Traveling with Kids to Cancun

Traveling with kids to Cancun can be so much fun! First, a few highlights:

• Chichen Itza A.D 600, one of the seven wonders of the world
• Ventura WaterPark (think Wet’n’Wild)
• Aqua world – Jet Ski
• Swimming and Beaching all day, everyday
• Shopping at the local malls

Our trip started off in Houston, TX. We couldn’t score a direct flight through Aeromexico, so we flew to Mexico City and then to Cancun. The flight was uneventful other than a few hiccups in Mexico City with customs. We arrived late at 2am and scored a super cheap shared bus to our hotel which was about 20 mins away from the airport. One thing to note here, there are shuttle buses at the Cancun airport that can group you with other travelers to hotels in the Hotel zone. They usually run about $10 per person.

The forecast for the week was all thunderstorms and rain, so we decided to sleep in the first day and see what the rest of the week brings. Luckily the rain didn’t last long, and we got a mixture of rain and sunshine throughout our stay.

Chichen Itza A.D 600, Yucatan Mexico

This activity was booked ahead of time through Travelocity, and I am sure other sites such as Viator and Expedia have similar offerings at similar price ranges. It cost about $70 person for the 2hr trip to Yucatan from Cancun. The price includes lunch, as well as a Mayan Calendar, which was completely adorable. The tour company we used does not pay for the entrance fee, so be sure to look at the fine notes before booking. Luckily it was at a fairly inexpensive price, and kids were half off.

Chichen Itza was less exciting compared to the Great Wall of China. I was however impressed by the history of the Mayan people and what they were able to accomplish before the conquerors claimed their land. It is the second most visited archeological site in Mexico, and is considered one of the new seven wonders of the world. Tee was excited by the souvenirs, so we ended up spending more time haggling with sellers than listening to our tour-guide; something to keep in mind when traveling with kids to a tourist site.

Ventura WaterPark

This is by far the largest waterpark I have ever been to in my entire life. Tee was absolutely impressed by the tall rides, zip lining, laser tag, free restaurants, and so much more. The price is a bit steep at $109 per person, kids are half off which was very helpful. There is a locker on site which also comes at a minimal fee for various sizes as needed. We spent the entire day here, and it was by far one of the highlights of our trip. This waterpark comes highly recommended as a kid activity on your next Cancun trip.

AquaWorld

Friends, if you have never been on a jetski, now is the time to try it. In Cancun, you can jetski with any local watersport company but we chose Aquaworld for safety reasons. They had an expert lifeguard/swimmer for each customer on standby should there be an incident. There is plenty of opportunities to either jetski on the Lagoon side or the beach side. We decided to do both. Mainly because it was a windy day and we wanted Tee to get a chance to jetski on a more smoother wave. We spent 30mins on the lagoon side, I was able to fit her right in front of me, and we both took the wheels. We then crossed over to the beach side for another 30mins, which was intense.

The waves showed up big time, and I nearly twisted my hands. Nevertheless, we were back the next day for another 30mins on the beachside.

Swimming and Beaching All Day, Everyday!

This was our favorite activity. Tee would wake up, change into her bathing suit and we’ll make our way to breakfast. The hotel breakfast is right across from the swimming pool and beach, which is not only a good view but a sure way of racing to the beach right after breakfast. Be sure to bring some sand buckets, or water toys that will keep your child busy. Another great thing about swimming especially at a resort like Westin is that the pool comes with a bar, hence we were able to drink, eat and swim at the same time. It was perfect!

Shopping at Local Malls

Our hotel was located in the hotel zone of Cancun which comprises of a small and large shopping mall. We went grocery shopping at the smaller shopping complex and later in the week visited the large mall. The large shopping mall “La Isla”  has everything! From low to high end goods, with top designer names, coffee shops, movies, restaurants and sits right on the water, so the view is majestic wherever you are. Tee went wild here, so be sure to keep an eye on your little one.

There is an aquarium, waterway, boat taxis, yachts, and the best mix of local spins. It is the most visited mall in the hotel zone of Cancun and the most recognized in Cancun.

PS: We plan these activities ahead of time to maximize our time there and ensure we have an itinerary that works during our stay. Do you plan your activities ahead of time, or wait till you arrive your destination?