Grand Cayman Rental Car

[wines60]

The first port on our cruise this April is Georgetoen, Grand Cayman. We usually like to be independent and are planning on having a rental car for the day. Has anyone rented a car there, and could you recommend an agency. I know they drive on the "wrong side" of the road there and when I mentioned it to my husband he replied that since he had flown helicopters for many years he should be able to manage. (Helicopters pilots sit on the right hand side!) Any help would be apreciated; also, any not to be missed sights??

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[iancal]

We rented from Avis. They drove us from downtown to the airport pick up the car- a 10 minute drive. No issue. The car was a standard transmisssion. but I am used to this. We had no issues, traffic was light, and we enjoyed being able to get around on our own. The island is small so you will have lots of time to poke around. Just made sure that DW checked traffic on her side when we pulled out to cross the road. I recommend it ....it sure beats shopping. You can get a map on the web, do some reseach as to where you want to go. We skipped the turtle place and we had been to 7 mile beach on another trip. We did have a wonderful lunch at a lighthouse turned into a restaurant..cannot remember the name or location. It is a small island.

[wines60]

Thanks for the reply. The restaurant sounds like something we might want to try. Anyone else with some info??

[trout62]

Believe it or not, there is an outfit called Coconut Car Rentals that I have used probably 20 times. They will be cheaper than Avis, and the cars are fine. They have a 20% On-line booking discount. Not sure what branch is closest to the dock...we use the one at the airport. SMB may be closer.

 

You will have to buy a drivers license...something like 10 bucks iirc.

 

http://www.coconutcarrentals.com

 

Trout

[Iwannavacation]

We stayed at the Caymans last Spring Break and rented a car one day. It will cost you about $75-80 for the car, international drivers license and insurance. The really isn't that much to see off 7 Mile Beach. Taxis will cost you about $15 each way from the pier to 7 Mile Beach. Unless you want to go to the exquisite restaurant at the other end of the island, I'd just use a taxi if I were you.

[wines60]

We stayed at the Caymans last Spring Break and rented a car one day. It will cost you about $75-80 for the car, international drivers license and insurance. The really isn't that much to see off 7 Mile Beach. Taxis will cost you about $15 each way from the pier to 7 Mile Beach. Unless you want to go to the exquisite restaurant at the other end of the island, I'd just use a taxi if I were you.

 

 

Sounds like good advice. Where is the restaurant you mentioned, do you know the name, and is it reasonable to do with a taxi? Thanks for the reply.

[twinkletoes4445]

We rent from Andy's. Driving isn't that hard because the traffic does not move that quickly. We thought the drivers were very polite. We also worried about driving on the opposite side of the road, but we had no problems adapting. We like to get a car that is set up like the cars here in the US so that way we don't have to try and figure out where things are located on the opposite side of the car.

 

The great thing about having your own car is you can go anywhere you want on the island (and it's safe enough to do this on Grand Cayman).

 

This is a favorite shop of ours. It's never crowded as it's too far away from the cruise port for the cruisers to visit. It's about a mile or so out of town.

 

http://www.pureart.ky/

 

If we ever visit Grand Cayman again while on a cruise, we'll rent a car and do our own thing. :)

[trout62]

Sounds like good advice. Where is the restaurant you mentioned, do you know the name, and is it reasonable to do with a taxi? Thanks for the reply.

 

I am not sure about "the exquisite one on the other side of the island" but the one "with the lighthouse" mentioned earler is called "The Lighthouse" and is very good.

 

http://www.lighthouse.ky/home.html

 

Trout