There Are So Many Things To Do In Grand Cayman
Whether we stayed on the island or visited by cruise ship, we found so many things to do in Grand Cayman. On a stay at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman for 16 days, we enjoyed a great luxury resort vacation. And the chance to explore the island above and below the water. On cruise ship visits, we spent time in the main port in Georgetown and took in some of the water fun.
There was always so much to see and do in Grand Cayman. We found water sports, underwater sights, great food or just relaxing days in the sun. There is something here for everyone!
Here are 10 things to do in Grand Cayman when you visit by cruise ship or stay on the island …
1) Be Pampered In A First Class Resort
If you want to stay in Grand Cayman, there are options at all price ranges. As a diver, we were surprised to find so many great dive resorts where you could just walk into the water and dive. For our 16 days in Grand Cayman, we wanted a luxury retreat. And we knew we could count on Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman to deliver.
There was so much to keep us entertained and well fed on the resort. And we spent many days enjoying all the resort had to offer. A luxury stay is one of the pampering things to do in Grand Cayman if you want to relax and splurge. And it was a great base to explore the island from.
2) Rent A Car On Grand Cayman
When we needed to just go short distances, we got a taxi. The taxi charges are all fixed rates. And we found the rates pretty high. So we saved up a bunch of things to do and rented a car for two days to explore the island.
Our hotel had a car rental kiosk on-site. The rates were a bit higher than using the local Andy’s Rent-A-Car. But it was easy to pick up the car on-site. And drop keys with the valet if the rental shop was closed at the end of the day.
We debated which optional services to pay for (e.g. insurance). But could not get out of paying the $20 fee for a local drivers license. Even though we have an International Drivers License. But it was still much less expensive than exploring the island by taxi or private driver.
The other thing to consider is that they drive on the “wrong” side of the road in Grand Cayman. That is, wrong if you come from North America. We have driven in many foreign countries and felt we were up to the task. We just had to be vigilant and make sure we were always on the left. David sang his ditty of “left is right” at every corner and when we entered a new road. Occasionally there was even a sign that helped!
Grand Cayman is only 22 miles (35 km) long and is 8 miles (13 km) wide at the widest point. We thought it would not take long to drive around the island. But we were wrong!
There were only a few major roads on the island which slowed down traffic. And the speed limit was strictly enforced (in most places at 30mph). But there was so much to see as we drove around the island. So we stopped. A lot!
You can see many of the things to do in Grand Cayman if you rent a car for the day.
Stop Regularly As You Drive Around The Island
We pulled over regularly as we drove around Grand Cayman. Interesting houses drew us in for a look. Many had eye-catching views. A mini-sub on the lawn at Ocean Frontiers meant we stopped to check it out.
Beaches in Grand Cayman are all public. So we often pulled over at the signs marking “Beach Access”. Many of them required us to walk along a path to get to the water. But some actually had good parking lots. If there was not a parking lot, we just pulled over on the side of the road. Stops at the public beaches were always a great idea.
When we headed to the east end of the island, we watched carefully for the Lovers Wall. And for the Blow Holes. It was fascinating to watch as the waves came in and splashed high up through the opening in the rock.
We drove all around the beach road on the east end and over to the north side of the island. We stopped at Rum Point to check out the expensive houses, restaurants and water access. You can snorkel at Starfish Point to see starfish. We headed back to this point from the water when we went out for our night bioluminescence experience.
If you want to visit without a car, there is a ferry that travels between Camana Bay and Rum Point. A great option of you want to head out to Rum Point for dinner and a sunset one night.
It was easy to get a car and drive around Grand Cayman. It was one of our favourite things to do in Grand Cayman.
3) Go To Hell
When you head out on West Bay, you can visit Hell. The small town of Hell is a big tourist attraction. Large signs welcome you to Hell. And you can even mail something from the Hell Post Office.
When we wondered why this might be called Hell, a short walk in Hell showed us. There was a large field of sharp rocks in Hell. That made it look like you are either on the moon or in Hell. While we thought these were volcanic rocks, we read the sign that said these are actually limestone rocks that were eaten away by algae and further ravaged by the elements. And they are millions of years old!
While found Hell on the west side of the island, we found a sign for Eden when we drove to the east side of the island. But it was not anywhere near as fun as Hell!
A visit to Hell is definitely one of the things to do in Grand Cayman.
4) Marvel At The Bioluminescence Light Show
Our first excursion under the water was to experience the bioluminescence in “Bio Bay”. It was the top of my list of things to do in Grand Cayman. Luckily we visited at the right time.
The small area known as Bio Bay was filled with living organisms that emitted light through a chemical reaction. For the best show, we needed to visit when it was very dark (a few days either side of a new moon). We booked a private boat with Shaggy’s Diving and headed out from Morgan’s Point.
It was a fun fast boat ride out to Rum Point. When we reached the land, we slowed down. This gave us a chance to see the expensive houses from the water. We got the greatest sunset at sea as the sun burned orange into the water and the sky glowed pink.
We anchored in Bio Bay and waited until it was pitch black. Two other larger boats pulled into other spots while we were there. I jumped in first so David could try to take pics. But from the boat, it was impossible to see the bioluminescence effect. And even when he brought the camera in the water, we could not really capture the effect. So we just gave up and enjoyed it.
We were careful to float on the surface. The boat was anchored in only in a couple of feet of water. Sea grass came almost to the surface. And on the bottom there were upside down jellyfish that we did not want to disturb.
When we moved really fast, the water all around us just glowed. But when we moved very slowly, we saw the light show dance. We just floated around and watched how different movements showed up the bioluminescence. At one point we floated perfectly still and saw small fish as they moved through the water under us. When we got back on the boat and started to move, we saw a very large school of fish glowing as they moved past.
In the pitch black, the night sky sparkled with stars. A great final image before we slowly moved out of the bay and into open water for a fast ride back. The bioluminescence experience was very cool. And so hard to describe. But it was definitely one of the things to do in Grand Cayman that we were happy not to miss. Plan to do this if you visit Grand Cayman at the right time.
5) Head Underwater In Grand Cayman
We had only to look at the blue waters of Grand Cayman to know that we wanted to head underwater. The blues and greens of the crystal clear water called to us from our balcony. There are a lot of options to scuba dive in Grand Cayman. We chose to go with Shaggy’s Diving for smaller boats and a more personalized approach. We saw so much when we headed underwater.
There are lots of dive sites to go by boat. But there are also so many great options for shore diving. Our first dive with Shaggy was a shore dive to shake out the cobwebs. But there is shore diving from a large number of spots around the island. And the shore dives get you coral reefs, wrecks and underwater statues.
If you do not scuba dive, there are lots of options for snorkelling as well. The coral reef is at a shallow depth before it drops down the wall. So there is a lot of see from the surface. There are many options for snorkelling trips.
Enjoying the world underwater was probably one of our favourite things to do in Grand Cayman. I just wish I did not have to learn what happens when you get your iPhone very wet!
6) Try All The Water Sports
Grand Cayman is an island and as such, there are so many water sports to enjoy. The water on the south and west side of the island is a little calmer for water sports.
We enjoyed heading out on the water in all manner of non-motorized water craft. We took the sailboat and kayaks out when we stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. It was a great way to enjoy the calm waters along 7 Mile Beach. You can also take kayaks and explore the mangroves in various places around the island.
But if you want more speed, there are many places where you can rent a wide range of motorized water gear (jet ski PWCs, flyboards, parasailing, a ride on a banana boat or waterskiing). Or you can take a boat trip for a tour.
Getting out on the water was one of the things to do in Grand Cayman.
7) Look For Blue Iguanas
We found a lot of iguanas everywhere we walked in Grand Cayman. Some were small. And others were larger and green. But some of the iguanas we saw on our stay at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman caused us to stop and grab our camera.
But we never did find the elusive Grand Cayman Blue Iguana. Maybe because it is one of the most endangered iguanas in the world. It is believed there may only be 10-25 left in the wild. But if you can’t find a Blue Iguana in the wild in Grand Cayman, you can find lots of statues around the island. Or you can see them at the Iguana Nature Reserve on the east end of the island.
When we visited San Luis Obispo in California, we found the map for the painted cows that were located all around the county. We managed to see quite a variety of colourful cows. And in Grand Cayman, we found the map for the Blue Iguana statues around the island. We found one on the day we drove around the island. But there were far more to be found on a return visit.
At one point, iguanas were a real problem on the island. Significant efforts were made to trim down the population. They even became a local delicacy for some restaurants. But the numbers appear to be dropping. Maybe why David was never able to get it in a restaurant. But finding iguanas is still one of the things to do in Grand Cayman. Even if the blue ones are statues!
8) Enjoy The Taste Of Cayman
We first started to drool when we heard about the Taste of Cayman weekend in the winter at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. The internet was filled with tasty looking food and drink. So we were not surprised that we ate well when we stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman.
We started our day with a full breakfast buffet. Lunch was served around the pool from either the Andiamo Italian Kitchen or Bar Jack. We enjoyed a delightful Afternoon Tea in the Silver Palm Lounge. For an early snack, we found Happy Hour snacks and cocktails at Andiamo or the Seven restaurant. And the on-site restaurants (Seven, Blue and Taipun) were destination restaurants for guests and visitors to the resort. There was no shortage of options for great food at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman.
But we ventured off the resort to enjoy the taste of local Cayman fare and seafood. On the night we did the bioluminescence experience, we started with appetizers at the Catch Restaurant at Morgans Point. The seafood was so great that we headed back to The Catch a second time one day for lunch. We loved the chance to do shore scuba diving in Grand Cayman. But it was that much better when we surfaced at the Macubuca Tiki Bar. After a great swimming type workout, it was wonderful to grab lunch and some cold beer.
There were many places a short walk from our stay at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. We got several recommendations from locals to try the Sunshine Grill. While it is located on part of the Westin Grand Cayman property, this restaurant is a big hit with locals and tourists alike. We tried the famous burgers on two separate visits. If you like your burgers big and juicy, this is the spot. To balance the burgers, we had a salad.
We often don’t have enough vegetable when we eat out for weeks. So it was good to find that there were healthy salads at the Island Naturals Cafe vegan spot. It was just a short walk from the resort.
When we drove around the island, there were several spots on our list to stop for food. We had a snack at the GrapeTree. It seemed that only locals knew about this spot. For lunch we sought out Tukka Restaurant and Bar. David really wanted to eat the local “Tree Chickens” (aka the iguanas). But even though they were on the menu, they were not available when we visited. It was a good thing there was kangaroo on that menu. And a great view! But we sure wish we had tried Czech Inn Grill instead for lunch.
There were lots of places to eat and drink on our map of Grand Cayman. We didn’t make it to enough of them. But a getting a taste of Cayman may be one of your favourite things to do in Grand Cayman.
9) Try All The Standard Tourist Spots
When we visited Grand Cayman by cruise ship, we had the chance to walk the town centre in Georgetown. There are the typical cruise port shops. And a lot of restaurants with views out over the harbour.
The big tourist attraction in Grand Cayman is Stingray City. The rays are in shallow waters and you can walk right in and pet them. There was a second deeper stingray spot for scuba divers. But we did not get to visit on this trip. It was a good thing we saw a spotted eagle ray on our scuba diving trip.
If you want more wildlife adventures, you can visit the Cayman Turtle Centre or the Dolphin Discovery Centre. We passed on both of these busy tourist spots.
When we drove around the island we saw what was on our map as the “Pedro Castle”. David did some research and learned that this was really not a castle. But a historic house on the island. We drove up to see the house but did not go inside. But there are tours to visit the property and a gift shop.
There are so many touristic things to do in Grand Cayman whether you stay on the island or visit by cruise ship.
10) Catch The Sunrises And Sunsets
The island is very narrow in places. It means that there is a good chance that you can catch a great view of both sunrise and sunset.
Our great Ritz-Carlton penthouse room looked out over the ocean. And we got some of the best sunsets from the room or down on the beach. Whether we saw the sun glow over the resort. Or the sun made a glass of champagne sparkle. We were drawn to our patio every night to watch the sun set.
We could see the sun rise through the corridor windows outside our room. But the sunrise was so much better if we headed over to the harbour marina side at the Great Lawn of the resort.
If you are an early riser, you will get great sunrise views in Grand Cayman. If you are on the west side of the island, there are so many places for amazing sunset views. You might even take a sunset catamaran cruise. If you are out on deck, there is a chance that you may even catch sunrises and sunsets as you cruise in or out of port. Enjoying the beauty of sunrises and sunsets at sea are one of the perfect things to do in Grand Cayman.
We Enjoyed Discovering Things To Do On Grand Cayman
We found so many things to do in Grand Cayman. The fun started early in the day with sunrises. Water sports fun were found all round the island. And it was a wonderful spot to explore the underwater world. We rented a car to explore all the local spots on the island. And we did not miss the chance to enjoy a taste of Cayman.
Whether you stay at a luxury resort, rent a place, book a scuba resort or visit by cruise ship, Grand Cayman should definitely be on your travel wish list.
On our visits to the Cayman Islands, we have only explored Grand Cayman. We definitely got enough of a taste that we want to explore more. We would love to go back and spend time on both Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. They may not have all things to do in Grand Cayman. But we have heard the waters are delightful. A definite plus for us water babies!
What was your favourite of the things to do in Grand Cayman? Did we miss something that we should have done?
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Luxurious is an understatement here, seriously! The place looks so wonderful! This would be an entirely new level of R&R vacation.
Angness, The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman was an amazing spot for a pampering vacation. But great for families too. Hope you get to visit one day. Linda
Fantastic list. I can see why the Grand Cayman is a popular destination. I recently got into snorkelling, so I’m keen to check out the Grand Cayman’s coral reef and sea life. Good to know that there’s plenty to see in the shallow waters. Plus, I’ve never seen an iguana in real life. So, it’d be good to see some (or even one). The food there looks amazing too. I can see why you went to the Catch Restaurant twice. The seafood (octopus and mussels) makes my mouth water. The view from the Ritz Carlton penthouse looks amazing indeed. Perfect for sunsets and sunrise.
Fairuz, Grand Cayman was a great place to visit all the way around. You will definitely love the underwater life. And find lots of good food around the island. I do hope you get to visit. Linda
Right….so, sunsets, yummy food, good looking hotels, seas, adventures……..and I don’t know much about the Grand cayman until I read this post and you have convienced me to LOOK NOW at a vacation there. Dam I want to get out here soon. Thanks for sharing.
Danik, I do hope you look at Grand Cayman for a vacation. We were so glad we chose this for our Caribbean trip. So much to see and do. Linda
Wow,
So many things to do there.
Do you recommend to visit Grand Cayman with family ?
Andrew, There are a lot of things to do with family on the island. Both tourist sites and water sports. Linda
Road trip is always my favorite option and how lovely it is that you’ve driven all over the island, having a glimpse of those charming mentions and being able to stop by at any “Beach Access” sign on the way. 🙂
Love the fact that you can go snorkeling at many places. Also, would love to try the flyboard, seems like this would be the perfect place for it.
And that sea food looks delicious, yummy! 😛
Danijela, We were so glad we took a car around the island. We would have liked to spend more days just exploring those beach access spots with our snorkel gear. Hope you get to visit one day. Linda
Fantastic photos and indeed so many things to do here! You are right, the crystal water is so inviting! I think Grand Cayman just added to my bucket list! Thanks for the informative post!
Val, It was so hard to resist the blue waters – above and below. I hope you do get to visit one day. Linda
wow this looks like paradise! Not only does the food look amazing, but I would love to scuba there and spend all my time in that water!
Lissy, We can definitely recommend Grand Cayman for scuba diving. So many great sites by boat or along the shore. Hope you get there one day. Linda
This looks like a place with so much elegance everywhere. I love the blow holes — how fun! And the healthy salads at the vegan restaurant would certainly be welcome on a vacation (I don’t always eat very healthy on a trip!).
Sharon, We loved the variety of food we found in Grand Cayman. I agree with you about finding salads. A great balance for the other food we eat that is not as great for us. It was lovely to explore the island. Hope you get to visit one day. Linda
What a gorgeous stay! The Ritz Carlton looks heavenly and I never heard of a place called Hell around there, how interesting. Will definitely add it to my list of places to visit.
We certainly did love our stay at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. And our visit to Hell was so different. We loved having the time to explore the island. Linda
I could never hope to be able to stay two weeks at the Ritz-Carlton, but visiting Grand Cayman is definitely on my list. My husband and I are avid snorkelers and who could resist those gorgeous beaches? I would also enjoy exploring the towns and checking out the local cuisine. By the way, I have eaten iguana. It’s really not anything to “write home about.” It just tastes like chicken with lots of bones in it.
Tami, We were so glad we had accumulated enough Marriott Bonvoy points to blow it all on two weeks at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. It was a great splurge. If you are snorkelers, this is definitely the place to visit. The coral reef is so close to shore in many places. Good to know that we did not miss anything when we could not get iguana. Linda
I’d love to visit and try all these activities. Driving on the left isn’t my favorite though. Would definitely get in the water to see those starfish too.
Elaine, We were a bit cautious about driving on the left. But just took it slow. And kept our mind on the road. Not our usual way to road trip where we are always looking to get off somewhere. The underwater world was so amazing. I hope you get to visit Grand Cayman. Linda
Good food. Great places to get some unique photos and a swanky hotel. Seems like then Grand Cayman has a lot to offer. If only my buduget extended to two weeks at the Ritz-Carlton
Jean, We were so glad we had accumulated travel points to splurge on the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. Just one of the great experiences on your visit to this island. Linda
Wow! I would love for my family to do this and visit Cayman in the future too. Seems like a very chill place and offers stunning views above and below the sea. I love sunsets and that wine is absolutely a perfect match.
Trisha, Grand Cayman is indeed a great spot for a family vacation. So much to see and do. Hope you get to visit one day. Linda
Grand Cayman is indeed a fantastic destination with such a wonderful variety of things to do and see. I am particularly fascinated by the hell’s rocks! There is no end to amazing formations of nature.
And the under water world is equally tempting. Need to plan a long holiday there.
Indrani, The rock formations in Hell were such unique sights. Although we did find other volcanic looking rock when we drove around the island. The world underwater enticed us regularly. Hope you do get to plant long holiday there. Linda
I would definitely want to go diving in those beautiful crystal clear blue waters! And since I have his new found love for it (I shall get my certification soon as well), I would love to explore the underwater sealife in Grand Cayman. Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman sounds like a pricey but fantastic resort to stay in, if I like to pamper myself. And Lovers Wall and Blow Holes are definitely things I’d like to see as well. I can’t believe they have a town called Hell, lol!
Medha, I was excited to hear you are going to get your scuba certification. It is a beautiful world underwater. And so many great spots to visit. Grand Cayman is certainly one of them. With so much to see and do, Grand Cayman is a great vacation choice. Linda
You are making me really miss Grand Cayman. I forgot we went to Hell there and all the iguanas everywhere. I need to plan another trip there!
Dylan, I hope you get to go back to Grand Cayman. We had a blast exploring the island. So much to see and do. Linda
You are right..there are a ton of things to see and do. Unfortunately, you missed a great opportunity to witness things off the beaten “tourist path.” Blue iguanas can be found at the Botanical Gardens. You could witness a great scenic path on the Mastic Trail (near Botanical Gardens). How about Crystal Caves on the north shore? They offer tours at the Cayman Brew Company. You went to Pedro St James, but did not go inside. Great history could have been learned had you chose to enter. They have even partnered up with the Botanical Gardens to offer discounted entrance. The Lighthouse Restaurant has great meals and even offers up a fantastic buffet on Sundays. You can even eat on the pier to enjoy the water!! There are a ton of things to do…
Dave, We know we will be back to Grand Cayman. So great to hear about all the things that we missed. Linda
Thanks again for sharing helpful tips on Grand Cayman, Linda! Hubby and I had a great time, even if only for 3 nights. Because of the short stay, we opted not to rent a car. Most of the time, we just took the local bus. It was great. And going to Hell was a blast! Haha!
Donna, I am so glad you guys went to Grand Cayman and had a great time. I am sure the bus was great to get around. And see parts of the island others might miss. I am happy you got to Hell! Linda
I have been to many Caribbean islands but not this one and it sounds delightful. I would love to see the Blue Iguanas, they would be a highlight for a family who love lizards. I think at some point in the future I would do a Caribbean cruise to see the islands I has not yet encountered and this would have to be on the itinerary!
Angela, We had been to Grand Cayman by cruise ship. But so nice to actually spend some time exploring the island on a longer stay. Hope you get to visit one day. Linda
We visited Grand Cayman a couple of years ago and had a great time travelling around in the buses and walking. Our favourite was chilling out on Seven Mile Beach. We found the Cayman Islanders very friendly and helpful. Thank you for taking me back there with your post.
Larch, We were so glad we returned to stay for awhile in Grand Cayman. We got a relaxing break and saw a lot. I am happy to take you back! Linda
Grand Cayman truly looks amazing. Sounds like my type of holiday, sun, sea, and water sport. Snorkelling and diving is one of the best ways to discover sea-life. Thanks for an informative article.
Mimmie, We were so glad we planned a long visit to Grand Cayman. Cruise port days were not enough to really see all the island had to offer. And the underwater world deserved many days of exploration. Linda
Wow! There’s plethora of options in Grand Cayman, Ritz Carlton stay must have been amazing for sure, I love the lounge! There’s actually a place called Hell here amazes me, and sounds quite fun too unlike the real one maybe haha! I also love the iguanas, its so huge and the blue ones are rare. Diving option, sting rays and the charming sunsets make it a perfect offering. I really liked the sunset shot with the wine glass.
Our escape to the Ritz-Carlton in Grand Cayman was lovely. It was great to have a long stay to explore so much of the island. Every day was a new adventure.
i never thought of the Cayman islands as a tourist destination. I always thought people are sending their money there 😉 From your post, it looks like a nice Caribbean destination to spend a couple of days. It’s been far too long that I’ve been to the Caribbean – maybe I should put the Cayman islands on my list.
We had only visit Cayman Islands by cruise ship before. So this visit was great to spend some time and explore more of the island than you get on a day trip.
What a great guide to Cayman. I did not think that Grand Cayman has many exciting tourist attractions and could be an exciting place to travel. Especially these exclusive resorts are incredibly tempting for some romantic holidays. I want to take a drive around the island and visit Hell as well. Kayaking seems perfect on these waters.
We had only seen a little of Grand Cayman on several cruise port visits. So it was great to have enough time on this visit to enjoy the island and discover all there was to see and do on Grand Cayman.
Well, when someone say go to hell, I know what they mean now. Grand Cayman is such an interesting place that I would love to visit, specially Hell.. I am impressed with the place I do agree that the limestone rocks formation similar to those in the moon. It is a great place for water activities. You have shown a lot here.
We were happy we planned to stay on Grand Cayman. It gave us a lot of time to explore the island … and the fun spots.