DIY things to do in Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel for a young family?

[Ancaster]

If you want to wait until you arrive there will be multiple vendors holding signs offering an excursion to the Turtle Farm, often coupling that with a stop at Hell.

Any tour to the Turtle Farm will be happy to drop you off at a beach location on the way back to the port. It would then be up to you to take a taxi or catch a bus to get back to the tender pier.

Several popular beach locations in Cayman have good and easy access for food. Royal Palms, SeaGrape, Seven Mile Beach Public Beach and Tiki Beach are some of the more popular locations due to available services. For just a few hours with small kids I'd go to Seven Mile Beach Public Beach and eat from the food trucks or next door at Calico Jacks. The kids will enjoy the beach and the playground equipment.

^Thanks!

Anyone know what the cost of a taxi ride is supposed to be to 7-mile (or back)?

And how much the Turtle Farm Tour is when you buy from a vendor?
(These vendors are from TF? How do you trust them?)

 

[Ancaster]

Uppidty

 

[perfectmatch300]

Grand Cayman Turtle Farm

http://www.turtle.ky/

You can book online if you want to avoid the port vendors.

 

[RedxPanda]

Hi! We're on your cruise, but you probably know that by now!

For Grand Cayman, we booked tickets to the full access pass for turtle farm (pool/snorkel/aviary/etc) on the website for a discount.. just print out the confirmation. They offer transportation, so we plan on getting in line early for the tender that day to make sure we get off the ship in time.

For Cozumel, we are going to Mr Sanchos and doing the All Inclusive. Our DD is young enough to be free, so we're going that route. I also considered Chankanaab and Paradise beach. Taxis are easy to get to/from any destination.

See you soon!

 

[su_A_ve]

So we plan on doing the San Gervasio ruins and Discover Mexico tour in Cozumel - kids are tween/teen. We booked this thru DCL already.

For GC, kids want to stop by Hell and maybe a little beach time. But not sure about the Turtle farm. DCL beach pass is sold out, so we are looking to do this on our own. Any suggestions for this?

TIA.

 

[Ancaster]

Nevermind. If it was a couple of bad reviews out of the last 10, I'd take it with a grain of salt, but reviews seem mixed to the extreme.

My kids love the beach and GC day is short(er) than Coz. Think we'll just go to 7-mile.

Oh, yes, hi RxP! See you soon!

 

[Ancaster]

Just read some reviews.

Sea Grape vs 7-mile.

Which one would you go to with small kids (under 8)?
(preferably with facilities and a restaurant nearby)

 

[Brancaneve]

We were on the Fantasy earlier this month and did not purchase any excursions through Disney.

In Grand Cayman we took a taxi van to Royal Palms. We just loved it there. Kids were free to get in and I think we paid $10 for the two of us. Royal Palms consists of a nice beach area with a restaurant, bathrooms, outdoor showers and umbrellas and.chairs to rent. The water was heavenly! I would certainly go back. Taxi drivers were always out front and ready to take you back to port if necessary.

In Cozumel we rented a jeep ahead of time through Avis. We had a tough time finding the physical location of the car rental. It felt like we were on an episode of the Amazing Race!!! Once we had the jeep we had a wonderful time driving around the island. If you go to the opposite side from downtown you will find the most incredible beaches that are geared for swimming rather than diving. We stopped at a restaurant called Rio ??? (can't remember the name). They had fresh fish and an amazing beach. The coral kept the waves calm and we saw a lot of tropical fish. No one bothered you....it was incredibly tranquil and low key.

 

[Lake_Mary]

Anyone do the turtle farming your own on a late arrival day? I'm on the 3/2 fantasy and it says we don't arrive in GC until 10:30 and the turtle farm doesn't have transportation that late - at least, that's what they say online. Waiting on email response but would love input from any DISers.

 

[Mtopher4]

Nachi Cocum
Going my 2nd time next month.. It's all inclusive.. The lunch is to die for good.. all you can drink..bottled water.. snacks.. bathrooms a pool.. beautiful beach.. it's picturesque..
Highly recommend

Cab fare is $16 each way

They limit the amount of poople so it's not crowded

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Hi Everyone,
I hope I'm posting in the right area...
We are total newbies, it's our first Disney Cruise in late January and everyone is excited!

We're a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 small kids).
We love the beach and the girls are probably too small for excursions.
Is it realistic to arrange a beach day ourselves for both stops instead of using the cruise line's "Add Activity"?
(The reason I ask is the only beach day in Cozumel we can all join based on age works out to $290, and our one daughter is not tall enough to enjoy what's included)

Any other fun activities you suggest for little ones?

Thanks!

So ditto about Chankanaab. We've gone twice and would go back tomorrow. Paid a taxi, not bad, and about $26 that included a souvenir T-shirt I still love. We watched an adorable sea lion show, watched the dolphin encounters as we walked by, headed to all the happy thatched shady huts, played some beach volleyball , swam off of the stairways to all the very lovely fish who were very used to people, ate the most incredible Mexican food, pay as you order, (fresh ceviche, amazing fish tacos, real hand made guac,) and had great waiters who kept us margarita ready upon request. Iguanas hanging out. Amazing beautiful 'beaches' (there is a rock wall after the sand) and two absolutely great days there. Would go back tomorrow.

For Cayman, we bought an excursion to snorkel at the famous stingray shallow waist deep sandbar, and an option was to let us off at royal palms beach for a day, included with our excursion wristband. Had to take a $4 shuttle back to ship. Well worth it. Had a great lunch there too and had a nice beach day. Snorkeled a little bit there but its pretty busy so less fish...

Two great ports. Hope you have as much fun as we did!

 

[ilovedoxies]

Nachi Cocum
Going my 2nd time next month.. It's all inclusive.. The lunch is to die for good.. all you can drink..bottled water.. snacks.. bathrooms a pool.. beautiful beach.. it's picturesque..
Highly recommend

Cab fare is $16 each way

They limit the amount of poople so it's not crowded

Ditto this. Just got back and loved Nachi Cocum. Quiet, good food, beautiful water. Just lovely. My 5 and 8 year old loved it too!

 

[CaymanPrincess]

Hi, I just wanted to say you are very safe in Grand Cayman, unlike other Caribbean Islands. So walk around a little in town, and don't forget to visit our beautiful beach! Captain Marvins & Red Sail Sports are wonderful tour operators, so don't be scared to go online and book with these companies. I don't recommend walking to the beach as our roads are very narrow, and while cars try and avoid pedestrians, its really tight. Hop a bus, it is safe. If a bus/mini van is honking at you, its asking if you need a lift, so signal if you need a ride. Enjoy!!

 

[owensamo]

Our plan for Grand Cayman is to visit the museum (walking distance from the port - http://www.museum.ky/) and do some shopping. We've got tours planned for Costa Maya and Cozumel, so Grand Cayman is our keep-it-simple port.

 

[tinyteen19401]

Grand Cayman Turtle Farm

http://www.turtle.ky/

You can book online if you want to avoid the port vendors.

How much time would you say it could take you to do Turtle Farm? We have a 5 year old and a 1 year old. I was thinking of just doing 7 mile beach because I am worried about not making it back in time.

 

[bjazz]

We tried to book Family Day at Tiki Beach at Grand Cayman but it was fully booked so we got a day pass for the Westin Grand Cayman and loved it! It was $156 total for the 4 of us and included a room and use of the resort. Food and drinks are extra. Suggest booking ahead. We took a taxi to the resort.

In Cozumel, we booked the Dolphin Discovery experience through the cruise line and that was fun too!

 

[WicketsMom]

Chankanaab in Cozumel would be my choice. Nice beach/snorkeling area, you can watch the dolphin swims (no charge to watch), nature trails with lots of iguanas roaming a round, and good food.

Great snorkeling in Grand Cayman at Eden Rock + easy walk from tender dock) but no beach area. Turtle farm is great and so is stingray city. Beware who you get turtle farm tours from. One of our table mates on a Carnival cruise in 2009 got one and the driver parked the van by the wall and let them look in but it didn't include admission!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Another vote for Chank. We get a taxi and go to Chankanaab park. Amazing food, sea lion shows, incredible reef snorkeling, great huts to lounge under so plenty of shade on the beach. Its about $25 to get in and you get a shirt. (Not sure how much for kids.).its not far from the pier. The taxi drivers I think get kick backs for recommending other places. They tried to get us to go some where else but we were dead to go to Chank so they finally took us. We have always had a great day there! Id go tomorrow if Coz was on the itinerary.

 

[MoxieandPixie]

On Grand Cayman you can do some excursion for the beach or even the stingray city. Most tour operators rely on this business and make sure you get back on time. Read travel reviews online. I think Stingray City would be fun for your family. One person could stay on the boat with the 1 year old (who probably wouldn't be a charge) and one could go to the standbar with the 5 year old...then the adults could switch. Check out Native Way Watersports...owned by a women from NY and her husband from GC.

On Cozumel, consider hiring a driver for the day. Look into Tours Plaza. They get fabulous traveler reviews, especially their driver Gerry. You can do their driver with a car for $107 for 3 hours and you can rent car seats from them for $10 each. Let him take you around to the south and eastern sides of the island. Or stop at Chocolate Kaokao!

 

[Ancaster]

Bumpity... 2nd time around coming up!

Any new recommendations?

This one includes Key West which we didn't do the first time.