When you think of young people on spring break, you might think of loud, not-so-family-friendly partying.  If you’re hoping for quality time during spring break, Grand Cayman can be the perfect destination: a range of activities, quieter spots for parents, and plenty of beautiful beaches.

Last week, we hosted our youngest daughter and seven of her sorority sisters in Grand Cayman.  We wanted to make this special for the girls and give them a fun, memorable, safe experience before they headed into the real world.  Grand Cayman doesn’t attract the kind of wild partying that occurs at other Caribbean destinations.  Our stay on the North Side – away from the cruise ship crowds – was the perfect setting.

An Island Itinerary to Please Everyone

We stayed at Twin Palms, a gorgeous seven-bedroom villa that was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate all ten of us.  We also rented a small sedan and a nine-person Hyundai H1 van to get us around the island for the week.

After figuring out sleeping arrangements in the spacious villa, we took the girls for a casual dinner at Tukka Restaurant in East End.  Tukka offers a unique menu incorporating Chef Ron’s Australian roots.  We had a wonderful table outside on the sand near the water.  The gentle island breeze felt so relaxing after our long flights.  Most of us ordered fresh fish, and a few tried Chef Ron’s Kangaroo Pops and his signature Tukka Brochette, which they loved!

Every morning we awoke to a gorgeous panoramic view of the Caribbean.  After breakfast most days, the girls put on their suits and lounged by the pool listening to music.  The blender was put to good use in the afternoons with piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris before heading to dinner.

Sunday was sushi night at Over the Edge Cafe. The cocktails were good and the sushi was great, but I highly recommend getting there early as service is slow, especially for a party our size.

Monday afternoon we packed a cooler of Coronas and limes and had a day on the water with Silver Thatch Charters.

We visited must-see Stingray City to swim with the stingrays and snorkel on the nearby reef.  Afterward, we motored over to tranquil Starfish Point. The girls had fun sitting in the shallow water near the beach and taking pictures of the starfish.

Tuesday morning, we headed to the Silver Thatch Welcome Center for a private yoga session with Lindsay Correia of Grand Cayman Yoga. It was a great way to start the morning!

Later that afternoon, three of the girls who were PADI certified went on a private dive with White Sand Diving.

Wednesday was a day trip to Seven Mile Beach to experience the other more commercial side of the island.  After lunch and a few rounds of mai tais and mojitos at Hemingways, I went back to my chair to read and the girls moved on to Royal Palms, another beachfront bar.  Both bars can get a little rowdy late at night, but one of the benefits of staying on the quieter side of the island is that it’s easy to avoid that if you want to.

Two more wonderful meals at The Lighthouse Restaurant and Rum Point Club rounded out the week, and then it was time for the girls to head back to school for the few weeks remaining in the semester.

Peace of Mind in Paradise

We very much enjoyed spending a great week with our daughter and her friends, and I think they did too!  I highly encourage you to consider Cayman’s North Side for your next spring break.  There’s so much to do and plenty of good times to be had without anyone getting into trouble!