Downtown George Town is dense with tourists on cruise ship days (two to three times a week); otherwise it's a fairly quiet little town with business people running around in suits plying the financial trade.

Still you're likely to spend a bit of time here, at least checking out the cigar and gem shops - which though duty- and tax- free, are still no bargain - or the decent museum and nearby colonial buildings.  

The Town
To get oriented on Cayman history, begin downtown at the Cayman National Museum, Harbor Drive at Shedden Road, which has served variously as a courthouse, place of worship and a jail. The 150-year-old building was refurbished as a museum in 1990, with the former jail converted into a gift-shop. Of the historical displays inside the museum, most interesting is the three-dimensional plastic model revealing the Cayman Islands as small peaks of massive underwater mountains.

From the museum, walk a few blocks north on Harbor Drive to Elmslie Memorial Church , built in 1920 by architect-shipbuilder Captain Rayan. His nautical heritage is evident in the structure's ceiling, which mimics the upturned hull of a schooner. North to Fort Street, and then right, you'll hit the Legislative Assembly Building, a modern construction reminiscent of a pyramid and the very first poured-concrete building on the island. There were no modern cement mixers, so the concrete was mixed in vats right on the street and poured pail by pail by a brigade of workers. If the assembly is in session, you're welcome to observe from seats in the upper gallery.
 

Continue down Edward Street to the columned post office, built in 1939. There is no home delivery of mail on the islands, hence the two thousand post boxes at this location.

To get back to the bay, head down Cardinal Avenue, flanked by sparkling duty-free shops. On South Church Street, there's a small beach at Eden Rock where you can rent snorkel/scuba gear and swim out to one of the finest snorkeling reefs on the island. If you prefer not to get wet, Atlantis submarines will shuttle you down 100 feet in air-conditioned comfort. You can't miss the store, which has a yellow model submarine right on South Church Street. Tours generally start on the hour (US$70 per person), but it's best to call for reservations at 345/949-7700.

Shedden Road (weekdays 9am-5pm and Sat 10am- 2pm, closed Sun; US$5

Cayman Islands
     travel guide

Cayman Islands
Overview
Where to go
When to go
Getting there
Costs & currency
Communications
Food and drink
Brief history
Best of Cayman Islands
Info and sites
Diving, hiking
Festivals and holidays
Scuba diving