For my last Spring Break I was lucky enough to get invited on a trip to Grand Cayman with Joe's family. Not only are they wonderful for letting me tag along, but they also are just as into activities as I am, which made for one heck of a trip!
Where We Stayed
Our home for the week was Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort on Seven Mile Beach, a popular area for tourists (like us!) due to the abundance of resorts and beautiful sandy beach. The resort offered a hip and beachy atmosphere with great food. It also had a Red Sail Sports office so Captain Angus could take us out on the Hobie Cat.
The only downside was that there were limited front row beach chairs, which meant someone needed to arrive at 6am if we wanted to lock down the front row. But keep in mind that we were there during prime Spring Break time. Overall, I really enjoyed our stay at the Marriott.
What We Did
Let me preface this next bit by saying a big thank you to Joe's mom, Gerri. She was our activity coordinator and did an amazing job.
Private Boat to Stingray City and Starfish Point.
Stingray City is certainly the most popular tourist attraction in Grand Cayman, and it was the first stop on our private boat tour. Our boat took off from the Yacht Club and traveled about 30 minutes before getting to the small pack of boats around Stingray City. Luckily we got there early because our guides said it can get packed - especially when cruise ships are in for the day. One of our guides tracked a ray down and we took turns holding it. I also fed it a squid, which it sucked up surprisingly fast.
We jumped back on the boat for a short five minutes to get to a reef for some snorkeling. This was the highlight of the day for me because we saw all kinds of fish and stingrays swimming in their normal environment.
Last but not least, we traveled to Starfish Point. I think starfish are pretty neat so I was eager to see and touch them (under the water ONLY!). Unfortunately there weren't as many as I expected, but we still found a couple.
The private boat was definitely the way to go. It allowed us to travel at our own pace and learn more about the island.
Swimming with Horses.
Joe's sister, Gina, picked out horseback riding as an activity, but this wasn't your ordinary horseback riding. Pampered Ponies offered the added bonus of riding while in the crystal clear water. Now, I don't know much about horses but I wouldn't go so far as to say these ones were pampered. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and our guide was kind enough to take plenty of pictures. The only negative was the beach we were on was filled with garbage...clean up after yourselves people!
My First Scuba Dive.
Joe and his parents are all SCUBA certified, which meant I needed to take the hotel course in the morning so I could join them for a dive in the afternoon. A quick two hours with Red Sail Sports at the Westin (a beautiful resort) and I was ready to go. The conditions were a bit choppy for a dive, but I was so busy making sure to breath that I didn't even notice much. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed taking on my first SCUBA dive.
Bioluminescent Kayak Tour.
One of our guides on the private boat tour mentioned a bioluminescent tour that sounded really neat. So, Gerri tracked everything down and got us booked! I didn't know much going into it, but I am SO glad we did it. This may have been my favorite activity on Grand Cayman (aside from the terrifying 45 minute shuttle to and from our hotel). She booked via Cayman Kayaks, a company that specializes in bioluminescence tours that are only available during the darkest 2 weeks of the month (New Month phase, I think). Our guide was knowledgeable and laid back, which allowed us to experience the glow of the water at our own pace. Unfortunately no pictures would ever do it justice - I tried with my GoPro and they were all black. To give you an idea, it was like the swirling memories in the pensieve in Harry Potter. If you don't know what I'm talking about either a) go watch Harry Potter or b) go take a bioluminescence tour.
Epic Full Day Cayman Brac Excursion.
Where We Ate and Drank
Marriott
Naturally, we ate many meals at our home base. Most of them were at Veranda, which served up a good jerk chicken Panini. The variety of gin and tonics were also delightful.
Luca
Situated on Seven Mile Beach, Luca is described as "contemporary Italian seaside fine dining" and it lived up to this description.
Casanova
Also an Italian restaurant, I'd say I preferred this one over Luca. My pasta was delicious and I even got serenaded by a harp.
Cayman Cabana
While this restaurant may not draw the crowd's of it's neighbor, Casanova, it was easily my favorite meal on the island. They partner with the fish market just next door to provide some seriously fresh eats...plus live performances by yours truly.
Rum Point Club Restaurant
This was more of an activity dinner because it featured a 30 minute catamaran ride to Rum Point and back. The restaurant had a variety of seafood fare and my blackened shrimp were quite tasty.
A big thank you to Joe's parents, Frank and Gerri, for taking me on such an awesome vacation!
