We just got back from a week-long vacay on Grand Cayman–the three of us and my dad. It’s not a secret that Sona and I are huge Caribbean fans. It’s our happy place. I’m actually pushing Sona to move there in the next couple of years, but that’s another story.
Grand Cayman was my and Sona’s 9th Caribbean island and Finn’s 3rd. We’ve been putting it off for a few years because, to be honest, it’s not really our usual Carib spot. It’s significantly more developed and more commercialized than the islands we usually gravitate towards, but that also makes it an easier–and somewhat safer–bet with a toddler. So, we pulled the trigger.
We stayed in a condo right on Seven Mile Beach, which is right in the center of the action. It had a HUGE balcony, which was really the selling feature. We all loved hanging out on the balcony, having breakfast or dinner, watching the sunset, and enjoying the spectacular view. Finn especially loved it out there. He would lay on the lounge chairs in the evening and shout, “the moon is on!”
This vacay was also a little different for us because we spent a lot of time just enjoying the pool and the beach on our property. When Sona and I travel alone, we do a lot of exploring, looking for secret beaches, driving all around islands in search of seafood shacks or great views. With Finn, though, sometimes easier is better. And even though we did do a little exploring with him, we also dialed that back a bit, opting instead for low-key days filled with lots of sand castles, swimming, and naps. Both Sona and I remarked that, though our week-long beach trips usually fly by, last week actually felt full and slow–in the best kind of way. I think we owe that to Finn, as he forced us to slow things down, and that also allowed for more quality family time and more relaxation, both things we really, really needed.
Our typical day in GC went something like this: wake up, have a lazy breakfast on the balcony, go down to the beach, play in the sand and swim for a few hours, grab some lunch, take a long afternoon nap (which we all did every single day), get up, go back to the beach or the pool, swim until sunset, eat a late dinner, and hit the sack–exhausted but happy.
We did squeeze in a little adventure amidst all that beach lazing, though. We did a half-day boat tour, which included a trip to Stingray City and a snorkeling stop. It was the thing I was most nervous about, as we’d be stuck on a boat for several hours, and if Finn got cranky or tired or freaked out, there wouldn’t be much we could do about it. However, he really surprised us–as he did several times on this trip–and he did so well! He danced to the music on board, he swam with sting rays, he played all over the boat, and he held up like a champ, despite having been up since 4AM that morning with teething pain.
I also have to give Finn a huge shout-out for how well he did in the water! This kid went from never having worn floaties before we got to Grand Cayman to refusing to let us even touch him when he was in the pool or the ocean. He started full-on swimming by himself, and he would go and go and go–just like the little Energizer Bunny that he is. I couldn’t have been more proud of how brave he was.
Our nighttime swims were one of my favorite parts of the trip. We always had the pool to ourselves, and Finn would jump and run and splash until far past his usual bedtime. “More swim,” he would say. And then, when he got tired, he’d climb up the stairs, turn and look at us over his shoulder, and pronounce “all done.”
All in all, it was another great vacation, and Sona and I both left feeling so much more confident in our ability to globe-trot with our little tyke. From the long travel days to the extended periods in the hot sun, Finn weathered everything like a pro traveler, and so many of our anxieties were eased. He did 100x better than we expected–and on every front. Since we’ve been home, Sona swears that Finn has matured. “He changed on this trip,” she’s said a couple of times. And I think maybe he did a little bit. But really, I think that the uninterrupted quality time as a family–and the sand! and the sea!–did us all a world of good and it has given us, at least for a short while, a fresh perspective on this whole raising-a-toddler thing.
(Also, I finally got a fat-kini, and I ain’t ever going back to one piece swimwear again.)
Our Grand Cayman Faves and Recommendations:
- our condo, #30 at South Bay Beach Club
- eat the lionfish sandwich and the homemade ice cream sandwiches at Macabuca
- spend a day or two at Smith’s Cove–take a snorkel and mask!
- get gelato at Gelato & Co.
- spend an evening exploring Camana Bay, eating at Brooklyn
- shop at Kirk’s market, stocking up on imported chocolate
- do the Breakfast with Rays excursion with Red Sail
- snorkel the man-made reef in front of the Marriott
- have a romantic dinner at Grand Old House, request to sit right on the water
- get the pina coladas and fish tacos at Veranda beach bar–both the best I’ve ever had!
- eat some Asian/Caribbean chow at Hemingway’s