Cayman Islands Attractions

Come aboard the Atlantis submarine to view underwater wonders without getting wet, a boon for young kids (and adults) not comfortable with swimming in open water. As the Atlantis XI submarine descends to depths of 100 feet, watch scores of rainbow-colored tropical fish through your porthole. Passengers must be at least three feet tall. On an after-dark tour, admire the coral, blooming in iridescent shades of orange, pink and purple. The hull of the company's Seaworld Observatory sits five feet below the surface, providing a good vantage point to view shallow reefs and some wrecks. The Seaworld Observatory has no age restrictions, and children younger than two are free.

Many of Grand Cayman's upscale resorts line the sugar-soft, white sands of Seven Mile Beach on the island's west coast. When in port, cruisers flock to Seven Mile Beach and to Rum Point, which gets busy with locals, too, on Sundays. Rum Point, a peninsula on Grand Cayman's north coast, takes its name from the remnants of the rum barrels that once washed ashore from floundering ships.

'Tweens and teens especially appreciate the chance to ride the half-pipes, bowls and waves at Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park. With a whopping 52,000 square feet of concrete challenges, the facility bills itself as one of the world's largest skate parks. There are beginner, intermediate and advanced areas. Those wanting to ride the surf can tackle waves up to 11 feet high, generated by the park's Waveloch machine. The park provides equipment and lessons. Surfers can be as young as 4 years old. On some Saturday nights, the park's surf team puts on a show.

This 23-acre marine park houses the Cayman Turtle Farm, destroyed in a 2001 hurricane. In huge tanks, various sizes of green sea turtles swim, submerge and clamber over each other, a mass of dark green shells and limbs. The big mammas weigh 300 to 600 pounds. Kids can carefully handle the yearling turtles in the touch tank, and families can swim in the Breaker's Lagoon pool and snorkel in Boatswain's Lagoon, a 1.3 million-gallon salt water lagoon that features a view into the predator tank that's filled with sharks.

The largest colony of red-footed boobies in the Caribbean nests at the Booby Pond Nature Reserve. That's a mixed blessing. It's interesting to watch the brown adults do battle with the frigate birds around sunset. When the boobies bring back the catch of the day for their young, the frigate birds swoop in, harassing the food-bearing boobies until some of them regurgitate or release their fish. However, when the wind shifts, the stench of booby feces, or guano, can be strong, especially if your room is downwind of the nature reserve.

The observation tower, opened October 2009, is the jewel of Camana Bay, a planned community that's located between Seven Mile Beach and the North Sound. From the top of the 75-foot tower, Grand Cayman's highest point, enjoy sweeping views of the island. A colorful mosaic of tropical fish, coral and other sea life adorns the tower's walls. The tower, free to the public, anchors Camana Bay's $400 million Town Centre, a complex of shops, movie theaters, restaurants and apartments.

Originally built in 1780 and reconstructed after a 1970 fire, Pedro St. James, a great house, is a stone structure ringed by a wooden verandah. The home earned the name "Birthplace of Democracy" in the Cayman Islands when islanders met there on December 5, 1831 to declare they wanted a better government. Five days later, the first island election was held. Kids won't be as taken by the architecture as adults, but the multimedia presentation about the home's history engages youngsters.

Flowers, woodlands and a three-acre "lake" are among the highlights of the 65-acre Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. In the floral gardens, laid out by color, enjoy patches of red, pink, yellow, blue and lavender flowers. The blooms attract butterflies. The heritage garden includes medicinal plants, as well as the Silver Thatch palm, employed by islanders to make rope.

More than 150 dive sites, many of them less than a half-mile from shore, lure scuba enthusiasts to Grand Cayman. Snorkelers and shore-divers like the West Bay mini-wall, also a good night diving spot. Soto's Reef is known for its abundant coral, and Devil's Grotto features coral, caves, sponges and schools of fish. Several of Grand Cayman's dive and snorkel operators offer dive certification courses, as well as snorkel lessons. This is a good place for both parents and kids to become certified divers. SNUBA and SASY (supplied air snorkeling for youth) experiences are available.

Experienced divers and snorkelers head to Little Cayman for underwater wonders on a laid-back island. More than 500 types of fish and 100 species of coral inhabit the 56 walls, wrecks and dive sites off Little Cayman. Bloody Bay Wall ranks as one of the best dives in the Caribbean. It teems with marine life, from whale sharks and colorful sponges to eagle rays and tiny anemones. Eagle Ray Roundup, Jackson Wall and Fisheye Fantasy also draw dive aficionados.

Jackson's Bight (which means "bay") treats snorkelers to a mini-wall about 50-feet from shore. On an outing, admire blue tang and parrot fish, as well as bright orange boulders of brain coral and beds of purple fan coral. Drawn by the iridescent -- almost eerie -- light, float toward the mini-wall's edge, and look down into the vast blue emptiness. Be careful of the currents.

The stingrays feel like velvet as they brush up against your legs like playful puppies. Scores of them crowd, their wings flapping in the turquoise sea like giant butterflies in slow motion. Guides caution visitors to shuffle as they walk so as to avoid tepping on the rays' barbed tails. Other than that, these Southern Atlantic Stingrays are less aggressive than their Australian cousins. Nevertheless, be careful and follow instructions. You'll learn how to prop bits of chopped squid in your fists like flowers. Rays with four-foot wingspans will glide over to you, sucking up the morsels like vacuums.

If you're not a family of divers, visit the Stingray City sandbar, a long, raised ridge in the ocean that enables you to stand in three to five feet of water. Even the small children in your group will smile as they pet the stingrays. Those who want to go below the surface to observe the rays wriggling along the sandy bottom should visit Stingray City, average depth 12-feet.

Book your outing on days when cruise ships are not in port. If you don't, you are likely to see more cruise passengers than stingrays, and your outing will be disappointing. Feeding the stingrays is definitely not "p.c.," but, on uncrowded outings, the experience is fun, as long as you follow the guide's instructions. Remember, the stingrays, while acclimated to humans, are wild.

Both North Sound destinations came about by chance. In the calm waters behind the reef, fishermen used to clean their catch, tossing the guts into the sea. The stingrays caught on.