I’ve been to Mexico a dozen times. Maybe more. But in April I took my first ‘family’ trip to Mexico – my wife and I and our two sons, Emmett (4) and Hollis (not quite 1 at the time). We spent one week in and around Tulum, which is about 90 minutes (125km / 78 miles) from Cancun and an hour from Playa del Carmen (the ferry port for nearby Cozumel).
Our original goal? To spend a week on the beach doing not too much: lounging around, eating tacos, swimming, building sand castles, taking walks on the beach, and just enjoying the sunny warm weather. (Dad also had a personal goal to go cave diving – more on that later.)
Noel and Thurston at Xel Ha
If you have two young children, you already know we failed miserably in the ‘lounging around’ category. On all other fronts we did exceptionally well. Here’s how – I’m calling this my “Tulum Family Vacation Survival Guide”. It’s got all the things you need to do and to see in Tulum and the surrounding Riviera Maya and Yucatan peninsula. And a few things you should NOT do.
Tulum Planning
We made two very wise upfront decisions. First, we decided (for the first time, ever) to go all-inclusive. Yes, the little backpacker in me died a little that day, but that’s OK. Now that I am traveling with two kids in tow, I figured it was time to explore the dark side. And it was great! Never worrying about what to eat, when to eat and where to eat was a great relief. Chicken burrito at 11pm for Emmett? No problem. Poolside cerveza for dad, anytime of day? No problem.
Next, we invited friends to join us. Kelly and Noel brought their two sons along, so all of us had somebody to play with.
Tulum: Things to See & Do
Apparently there are great ruins not too far from Tulum. Coba and – of course – Chichen Itza come to mind. But I couldn’t tell you a thing about ‘em. Never made it. C’mon people – we’ve got 2 kids!
Emmett and Hollis at Xel Ha
Instead we focused on nearby attractions. First up – Xel Ha. At first I was dubious – it’s billed as an all-in-one snorkel destination aimed at families and kids. After just a few minutes at Xel Ha, my doubts disappeared. They’ve done a good job retaining a very natural setting. It’s really beautiful to look at. And the facilities are great. We spent a few hours snorkeling and exploring. If we had more time we might have tried a dolphin swim, swimming with manatees, river tubing – there is a lot to keep you entertained. I highly recommend Xel Ha, even if you do not have kids.
Next up? Tacos. We got a tip from a friend (thanks, Andrew!) about a place just outside of Tulum town called Urge Taquito (look for it on left-hand side when headed north, just after the grocery store). I won’t lie to you – the tacos are in my Top 10 list of all-time great tacos.
Tacos from Urge Taquito, in Tulum
Tulum Cave Diving
I also did some cave diving. This was a special treat to myself (I was celebrating a birthday), and something I had always wanted to do. Tulum and the surrounding Quintana Roo region are famous for cenotes, a massive network of underground caves filled with fresh water. If you’re a diver and have ever had even the slightest desire to cave dive – do it! The visibility is amazing. And the overall experience is incredible (especially if, like me, you’re a little burned out on diving in general).
Cave diving at Dos Ojos cenote, Tulum (entrace to dive)
I went with a company based in Playa del Carmen called Yucatek Divers and I definitely recommend them. We did two cave dives at a place called Dos Ojos (Two Eyes). It was a highlight of the trip. (My only advice – don’t bother with a disposable underwater camera; either bring a real underwater camera with a serious flash, or bring nothing at all.)
Tulum with Kids
Beach + Sun + Water = Happy Family
No surprise, most of our time was spent by the pool. At the pool. Around the pool. And – yes – in the pool. Luckily our hotel had a great pool (with a swim-up bar, woo hoo!).
We also spent lots of time in the ocean. And on the beach. Walking between the pool and the ocean. Between the pool and the beach. Between the beach and the ocean. You get the idea.
We also just hung out together. Which is possibly the most precious of all travel gifts – spending time with the people you love.
The only bump in the road (well, the only one I’ll share) was clearing customs in the U.S. on the way back home. Emmett had eaten way too many dehydrated strawberries and bananas on the plane from Mexico. By the time we arrived at customs, he was feeling queasy. And then he barfed right as we got to the customs booth. (Sorry, Mr. Customs Agent, it was nothing personal.)
-Scott McNeely
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Cancun things to do to and Riviera Maya & Yucatan tours.