Bustling cities, beach resorts and sleepy villages; add lots of sunshine, very friendly locals, theme parks and ancient ruins; make Mexico a perfect place to take the family. Mexico promises to keep the little ones and those older children happy and with so much to see and do; there’s no chance of them getting bored at all during your family holiday together. It is more likely that the larger towns in Mexico and tourist attractions places like Uxmal and Punta offer the most facilities for children, as do the coastal towns of Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.
Places to go with kids in Mexico
Mexico is buzzing with family attractions, culture, adventure and most importantly; fun!
Deciding whether to focus on the spectacular ancient ruins of 2,000-year-old Teotihuacan, Mexico's largest pre-Hispanic city; or take in the view from centrally located, 44-storey Torre Latinoamericana building in Mexico City tomorrow; is a tough decision! So; an easy answer is to do both! After all they are only about 30 miles from each other. You could also take your family to explore the vibrant capital city together. A great day trip would be to explore the extensive Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza,or those around Tulum further down the Riviera Maya coast. How about a nice picnic afterwards on one of the beautiful Tulum beaches?
Beaches - Mexico has spectacular beaches with clear turquoise waters that are ideal for families wanting to chill out, swim and enjoy the sunshine. The Caribbean beaches of the Yucutan Peninsula offer tremendous water sports including diving, snorkelling and kayaking. Or just soak up the sun and relax on the dazzling, white-sand beaches of Cancun, Cozumel and Riviera Maya as they are truly lovely. Other beautiful beaches include modern Acapulco, traditional Puerto Vallarta and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. Surfing anyone? Head across to Zicatela to catch some waves and a spot of surfing.
A definite must see for children and brave parents is the Crocodile Park near Puerto Morelos where everyone can get up close and personal with these ancient amphibians and even feed some of the baby ones! The kids will also enjoy Playa del Carmen's Xcaret Eco Theme Park where they can swim with dolphins, watch shows and explore ancient ruins. Interact with marine creatures at the water park at Cancun. There’s also safe snorkelling in Garrafon Marine Park; so masks, flippers and snorkels on please! Perhaps it’s time for a spot of diving or whale watching? It’s all here; decisions, decisions, decisions!
Child friendly accommodation in Mexico
Children and family life are an important part of Mexican culture, and this is reflected in the number of child friendly hotels, facilities and pretty much every thing in Mexico! Beach resorts, especially all-inclusive offers, are really very popular here. The perks of these include water sports, deluxe swimming pools, kid’s clubs and a countless activities and attractions that will entertain the kids for hours and even days as well as all-included meals, drinks and snacks! Don’t forget to also take advantage of the babysitting facilities that allow you to steel a night out on the town knowing that the children are safe and sound! Some are reasonably priced; try Cancun and Los Cabos as these are three very popular areas. For absolute luxury go Riviera Maya all the way with beach and coral reef plus Mayan ruins in a super combo deal! Check out our selection of child friendly hotels in Mexico on the right.
Family restaurants and local cuisine
Mexican cuisine is a rich mix of native Indian, French and Spanish cuisines based around tortillas, refried pinto or kidney beans and chilli peppers; but there is so much more! Did you know that Mexico gave the world chocolate, tomato, avocado, chilli peppers, and vanilla? Its huge variety of ingredients makes exploring the local cuisine an absolute must!
La Opera - arguably the capital's best-known cantina with live Mexican music complete with a bullet hole in the ceiling from the rebel general of the Mexican Revolution- Pancho Villa's gun when he visited in the early 1900’s!
Águila y Sol; Polanco - A contemporary and stylish restaurant where the owner/chef mixes traditional ingredients in surprising and titillating ways to delight your taste buds!
Why not let the kids help to make an authentic Mexican dinner? (Kid’s style of course!) It's fun and easy! Try these two tasty dishes!
Savory Mexican Mac 'n Cheese - Fill tortillas / tacos with a delicious combination of macaroni and cheese! Kids of all ages will love them!
Mexican-style pizza - Top a pizza base / flat bread with refried beans, salsa, guacamole
sour cream, grated cheese and olives!
Mexico – useful tips
Mexico is famous for its year-round, colourful fiestas with lots of live music, dancing and tequila! Do enjoy the festivities but it may be a good idea to go easy on the tequila! It is a good idea to take plenty of diapers with you as the local ones are not as good; and imported brands can be quite expensive. Do lather the kids in sunscreen and spray them with repellent so that sunburn and insects aren’t a problem. It is also advisable to only drink bottled water to avoid any tummy upsets! Remember that Mexicans love kids and families are welcomed wherever they go.
