Stingrays are a lot like dogs. When you get into the sea with a few dozen of them — and especially when you offer a squid treat — they come to play and nibble, rub against you and be petted. Their skin is not as slimy as you may imagine but, rather, velvety smooth.

My kids and I learned this when we got in the sparkling water with the relatively “tame” Atlantic southern rays in the North Sound of Grand Cayman, which, at 76 square miles, is the largest of the islands that comprise the Cayman Islands.

In a world-famous area of shallow sandbars known as Stingray City, people come to dive and snorkel or just stand in the calm surf and mingle with rays. Those who are water-shy can also cavort with the creatures from the comfort of glass-bottom boats.

The experience is a must-do in the Cayman Islands, a place ringed by coral reefs and calm turquoise waters, where Mother Nature has always played a big role.

Christopher Columbus sighted the tiny Western Caribbean islands now known as Cayman Brac (14 square miles) and Little Cayman (10 square miles) in 1503 when his ship was blown off course on its way to Hispaniola. He called the islands Las Tortugas (The Turtles) because of all the sea turtles in the surrounding waters.

In 1523, all three islands were named on a map as Lagartos, meaning large lizards. By 1530, they were known as the Calmanas, based on the Carib-Indian word for marine crocodile, and a version of that name stuck.

While Sir Francis Drake, on one of his 16th-century voyages, reported seeing the “great serpents,” they later left the islands. What kept sea captains coming back were the giant sea turtles — a source of meat for their crews.

The first settlers came in the 17th century from the British settlement in Jamaica; some may have been deserters from Oliver Cromwell’s army. It’s also believed at least a few were pirates — they came to Cayman Brac, where the rugged coast includes caves, a good spot to hide booty. Shipwrecked sailors, refugees from the Spanish Inquisition and slaves followed, creating a diverse culture.

Fast-forward, and today the islands are a British Overseas Territory, noteworthy as a safe vacation destination that’s also home to more than 500 offshore banks.

Grand Cayman’s long, picture-perfect, white-sand crescent, Seven Mile Beach — which is actually closer to 5.5 miles along the island’s west side — is one of the best in the Caribbean. The islands serve up some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world, with colorful fish hanging around natural coral reefs, stunning drop-offs and a number of wrecks. The capital city of George Town on Grand Cayman is the hub for tourist activity including resorts and visiting cruise ships.

Chances are if you’ve got kids, you’ll stay on or near Seven Mile Beach. The entire strip is open for walking, and many of the resorts and villa complexes that line the beach open their restaurants to the public; for adults there are plenty of beach bars, too. The soft sands of Seven Mile Beach are gorgeously backed by Australian pine trees; and if it all looks familiar, it may be for its featured role in the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail.

The water temperature averages a balmy 80 degrees, which means getting the kids to leave the sea may be a challenge. Operators proffer water activities of all sorts including kayaking, snorkeling, wave runners, waterskiing, banana boat rides, sailing, parasailing and windsurfing. Horseback riding is also available.

If snorkeling is your goal, you may want to head to more secluded Rum Point, about 25 miles north of George Town, where the clear waters literally teem with colorful fish. Many operators offer snorkeling and dive tours that visit the offshore reefs and wrecks.

The newest artificial reef is the decommissioned USS Kittiwake, used as a rescue vessel in World War II and purposely submerged in 62 feet of water at the northern end of Seven Mile Beach in December 2010. The five-deck submarine is 47 feet tall, so it rests about 15 feet from the surface of the water, making it easily accessible.

Much to the delight of my kids, turtles are still part of the Caymans scene. De rigueur for family travelers is a visit to the Cayman Turtle Farm (Boatswain Beach) in West Bay, a one-of-a-kind breeding facility for the endangered green sea turtle, expanded into a marine theme park when it was rebuilt after a devastating hurricane in 2004.

The huge adult turtles are an awesome sight — they can grow as large as 600 pounds — and you can touch small turtles in breeding tanks. Kids will also enjoy views of the barracuda and nurse shark that make their home in a tank for predators — no touching there. Also on site is an artificial lagoon for snorkeling, the largest swimming pool on the island and a free-flight bird aviary, as well as restaurants and shops.

Nearby in West Bay is an impressive area of black rock formations with a post office designating the area “Hell.” Older kids are likely to want to tweet that one.

Wildlife is on full display at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park. Here you can spot native birds like the protected Cayman whistling ducks, but kids will get excited about the blue iguanas. The park has a recovery program for the endangered creature, and you can see the iguanas and other lizards wandering the landscape.

If the kids start getting too pink from the sun, a new attraction in George Town is the Camana Bay Observation Tower, a 75-foot structure serving up panoramic views of the island. The spiral staircase has the welcome distraction of colorful mosaics of reefs and sea life in the Caymans. Or take the elevator to the top.

Another fun diversion is a two-hour cruise on the Jolly Roger. It’s campy in a Pirates of the Caribbean sort of way, with passengers on the replica 17th-century Spanish galleon entertained with such pirate activities as firing cannons at enemy vessels, making “victims” walk the plank and real sword play.

For something completely different, treat older kids to a visit to the Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park, the second-largest skate park in the world and also home to the only wave machine on the planet that creates 11-foot waves. Gear and protective equipment for the activities are provided.

For those looking for a true getaway, especially as a couple, Cayman Brac and Little Island offer a lower-key alternative to the main scene on Grand Cayman — take advantage of extraordinary diving and snorkeling opportunities and get to know the friendly islanders. Nature is the focus of activities, whether in the water or on land.

Visitors flock to Cayman Brac’s National Trust Parrot Reserve, home to the endangered Cayman Brac parrot. Little Cayman serves up the Booby Pond Nature Reserve, boasting a huge resident colony of red-footed boobies.