Seven Mile Beach access?

[teresapink]

When going to 7 mile beach in Grand Cayman, which is the best way to approach? Through a hotel? Is there public access?

 

Thanks-

T

[PVDCruiser]

When going to 7 mile beach in Grand Cayman, which is the best way to approach? Through a hotel? Is there public access?

 

Thanks-

T

 

I'm about 99% sure that there's public access. I seem to remember from my tour that the hotels along the beach are supposed to provide access to the public (or something like that - can someone help me remember? :D).

[Worn out mailman]

When going to 7 mile beach in Grand Cayman, which is the best way to approach? Through a hotel? Is there public access?

 

Thanks-

T

Hey Teresa.

When you first get onto the main road that runs along Seven Mile Beach, you'll soon see (on your left) Treasure Island Resort (lousy beach there). Then quickly after that you'll come on a Comfort Suites Inn. Right along side that is a public path to the beach which is where the Marriot is. There's a pretty nice stretch of beach there, but it will be a little crowded. If you go down the road a ways further, you'll see a Holiday Inn on the opposite side of the road, with empty beach across from it (at least a few years ago when I was there). Farther down from that even, you'll see a little cemetery on the left (the beach side). Right alongside the cemetery is a beach access to a nice, quiet little piece of beach with a great reef for snorkeling (called cemetery reef). I'll bet the bus driver would know where that is.

[Boo Boo]

Take a taxi/van/bus to "Sea Grape Beach" (don't let the driver pursuade you to go anywhere else...).

 

It is a beautiful stretch of 7 Mile Beach. There is a beach bar (also serving food there and with a beach waitress) and there is a guy hiring loungers and umbrellas (was about $20 for two loungers and an umbrella last October), BUT you don't have to hire them - the beach is public (so you can just sit on your towels on the same beach for free). There is also a water sport vendor there hiring jet skis and everything else. The beach bar has toilets. There is a outside shower and changing facilities etc.

 

Great place... :)

 

Boo

[cb at sea]

I second Sea Grape Beach! It's really nice--everything you need is there!

Just keep an eye on the return traffic--sometimes, Grand Caymans decide to dig holes in the road, tying up traffic for hours! If traffic looks like it's moving slowly, plan to leave a bit early!!!! (The road is visible from the beach!)

[Lynn the Cruiser]

I "third" it!!!!!:D Great beach, nice bathrooms, etc.

[Vacation Nut]

We were just on Sea Grape this March. Once on shore there were loads of taxi-vans and we hopped on for a cost of $5 each. It was 5-10 mins to the beach entrance, we hired loungers and had a nice swim (although there is a fair amount of coral to get across as you enter the water). I loved it there.

[beachdiamonds]

We went to Sea Grape Beach while in the Caymans and caught a bus to and from. The bus stop was literally right across the street and was only $2.00 each. I loved that island. The beach was awesome.

[Mach1]

just a quick FYI...when in Cayman, we asked several people where Sea Grape Beach is and no one knew. we asked our bus driver - he had no idea. there were no signs that we saw.

we got off at Royal Palms and it was ok. stayed for 1 beer ($6 ea) then walked down the beach back to town. nice walk.

[lawsoncd3]

Take a taxi/van/bus to "Sea Grape Beach" (don't let the driver pursuade you to go anywhere else...).

 

It is a beautiful stretch of 7 Mile Beach. There is a beach bar (also serving food there and with a beach waitress) and there is a guy hiring loungers and umbrellas (was about $20 for two loungers and an umbrella last October), BUT you don't have to hire them - the beach is public (so you can just sit on your towels on the same beach for free). There is also a water sport vendor there hiring jet skis and everything else. The beach bar has toilets. There is a outside shower and changing facilities etc.

 

Great place... :)

 

Boo

 

I second this! We were there in October and the beach was lovely. The bartenders, servers, etc. were all very helpful, friendly, and fun. We rented a beach lounger and umbrella for $20. Our son and I did swimming in the ocean, snorkled (rentals available there if you don't have any) and after wards, hailed a cab to take us back. The cab ride wasn't more than 5 dollars I believe (maybe 6). Great way to go. DS and I started off with a "bus" that we saw at the port, but what they don't tell you is they wait for the "bus" (mini van) to fill up before they leave. We waited for about 20 minutes when 2 other couples beside me and my son, decided to grab a cab... not only was it cheaper, the cabbie was quite friendly and very informative.

 

Have fun and Sea Grape Beach is an awesome way to spend the day at Grand Cayman.

 

D :)

[Boo Boo]

just a quick FYI...when in Cayman, we asked several people where Sea Grape Beach is and no one knew. we asked our bus driver - he had no idea. there were no signs that we saw.

we got off at Royal Palms and it was ok. stayed for 1 beer ($6 ea) then walked down the beach back to town. nice walk.

 

They were telling porkies... ("Porky Pies" - English Cockney Rhyming Slang for "Lies").

 

It seems as though the taxi drivers have some sort of agreement with certain resorts ("Royal Palms" being one of them) and they get a commission for the number of people they drop off there. So they will do anything to encourage you to go there - like say it is better or that they don't know where it is. Because of this "commission" Royal Palms tends to be a lot busier and a bit of a tourist trap.

 

Sea Grape is quieter and better - even some of the ships crew go there (when we were there, the Ice Dancers were there - they certainly were well toned athletes... :D ).

 

If taxi drivers pretend to not know where it is say that you want to be dropped off at the beach on the opposite side of the road to the "Marriott Courtyard Grand Cayman" (http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/gcmcy-courtyard-grand-cayman/) - that is Sea Grape Beach.

 

Boo

[VernRDH]

Sea Grapes is the best!! We were there in March also and it is by far the most beautiful beach we have been to yet. Nice facilities, beach bar with food, rentals etc. Just awesome. The best part was we were the only ship in port that day so it was almost deserted!! I would go back in a heartbeat!!

 

Enjoy!!

 

If you click on the link in my signature, it will take you to my website where there are pictures of Sea Grapes.

[Pomperaugrr]

just a quick FYI...when in Cayman, we asked several people where Sea Grape Beach is and no one knew. we asked our bus driver - he had no idea. there were no signs that we saw.

 

 

Well, if you ask a driver for Sea Grapes Beach, they are not technically lying if they say there is no such beach. They will steer you toward a commission paying hotel though. In reality, Sea Grapes is a nice little business, with food, clean rest rooms, bar, loungers etc. Sea Grapes is located on 7 Mile Beach. It is an awesome location. We head there every time we get to Grand Cayman. The wave runner rental is reasonable and you have a lot of freedom on them. Be sure to rent these early, as the wait times really increase as the day passes.

[katstoy]

We were just there last month. As soon as you exit the tender pier there are folks hawking all kinds of tours. You can catch a shared taxi for $4.00 per person to 7 mile beach. They let us off on a stretch of public beach which was right in front of a great little restaurant/bar that had restroom, showers and changing facilities. You can rent a lounge chair all day for $5.00. The beach was nice, as was the water.

 

Friends we met on the cruise went to the Hyatt. That cost them $25.00 per person to use the facilties and the beach. I don't know what their cab fare was.

 

On the way home, you just walked back out to the road and the taxis were waiting to take you back to the pier.

[teresapink]

Thanks all----

 

What a wealth of information! Sea Grapes it is!

 

Teresa..xo