Our family (2 plus 2 young teenagers) are going to the Cayman islands in early May. We know very little about them. Isn't there a big Cayman and Little Cayman? Which is nicest? Are there things to do, besides wonderful beaches, that perhaps my two boys would enjoy. They enjoy outdoor activies.
Thanks

Yes, there are actually 3 Cayman islands; Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. My husband and I went to GC in May 2007 and loved it! It was our first trip outside the U.S. I should tell you that the island itself is not much to look at, not lush and wild with foliage, kind of scrubby actually. But the WATER---to die for. You definitely want to take your boys on a Stingray City excursion if they are not squeamish about slippery, rubbery creatures rubbing all over their bodies! We went on Capt. MArvin's boat and they were great. YOu can buy a DVD of the trip for about $60 (they have an underwater photographer who gets some really nice shots). Can't tell you much more about any other activities because it was all about the snorkeling for us (best spots--the wall across the street from the Turtle Farm, Barcadee Smith cove, Cemetary Beach).

Since you have active teenagers, you definitely want to choose Grand Cayman. 7Mile Beach area (Georgetown) is where the action is, in comparison to East End; which is laid back and secluded. GC is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean and it doesn't matter which area you choose. ...I highly recommend a rental car. FYI; driving is on the left......Sting Ray City is a MUST, as the previous poster mentioned.

thanks so much. Sounds like 7 mile beach is a must! As we have 2 weeks, should we do more than one island? I hear that St.John nad St. Marteen are really nice. Have also heard about Little Dix..is that a resort or an island?

Doing the islands mentioned is great if you have lots of $$$$. Simply b/c you must fly. Sailing is too far and time consuming. Don't worry, you'll survive 2 weeks on GC. Little Cayman and Cayman Brac are doable.

Personally I think two weeks on Grand Cayman might be a bit of a stretch keeping active teens happy. Other than what has already been mentioned, the island is not very big and you could certainly cover everything there is to do in one week. You might want to consider splitting your time between Little Cayman or Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman to keep things interesting. Snorkelling, diving and R&R seem to be what attracts many folks to the Caymans. Other than that, there really isn't a ton of stuff to do.

We are in the middle of a 2 week vacation right now with a 12 year old and two college students. One has to go back after one week, and is certainly "bummed". If your family loves water activities, they will not get bored with 2 weeks in Grand Cayman. However, it will be expensive. So far we have snorkeled a lot, scuba dived, enjoyed super meals, did the stingray trip, parasailed, enjoyed a sunset dinner cruise on a pirate ship,etc, and all have been anything but bored. We would like to flying to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac for a day, but so far haven't done it due to the cost. Go and enjoy!