Family Travel to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Traveling by plane with your family to another city is a task in itself. Visiting another country takes extra planning and careful attention to safety, language barriers, and international requirements. My family of five traveled to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, for a week-long vacation that included exciting activities, delicious food, and memories that will last a lifetime. Here’s some information I learned along the way to help you plan your next Mexico vacation. 

Safety in Mexico

Due to recent reports about safety being a concern for Americans traveling throughout Mexico, I was hesitant to travel with my family there. However, after researching the safest and cleanest areas of Mexico, I found Playa Del Carmen to be a great option because it is a small coastal town relying mainly on tourism for its economy. Therefore, tourists are typically safer there than in other parts of Mexico. We opted to stay at an all-inclusive beachside resort for extra protection. Although taxi service is considered low risk in Playa Del Carmen, we rented a car for our travel throughout the area. I recommend researching resorts with family suites that have a higher star rating and amenities like restaurants, pools, and water sports to limit your need to travel outside of the area. However, if you decide to leave the resort for family activities like we did, renting a car is relatively inexpensive. We found the GPS and cell services to be excellent for getting to where we wanted to go without stops. 

What to Bring to Mexico

Yes, you will need a passport for every member of your family. I started the passport process for my children about six months prior to our trip, and we received them within a few months. My husband wanted to bring some American dollars and some Mexican pesos for our trip in case we needed local currency. We found that credit cards and American currency worked just fine, although we did use pesos for tips and smaller purchases. Don’t forget bathing suits, sunscreen, sun hats or visors, comfortable clothes and shoes. The area is much hotter and the sun is much stronger than some U.S. beaches, so reapplying sunscreen and utilizing sun hats and visors was key to avoiding sunburns since most activities are outdoor and in the Gulf of Mexico.

Activities in Playa Del Carmen

While in Mexico, we scheduled day trips to several fun activities nearby such as swimming with dolphins, catamaran sailing and snorkeling, swimming in cenotes, and the Xel Ha adventure park. There are local agencies that provide tours for American families. However, we found it easier and less expensive to schedule them on our own. From the minute we arrived, we received excellent service from the local people who spoke very good English. Some places offer two or three combination excursions so take advantage of the one-stop activities. For instance, we were able to swim with dolphins in the morning, then sail and snorkel in the afternoon at the same location which offered clean restrooms and showers, as well as a reduced lunch and drinks for tourists utilizing its day tour activities. I highly recommend mapping out several different cenotes you can visit in a day.

Mineral Springs in Playa del Carmen

A cenote is a deep natural well or sinkhole formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes ground water underneath. Some cenotes have deep sinkholes with the most beautiful blue, clear water that you can cliff jump into and some have caves that you can swim underneath. Since there are so many various types of cenotes in the area, I recommend researching some of the best ones, like Cenote Azul and Gran Cenote to get the most out of your trip. Also nearby is an amazing adventure park called Xel Ha where your family can swim, snorkel, cliff jump, and rope swing. It’s one of the best places we found in the area — you can spend the entire day at Xel Ha admiring its beauty and enjoying its activities. For a more cultural and historical tour, check out the Tulum Ruins. The 13th-century, walled Mayan archaeological site at Tulum National Park overlooks the sea. It incorporates the clifftop Castillo, built as a watchtower, and the Templo de las Pinturas, with a partially restored mural. Inland, the Cobá archaeological site has pyramid-shaped temples with views over the surrounding jungle. The tour takes about two hours and involves educational information as well as spectacular views. Finally, in downtown Playa Del Carmen, you can safely explore the many local shops and excellent dining experiences with authentic Mexican cuisines.

As you can see, there are so many wonderful ways to experience Playa Del Carmen’s unique offerings. The weather is beautiful, the scenery is breathtaking, and the people are welcoming. It’s a great place to find adventure as well as serenity. Have you vacationed in Playa Del Carmen or other areas of Mexico? What are some places you recommend in Mexico for a family vacation? We’d love to hear your stories and see your photos and videos. Connect with us on Instagram @MapsCookingKids or on Twitter @MapsCookingKids. Until next time, Agape, be kind, and happy parenting.