Wondering if Tulum, Mexico would be a good vacation spot to bring your kids? I have an answer for you!
We recently brought our family of four to Mexico and when I was planning the trip, I knew I wanted to go to Tulum. However, the more I researched, the more I thought that maybe Tulum wasn’t exactly the perfect spot for a family vacation. I knew we wanted to visit cenotes, ancient ruins, natural lagoons and the biosphere, the beach, the jungle, and more. Truth be told, many years ago I watched an episode of HGTV’s House Hunters and they were searching for a home in Tulum. I added it to my travel bucket list and knew that I had to see it for myself someday. I decided this was the year; we would go to Tulum for Spring Break. But as I mentioned, the more I looked into it, the more I realized that Tulum probably wasn’t the most “family friendly” vacation spot. But don’t despair! If you, like me, have your heart set on Tulum, I have a solution for you!
Instead of staying in Tulum, we booked an AirBnb in a town just north of Tulum, called Akumal. This turned out to be the perfect solution! It’s only about 20 minutes away from Tulum and everything about this area was so family friendly! Once we had spent a day in the area and had visited and spent some time Tulum, I was SO HAPPY that we weren’t staying in the actual town of Tulum.
By now, I’m sure you’re asking “why isn’t Tulum a good place for kids?” I’m here to answer that for you. Here are my quick answers… First, Tulum is full of young adults who are clearly there to party. I have nothing against this type of vacation; I’ve taken plenty of those myself, but it’s not the atmosphere I want my kids to spend a week experiencing. Basically, we just wouldn’t have fit into the general demographics of everyone else staying in Tulum. (Note: when I say Tulum, I am speaking of the Tulum beach area, also known as the Tulum Hotel Zone. I am not speaking of Tulum town, which is the area that is not directly on the beach.) Second, walking around the area made me very uneasy. This is not because of the people or security of the area, it is because of cars and scooters. The main road that stretches along the beach is very narrow and doesn’t have sidewalks. There is also lots of construction going on and it’s all very dusty. I felt very unsafe walking along the road with cars and scooters whizzing by. There’s so much to look at and I’m sure drivers are distracted, inebriated, young, or whatever. I might have been okay with it if I was on my own, but it was very uncomfortable with kids. Third, the area just does not seem set up to accommodate kids. This does not mean that they aren’t welcome into the restaurants and beach clubs (although some ARE adult only), it just means that many of them don’t have kids menus and just seem generally too trendy or sophisticated for kids.
Now that I’ve explained myself, let me tell you why Akumal is the perfect spot to stay if you want to visit Tulum with kids. Before I begin though, I will tell you that I was a little nervous to take my family to Mexico. That’s probably an outdated idea; regardless, Mexico just makes me a little bit uneasy. I’ve been to Mexico several times and I didn’t love it any of those times. However, two of those times were on a cruise ship, and another was by driving into Mexico from California. Probably not the most ideal ways to visit Mexico, so I was willing to give it another chance. When you visit Tulum, you will most likely fly into Cancun. The drive from Cancun to Tulum is about 2 hours. It’s a very easy and straightforward drive. We rented a car from Enterprise with no problem. Our AirBnb host had given us great instructions and directions, and we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived in Akumal and we saw that the little section of town we were staying in had a security gate. We pulled up to the gate, provided our information and rental details, and were given a car tag so they knew we belonged inside the gates. The gate provided 24/7 security, which was very comforting.
Our AirBnb was a condo about a 1/2 mile past the security gate. We arrived and it was perfect. I had ordered groceries from Mayan Riviera Groceries and they were already in the condo, organized and put away. Going forward, I will never NOT pre-order groceries on vacations if it’s an option. It was so nice to skip the “dreaded” (according to my kids) grocery store trip! The condo was on the third floor and felt safe, secure, and had an amazing view of the Caribbean Sea. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a fully stocked kitchen. The complex was beachfront and also had a pool. Checked all of our boxes for vacationing with our kids! (The only thing it did not have was laundry, but the housekeepers would have done our laundry for a nominal fee if we had asked.) And one big bonus, there were other kids vacationing there, so our boys immediately made some friends and hung out with them at every free opportunity. Win-win for everyone!
Another wonderful perk of the condo and location is that there was a perfect beachfront restaurant just a few minutes walk away, and a wonderful breakfast/lunch spot a few minutes walk in the other direction. Additionally, there were a bunch of restaurants just a few minutes drive away, right outside of the security gate. All so easy and convenient!
Wondering what activities Tulum / Akumal has to offer for families? So many! Here’s a list of everything we did while we were there…
Cenotes:
- We first visited Centoes Cristal and Escondido. There is a fee to get in and it includes both centotes. We arrived early-ish (around 10am) and it was pretty quiet with not very many visitors. There is a platform for jumping and rope swings. These cenotes are across the main road from each other; we walked between the two but you could also drive. We had a lot of fun at both of these, we definitely recommend!
- We also visited Cenote Garden Del Eden and it was so beautiful! We got there later in the day (around 3pm) and it seemed like the parking lot was pretty crowded, but when we actually arrived at the cenote, it wasn’t bad at all. This is a large cenote and can accommodate a lot of people without feeling crowded. The boys LOVED the jumping area. You can jump off the side or you can climb the tree and jump from there. There were large rocks just slightly under the water that were fun to lounge on. We saw some crazy looking fish, so be sure to bring your snorkel mask.
- There are tons of other cenotes in the area, and I am sure that you won’t be disappointed in any of them. Some seem to get more crowded than others, but if you get there early, it shouldn’t be too bad.
Ancient Mayan Ruins:
- We woke up one day to lots of wind and not much sun, so we decided to drive to Chichen Itza! It was about 2.5 hours each way from Akumal, but it seemed like it would be worth it. When else would be get the opportunity to explore one of the New 7 Wonders of the World? The boys were not too happy about the long drive, but they loaded up with books and sketch pads, and off we went. I actually enjoyed the drive; we passed through some small towns on the way and it was interesting to see these other parts of Mexico we wouldn’t normally visit. We arrived at Chichen Itza and it was crowded! It was also VERY hot… like 104 degrees hot! We parked and started making our way to the entrance. Immediately we saw a man selling homemade ice cream and had to buy some. It was delicious and perfect for the boiling temperatures. We were surprised by the number of vendor tents set up outside of Chichen Itza; there were so many people selling so many touristy trinkets. As we approached the entrance, we were offered personalized tours by some of the many tour guides milling about, but we declined. We paid and entered, and wow, the ruins are truly a sight to behold. They’re huge and it’s crazy to imagine how old they are and how hard the ancient Mayans must have worked to build all of the structures. What surprised us the most though, was how many vendors were inside the gates of Chichen Itza! Honestly, it was terrible. So many people trying to get you to buy things. I guess they’re just trying to make a living but I never would have thought they would have been allowed to be inside the historic complex. To me, it cheapened the experience. As I mentioned, it was super hot there, but we did our best to explore as much as we could before we called it a day. We were probably there for about 2 hours. In hindsight, a guide would have really helped us better understand this amazing archeological sight. We read all of the signs that were posted about each structure and area, but some insider’s knowledge would definitely have helped. Once we were about to die from the heat (mostly this was just one of our children), we left and started heading back to Tulum. By this time, we needed some real food, so we stopped in the little town of Valladolid for an early dinner. Chichen Itza was worth the trip!
- There are ruins closer to Akumal, but we just decided to go big since we were there. We did not explore the local ruins of Tulum or Coba, but I’m sure they would be great if you don’t want to go all the way to Chichen Itza.
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve:
- This is a large, protected area that contains ancient Mayan ruins, jungle, marshes and mangroves, and natural lagoons. I really wanted to visit this spot in order to float down the natural “lazy river”. Since we had been to Chichen Itza the day before, we weren’t really too interested in visiting more ruins. We had a hard time finding it since it doesn’t seem to be marked very well from the main road. Eventually we found a small parking lot and then a tour kiosk. We were able to pay for a boat tour (without having to pay for visiting the ruins or jungle boardwalk) and they were able to accommodate us immediately. We drove over to a different parking lot and walked to the “marina” where they keep the boats. The boat seemed to fit six people (plus the captain), so we had another couple join us on the boat. This was definitely a really nice way to spend a few hours. First we had a tour of the lagoon and through the mangroves and the man-made Mayan canal. Then we found ourselves at the natural canal, where we were able to jump off the boat and float/swim for maybe an hour or more, until we reached the exit point. We LOVED this! We brought our snorkel masks and explored the whole way. The natural flow of the canal makes it easy to just drift along and look at everything including the fish, birds, mangroves, etc. The captain instructs you to wear our life jacket or float on it, but we tied ours together into a “raft” and just let them float along with us so we could still dive down and explore without being buoyed up by a life jacket. Once you reach the exit point, you will walk for about 15 minutes along a long boardwalk back to the boat. We loaded back into the boat and had a beautiful cruise back through the lagoon and mangroves to our starting point.
Rancho Santa Cruz Cave / Cenote
- This was probably our favorite activity of the trip. We reached out to Juan Pablo Diaz Durand (JP), one of the main guides of the cave, and he was able to fit us in for a private tour. He picked us up at our AirBnb and we drove about 10 minutes to the cave. He gave us some info and a little tour of the grounds above the cave, then we were all a little surprised by the random small hole in the ground that we had to climb down to get in the cave! The tour started out dry, but soon we were exploring in waist deep water and then actually swimming through the cave. It was so cool! JP gave us so much information and pointed out so many fascinating sights. If you’re in the area, you MUST do this tour, you will love it! JP’s email is akumaljp@hotmail.com The best part is, you will not see anyone else in the cave. The tour is private and you will have plenty of time to explore and play without anyone else around. AND, JP will take pictures for you throughout the entire tour! Five star experience all the way!
Tulum
- As I mentioned, we didn’t stay in Tulum, but we wanted to check it out and spend some time there to see what it was all about. Tulum is just a really cool place. The way they build everything out of natural materials is amazing. It has such a beachy/boho vibe. That being said, nothing in Tulum is cheap. From drinks to meals, you will be paying resort-type prices everywhere you go. We wanted to check out the beach in Tulum, so we went to a beach club. There are TONS all along the main beach road, but when I saw La Zebra, I recognized it as one of the more “kid-friendly” hotels/beach clubs so we went there. It is definitely not geared for children, but they do have a small playground on the side of the restaurant so they aren’t opposed to kids at all. We stopped into the restaurant for some drinks and food and it was really pretty. We could have payed for a spot on the beach (a cabana), but we didn’t plan to stay too long. If you eat in the restaurant, you are allowed to use their beach. All of the beaches in Tulum are accessed through resorts/properties except for a few public beaches (we only saw one and it wasn’t sandy, it was rocks). While we ate, the boys played in the ocean, on the swing, in the hammocks, on the playground, and in the hotel’s pool. They had a blast, then they came and ate some chips and guac, haha. If you’re looking for a place in Tulum to bring the kiddos, La Zebra is great. After that, we walked and got ice cream from Aldo’s, a chain that serves gelato and it is AMAZING.
Playa Del Carmen
- We had a bunch of hours to kill on our last day in Mexico. We checked out of the AirBnb at 11am, and our flight wasn’t until 7:30pm. We headed towards to airport and stopped in the town of Playa Del Carmen. It was perfect! We wandered the pedestrian street and had a great time checking out the shops. It’s called 5th Avenue and it is a 5 mile long pedestrian only walkway lined with shops, restaurants, bars, galleries, and everything else you might want to browse. It’s also only steps from the beach. It was such a fun find!
I think that completes the list of our major Tulum area activities! I’ll list the restaurants we visited and some other activities you might enjoy, but we didn’t do for various reasons. When we weren’t out and about, we were at our AirBnb, playing at the pool, in the ocean, or walking on the beach.
Restaurants We Visited in Tulum, Akumal, etc.
- La Buena Vida – Walking distance from our AirBnb in Akumal, we ate several meals here. It’s the perfect beachfront restaurant. Very vegetarian / vegan friendly.
- Turtle Bay Cafe – Just outside of the security gate in Akumal. We ate dinner here, had ice cream here, and grabbed breakfast pastries here. Highly recommend their breakfast pastries, they were amazing. Also quick and easy to grab ice cream if you’re craving it.
- Taverna – Just outside the security gate in Akumal. This place seems popular. We stopped in for an early dinner of pizza after a long day out and about.
- La Jungala Cafe – Walking distance from our AirBnb in Akumal. Perfect breakfast spot, so cute. We all loved the food and drinks we ordered.
- Raw Love Tulum – I ran into the one in Tulum town, I think there’s one on the beach too. Such a great menu and atmosphere. I just grabbed a Golden Milk Latte, but this place is amazing if you are vegetarian / vegan.
- Kitchen Table Tulum – I read about this restaurant and wanted to try it. I wanted at least one fancy “Tulum-ish” restaurant experience. This restaurant is in the heart of the Hotel Zone in Tulum. The atmosphere is so cool; tucked in the jungle with an open-concept kitchen. However it would have been much better as a date night spot rather than a family dinner, lol. And in truth, no one loved their food. But the boys had a great time exploring the property and we all loved the Jungle Bread. The drink I ordered was absolutely amazing. I would happily go back for drinks and Jungle Bread.
- Aldo’s Gelato – We got gelato from this chain in Tulum and in Playa Del Carmen. Highly recommend.
- Cerveceria Tulum Brewery Restaurant – Located directly on the main road, we figured this place was just a “tourist trap”, but we were so wrong! The atmosphere was typical Tulum – just so cool – and the menu was amazing. Stop in if you get the chance, it’s worth it!
Some other area attractions that we didn’t do…
- Laguna Yal-Ku – this was walking distance from our AirBnb, and it looked beautiful. We did not do this because we didn’t feel the area they allow you to snorkel in would have been worth it for us. We snorkel and dive quite frequently and it seemed like it might have been a little “tame” for our tastes. Probably perfect if you want an easy snorkel or will be with younger kids.
- Laguna Kaan Luum – we probably would have visited if we had more time. It’s a huge lagoon in the jungle with mud baths and a cenote in the center. Looks really pretty.
- Tsuuk Akumal – this is the area in Akumal where tourists go to see sea turtles. It’s very crowded and very regulated. The area is roped off and you have to go with a guide. You cannot swim out to see the turtles on your own. If you are someone who has never seen a sea turtle in the wild, it is probably a worth while experience. We have sea turtles that nest on our beach every summer, so we didn’t want to take a tour to see them.
This was our AirBnb: Condo in Akumal Mexico Bud, the host, was amazing. We couldn’t have asked for more, it was a perfect stay. There seemed to be lots of vacation rentals in this area if this one isn’t available. Not all of the properties have pools, so if that is important to you, make sure you double check.
Overall, we would highly recommend a family trip to the Tulum area. Akumal was the perfect location to stay with kids, but if you are planning on traveling as a couple or a girls’ trip or any sort of adults-only trip, staying in Tulum would be absolutely great!
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