Is the Cayman Turtle Centre Worth it With Kids? Here’s What to Expect

Grand Cayman is such a kid-friendly vacation destination. It has tons of family-friendly resorts, restaurants are very welcoming to kids and there are a bunch of activities that are tailored to everyone in the family. 

One of our favorites is the Cayman Turtle Centre where you can see and interact with a ton of Caymanian wildlife close up, including turtles, birds and many species of fish. In the past, Grand Cayman was the location for one of the world’s largest breeding colonies for Green sea turtles. Due to pollution, climate change, and other reasons, turtles are now at risk not just in Cayman, but worldwide. Through conservation efforts and education, the Cayman Turtle Centre is focused on ensuring turtles will be around for much longer. 

Interacting with the turtles at the Cayman Turtle Centre

There are two ways to interact with the turtles during your visit. The first is better for young children – simply a self-guided tour of the grounds called the Turtle Safari. You’ll be able to see the breeding tanks; check out predator reef, which is a giant tank with a bunch of predatory fish species like nurse sharks and barracudas; visit the aviary and learn about the bird species present in Cayman and more. 

For more of an immersive experience (which may be better for older kids who can swim), choose the package that includes everything above, plus swimming in the turtle lagoon. This option is called the Turtle Adventure. It’s a saltwater lagoon with turtles and other marine life, so you can get an up close view of so many amazing creatures. You also get access to several other pools, one with a waterslide, so this is a great option if you want to make a day of your visit. 

Events and activities on-site

Each day, the Cayman Turtle Centre offers opportunities throughout the day to hear more about the different animals firsthand from the experts. A few examples include a shark talk, which we attended on our visit, a presentation from the bird keeper, and feedings for the predatory fish and turtles. 

And if your kiddos are anything like my son, the number one on-site activity might just be their playground.

Turtle releases

Since the Cayman Turtle Centre’s primary focus is conservation for turtles and other species, they release a minimum of 500 sea turtles back into Cayman’s waters each year. Since inception, they’ve released more than 36,000 turtles back into the wild and the efforts are paying off! Divers across the Caribbean report seeing turtles much more frequently and many of them return to Cayman to nest.

Overall, the Cayman Turtle Centre is a great way to see Cayman’s wildlife up close at a destination that is doing so much good for the turtle population. For more kid-friendly Grand Cayman recommendations, make sure to check out my full travel guide.