beer a lot more your point? The Cayman Islands Brewery in Patricks Island uses beer tastings, and has a store where you can pick up crates to go plus various Caybrew souvenirs.
Plan an art tour of the island
The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is an inspiring starting factor for an art-themed day out. Sandwiched in between Seven Mile Beach as well as Camana Bay, the purpose-built facility is a treasure of mixed-media pieces and also art. The top floor functions irreversible events by neighborhood musicians, while the ground level hosts revolving programs.
For art in 3 dimensions, Davinoff’s Concrete Sculpture Garden up the road from the Crystal Caves includes a lots life-size sculptures of land and also sea creatures. Alternatively, look out all over the island for the large sculptures of blue iguanas that create part of heaven Dragon Path, a National Depend on art project including numerous sculptures by different regional musicians.
Watch a sunset from Cemetery Beach
Fool for a perfect sunset? Simply along from 7 Mile Beach, among the best areas is in your area enjoyed Cemetery Beach, named for the graveyard you have to walk through to access it. A prime west-facing setting suggests most nights you can sink on your own into the soft sand with a container of beer and also see the sun dip smoothly below the horizon.
Descend into the Crystal Caves
One of the latest additions to Grand Cayman’s attractions is likewise among the earliest natural features on the whole island. The supposed Crystal Caves in Old Man Bay were developed over 1000 years back as well as home impressive limestone rock formations. A tiny cluster of the 100+ caves are currently secure for site visitors. Book a directed strolling trip and also prepare to be wowed by icicle-like stalactites as well as sparkling crystals trickling from the ceilings.
Ready to save on your next vacation? Get $50 off your flights + hotel with JetBlue Travel.
