are almost endless. For children and their parents, the Cayman Islands National Museum ( SE E AD PAG E 420) offers a fascinating look into the natural and cultural history of the Cayman Islands. Cayman Turtle Centre ( SE E AD PAG E S 410 & 422) in West Bay also offers unique opportunities for educational and interactive animal-based activities. Visitors can enjoy bird, shark, turtle and crocodile feeding, a nature trail, snorkelling with turtles, the popular waterfalls and Turtle Twister waterslide. Once you have had your fill of wildlife, you could wander across the road for lunch at the Cracked Conch or Macabuca Tiki Bar. Another worthwhile thing to do is a trip to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, which is an engaging outing for the whole family. You could also stop in at the Mission House in Bodden Town (visits by appointment only) and Pedro St. James in Savannah for a historical trip back in time. For something a bit different, contact ATV Cayman for Cayman’s only off-road tour of Barker’s Beach and other neat spots in the area. They require a CI$64 deposit for 2 Riders and CI$128 for 4-6 Riders. Email: vincent@atvcayman.com or WhatsApp (345) 922 0366 to book a ride. Bring the family to the National Gallery and enjoy a range of activities including scavenger hunts, worksheets, and guided tours based on the current exhibition schedule and the national collection. Guided tours can be booked in advance by emailing: info@ nationalgallery.org.ky. Admission is free. In Camana Bay, you can take a walk, get a coffee, ride a bike and explore its beautifully landscaped areas. Young children will love playing in the fountains (bring a towel!) and climbing the Observation Tower for a great panoramic view. Next Chapter has a wonderful children’s room full of books, puzzles and toys, and there is always a good selection of movies at the cinema, as well as a great choice of restaurants for lunch. PLAYGROUNDS & PARKS
Davinoff’s Concrete Sculpture Garden (North Side) Sculptor and owner, David Quasius, has been annually adding hand-sculpted
concrete animals to his Concrete Sculpture Garden in North Side for 20 years. Recent additions include a giant octopus, scorpion, snorkellers and a reef shark. The garden is a great spot to take photos and kids will love climbing over the sculptures. It is also a popular geocaching site. The sculpture garden is free to access and is open every day. It is located on the highway between Old Man Bay and the Queen’s Monument. Visit www.davinoff.com for more information. Mastic Reserve & Trail (North Side) This is an educational trail and is great for older kids and teens. Refer to the Activities for Adults chapter for more information. Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a wonderful area in Frank Sound for nature walks, birdwatching, and for viewing the endangered Grand Cayman Blue Iguana in its natural habitat. There are over 65 acres of tropical flora and fauna, seven themed gardens, and much more. Guided tours are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2pm. Large Blue Iguanas lounge on the grass while butterflies, birds and agoutis dart between the array of native and exotic plants and trees. Take your little ones to visit their new kids park. For more information, see the Activities for Adults chapter. The following parks have cabanas that can be reserved, free of charge, for parties and events by calling the Recreation, Parks and Cemeteries Unit on (345) 946 8250. Airport Park (George Town) Kids and parents alike will get a kick out of watching aeroplanes from this front row vantage point that is adjacent to the Owen Roberts International Airport runway. This large park is full of see-saws, slides, rock mazes and big boulders to climb. There are restroom facilities and cabanas to provide shade. To reserve a cabana, contact (345) 949 2547.
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Island knowledge and can customise your excursion to suit your family. Tour stops can include Stingray City, the Sandbar, Coral Gardens, Barrier Reef and Kaibo. Not only will your tour be tailored to you, but you will also get to experience true Caymanian hospitality and meet some ‘Islanders’. If you have little thrill-seekers in the family, you may enjoy a trip to Stingray City and then continue on to Rum Point by Jet Ski. Action Watersports (Tel: (345) 548 3147) offers two-hour tours on twoman Sea-Doo watercrafts for US$110 per person. On a rough day, take your children to see the Blow Holes in East End and enjoy the exciting explosion of water when it passes quickly through underwater caverns and high into the air. Be careful on the iron shore and don’t forget to wear proper shoes and a swim suit, as you can easily get wet if you stand close enough. Another sea-based activity that is fun for the whole family is a bioluminescence mangrove tour by kayak or electric catamaran offered by Cayman Kayaks twice nightly from Rum Point. They also offer a morning kayak tour through the Cayman Wetlands. For more information, call (345) 926 4467, email reservations@caymankayaks.com or visit www.caymankayaks.com. Cayman Sea Elements offers boat tours through the mangroves to find birds, starfish, jellyfish, anemones and iguanas. This tour is suitable for children of all ages. Call (345) 936 8687 or email caymansea@gmail.com. Refer to our Boating chapter for a list of other tour providers. For more fun, you could take a banana boat ride with Red Sail Sports (Tel: (345) 623 5965). Kids particularly love to ride with a group of their friends! Finally, you could take the entire family for a swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Discovery (Tel: (345) 769 7946). Make sure to ask about resident discounts. For an amazing aerial experience of Cayman that covers the Island from North Sound and Stingray City, to East End and Seven Mile Beach, take a helicopter tour with Cayman Islands Helicopters. Call (345) 943 4354 to book. Land-based activities for the whole family
