But, Tulum, Mexico was one of these magical places (along with Hoi An, Vietnam and Delft, Holland).
What makes it the right combination for me?
Gorgeous natural beauty
Tasteful and trendy eco development
Incredible food options (specifically in light of my food allergies)
Friendly vibe
So so so much to do!!
Truly, it is a destination worth considering for people of all ages and stages of life! Here are all the activities we did, places we stayed, and delicious things we ate....
We had about a week in Tulum in February of 2022. We wanted to soak up all the area had to offer, so we split our time staying at an Airbnb in Tulum town and then at a beach resort right on the ocean. (You can read more about where we stayed HERE)
Our Airbnb (linked here) was in Aldea Zama, which I would highly recommend this area. It is very safe (most places are gated), it's very new, and there are tons of fun shops and restaurants in the area.
The second half the trip, we stayed at La Zebra resort and YOU GUYS! Stay here!! Truly, it was incredible. I did a ton of research before we left to find the most family friendly resort on the beach, and this came through. It was gold. To begin, they had a sweet playground on the sand for the kids. It ran alongside the restaurant, so while we waited for our meals, the kids could play the entire time (as we were only a few feet from them!). They put out sand toys every morning for kids to play with, and everyone was so friendly with the children. There was a pool, and many of the units had plunge pools (which I would recommend). My only con to La Zebra was that everyone stays in the same room, there were no multiple bedroom options. Because our kids are good sleepers and used to being all together on vacations, it totally worked for us. Our room had a king bed for Kevin and I, two twin beds for the kids, and then an area where we set up a pack'n'play. But the con is that once we put our kids down, we either needed to sit in bed with earphones and watch a movie, or go outside on the patio to talk. We did both and it was great, but something to be aware of!
Here are some of the best things we did in Tulum:
1) Visit the Ruins- Just a few minutes from Tulum town lie the Mayan ruins on the cliffs above the ocean. While there isn't a whole lot of information inside the ruins, it is fascinating to wander around and imagine what life would have been like for this ancient civilization. My kids enjoyed seeing the stone structures still standing and the gorgeous ocean view! (As a pro tip...after you finish with the ruins walk down the road back towards town to the public beaches. We found a gorgeous beach with a taco truck airstream restaurant and hung out there the rest of the day in hammocks!
2) Explore Tulum Town- Love this little strip of restaurants, shops, and markets. It's a mix of traditional Mexican hole in the wall restaurants, along with upscale eats and those with an elevated aesthetic. There are some wonderful Mexican tourist shops where you can pick up souvenirs, mixed with
3) Relax at the Beach- I've been to some of the most incredible beaches in the world (ie: Greece, Bora Bora, Thailand, California, Bali, etc) and Tulum ranks right up there for my favorite. The sand is SO soft and white, the water is warm and clean, and they are expansive! Not to mention the jungle comes right up to the beach giving it such a beautiful nature vibe.
4) Eat your way through Tulum- The food scene here is top notch! Not only can you find delicious and affordable Mexican food, but you will also find healthy, allergy free options at every turn (think smoothie bowls, homemade gluten free tortillas, etc.) Being gluten & dairy free, this was my Mecca. I loved it so much I compiled a whole blog post about my favorite restaurants in Tulum which you can read here.
5) Visit the surrounding areas- Depending on your level of adventure, there is something for everyone...
Cenotes: Cenotes (sink holes & caves filled with water where you can swim) are very popular in the area. Because none of our children were swimming on their own (just with floaties), we didn't feel like it was the best option for us. However, when our kids get a little older I can't wait to visit all the different cenotes in the area.
Lagoons- There are also various lagoons in the area with all sorts of activities like snorkeling, swimming, seeing local animals, etc. The two most popular are Xel-ha and Xcaret. We visited Xel-ha (before we had kids) and loved it. This would probably be best when kids are a little bit older (ie: it's not an ideal place for a baby). I'm thinking it will be perfect to visit when our youngest is 3 or 4. I have heard that Xcaret is better for families with younger children as there is more to do than just swim. It has little shows and cultural activities for the family.
Zip Lining- We visited Xplor (again, pre kids) and it was a blast. The zip lines were amazing. However, this is best for a family with older kids as the minimum age to ride is 5 years old.
A few things to be aware of...
- You will need a rental car to get around the area. The only time you wouldn't need one is if your hotel on the beach had a shuttle to and from the airport and you only wanted to stay on the beach. However I'd recommend getting a car to see more of the town, the ruins, and the surrounding area! Everything is really close, but there aren't great sidewalks to walk or bike everywhere with kids.
- Unfortunately, most of the rental car places are a bit of a sham. We paid for our rental car online, and we declined the insurance. When we arrived, the rental car place told us we HAD to purchase their insurance. So we did, but it added a few hundred dollars to our rental car tab. Some of our friends had the exact same thing happen to them, so you may want to do some research about this.
I will say that we found Tulum very family friendly. We felt very safe in our Airbnb, very safe walking the streets downtown and very safe at our resort along the beach. The area is beautiful and for the most part, very clean. I left already dreaming about planning our next trip here!!
Let me know if you have any questions about Tulum. You're also welcome to send me a DM on my IG (@hope_engaged) if you have question there as well!
Happy Travels
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