Nov
05
2010

Grand Cayman on the Cheap

A guide to local attractions in Grand Cayman that are both fun and easy on the budget.

While there probably aren’t enough days in your vacation week to take in all that Grand Cayman has to offer, it’s good to know your wallet can also take the day off once in a while.

Here are my favourite local attractions that either cost just a little, or nothing at all.

Pedro St. James

Explore 18th-century Grand Cayman through a tour of Pedro St. James, a seven-acre National Historic Site of the Cayman Islands. The estate features a carefully restored Great House as well as artifacts, historic presentations and beautifully landscaped grounds.

Cost: US$10, children 12 and under free

Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park

Opened by the Queen herself in 1994, the Botanic Park is a world-class facility, known for its floral gardens, nature trails, wetlands and annual Orchid Show.

Cost: Adults US$10; children 12 and under free

Cayman Motor Museum

The glamorous private collection of business mogul Andreas Ugland includes the original Batmobile, as well as Ferraris and other cars once owned by Elton John, Queen Elizabeth II, Idi Amin and more.

Cost: Adults US$15; children under 12, US$7.50

Pirate’s Cave & Mini-Zoo

Located in Bodden Town, 20 minutes east of George Town, this spot lets you explore authentic underground caves where pirates used to bury their booty. The park includes a nature trail and a mini-zoo.

Cost: Adults US$8; children four to 12, US$5; four and under free

Mission House

A traditional Caymanian two-storey home dating back to the 19th century, when missionaries established the Presbyterian ministry and school in Bodden Town.

Cost: Adults US$6; children US$3

Cayman Craft Market

Located in a park near the cruise ship terminal, the Cayman Craft Market features a variety of thatch, wood and shell items crafted in the old traditions.

Cost: Free

Hell

A left turn onto Hell Road from Town Hall Road in West Bay will lead you to the Town of Hell: a field of black limestone formations thought, by some, to represent what hell must look like.

The rock formations are located behind The Devil’s Hangout Gift Shop, where owner Ivan Farrington will greet you dressed as Satan himself. Visitors can mail postcards—postmarked from Hell—from the adjoining post office.

Cost: Free

National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

For more than a decade, the National Gallery has been fostering the visual arts of the Cayman Islands through a series of exhibitions, educational programs and special events.

Cost: Free

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David Pye

David Pye is a Montreal-based freelance writer. He has hoofed across a whopping 30 countries, but he returns to the Caribbean whenever there’s a seat sale.

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