Our whole family is going to Cancun for a family vacation in the Winter Breaks, spending Christmas in Cancun. We are staying in Cancun from Dec.23-Dec.29. Any suggestions on what do do at that time that the whole family will enjoy? Thank you.
Richard, Where are you and your family staying? Depending on your family there is so much to do. Getting outside of the hotel zone is always a great way to spend the day. We have been visiting this area for almost 20 years. Each year changes, and each year has different opportunites. This board should have a ton of helpful information for you.
If 2 of your 4 are kids, you could take a day trip on the ferry to Isla Mujeres, rent a golf cart, cruise around, let the kids (sort of) drive, shop, eat and beach where the water is calm and you have to go out quite a way before it gets deep. If the adults want to see some ruins, you can rent a car, make a day trip to Tulum, stopping on the way down or back in Playa del Carmen, for shopping, looking, and food/beverage. It's about 2 hours from the hotel to Tulum. It is impossible to get lost as you don't have to leave the road in the hotel zone except to turn left into the ruins of Tulum and make a turn toward the sea to get to downtown Playa del Carment. If you are all adults and want to see some Mayan history, aka ruins, you need to see Chichen Itza. You can rent a car and drive it yourselves, a bit over 2 hours each way, or you can purchase a tour by clicking on the Entertainment Plus logo at the bottom of this pages. You can't beat their prices or service and it's definitely not time share. You can also go to Xcaret or Xel Ha which are pretty interchangeable in my opinion and you can book them at Ent + as well. Finally, if you have kids, have dinner one night at Perico's downtown on Av. Yaxchilan. You can take the R-2 (Walmart) bus, get off at Yaxchilan, walk a few blocks to your right and Perico's is on the left. A lot of fun for young and old and in the middle. The staff is very entertaining and involved with the guests, conga line, funny stuff, dancing around, just good clean fun.
Wow thanks for all the great ideas! But on the internet I saw that some websites say driving in Cancun is crazy, and do not recommend renting a car. Is that true? By the way, we're staying at Hyatt. Is there a quiet stretch of beach within walking distance?
driving is crazy If you rent a car be aware that if you get nailed for speeding you will be hauled off or directed to an ATM to pay off the police. I wasn't a victim but, have heard horror stories. We rented a car from our resort last spring and had fun exploring tulum city on our own time. Taxi is the best way to get around or buses but, can be a hassle. snorkeling trips are great, the marina maroma or something like that has all kinds of family activities in puerto morales (moromaparadise.com). You can also check with elitetravel.com (used to be chaza travel) as they set up great trips and such. We stay at palace resorts which they set up all the trips and are inculuded with the package we have. I'd give them snorkel sets for early christmas and then they have something to do where ever you go in cancun. you could also take a day and take bus or something to Playa del CArmen for the day and shop, or ferry across to cozumel for a trip. that ferry ride is like $12 each way per person. buy only a 1 way ticket across so taht when you decide to some back you just buy from whatever ferry operator has the next going back. (2 different companies that run on opposite hours) This way you save time and don't have to wait for some ferry if you had bought a round trip.
There are two Hyatts in Cancun's Hotel Zone, the Hyatt Regency which has no beach and the Hyatt Caribe which has a stretch of beachfront. Assuming that you are staying at the Hyatt Regency, you can use the beach at the next door Dreams Resort. I recommend that you you take a tour to the Mayan ruins and area eco parks and that you do not rent a car. It is true that the driving in the Cancun area can be quite a challenge, and in my opinion, an organized tour is the way to go. I recommend you check this website for the excursions offered through Entertainment Plus, a great local company with excellent customer service. For a great family night out, I highly recommend you go to a great Mexican restaurant with family-friendly entertainment. Two that come highly recommended in the Hotel Zone are Hacienda Sisal and La Casa De Las Margaritas. In Centro (Downtown), the Pericos recommendation is also a good one that should be considered as well. 212eric (Author) PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN
