Swim with stingrays and sea turtles on Grand Cayman, a tropical haven

Snow flurries swirled around our car as we carefully crept toward Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on an early April morning, the streets filled with cautious drivers after an overnight snowfall. Our annual family getaway couldn’t have come at a better time — we were ready to trade our snow boots for sandals.

After a smooth four-hour nonstop flight, we stepped off the plane in Grand Cayman and were instantly welcomed by a rush of balmy air carrying the scent of the sea. Palm trees swayed, the sky glowed a soft Caribbean blue, and winter was a distant memory.

Over the next seven days, I held starfish, petted stingrays, swam with dolphins, hiked through caves full of bats and strolled through a botanical garden famous for its massive blue iguanas. Grand Cayman may be famous for its luxury resorts and fine dining experiences, but our trip was defined by unforgettable encounters with wildlife.

Last spring, our family of four chose crescent-shaped Grand Cayman — the largest of the three Cayman Islands — in honor of my parents’ 30th wedding anniversary. It would be my little sister’s and my first time, and my parents’ first time returning since their honeymoon in 1994. We picked up a rental car and left my dad to tackle the challenge of driving on the left side of the road — an indication of the island’s status as a British Overseas Territory. Eventually, we arrived at our oceanfront condo on Seven Mile Beach.

Our stay was located about halfway up the beach, a few doors down from where Mom and Dad honeymooned 30 years ago. Throughout the trip, they enjoyed many sunset beach walks down memory lane while my sister and I alternated between snorkeling, beach reads and sipping on strawberry daiquiris. And while we certainly enjoyed swimming around coral reefs and lounging on the pristine white sands, we had plenty of other excursions planned.

[More: Minnesotans have more nonstop flights to warm-weather winter destinations than ever.]

Every day was a new adventure. One night we joined a bioluminescence tour, where the waters glow with tiny organisms under the starry sky. At the Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Park, we spotted the island’s iconic blue iguanas, a rare species that looks almost prehistoric. Hiking on a guided tour through the Crystal Caves gave us a glimpse of the island’s underground majesty, where we explored humid caverns of glittering stalactites and hidden pools.

On the opposite side of the island, we visited the Cayman Turtle Conservation and Education Centre. The wildlife rehabilitation center has been protecting and growing the native population of green sea turtles since the 1980s. The Centre is traversed by walkways that designate pools full of the giant turtles, which are 3 to 4 feet long and weigh up to 350 pounds. Ninety percent of Grand Cayman’s green sea turtle population can trace its roots back to the Centre.

We also did a fair bit of exploring on foot. Down the road from our condo, a pedestrian bridge connects Seven Mile Beach to Camana Bay, a colorful new retail, business and housing district. We found ourselves returning to Camana Bay throughout our stay, whether for dinners at Mizu Asian Bistro & Bar or Agua Restaurant & Lounge, or simply for a sweet treat of gelato to end the evening.

At the end of each delightfully sun-soaked and waterlogged day, we alternated preparing meals at our condo with exploring local restaurants, like the Cracked Conch or takeout from Chicken! Chicken!, before easily falling asleep.

Our most memorable day was spent on a guided boat excursion. We set off from the marina, navigating through a network of waterways lined by opulent vacation homes, until we turned a corner and found ourselves staring out into the open Caribbean Sea. Gliding along, we listened to our guides share the history of the Caymans and cruised past lush mangrove forests until we reached Starfish Point. The crystal-clear water was only a few feet deep, allowing us to see that the white sands below the surface were dotted with orange and pink starfish.

After a briefing on how to respectfully and safely handle these creatures, our tour group of 10 began fanning out across the waters in search of more. My sister and I took turns holding a starfish, examining the little invertebrate and marveling at the texture of its tiny, spiny body, before heading ashore for a quick lunch at nearby Rum Point.

Next up on the day’s itinerary: Stingray City. This is one of the more famous activities on Grand Cayman, where tour boats take groups out past Rum Point to a sandbar where you can walk around and feed southern stingrays. We waded into the warm sea as these gentle creatures glided around us, their smooth wings brushing against our legs in anticipation of another round of snacking. Our guide showed us how to safely feed them squid bits and gently pet the rays.

Back on the boat, we moved away from shore and put on our life jackets to snorkel along some coral reefs. I ventured a bit away from our group, buoyed by the gentle waves on a sunny afternoon. After a few minutes of floating on my back and enjoying the moment, I looked down and saw a big sea turtle on the ocean floor, with sunlight refracting through the waves to create patterns on its shell. I gasped, swallowing a bit of seawater, and popped my head above water, raising a hand to try to express to my mom back on the boat that I was swimming with a sea turtle.

My magical snorkeling experience was a reminder that beyond the beautiful beaches and luxury resorts, Grand Cayman has a deep commitment to protecting its natural wonders. The reptile, most likely used to vacation-goers ogling it, paid me no attention and went on its way. I followed at a short distance until I began to worry that I was too far from the boat, and turned back.

Katherine Lawless is a Minneapolis writer.