Hi all! It's been awhile! If you've been wondering what we're up to, try our Facebook page and Instagram account @evietheextraordinary to stay up with the latest. It's hard for me to keep up with more than a few sentences on a regular basis. I wrote this post 1 year ago and never posted it, so here it is!
When we were planning our vacation to Grand Cayman, I tried looking up other blogs or videos about traveling there with kids with special needs. I didn't see anything out there. I'm hoping I can help other parents with our experience. It was such a fun trip!
1. Airline: Right now, only JetBlue is the only airline that flies from Boston to Grand Cayman directly. It was also very expensive and only flew on Saturdays. We chose American Airlines, stopping through Charlotte, and it was perfect. 2-3 hours for each leg of the flight. Our luggage was checked through to our destination. This was our first time flying internationally as a family. The airline representative had no patience for people who didn't have their passports open and ready to be checked at the gate, and we had to have our pictures taken. That was the only unhappy spot in our travels. Otherwise we had a great experience.
The Cayman airport is so small and cute! As soon as you come out of the terminal, go left and cross the street for rental cars. Watch out for roosters and hens, which are pretty much like squirrels or pigeons--they are everywhere!
We used Hertz and I made the reservation ahead of time, which was a good idea bc we got the last car available. They have car seats for rent.
They drive on the left side of the road, FYI, and have lots of rotaries/roundabouts!
2. TSA Cares: At least 1 week before the trip, sign up for TSA Cares if you have a sensory-sensitive child who has trouble standing in lines or gets anxious in a crowd. You will get an email confirmation closer to the date, and then once you get to the TSA agent, you can tell them that you signed up for TSA Cares. They may open up a lane just for you and your family.
3. Planning your itinerary: Look up the cruise ship schedule for the days that you are visiting. This way, you'll know which days will be the least crowded at major tourist attractions. We were lucky, because our trip was Wednesday-Wednesday, and the busiest cruise ship days are Wednesdays, when 5 cruise ships descend on the island. The other days for us were 2 ships max.
4. Cayman Turtle Centre: We went on a Friday at 10:30 am and it was perfect. It was not crowded at all, and we walked right up to all of the turtle tanks. Our favorite part was swimming in the lagoon. Come dressed with your swimsuits so that you can easily convert to swimming! They allow parents to go down the big water slide with your child. I will say that was faster than I expected, and I applaud the parents who went down several times. I wanted to call my chiropractor later that night!
5. Camana Bay Shopping Area: This is the central shopping area around 7 Mile Beach, which is the stretch of beach on the west side of the island, lined with hotels and condos. We were underwhelmed and quite hot walking around, so it wasn't my favorite. But there are fountains there for kids to jump in, which can cool you off if you are dressed for it. There is also a really nice Starbucks, which is attached to a gorgeous toy and book store.
6. Restaurants: Because Evie is anxious in crowded restaurants and in places with loud background music, we usually get takeout and eat at our condo. So far, we've liked Rackman's, Le Vele (great pizza), Silverside Bar, Chicken! Chicken! (seriously still my fave), and Peppers.
At Rackham's Bar |
7. Starfish Point: I read so much about Starfish Point and found out that it's a 45-60 min drive around the perimeter of the island! We rented a car, so no big deal. On the way, there are some cool restaurants and a bubble tea place. There is also Rum Point. However, when we got there, there were no starfish. It may have had to do with ALL the tourist boats and people in the water. It was extremely crowded. We had to walk a bit to get away from the crowds.
8. Governor's Beach: We ended up going to Governor's Beach on our last day and found it to be a nice mix of parking, not too much walking, but gorgeous scenery.
Honestly, our favorite part was the pool at the front door of our AirBnB and the ocean in our backyard. It was so relaxing to watch the sunset from our dining room window. I highly recommend customizing your trip to be what you need, rather than relying on touristy arrangements. Pick and choose what makes your loved ones most comfortable and be savvy about hours of the day that might be less crowded. Enjoy!
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