Planning our Cancun trip with the kids felt crazy at first. So many questions!
I started by asking myself, “What can we do that won’t bore the kids or exhaust us adults?” Hit Google hard. Searched “family stuff Cancun”, “kids activities Cancun”… you know the drill. Overwhelmed by stuff. Decided to focus just on stuff younger kids would actually enjoy.
The Booking Mess
Finding the hotel took forever. My must-haves:
- Not crazy expensive
- Decent pool (kids live in water)
- Easy beach access
- Food options for picky eaters
Checked so many travel sites. Finally found one that looked good in Riviera Maya area. Felt less busy than the main Cancun strip, which sounded better with kids.
Then flights. Holy moly, prices jump around like crazy! Watched prices for a week, got dizzy. Bit the bullet when prices dipped a little. Could’ve waited longer? Maybe. But didn’t wanna risk it. Booked one late afternoon flight hoping kids would sleep. Big mistake. Nobody slept. We arrived grumpy.
Stuff We Actually Did There
Big Win 1: Xcaret Park. Yeah, it’s pricey. But wow, worth it. Got there EARLY. Pro tip: buy tickets online ahead! Saw the river floats, butterfly place, kids splashed in kid zones all day. Easy food spots inside. Got back to hotel and all crashed hard. Success!
Beach & Pool Days. Kids couldn’t get enough. Built sand castles one morning, then splashed in the big hotel pool all afternoon. Simple things rule sometimes. Packed so many swim toys I tripped on them.
Fun Little Boat Trip. Booked a small boat tour right at the hotel marina. Only about 2 hours. Looked for fish, saw cool birds, guide pointed out stuff. Short enough that kids stayed interested. Saw way bigger tours leaving… looked exhausting with little ones.
The Amazing Taco Stand. Seriously! Found this little spot just walking down the road from the hotel. Best tacos ever. Kids ate quesadillas like champs. Cheap and delicious. Sometimes the small stuff rocks.
Stuff I Wish I Knew Earlier
- Get pesos! ATMs at the airport gave awful rates. Found a better one later. Needed cash for small shops and tips.
- Waterproof bags are magic. Phones, wallets stayed dry on boat trips. Got soaked once without one… felt dumb.
- Sunscreen obsession. Re-applied constantly. Still got a bit pink. Cancun sun doesn’t play.
- Bottled water only. Used it for brushing teeth too. No tummy troubles! Big win.
Was it perfect? Nah. Kids whined. I forgot stuff. Getting through the airport was chaos. But seeing them so happy swimming, finding fish at Xcaret, eating tacos… that was golden. Planning felt like climbing a mountain beforehand, but totally worth it seeing their faces. You got this!
