A working list, written by the people who know this stretch of the island. Tap any place name to open it in Google Maps.
A few minutes by car
The closest swimming beach. Calm, shallow water for hundreds of feet out, a wood-shingle bar, and hammocks slung between the casuarinas. Honest note: it has been modernized in recent years and lost a little of the old-school-island feel. The water is still the water though, and that part has not changed.
Five minutes by car
Two restaurants in one building. The beach bar downstairs is the right place for a long lunch in a wet bathing suit. The upstairs dining room is where you go when the week calls for it. Order the French fries. There is also a small morning coffee shop in the same building that sells local coffee. Beans and grounds mixed and flavored on the island. Worth taking a bag home.
Ten minutes by car
A narrow sand spit reachable by car or by boat. Shallow water for a long way out. Ankle-deep in places, waist-deep in others, depending on where you stand and the tide. The local cushion starfish rest on the bottom. Go mid-morning. Skip dawn, dusk, and after dark, when the bugs find you. Look, do not lift.
Short boat ride from Kaibo
A shallow sandbar in the middle of the North Sound where Atlantic stingrays have gathered for generations. Go early. Midday is blazing hot and a thousand people deep. White Sand runs affordable early-morning trips from the Kaibo dock. Crystal Charters do private. Either way, Cayman Kai can book it for you.
Where we send guests when they ask, organized by how far the drive is from the house.
Order the French fries. The morning coffee shop in the same building sells local coffee. Beans and grounds mixed and flavored on the island. Worth a bag home.
Easy snacks. Heads up that it gets buggy at dawn and dusk this time of year. Go in daylight.
Solid food spot, an old George Town reliable on the waterfront.
Classic meal stop. Many people grab a meal here on the way out from the airport, then do groceries after.
Wonderful Italian, a different vibe from Casanova's. Worth reservations on busy nights.
Sports bar with a great diner-style breakfast.
Pizza at Camana Bay.
The island's only Starbucks lives here, plus the only proper movie theater and the De Sunglass Man shop. A quietly fun stop.
A local favorite out at the East End. Worth the drive. The side-of-the-road seafood shacks in that direction are also worth a stop.
Skip these on cruise-ship days. Sandbar, Rackam's, and anywhere right where the boats land get packed.
Porch-bar-on-the-water feel.
Bulk daiquiris. Worth knowing about, worth avoiding on cruise days.
Porch bar right on the water in George Town. Tons of mostly-local beers and island-distilled rums. Look for the $5 Governor's Reserve rum tasting.
For provisioning the house. Most grocery stores are closed on Sundays. Stock up before then. Bring a cooler or insulated bags for the drive out to the house.
One of our two favorite full grocery runs. Get the fresh sourdough.
The other go-to for a full grocery run, and easy to combine with anything else you want to do at Camana Bay.
The liquor store of choice for stocking up on alcohol for the house.
The real draw of the island. Pro tip on all of it: early mornings beat the heat and the crowds.
The highlight of the island. Do not miss diving the Kittiwake wreck. The rock formations near Seven Mile are also exceptional.
At night. Magical.
Amazing. Highly recommend.
Affordable early-morning trip out of Kaibo for stingrays and snorkeling.
Great private charter, also out of Kaibo.
Runs trips from Rum Point.
When you want a break from the water.
A fun little tourist trap. Mail a postcard from “Hell.” Worth the ten minutes.
Fun, but very hot and a bit of a haul. Bring water.
When you want a day on the busier side of the island, or when cruise day is making the south end of the beach hectic. Head further up the beach to either of these for an easy day for not much of a fee.
A reliable Seven Mile spot to spend the afternoon, with bar service and beach chairs.
Further up than the Westin. Has a great bar called The Library and a beach taco spot called Coccoloba. Both excellent.
Smaller, quieter, and more interesting than the Seven Mile shops.
A fun spot for handmade goods and island artists in George Town. Far less crowded than the Seven Mile shops.
Local artist collective in George Town with beautiful hand-painted pottery.
A travel spa that comes to you. Affordable, great work. Massages, pedicures, more. Book via WhatsApp. They have been out to Rum Barron before.
When you are ready.
Book at Cayman Kai