35 Things to Do for Families across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula
Adventures kids will love in & around the Riviera Maya (Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel &Tulum) and inland towards Chichen Itza
Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. This blog post covers our discoveries within the red square area.
We took a great family trip to explore the northeast of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula in January, venturing south from Cancun to Tulum and inland through Valladolid out to Chichen Itza. We had 4 full days there (and a travel day on either end) and found so many awesome things to do that we couldn’t fit them all in!
While many families travel to Cancun and stay in or around their resort in the Zona Hotelera (hotel zone, also known as Isla Cancun), there is so much more to see and do down the coast and inland, including some of the finest archaeological sites in the Americas. No matter your family members’ interests, we promise there is something (or many somethings) here for them!
This blog post covers everything we found within the red square region on the map (the peninsula’s northeastern tip comprising large portions of the states of Quintana Roo & Yucatan) that might appeal to families of all kinds. There is of course even more to do on the Peninsula if you venture further west including Merida and Campeche, but we don’t cover those in this post.
Please note that Mexico has been building the Maya Train (Tren Maya) for the past few years, and they’re making speedy progress. Soon, visitors will be able to do almost everything in this post via the train. For more and updated information, go here.
Riviera Maya: Cancun to Tulum
The development of Cancun & other smaller resorts towns over the past few decades have transformed the Yucatan’s eastern coast. Now known as the Riviera Maya (Mayan Riviera), its sandy beaches and beautiful blue warm waters make it a major tourist destination. It also has the second longest coral reef system in the world and so is loved by divers and snorkelers. Here, we cover the main Riviera areas from north (Cancun) to south (Tulum); for reference, it takes about 2 hours to drive from Cancun to Tulum, with Playa del Carmen as the halfway point.
Two important notes | “Private beaches” - While many hotels like to stake out beaches in a way that makes it seem they are private, all beaches are public under Mexican law. Beach toys: You can of course bring your beach/sand toys from home, but many hotels and AirBNBs have toys for guests’ use and the local shops offer a great variety.
Northside: around Cancun & the Zona Hotelera
There are 2 Cancuns: downtown Cancun, which has few hotels and no beaches, and Isla Cancun (AKA the Zona Hotelera, or Hotel Zone), an narrow 7-shaped island 14 miles long that is connected to mainland Mexico by 2 bridges and populated almost exclusively by hotels and beaches. The Laguna Nichupte is the protected bay caught between the mainland and Isla Cancun and is most often used for water sports. We personally chose to stay in downtown Cancun (at the Fairfield Marriott Downtown - not the airport one) rather than at one of the resorts for affordability and because we knew we’d be out adventuring across the Yucatan rather than staying at the the hotel/resort. For price reference, our Marriott room was $80/night and the resorts were $400+/night. The Marriott also had a wonderful breakfast buffet included.
Beaches
Isla Cancun is basically just a huge 7-shaped beach! For lovely calm and warm water, the easily-accessible-to-the-public beaches of Playa Tortugas and Playa Langosta located at the top part of the 7-shaped island and part of the Bahia Mujeres (Women’s Bay). The downside to these beaches, especially in recent years, is that they are often overwhelmed by seaweed. If you prefer bigger waves with your lovely views, try Playa Chacmool, Playa Marlin, and Playa Ballenas which are on the long/vertical side of the 7 and face the open sea. Parking at these Playas can be very competitive - we recommend you walk, bike, or Uber if possible!
If, like us, you prefer wilder, quieter, and/or less seaweed-y beaches, we highly recommend driving to Isla Blanca, a very thin strip of land (not actually an island) with natural virgin beaches on both sides. There is not nearly so much development there, so take some snacks/lunch and lots of water with you. If you don’t have a car, don’t want to Uber, or if you’re interested in some added fun, there are some great tours that visit Isla Blanca - you can drive a speedboat out there; one bike ride/boat tour combo; and a “3 island" snorkeling tour that includes Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres, which we cover below.
Isla Mujeres & Isla Contoy
Isla Mujeres - Island of Women - is long and narrow with stunning beaches. Situated north of Isla Cancun close to the coral reef, its popular for diving and snorkeling. Ferries drop off passengers in town close to the swimming beaches at the north of the island - Playa Norte, Playa Centro and Playa El Cocal all have lovely clean white sand and warm shallow water. The southern end is rugged - Playa Garrafon is the go-to spot here for diving or snorkeling as its right off the reef; you can catch a taxi from downtown to Garrafon easily and affordably.
For nature lovers, Isla Contoy is a tiny, protected nature reserve island off the northern tip of the Yucatan peninsula at the top of the barrier reef where the Caribbean Sea & Gulf of Mexico meet. It’s location in nutrient-rich waters supports abundant fish and bird life, and makes the island a prime turtle nesting site. If you’re lucky (and brave!) you can snorkel or dive with whale sharks off the island’s coast.
There are many tours you can sign up for to make the most of Isla Mujeres and/or Isla Contoy, and take the planning out of it on your end - here is just one tour that covers both, but do look around and pick whatever suits your fancy. For the DIYers, you can catch a ferry to Isla Mujeres from Puerto Juarez or Punta Sam, both north of Cancun - there are also a few ferries from Playa Linda’s dock in Cancun’s Zona Hotelera.
Note that you can also catch a ferry from Cancun to Cozumel, perhaps the most famous island in the Riviera, which we cover further down in this post.
Holbox
Holbox is a small town on the very end of Isla Holbox on the north side of the lagoon, which you can reach via a 25 minute ferry from Chiquila here or join a tour (here is one good option). Holbox’s steets are sandy and lined with colorful Caribbean buildings, with incredible green waters due to mixing ocean currents, amazing birdlife, and whale sharks in the summer. The beach here is easily the most shallow and calm, so gentle that you will worry very little about even your littlest family members. The sand is so fun, it acts like clay and is perfect for any sandcastle (or dump truck).
Other Fun Activities in Cancun
Take the kids on a “submarine” boat - the SubSee Explorer - to visit Cancun’s famous Underwater Museum and marvel at the fish, turtles, corals, rays, and more. This was an awesome option for us since our kids were too young to snorkel (or dive) when we visited! A note that if you are particularly prone to sea-sickness this probably is not for you.
If, like us, seeing the wonderful local marine life by snorkeling or diving was not in the books (e.g., because you have small children along with you), the Interactive Aquarium of Cancun is a good option and includes a dolphin show.
The XCaret company has 2 co-located theme/adventure parks near Cancun (see more about XCaret under the Playa del Carmen section; like everything XCaret, these are expensive but high quality, and for kids 5 and older):
Xoximilco is modeled after the famous Xochimilco canals of Mexico City and their flat party boats (trajineras) - we highly recommend this if you haven’t or don’t plan to do the Mexico City one. This is a night-time party (starting at 7PM) where you enjoy traditional Mexican food and music as you float down a canal. Kids are absolutely welcome and embraced by the hosts (Mexico has incredible pro-children culture). Here is one link to buy tickets; you can compare across sites for prices.
Xavage is an outdoor adventure park offering an awesome kids splash zone, ropes course, monster trucking, jet boating, rafting, and zip-line flights (lying on your stomach for the feeling of flight). A buffet meal is included with entrance. Here’s a good deal ticket option, but do compare prices across options.
If you are interested in local history & archaeology but don’t plan to go out to any of the (many) major sites nearby (e.g., Tulum, Chichen Itza, Ekbalam), you can visit the small Mayan ruins of El Rey (The King) which was occupied from about 1200 AD to the Spanish conquest.
The Maya Museum (Museo Maya de Cancun) is small but modern and home to hundreds of sculptures, jewelry, and other artifacts found at the numerous ruins across the peninsula.
Watersports: AquaWorld Cancun offers every kind of water-based sport (and the equipment for it) we can imagine including scuba diving school and wreck & reef dives, snorkeling tours, parasailing, waverunner / jet skis, surfing practice on FlowRider, and more. If you’d like to do things on or in water, this is your place.
Heading South: sleepy, authentic Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos is the least developed part of the Mayan Riviera, remaining a small, relaxed beach town and fishing village. About 30 minutes south of Cancun, we really loved the laid back vibe here and this is where we will be staying when we return in future.
Some highlights for families in and around Puerto Morelos include:
The beach basically everywhere here is warm, shallow, calm, and seaweed-free and the coral reef is close to shore here for free-range snorkelers and divers.
There are beautiful cenotes (limestone pools, sometimes in the open and sometimes in caves; pronounced “seh-no-tays”) all across the Yucatan peninsula, including many near Puerto Morelos. Cenotes are a “must do” in our opinion for any traveler to the Riviera Maya, but if you’re not planning on being in or around Puerto Morelos, don’t worry: there are many other great options we will highlight in the remainder of this blog. Some good options near Puerto Morelos include Cenote Sol y Luna & Cenote Tula closer to town and Cenote Siete Bocas, Cenote Verde Lucero, and many more as you head further inland on the Quintana Roo Puerto Morelos-Leona Vicario road. Note that all cenotes we’ve gone to provide life jackets, so its not necessary that any kiddos be particularly good swimmers. Bring cash - many cenotes do not take cards!
There’s a market south of the plaza with crafts, hammocks, and other local goods that are much better quality than the ones you’ll find in Cancun or Playa del Carmen.
Our kids adore botanical gardens - the paths and bridges and mazes make for great adventure. The local botanical garden (Jardín Botanico Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín) is one of the largest in Mexico at 65 hectares with over a mile of trails and incredible plants from orchids to cacti and traditional Mexican medicinal plants. The garden is also home to various animals including spider monkeys. Here is an option for tickets ahead of time.
Croco Cun Zoo prides itself on protecting the local endangered species and rescued animals. You can interact with some of the animals including deer, snakes, parrots, crocodiles, and monkeys.
Aquanauts offers snorkeling and reef, cenote, and shipwreck diving tours as well as diving lessons/certifications (and even lionfish hunting!)
Further South: Playa del Carmen & Cozumel Island
Playa del Carmen
Playa sits on the coast facing out towards the world-famous island of Cozumel. While the water isn’t as clear nor the sand as powdery as other Riviera locales, Playa has fantastic reefs for diving and snorkeling close to shore, home to eels, turtles, and beautiful corals. Quinta Avenida is the main street and is lined with small shops, coffee shops, and traditional restaurants. Note: since Cozumel is a very popular cruise ship stop; cruise passengers coming over to Playa can make the tourist areas feel crowded.
With the shelter of Cozumel island, Playa’s beaches are shallow and calm.
There are numerous local cenotes - some good options are Xca-Ha right in town and Los Buhos & Chaak Tun a little bit inland]. Phocea Mexico is a great option for ocean or cenote diving (and for diving lessons/PADI certification if that interests you).
The world-famous Cirque du Soleil circus has a (rare!) permanent site in Playa. The buildings are beautiful and located in a cenote, the show (JOYA, when we went) was incredible, AND its one of the only Cirque du Soleil shows at which you can enjoy a full service meal during the show - the meal’s presentation is nothing short of breathtaking. Tickets are expensive (at least for us), but our kids still talk about it to this day and so we still recommend it. Of note: if you don’t do the meal during the show, you can still get an absolutely delicious meal (and/or drinks!) at the attached restaurant before or after the show. We bought our (show only) tickets here and they worked without a hitch; this one includes transportation down and back from Cancun.
Rio Secreto is an amazing underground limestone cavern 1 KM (0.6 miles) long that you can hike and swim through. Here is a great option for tickets and a tour; lifejackets are provided and you don’t have to be a good swimmer (but note this particular tour is not for kids 3 and younger).
For those who don’t want to pay the internationally-driven prices of the XCaret parks below, the Riviera Maya Recreation Center (Centro Recreativo EcoPark Riviera Maya) is very affordable with several pools and slides, a cenote, and animals kids will love including horses (to ride!), turkeys, turtles, and chickens. This is not fancy, but kids can’t really tell the difference :)
The XCaret Family of Parks: XCaret is a huge attraction a little south of Playa that is like a combination of beach resort, zoo, archaeological area, and theme park (!!) built around the ruins of Polé, a Mayan settlement. Xcaret has 2 underground rivers that you can float on across the park, a jungle trail, a recreated Mayan village, the opportunity to swim with dolphins and see bats, pumas, jaguars, and butterflies (mariposas - one of Mum’s favorite Spanish words) on their 2 Big Cat islands, performances of the voladores (flyers; we explain this in our post here), and much more. Fair warning: tickets are not cheap, but they are almost all-inclusive, covering use of snorkeling equipment and full buffet lunches. Here is a full day ticket option but do look at other options including combos with other XCaret-family parks or including transport.
With XCaret’s success (and often being sold out), the XCaret company has opened additional new themed parks. Note: all XCaret parks are recommended for kids 5 and up. Xoximilco and Xavage in Cancun (covered above) are two. The 2 other Playa del Carmen-located ones are adjacent to XCaret:
Xplor is a jungle adventure park with extensive zip-lining (14 segments, and the tallest in the Riviera Maya), amphibious vehicles, rafting & underground rivers. Here is one ticket option, but do look at others. Xplor Fuego is their nighttime park option.
Xenses is an outdoor amusement park focused on mystical sense-themed activities & optical illusions with dizzying slides, bird-flight simulating zip lines, spa-like experiences like mud-baths and saltwater floating, and a whacky town that tests your sense of balance. One ticket option is here, and Xenses Insomnia is their nighttime option.
The XCaret company also offers various tours (Xenotes to various cenotes, Xichen to Chichen Itza, and to Tulum and Coba) - we don’t recommend these here because you can do them all yourself at far lower cost (and we cover them in this post!) but if you’re interested, all the info is here.
Isla Cozumel
Cozumel is Mexico’s largest island. Ferries to the island leave from the pier close to Playa del Carmen’s town square and arrive at the pier in San Miguel de Cozumel, the only town on Cozumel A few blocks in, the tourist zone gives way to quiet & authentic neighborhoods and a lovely town square. Diving & snorkeling are the main attractions but some other great options include:
Walk around downtown “scavenger hunting” for over 30 amazing murals around town, a result the Sea Wall project of 2015 to promote marine conservation - see the “treasure map” in the images above.
The best beaches for swimming are on the western/mainland side of the island; those on the eastern/windward side are beautiful but dangerous with big waves & strong under currents.
El Cileo’s shallow turquoise waters are ideal for swimming and snorkeling among starfish, stingrays, and small fish. Its on the southwest side of the island and only accessibly by boat, but all the dive shops offer trips out there. Aldora is a great dive shop option.
You can take a boat out from here to tiny Isla de la Pasión off the northern coast of Cozumel which is breathtaking, uncrowded, and peaceful.
There are some small Mayan ruins - San Gervasio is the largest and has some restored buildings. El Caracol at the island’s remote southern point is thought to have been used for navigation.
Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park has sea lions, manatees, and dolphins, a lovely beach and snorkeling opportunities. Here is one affordable ticket option.
Unlike the Cancun SubSee, Atlantis Submarines takes visitors as deep as 100 feet in a real, US Coast Guard-certified submarine to admire Cozumel’s amazing marine life. This tour is for kids 4 and up.
Dolphinaris Cozumel offers the opportunity to swim with happy, well-kept dolphins in a lovely facility. You can also snorkel here and enjoy their lovely oceanside pool.
Pueblo Del Maíz is a Mayan village hosting authentic, engaging, and educational cultural experiences at a fair price, including making chocolate and participating in Mayan ball games and dances.
Tulum & thereabouts
Tulum Ruins
Tulum (meaning “wall”) is most famous for its archaeological site, which combines the incredible white sands & turquoise waters with ruins right on the ocean. The location is unbeatable. Of course, our kids most enjoyed the many iguanas bathing in the sun and feeling like adventurers. See the map of the archaeological site in the images above. A few things we wish we’d known beforehand:
You buy 2 different tickets to see the ruins - the first here, which grants you entry to the archaeological zone. Then you walk (or bike, which you can rent here - we recommend bikes if possible!) down a long path toward the beach and buy a second ticket here to enter the ruins.
You cannot go down to Tulum’s beaches or swim at them; to snorkel offshore, you must join a private tour - here is one such option.
Other Fun Things to Do around Tulum:
XCaret’s Xel-Há is a mostly natural, all-inclusive water park paradise a little north of Tulum with abundant wildlife, water slides, zip lines, caves, snorkeling and diving (“snuba”). As with everything XCaret above, this if for kids 5+. Here is one good ticket option but do shop around for a combo that suits your interests.
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (meaning “where the sky is born”) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site south of Tulum and home to spider and howler monkeys, crocs, tapirs, turtles, giant land crabs, 330 species of birds, manatees, and 406 fish species. There are many tours available; here is just one option.
Tulum has many great cenote options including Gran Cenote close to town; Cenote Zemway (our kids loved the dock-like diving platform here and there are higher platforms for brave jumpers!); and Zacil Ha cenote which has ziplining.
Venturing Inland: Coba, Ek Balam, Valladolid & Chichen Itza
Coba Ruins
One of the most interesting archeological sites in the Yucatan, Coba is only a 1-hour drive from Tulum. The city flourished from 300-1000 AD, once housing ~40,000 people, and sits at the center of the sacbeob (“white roads”) network of stone roads connecting Mayan settlements to each other across the peninsula. As with most Mesoamerican sites, only a portion of Coba has been excavated and much is still covered by jungle (and feels like an Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider movie).
Go early to get the least crowdy experience. There are 3 group of buildings with long walks between them - if seeing all of them is important to you, we recommend renting a bike. Two major points the 2nd largest pyramid in the Yucatan (Nohoch Mul, rising 138ft/42m) and the ballcourt - see the map in the images above. If you have the courage & stamina to climb Nohoch Mul’s many and old steps, there is an amazing of the jungle from the top. If you prefer, there are many good tour options that include lunch and transport - here is one.
As you drive into the peninsula, the cenotes generally get deeper - rather than open-to-the-sky pools, they are often in caves. Cenotes Choo-Ha, Tankach-Ha, and Multun-Ha are very close to Coba and lovely for swimming and snorkeling.
Valladolid
Once Yucatan’s third largest city, Valladolid (“vy-ah-doh-leed”) is located 70% of the way to Chichen Itza from Cancun and still feels small but has tons to do and is affordable. If you can stay here for a day or two, we highly recommend it as a hub from which to see Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and a number of wonderful cenotes. One of Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos (magical towns), Valladolid has lovely streets and a lively zocalo (main plaza). Some historical site options in Valladolid include the Casa de los Venados (a folk art museum set in a private house) and Convento de San Bernardino (a fortress & church built by the Spanish in the 1550s). The Hacienda San Lorenzo Oxman outside of town is a former plantation with a gorgeous and uncrowded cenote. X’Keken, Dzitnup, and Samula are other lovely cenote options right next to one another; they also offer horse, ATV, and bike riding.
Ek Balam Ruins
Meaning “black jaguar”, Ekbalam was an important and relatively compact, double-walled Mayan city from about 700-1000 AD. The arched entryway is lovely and brave visitors can climb the Tower pyramid (98ft/30m tall), which has pits on its sides thought to catch water. Sacbeobs (white roads) radiate out from the pyramid.
Chichén Itzá Ruins
Chichen Itza is, of course, one of Mexico’s main tourist attractions, the best preserved Maya site on the Yucatan peninsula, and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The site is 47 hectares in total and was home to about 90,000 people. What is uncovered now is just a fraction of the former city. El Castillo (the big pyramid, built around 800 AD atop an even older settlement), the ball court, and El Caracol (the observatory) are the “big 3” things we recommend you don’t miss. Unlike some of the other pyramids (e.g., Coba and Ek Balam above), you cannot climb El Castillo (though this was allowed in the past).
The most important things to know before you go are to Chichen Itza are:
Go early to avoid the crowds! The tour bus crowds start at 11AM so try to arrive at about 8AM (another reason why staying in Valladolid can be a great choice!)
If you drive yourself, park early and walk - do not wait in line trying to get to closer parking.
There is very little shade in much of the main area and it can be hot, even in January (mid-Winter in Mexico) - take hats, sunscreen, and water.
Read up about the site (especially El Castillo’s architecture) beforehand so you can fully appreciate it when you’re there; as with most Mexican historical sites and museums, the signs in place aren’t as thorough as we’d like.