Is there a part of 7 mile beach that has free entry?

[kentuckychris]

I'm going on a stingray tour and after want to spend some time at the beach. It seems like you have to pay to get to the "good" parts of the beach. I have always gone on a tour before and it was part of the tour cost. If not, where's a good spot to go?

[TurtleTagger]

All of the beach is free to "enter". You only have to pay a the beach clubs and that is to rent loungers, umbrellas, etc...Royal Palms beach club may have a $2 "entrance" fee though.

[blue_water]

There are "beach entry" signs every so often all along SMB. The beach is free up to the high watermark, you will pay for lounges, cabanas, and water toys at Royal Palms (Reef Grill) or other beach restaurants/bars. We stayed at the Marriott last week which is close to the RP and we go to the RP for a great burger and a decent grouper sandwich. You can just walk north a few steps and lay your towel on te beach for free. We did a stingray tour on a cruise and did that after, just take a taxi or $2.50pp bus there from downtown.

[Sunburns]

This is an excellent site to get info on Grand Cayman!!

http://www.caymanislands.ky

Look under activities for beaches!

[AndrewD65]

This is an excellent site to get info on Grand Cayman!!

http://www.caymanislands.ky

Look under activities for beaches!

 

Thanks for the link, I will be there in January even though I have been there 3 times never really did anything and want to try this time around.

[Caymandiver1]

Cemetery beach is free.

 

Here's a video

 

Enjoy!

 

http://idiveglobal.com/locations/cemetery-reef/

[kentuckychris]

Thanks, I knew the beach was free, I was talking about if there were any places that didn't charge to walk through to get to the beach. I think we were just going to lay our towels out and enjoy the water. At Royal Palms, does the entry fee include the pool? Can you lay your towel on the sand there or do you have to rent a chair?

[Sunburns]

Thanks, I knew the beach was free, I was talking about if there were any places that didn't charge to walk through to get to the beach. I think we were just going to lay our towels out and enjoy the water. At Royal Palms, does the entry fee include the pool? Can you lay your towel on the sand there or do you have to rent a chair?

 

Don't know specific free entry areas. Maybe consult a map for that(?)

I believe the charge at Royal Palms is $2 and includes the use of the facilities (pool, showers, restrooms, etc) Lounge chair or umbrella rental is $10.

[blue_water]

lol :p there are beach access paths marked with signs every 1/4 mile or so. No worries!

 

you will pay a fee to use the chairs or facilities at RP. You can walk a few steps north (to the right as you face the water) and lay on the beach in front of the condos as long as you're near the water. Shouldn't be crowded there anyway. it was pretty quiet there last week.

[BeadedGoblets]

perhaps we shall just ask the taxi driver to drop us at the first beach access AFTER royal palms to avoid the $2 fees since we do not plan to use their facilities but would like to lie on the sand in front of the palms. does that sound feasible?

[bookbabe]

There's really very few palms along the beach to lie under...it's a very developed beach lined with beach clubs, hotels and condos. :grin: Governor's Beach, which has no/few facilities, and Sea Grape (Public Beach) are the only areas I can think of that have much shade, or at least they have some shade that doesn't come in the form of a rented umbrella, anyway. Cemetery Beach might also have some shade, I think, but again, there's no facilities and it's not close to much.

 

I'd personally recommend going to one of the sections with facilities. Unless you're just going for an hour and not getting in the water, you're going to want access to those restrooms and showers. If the $2 pp at Royal Palms is a problem, try Sea Grape. Although, Sea Grape and the other sections are further from the port, so the cab ride is going to be an extra buck or two pp each way...it will all even out in the end...

[blue_water]

That's not necessary, you can get out at RP and hot the beach there. If you are going to be there a few hours pay the fee for 2 lounges and an umbrella or just an umbrella. Might as well enjoy yourself as it's a gorgeous beach and water.

You can walk 2 condos south and hit the Marriott for a more expensive drink but the beach is all but gone there. If you're just averse to renting a spot for you and your gal just take your towels north and find a spot, there are a few trees on the beach there unless others got there first.

[kentuckychris]

Thanks, the $2 entry fee is more than fine. Looks like we will have a few hours there, so that would work out. We really do want some shade, but didn't want to rent a chair, maybe just an umbrella. We do want facilities. Looks like RP will be where we go.

[bookbabe]

Sea Grape might be better if you just want shade and no lounge chairs. (Although I've never tried to rent just an umbrella and no chair, so maybe it can be done.) Sea Grape has picnic shelters nearby, and a bit more in the way of natural shade. They still have restrooms, rentals, etc. as well as a beach bar restaurant for food and drink if needed.

[blue_water]

Restrooms are free and clean, and the staff is great. I always look forward to the burger there. We spent some time there last week because it's a short walk from the Marriott and the beach is nicer at RP. The south end of SMB has deteriorated but they will be dredging in new sand next month.

Have a great day!

[blue_water]

We didn't care for Seagrapes when we stopped there last week but that's just our impression. Probably a fun spot if you want to be there when t's busy.

[bookbabe]

Restrooms are only free at RP if you're a patron (ie. a local or a land-based guest eating lunch or dinner there). As far as I know, all cruise ship visitors will pay the $2 pp to use the facilities.

 

I'm not a huge fan of Sea Grape myself, but I know a lot of people that prefer it due to the free picnic shelters and playground nearby.

[blue_water]

If you are renting an umbrella on the beach OR eating on the patio the restrooms are free.

[blue_water]

I don't know what the $2 fee applies to, that sounds low compared to chair and umbrella rentals elsewhere doesn't it?

[TurtleTagger]

I don't know what the $2 fee applies to, that sounds low compared to chair and umbrella rentals elsewhere doesn't it?

 

The longer & umbrella rentals are additional. I was instituted shortly after RP installed their pool...;)

[Sunburns]

Keep in mind, also, that when they refer to all the beaches being 'free' it refers to the area up to the highest water line in the sand. Beyond that I'm guessing whatever property belongs to the business or homes there. I do not know whether they enforce this or just let it go, hoping you will buy drinks or food.

[blue_water]

The longer & umbrella rentals are additional. I was instituted shortly after RP installed their pool...;)

 

Not sure what you're saying, what does the $2 fee apply to? Are you saying it's for the pool?

[bookbabe]

Not sure what you're saying, what does the $2 fee apply to? Are you saying it's for the pool?

 

Pool, restrooms, showers, accessing the beach through their property...covered by the $2

Lounge chairs, umbrellas, cabanas, watersports...separate rental fee per item over and above the $2

Using public pathway to beach elsewhere, towel on sand, peeing in ocean...free :grin:

[blue_water]

From a post by Katie Lou on another thread, the beach cabana (a small cloth "tent" on the beach with 2 lounges and a table & 4 chairs) is $50 if you also spend $50, 2 lounges and an umbrella are $30.

 

We were there twice last week along with locals, other hotel tourists, ans cruisers one day and didn't see any cruisers pay a fee to get to the bar or a able or use the restrooms. Perhaps they have someone in charge of that on busy ship days? We also didn't pay a fee when visiting there on a cruise 2 years ago...

[bookbabe]

There was no fee until a year or so ago, when they added the pool. I have seen people collecting on occasion at the entrance from the parking lot where taxis drop off. There is no fee for locals or "patrons" as far as I understand it, so people actually dining, renting, etc. maybe aren't asked to pay even if they are from a cruise ship? Personally I just think they want to avoid being taken advantage of by the folks who show up, use the facilities and pool all day, make a huge mess, leave and don't spend a dime...