INSPIRATO INSIGHTS

BIRTHPLACE OF A NATION

Pay heed to Cayman history with a visit to Pedro St. James Castle, the island’s oldest stone structure now serving as a museum. This spot is where the first elected parliament signed the Slavery Abolition Act into effect. Meander through the surrounding national park and take in the impressive views from Great Pedro Bluff.

CATCH OF THE DAY

Experience the island’s azure sky and sea from a different vantage point, chasing blue marlin, wahoo and mahi mahi on a fishing expedition. The surrounding ocean reaches a depth of 20,000 feet, making it ideal for the challenge of deep-sea fishing.

SEVEN MILE BEACH

Grand Cayman is home to what some say is the most beautiful beach in the world: Seven Mile Beach. Although ironically just 5 and a half miles long, it still offers plenty of space to relax in the sun and walk along the cerulean blue water.

GETTING THERE

You’ll fly into Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM). There are daily direct flights from Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. (Dulles), New York (JFK), Boston and Chicago. There are taxis waiting at the airport, but we recommend renting a car. Note that cars drive on the left-hand side of the road, which may take some getting used to.

GETTING AROUND

Renting a car gives you the most flexibility to explore the island. However, you can rely on taxis or organized tours to get to most destinations. Your concierge is happy to discuss options with you.

CLIMATE

Grand Cayman is a perfect winter getaway with temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s and little to no rain. Summer is the wettest season in here with June through November marked as the official hurricane season, and visitors are advised to follow all hurricane and storm warnings.

QUICK FACTS

GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISL ANDSDESTINATION GUIDE

IDEAL FORCouples, families, foodies, fishing and diving enthusiasts, nature lovers

AIRPORTOwen Roberts International Airport (GCM)

LANGUAGEEnglish

PASSPORT NEEDED?Yes

DRIVER’S SIDE?On the left side of the road

CONVERTERSOutlets are 110-120V, with standard U.S. two- and three-prong plugs.

CURRENCYCayman Dollar (CI) and USD

TIME ZONEUTC - Central Time Zone

SEASONAL INFO

+ Dry and warm in the winter; highs in the 70s and 80s (ºF) + Rainy Season: May to July+ Hurricane Season: June through November

THINGS TO KNOW

THINGS TO DOGOLF Grand Cayman is not as much a premier golfing destination as it is a premier destination with golf. Thanks to all of the other enticing activities available to you, you may only want to take on the nine-hole Blue Tip Golf Course with challenging water features and breezes right off the ocean. For a full day, try the 18-hole North Sound Golf Course, part of the Ritz-Carlton Resort. Especially notable is the 11th hole, which requires a power shot over a pond while looking out across the water.

BEACHSeven Mile Beach may be the most famous beach in Grand Cayman, but it is certainly not the only one. Cemetery Beach has the best snorkeling and a little more shade for those who want to stay out of the sun. Governor’s Beach, a smaller portion of the main Seven Mile Beach, is a great spot to spend an afternoon with one of Seven Mile Beach’s best snorkeling areas just a short swim away from the sand.

TREAT YOURSELF Surrender to relaxation with a visit to the lavish Hibiscus Spa at the Westin Grand Cayman. This 7,000-square-foot space holds 13 treatment rooms, men’s and women’s steam rooms and saunas and a whirlpool. Arrive before your treatment to don your lightweight robe and enjoy tea and cookies in the relaxation room. Opt for the Island Dreams Experience, and you’ll feel supremely refreshed after a lavender body scrub, warm wrap and full-body stone massage.

FAMILYThe Cayman Islands lie directly on the path from the New World to Spain, traveled by ships loaded with gold and silver. Because of this, they were a prime destination for pirates, including the legendary Blackbeard. Today, you can visit the Pirate’s Caves, a network of underground tunnels and caverns where pirates hid their greatest treasures. The gift shop is not your predictable assortment of eyepatches and chocolate gold coins, but rather a curated collection of locally made jewelry, housewares and specialty food items.

ROMANTICSavor a quiet afternoon with your sweetheart in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. Stroll past lily ponds surrounded by languid palm trees and the two-acre lake and wetlands area that hosts rare native birds. Keep an eye out for the blue iguana, the world’s most endangered iguana, found only on Grand Cayman. Settle in for a picnic in the Floral Colour Garden, arranged in sections of pink, red, orange, yellow, white, blue, mauve, and lavender. Then wander the mile-long Woodland Trail that takes you through each of Cayman’s distinct ecosystems from buttonwood swamp to cactus thicket.

ADVENTUREStingray City is one of the most popular tourist attractions on Grand Cayman, but don’t let that deter you – it’s popular for a reason. Less a “city” than a shallow sandbar, here you can snorkel or scuba dive alongside Atlantic Southern Stingrays. The experience is very safe; the stingrays are more interested in eating fish than in stinging you.

NATUREArchaeologists have never been able to find evidence of humans on Grand Cayman until the first explorers landed in the 16th century. Up until then, the native flora and fauna were the only inhabitants of this lush island. Step back to that time on the Mastic Trail, a 200-year-old path that roams through a native mangrove swamp and a two million-year-old woodland area full of rare and indigenous plants.

MUST–DORum is the beverage of choice for Caymanians, and no one has perfected the art of small-batch distilling better than Cayman Spirits Co. Combining traditional ocean aging techniques and modern technology, Cayman Spirits Company produces award-winning white, dark and spiced rum. Take a tour of the facility to see the 1,200-gallon copper pot still where locally grown sugar cane becomes young rum. End your tour with a taste of Governor’s Reserve rum and the seasonal Distiller’s Special. Bring a few bottles home with you to enjoy with a slice of Tortuga rum cake.

LOCALPepper jelly is practically a state secret on Grand Cayman. You can’t buy the locally-made specialty anywhere else and they won’t ship it to you. The only way to taste this zesty condiment is to get it straight from the source at Cayman Pepper Patch.

OTHER ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS+ Kittiwake Shipwreck (for diving) + Smith Cove + Glass bottom boat tour

+ Farmers & Artisans Market at Camana Bay + Shopping + Horseback riding

+ Paddle boarding + Sunset Cruise

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

+ January – Taste of Cayman Food and Wine Festival (showcasing over 45 local restaurants with music and fireworks)

+ Ash Wednesday – Annual Agricultural Show (animals, produce and food with live music and family activities)

+ March – Kaibo Kitefest (kite competitions, live music and kite making for kids all taking place on Kaibo Beach)

+ May – Batabano Carnival (cultural festival of children’s parades, calypso dancing, steel drums and food)

+ June – Flowers Sea Swim (mile-long Olympic level swim race along Seven Mile Beach)

+ November – Pirates Week (full-on mock pirate invasion throughout the Caymans with music, parades and more)

+ December – Parade of Lights (brightly lit boats sail into the Camana Bay harbour as a holiday tradition)

SUNSHINE GRILLAtmosphere: FamilyEsterly Tibbetts Highway

Hard to miss with its lemon yellow exterior, orange umbrellas, and bright green shutters, Sunshine Grill has managed to mostly stay a local secret. The cheerful interior matches its name, and the casual atmosphere belies the expertly crafted food. Don’t miss the jerk chicken egg rolls, simple fish tacos and one of the island’s best burgers.

BLUE BY ERIC RIPERTAtmosphere: RomanticThe Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, West Bay Road

Eric Ripert is world renowned for his Michelin-starred New York restaurant, Le Bernardin. At Blue, Ripert takes some of his best-known dishes and reimagines them with local ingredients. The famous tuna foie gras is amplified with Cayman Island sea salt, and spiny lobster is paired with purple cauliflower and macadamia nuts in truffle butter. Relaxed but impeccable service, a thoughtful wine list and treats to take home with you make this an unforgettable dining experience.

ORTANIQUEAtmosphere: Fine Dining47 Forum Lane

Everything about Ortanique is geared toward pleasure, from the patio shaded by sea grape trees overlooking Camana Bay to the refined plantation-style dining room open to fresh breezes off the marina. The menu highlights the “cuisine of the sun,” like the signature jerk pork chop with guava and spiced rum glaze, or the melt-in-your-mouth Cloud of Coconut Joy. The atmosphere is especially lively during happy hour specials like Mojito Monday and Tapas Thursday.

VIVINE’S KITCHENAtmosphere: Local524 Austin Conolly Drive, Gun Bay

There is no casual pretense in the name; it’s literally the kitchen of Vivine Watler in the home where she lives with her husband. The menu changes every day based on what’s available, and is casually scrawled on a blackboard. For the adventurous, try traditional island dishes like stewed turtle or curried goat. If you want to stick to something more familiar, BBQ chicken and sweet potato cakes pair nicely with the fresh tamari.

PL ACES TO EAT

Information presented in this Inspirato destination guide is current as of May 16, 2016. While it is believed to be accurate, Inspirato LLC (and its officers, employees and affiliated entities, collectively “Inspirato”) makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of the content presented herein. The contents of this destination guide may change at any time and without notice. This destination guide is presented for informational purposes only for Inspirato members and guests. Inclusion in this destination guide is not to be considered an endorsement or recommendation by Inspirato for any of the mentioned third-party products, services, activities or vendors. Participation in any of the mentioned third-party products, services or activities may require a separate agreement with a third party and mem-bers and guests are encouraged to review any such agreements carefully. Inspirato assumes no liability or responsibility for any injury, damage or loss that members and guests may incur with any third parties, and members and guests utilizing any information in this destination guide waive any claims against Inspirato. Inspirato is a registered trademark of Inspirato LLC.

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