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Photo by: Zach Stovall

Calico Jack's is not your typical beach dive. No driftwood supporting a thatch roof. No bric-a-brac spit up by the ocean. No hammocks for a tequila siesta. Just sand, a simple tin roof sheltering a Southern-style wraparound porch and a good barkeep slinging stiff drinks. There's rock music on the radio and a 180-degree view of the quiet northern stretch of Seven Mile Beach. It's the kind of familiar place you'd duck into on any given day on any street in America, only all the more appealing because it anchors some of the Caribbean's prime beachfront property. By day the bar swells with cruise-shippers, so drop by mid-afternoon, when the locals drift in. Just outside the hotel zone, Calico Jack's is on the mellowest part of Grand Cayman's most popular beach - and faces west. Offshore bankers, relocated Canucks, hoteliers and the ubiquitous weeklong visitors all pull up stools to catch the day's last rays and grab a quick bite of pub fare.Once a month, the same group, multiplied by hundreds, takes to the night in celebration of the full moon. It's all about basking in the cool celestial glow, with DJs laying tracks and dancing in the sand. The institution is no slouch in the social responsibility department either; full moon parties raise money for local charities, and Calico Jack's also sponsors beach cleanups in exchange for free food and beer. We'll drink to that!
Calico Jack's
Public Beach, West Bay Road, Grand Cayman
Open seven days a week. Happy hour specials daily from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Open-mic jam Tuesday nights, occasional live music Friday nights or DJs Saturday nights, full-moon parties monthly. 345-945-7850