By now, you've probably
heard about Cancun's reputation as a spring break haven, a party town full
of drunk, half-naked college kids, and you're probably wondering whether it's
the right thing to bring your kids to such a place. What will there
be for them to do, and will they be corrupted by the atmosphere? Well,
a word of advice is that spring break only happens for a couple of months
a year. Don't take your kids during mid-February to mid-April if you
have a choice. The rest of the year it is much like any vacation town,
but you may want to seek out a family-friendly resort like the
Crown Paradise
Club,
Dreams Resort & Spa,
Club Med or the
Avalon Grand Cancun. There are
also many family-friendly
activities to keep your kids occupied throughout your vacation. We've
put together some suggestions to help you out.
What To Do With Kids in Cancun
First and foremost,
kids love water. If you keep them where they can swim and
snorkel, they'll probably
be happy.
Xcaret has a
Swim With Dolphins
program set up just for young children which they'll love, and older kids
can do the regular program which they'll remember forever.
The kids will
enjoy the Sea Lion Encounter, splashing away
in the water with the resident sea lions.
A trip to
Xel Ha or Xcaret will
keep the kids entertained all day long, and they'll always love a day at
Wet N Wild at Parque Nizuc.
You can have
dinner at a fun restaurant like the Rain Forest Cafe - kids love that
place. You can get 2x1 discounts on the Rain Forest Cafe and many
other places
with the Entertainment
Plus Cancun Discount Card.
The
Jungle Tour is popular
with kids, as are the ATV tours (at least
for older kids).
Horseback Riding
is fun for older kids, especially if you have girls.
You can wow the kids with the acrobatics of the horsemen at the
Hacienda Nights Mexican Fiesta.
Mexican culture for the whole family.
A popular outing with families of all ages is
Joe's Jeep Adventure.
This tour visits a petting zoo, sees ruins, swims in Cenotes, and visits
a Mayan village. For the adventure in you, there is a zip line
too.
The Subsee
Explorer and Atlantis
Submarine are unique ways to see the underwater world of Cancun
without ever getting wet. Perfect for families with kids of all
ages - they will be excited.
A ride in the Shotover Jet
Boat will leave them smiling from ear to ear. Safe fun for all
ages.
What Not To Do With Kids in Cancun
In general,
Mayan Ruins, though fascinating
for adults, are going to be boring for the kids. Long bus rides to
look at piles of rubble just aren't going to do it for them. If you're
going to do this, you may want to consider a combo tour like
Tulum / Xel Ha, so at least they can
swim when the boring part is over.
Booze Cruises aren't
probably a good idea, and keep them far away from the
Bullfights.
Animals being stabbed in the brain repeatedly until they die isn't probably
the best thing for kids to witness.
You won't want
to go to an establishment for dinner like Carlos N Charlies or Senor Frogs,
unless you're out of there before 9:00 or so. It starts to get pretty
wild.
A wildlife sanctuary
like Sian Kaan or Isla Contoy
is probably going to make the kids a bit restless too.
How Can I Afford a Cancun Vacation With My Kids?
Airfare isn't going
to vary that much. You can try a site like
SkyAuction to find charter flights, but other than that, you're going
to pay close to the same prices no matter what site you use. However,
the time of year can make a huge difference. See our
Cheap Airfares page
for details.
Hotel can really impact
your vacation cost. All-inclusive packages are probably not the best
idea, since your kids don't eat that much, or drink alcohol (hopefully).
Therefore, you're not getting your money's worth. To really save,
look into a vacation
rental. Then you can cook if you want, since you have a kitchen,
and you won't have to pay for more than one room, since most have several
bedrooms.
Food and activities
can really add up. The best thing for you to do is pick up a
Cancun Discount Card
that gives you 2x1 discounts on dining and big discounts on your tours.
This will add up dramatically if you have a family. This is the
absolute biggest money saver you will find in Cancun. Don't miss
this one.
Take a
private shuttle
from the airport instead of a shared shuttle. Instead of paying
per person, you'll pay per vehicle. For families of four or more this
will save you money.
Look into a
vacation package.
Often, these packages will be excellent deals.
Click on the links at left to explore our large selection
of Cancun Tours and Activities.
