SUNSET CRUISING WITH A THREE YEAR OLD

Last week, we were vacationing in the Cayman Islands and looking for a special activity to do that we haven't done before. We travel to Cayman every April, so we've done a lot of things that the island has to offer, but the Red Sail Sports sunset cruise was a first for us!

I was a little nervous about taking our three year old out to sea. He can't swim yet, and if you're a mom with any sort of intrusive thoughts like I have, you know my mind was racing thinking of what could go wrong. I'm so glad that we went though, and here's what I'd share with any other parents who are considering doing this experience in Grand Cayman.

The logistics

We bought our tickets online in advance through Red Sail Sports' website. You can either pick up the boat in front of the Kimpton Seafire hotel or the Westin. We chose the Westin because we wanted to have dinner there after the sail, but either would be great options. The timing of the tour is approximately 5:15-7:30 p.m. (it differs slightly based on which location you choose for pickup/drop off).

In case of inclement weather, they'll give you options -- rescheduling or refunding your money. This happened to us, and I'm so glad we were able to reschedule! I'd recommend booking this early on in your trip in case it gets canceled so you can do the same.

The experience

Once you get on the boat, there's plenty of seating. Most people opted for the front of the catamaran with the netting. Since our son is pretty small, we instead chose a seat in the back with a table and true seating. I thought this was perfect, and it was easy enough to walk around and explore other areas of the boat. We chose the side of the boat where we knew we'd have the best view of the sunset, but in area of the boat you'd easily be able to see both the sunset and island.

They offer complementary snacks (on our sail it was chicken wings), and a bar where you pay for drinks. This was a great way to stave off a little hunger before dinner and how can you not enjoy a rum punch (or other tropical cocktail onboard a sailboat in the Caribbean?).

What to consider if you have little kids

Like I said before, I was a little nervous about my son being out at sea (and even asked my husband if we should bring his life jacket with us!). I ended up feeling extremely safe while we were on board -- the ride was calm and there were plenty of spaces for us to sit where I wasn't worried about my son falling overboard.

I'd also recommend bringing snacks and a water bottle for them on board. Our son eats early, so this happened right over when he would typically be eating dinner, and he's not a huge meat eater so wasn't interested in the wings. And since the bar was mostly for cocktails, a water bottle or toddler cup with their favorite drink would be great to bring as well.

Overall, this was such a great experience and we can't wait to make it a more regular activity that we do each year when we visit!

Have you ever taken your little kids on a sunset sail? What did you think about the experience? Share in the comments!