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Grand Cayman has long been a popular destination for travelers in search of white-sand beaches, excellent snorkeling and diving spots, and well-heeled accommodations. Just 22 miles long and eight miles wide, the island is the largest of the Cayman Islands and has a reputation for providing travelers with a quiet, low-key getaway. And with most of the action happening near the famous Seven Mile Beach, only 15 minutes from the Owen Roberts International Airport, travelers can start their vacations minutes after landing.
Grand Cayman also attracts repeat visits—on a recent trip, I talked to several travelers who had been coming to Grand Cayman for years, drawn by the island's warm weather, hospitable locals, and excellent food. The island’s burgeoning food scene has attracted chefs and sommeliers from around the globe, and every January the island’s landmark hotel, The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman hosts the Cayman Cookout, an exciting weekend of demos, competitions, and tastings with top chefs. With a laid-back setting and a sophisticated selection of hotels and restaurants that are sure to inspire a return trip, here are the very best places to eat, stay, and play in Grand Cayman.
Where to eat
In main hub George Town, where you’ll no doubt spend plenty of time, Mrs. Piper’s Kitchen + Garden is a charming backyard restaurant fashioned after a fictitious bohemian traveler who came to Cayman in the ’70s. Tucked behind the Hampton by Hilton hotel on Seven Mile Beach, the intimate, poolside diner is filled with kitschy details like tropical patterned outdoor couches, fringed umbrellas, and wicker lamps. The food represents Cayman’s eclectic population—wood oven empanadas are served alongside Korean ribs, vegan biryani, and seafood tagliatelle. The cocktail menu includes drinks named after iconic women. Our recommendation? The earthy but light “Alice Walker,” made with organic vodka, lemonade, fig lavender, and Indian tonic.
Once you’ve had your fill of the island’s capital, venture with a 20-minute drive to Thatch & Barrel, a modern Caribbean restaurant with a lunch and dinner menu filled with local flavors. Menu highlights include scotch bonnet-infused ceviche, a hearty root vegetable stew, and beer-steamed mussels. The sticky toffee cake, made with Caymanian Seven Fathoms rum and served with a side of raisin ice cream, is not to be missed.
The next day, head to West Bay on the north end of the island for a fine glass of wine in the tucked-away Le Petit Bar. The lengthy wine list here includes a rotating selection of over 220 wines curated by sommelier and wine educator Christian Esser, along with a selection of beers and a dozen craft cocktails. The bar menu includes a fish charcuterie board that features local wahoo crudo and tuna pastrami, Welsh rarebit fritters topped with caramelized onion jam, and beef rib croquettes with Cayman-style aioli.
Where to play
Grand Cayman is a haven for water activities, and most travelers head straight to the white sands of Seven Mile Beach to swim, paddle board, or jet ski. Another popular aquatic activity is swimming with stingrays at Grand Cayman’s famous Stingray City. Book a boat ride to wade with dozens of stingrays who gather at a series of sandbars about 25 miles from shore, and if you’re brave enough, you can gently pet the stingrays or feed them chunks of squid.
A newer addition to Grand Cayman’s attractions is the Crystal Caves, a spectacular limestone cave system. Tours of the cave must be booked before a visit, either through the official site or a third-party site, and during your visit, your tour guide will take you through several caves where you can check out the stalagmites and imagine the pirates who were rumored to have made the caves their hideout.
There are also options for those who need a break from the sun. Established in 1996, The National Gallery of the Cayman Arts in George Town is a free art museum that houses artwork, photographs, and artifacts in a 9,000-square-foot, two-story facility. The museum features Caymanian and international artists, and there are eight new exhibitions a year along with a permanent collection, ensuring something new for repeat visitors.
The island’s national rum brand, Seven Fathoms Rum, ages the spirit in barrels submerged underwater at 42 feet, or seven fathoms below sea level. The rum is churned by the rolling waves and the aging process can last up to three years. Book a tour of the distillery, which offers tastings and a behind-the-scenes look at the distilling process.
You can also satisfy your sweet tooth with a visit to Rum Point Club, the birthplace of the mudslide. The refreshing drink made with vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish creme liqueur, and a dash of cinnamon was an accidental discovery when a bartender added Baileys instead of fresh cream in a White Russian.
Where to stay
The Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman is a sprawling 369-guestroom property that sits on a prime section of Seven Mile Beach. The largest hotel on the island, the property stretches across the main lobby, spa, and several restaurants, which are connected by a catwalk to a block of beachfront suites and additional restaurants. The property underwent a $50 million dollar update in 2020, updating all of the guestrooms, the lobby, and The Silver Palm Lounge. The hotel has a dizzying number of amenities, including a golf course, waterpark, two pools, and several restaurants including Blue by Eric Ripert and the newest addition, Saint June, which offers Caribbean flavors in an oceanfront setting. Rooms start at $549.
Another beachfront option is the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, a chic boutique hotel with guest rooms decked out with dark wood floors and jewel-toned furniture that contrasts the azure water just steps from the property. For additional privacy, guests can book a freestanding bungalow that comes with a full kitchen and a spacious dining and living room. The four dining destinations (ranging from Mediterranean to Mexican cuisine), the kids club, and hosted social hour, are other good reasons to book a stay. Rooms start at $509.
And one of the new kids on the Seven Mile Beach block is Palm Heights. Opened in 2019, the hotel serves up chic ’70s glamor right down to the vintage magazines and furniture in the hotel recreation room. All of the one- and two-bedroom suites in the 52-room boutique hotel have direct ocean views and are decked out in retro furniture, sunflower-colored linens, and oversized abstract paintings. Guests can enjoy a leisurely lunch of grilled snapper over coconut rice at Tillie’s, the hotel’s casual Caribbean restaurant, or snack on oven-baked Neapolitan pizzas at Paradise Pizza. End the day lounging by the palm tree–lined pool or on one of the resort’s signature striped yellow daybeds on the beach. Rooms start at $476.
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