The Cayman Coffee Crawl

The Cayman Coffee Crawl

Many of us have embarked on our fair share of pub crawls — but what about a Coffee Crawl?

It’s time to mix up our routine with a new non-alcoholic event that can be enjoyed while basking in our lonesome or surrounded by our friends.

How does it work you ask? Well, it’s quite simple. You start by picking three (or more) coffee destinations. Luckily, if living in Cayman, this step has already been completed for you compliments of Island Diaries by Kate! You must then consider a time frame. Do you want to visit all three coffee venues this month, this weekend, or get super hyped on caffeine and visit all three in one day? 

Follow me on Instagram for my free Cayman Coffee Crawl itinerary or a customizable coffee crawl template (see left) that works anywhere in the world. This is a fun way to remember your favorite drinks and food from each place you visit and share your picks with friends and family!

Read about my first ever Cayman Coffee Crawl below and get ready to embark on your very own coffee adventure!

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Stop Number #1: Bluestone Lane

Location: 51 Fort Street, George Town

Located only a few blocks from the waterfront in the heart of George Town, you will find Bluestone Lane on an adorable street corner across from George Town public library.

Seating: There are many seating options available both indoors and outdoors. Even during peak Sunday breakfast hours we were able to find a table within a few minutes of ordering our drinks. 

Beverage: As recommended by a friend, I ordered a Flat White with almond milk. It arrived in the most picturesque manner with the steamed milk design etched on the frothy surface. Bryan, a man who favors consistency in his coffee drinks, ordered an Americano served strong and hot in blue porcelain. Both drinks were rich in flavor and kick started our day in a perfectly caffeinated fashion. 

Bites: Unsure of where my appetite was when I arrived, I ordered their Vegan Keto PB Cheesecake. (I mean, who knew such a thing existed). It was delicious and large in portion, pairing wonderfully with the Flat White. Bryan went for a more traditional start to morning, ordering an Egg and Bacon Croissant Spiral. (Sunny side up egg, bacon, spinach, tomato chutney & roasted garlic aiolil). Overall, YUM. 

Thoughts? I would definitely recommend trying out Bluestone Lane for a quick breakfast or coffee while in George Town. As someone who spends much of her time around the Seven Mile area, it is nice to change up the vibe and head “downtown” to grab a coffee. Nice people, upbeat ambience, and a tasty menu. Definitely check this off your next Coffee Crawl!

Stop #2: Tillie’s, Palm Heights

Although Tillie’s would not be considered by most as a place to stop for coffee, we argue that it is one of the best and should definitely be considered on the crawl! Keep reading to find out why!

Location: 747 W Bay Road

Located on the coveted white sands of Seven Mile Beach, Tillie’s provides breathtaking ocean views in a captivatingly elegant dining space. Many Cayman residents and visitors have experienced such ambience at their iconic Sunday brunch but have you ever considered stopping by for something as simple as a coffee or juice?

Seating: We arrived around 11 am on a weekday It was incredibly quiet as the staff were just starting to prepare for the day ahead. We selected a table in the sandy area under the awning, as close as possible to the pristine waters as possible. We sipped our drinks with toes in the sand and only the ocean waves as background noise. Name a better place to enjoy a late morning coffee.

Beverage: I ordered a delightfully refreshing green juice and Bryan ordered, you guessed it, an Americano. 

Bites: I chose to enjoy my green juice in and of itself while Bryan ordered a small plate of empanadas. Of course, this was not the most conventional of coffee hours, but hey, anything goes while living on a Caribbean island! 

Thoughts: Unexpected but optimal venue for a coffee date. We will definitely be back for more green juices and americanos. Many people frequent Tillies for their elaborate brunches and cultural nights, but I think there’s something to be said for the simplicity of ordering a coffee and juice on the beach. You could even throw on a swim suit for a post coffee dip!

Stop #3: Jessie’s Juice

Location: Market St, Camana Bay 

Cafes don’t get much cuter than Jessie’s Juice in Camana Bay, a vibrant waterfront community in the heart of Seven Mile Beach. Jessie’s is the perfect place for a post workout juice, a mid shopping spree coffee, or a quick and healthy meal while out on the town.

Seating: Jessie’s, being the cute little place that it is, has very limited indoor seating. The main draw of this juice bar & café is the vibrant outdoor seating options perfect for meeting up with friends or people-watching in solitude. You can even bring along a furry companion!

Beverage: If you are one of those people who are overwhelmed by “too many” amazing options, you may have a tough time at Jessie’s. One look at the menu and your eyes will go wide with wonder. We came for coffee but as usual were tempted by the wide variety of smoothies, juices, lemonades, and kombucha. After trying a couple samples, we ditched our coffee plans and settled on two tall glasses of peach kombucha. Even people who are a little bit on the booch fence will love Jessie’s version. It is fresh, fizzy, and has virtually none of the vinegar flavor that some brews seem to contain. I totally recommend this drink especially because they let you taste it beforehand!

Bites: We settled on Bryan’s favorite pastry — the banana nut muffin. This muffin has been known to help the accountants of Camana Bay survive through the busy season! It is a light and delicious option if you are not super hungry! 

Thoughts: All around, Jessie’s is one of my favorite places to go for a coffee or smoothie. If you haven’t been yet and would like to try it out, you should definitely go when you have time to sit for a while outside. Bring a book, meet a friend, or people-watch to your heart’s content. (Wear sun glasses so people don’t think you’re creepy.)

Cayman Coffee Crawl in Review:

This island offers many exciting events… but if you aren’t interested in drinking alcohol or spending a lot of money, I think the Cayman Coffee Crawl is an excellent activity to try out! Please stay tuned for future coffee crawls as I know I am only scratching the surface and there are so many places to be explored! (In Cayman and world wide!)

Connect

If you decide to try my coffee crawl or design your own version wherever you are in the world, please share with me! Also, if you have any recommendations for cafes to try in Cayman or around the world, send them my way 🙂

As always, thanks for reading! Subscribe below to receive new content to your inbox every Wednesday!

9 Things To Do for FREE in Grand Cayman

9 Things To Do for FREE in Grand Cayman

Being a teacher with summers off (and no children of my own) means ample time to explore interests and hobbies. (So many people just rolled their eyes at me). It also means ample time and opportunity to spend more money than a teacher salary really allows for. Especially in Grand Cayman. Land of the $10 bell peppers. That being said, I have to be mindful of my spending habits and creative in my daily activities. Luckily, this hasn’t been too terribly difficult living on an island in the Caribbean. In this edition of Island Diaries by Kate I will share with you 9 free (or nearly free) activities to be enjoyed in Grand Cayman! (This list is absolutely not exhaustive). Please note you are about to see a common theme of beach-related activities. I wonder why…

  1. Enjoy “Poor Man’s Happy Hour”

There are definitely some occasions in which you want to go to a beautiful ocean-front restaurant and spend $10 on a glass of wine. But don’t forget, for that same price you can buy an entire bottle and sit your butt down in the sand for hours of enjoyment. Take a towel, a couple glasses, and pick any spot on Seven Mile Beach. All set!

Price: $5-10/person 

  1. Go on a beach walk

Not much to explain with this one! Take off your flip-flops, put on your sunscreen, and get to it! I myself like to bring along some coffee. Splurge at one of the many Cayman coffee shops like Jessie’s Juice or Paperman’s, or just bring some good old Folgers in your travel mug. 

Price: FREE or the price of your coffee 🙂

Sunday morning coffee beach walk
  1. Take a beach nap

Very similar to Beach Walk (see above) but for this one instead of walking you just take a nap on your towel! Any questions?

Price: FREE

  1. Treat yourself to a sauna session or hot yoga

Right now in Grand Cayman, it is 90 degrees almost everyday. With humidity, the real feel is around 100 or more. That being said, the second you step outside you are sweating. For this reason, any space you occupy can seamlessly become your own personal sauna. If you so choose, you could even do some yoga poses…say in front of the ocean or by the pool, and you find yourself in the middle of your own free hot yoga class. People pay the big bucks for that you guys. Take advantage. Sweat it out!!

Price: FREE

  1. Take part in anthropological observation (AKA people watching w/ the occasional eavesdrop)

This is a fan-favorite worldwide. All you have to do is post up somewhere (on the beach or at a coffee shop), and watch the people go by. I will say, however, that people watching in Grand Cayman is a little boring and normal compared to, say, the Wisconsin Dells with its concentration of Illinois tourists in a constant state of discontent and family dysfunction.

Price: FREE

  1. Have an impromptu photo shoot

If you do choose to people-watch in Grand Cayman, you will more likely than not see Bryan and I somewhere on the beach or around town taking an obscene amount of photos. Walk toward me. Smile! Look that way. Okay, now jump! Oh CUTE. Take off your sunglasses. NICE. Great way to pass the time and you may just end up with one winning photo out of the 100 that you took!!

Price: FREE (with your mobile device) WARNING: may come at the price of judgement from others but haters gonna hate.

  1. Treat your apartment amenities like a royal palace

Obviously, this one does not apply to the general population. But come visit and you can enjoy all that our new apartment complex has to offer! Choose from the following activities: swimming or relaxing by the pool, playing tennis, drinking coffee or reading by the canal, working out at the gym, botanical garden tour (walk around the facility and look at flowers…use your imagination), pet the neighbors dogs, and try to befriend the neighbor’s cats (good luck, they play hard to get).

Price: Not cheap for me but FREE for you if you come visit!

  1. Become a dog owner for the day (or just an hour)

The Humane Society in Grand Cayman is so different from those I have visited in the Midwest. One day I went there to see if I could hang out with the cats and 5 minutes after arriving I was alone with a pitbull named Gloria. We went for a walk. We had fun. I liked it so much that I came back the following week and took another dog out for a drive and a walk (smaller this time because Gloria would not have fit in the Fiat 500) This one was named Mika. At the Humane Society in Cayman they let you take the dogs to the beach or anywhere you want really as long as you bring them back at the end of the day. Helping dogs + exercise = an afternoon well spent! Before or after picking up your dog, you can visit the upstairs Book Loft that has a great selection of used books for dirt cheap!

Price: FREE, but warning — you may become attached!! ($2-4 for a book)

  1. Join Wednesday Night Running Club

Many people just stopped reading because they despise running. And the rest of you who do run are probably thinking you prefer to do it alone. But let me tell you, in this Caribbean heat, running with a group has been my saving grace. And it has been a great way to meet people from all over the world who love to run! WNRC meets at the World Gym (yep, you guessed it — every Wednesday) and the run takes off at 6 pm. Most people run 5k, some run a bit longer. 

Price: FREE (but T-shirt was 25 CI)      Note: $1 CI = $1.2 USD

Well, my friends. There you have it! 9 amazing activities you can do for free in Grand Cayman. Don’t write off this island as an excessively luxurious dot in the Caribbean. There is no doubt you could blow a lot of money here, and I am not saying that I don’t splurge from time to time, but most often the best parts of our day and the best parts of our life are born out of simplicity and are totally priceless. This has been true for me this summer in Grand Cayman! I hope you are all enjoying your summer and its priceless moments wherever you may be!