Riviera Maya Trip With Kids? Family Travel Tips, Hotels, and Excursions

What to know, what to do, and where to go in the Riviera Maya with kids!

Planning a trip to the Riviera Maya with kids? This was our plan too, and we had an epic trip with our boys! The Riviera Maya in Mexico is one of the best destinations for a family friendly escape because it has so many all inclusive resorts aimed just for families and offers a whole host of epic jungle adventures that adventurous kids will love.

the Rivieria Maya is a great place to relax and unwind as a family.

But travelling to a destination like the Riviera Maya with kids only works if you do plenty of planning and preparation in advance. We knew that we wanted to swim in the Caribbean Sea (something we’d never done before), see Chichen Itza, and eat as much Mexican food as possible. All things we managed to do, but we also crammed in so much more!

As a mum who tackled this trip with kids in tow (and loved every single minute of it!) I thought it would be handy to write an article about everything I wish i’d known before we went – plus tips from our own experiences that we’d picked up on the way.

Here’s my complete guide to planning a Riviera Maya trip with kids:

1. Where To Stay in the Riviera Maya with Kids
2. Getting There And Getting Around the Riviera Maya with Kids
3. Best Family-Friendly Day Trips and Excursions in the Riviera Maya
   1. Visit Xel-Ha
   2. Explore Chichen Itza
   3. Swim With Sea Turtles in Akumal
4. Top Tips for Visiting the Riviera Maya with Kids
5. FAQs
   1. Is The Riviera Maya Safe With Kids?
   2. When Is The Best Time To Go To The Riviera Maya?
   3. Are The Riviera Maya Beaches Calm For Children?
   4. Can you drink the water in Mexico?
6. Conclusion

Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!

Where To Stay in the Riviera Maya with Kids

I don’t recommend hotels that I haven’t experienced personally (that just doesn’t seem fair or ethical), but what I can say is that we stayed at the Bahia Principe Grand Coba, and it was a perfect fit for families. Especially the kids pool, splash park, and excellent food options. The vibe was fun and relaxed.

The beach here was excellent (it’s what I imagine when I think of a perfect beach), and because this is part of a complex of four other Bahia Principe hotels, you can use the restaurants in the other hotels too. But don’t worry, they have golf buggies to get you around the whole complex, no need to walk for miles – Making what is already a big and beautiful resort even more appealing. I wrote a full article about our stay here.

Some of the other Bahia Principe resorts are adult only, but the Bahia Principe Tulum and the Bahia Principe Grand Coba are both wonderfully child-friendly. And having stayed in the Grand Coba and spent plenty of time in the Tulum, I would recommend both!

👉This hotel sells out quickly. You can check availability here.

👉 The Bahia Principe Grand Coba have a sale of up to 50% happening right now if you book direct. Find out more here.

Getting There And Getting Around the Riviera Maya with Kids

The main international gateway to the Riviera Maya is Cancun International Airport (CUN). This is the airport where we landed, and we opted for TUI flights. Direct flights from the UK typically take between 10-11 hours. We had an overnight flight which worked really well with the kids, because after watching a movie and eating a snack or two, they happily went to sleep.

If you’re flying from the USA or Canada you could consider Tulum International Airport which may be closer depending on your final destination. But this isn’t a great option for those flying from the UK.

Tip: Most family resorts offer free or low-cost airport transfers, but double check this when you’re booking. If not there are plenty of options for your airport transfers. Private transfers are the easiest and the fastest option – you get met at the airport and you don’t have to wait around. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, consider shared shuttles or coach transfers instead.

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We found that the best way to get around when we arrived at our resort was either to book tours and excursions for the things we wanted to do, or to have private taxis which were booked for us by the hotel. If you do this, always agree the price in advance – you can even ask your resort consierge to do this for you (that’s what we did!)

Best Family-Friendly Day Trips and Excursions in the Riviera Maya

We love to be busy (we’re not the type of family to sit around a pool for weeks on end) so during our 2 weeks in the Riviera Maya we managed to take 7 different day trips and excursions.

I’ve listed some of these below so you can choose the trips that will work best for your own family:

Visit Xel-Ha

Xel-Ha is a natural water park that uses the natural environment to create its thrills. Want to jump from a cliff into the cool icy water? There’s a cliff right there! How about a lazy river? The natural speed of a river flowing through the mangroves takes care of that. It’s an incredible place to visit for kids and adults alike, and Xel-Ha is a an all-inclusive attraction. That means you pay one price for your access as well as unlimited food and drink throughout the day (including alcoholic drinks, although we didn’t partake because alcohol and water didn’t seem like a good mix!

We had the BEST day here. Like one of those core memory making days. If your kids like water and you want to try something different during your time in the Riviera Maya I couldn’t recommend Xel-Ha more.

👉Check availability and book tickets here.

📔 You can read my complete guide to Xel-Ha, Riviera Maya, with kids here.

Explore Chichen Itza

You really can’t go to Mexico without visiting Chichen Itza. It’s one of the New 7 Wonders Of The World as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This might not be an obvious fit for travel with kids, but my boys loved it!

To make sure that the boys were well occupied and loved the day as much as we did, we booked a tour that included a stop to cool off and swim in the cenotes. They loved swimming in the cool cenotes so much that we booked another cenote trip for the following week!

It was a jam-packed day, but we saw so much. And experiencing Chichen Itza was so much more special than I expected thanks, in part, to our amazing tour guide who really brought the ancient history of this iconic place to life.

👉I’ve added the link to the exact trip we used so you can book tickets here.

📔 You can read my top five tips for visiting Chichen Itza with kids (learn from our mistakes)

Swim With Sea Turtles in Akumal

My favourite experience in the Riviera Maya? Swimming with the sea turtles in Akumal. This was a bucket list dream for me, and seeing these magnificent creatures (my favourite animals) in their natural habitat was beyond anything I could imagine.

Even if you don’t want to swim with the turtles, Akumal is a beautiful beach and one that we think is well worth visiting. The boys spent hours splashing on the shoreline and snorkelling to see the dozens of fish and othehr sea creatures that were close to shore. If I could repeat just one of our experiences during our time in Mexico, it would be swimming with the sea turtles in Akumal.

👉Check availability and book your sea turtle experience in Akumal here.

📔 You can read my ultimate experience: swimming with sea turtles in Akumal here.

Don’t forget that you can use the code THATMUMTRAVEL5KLOOK to get 5% off these excursions and any other excursions you fancy when you book them via Klook!

Top Tips for Visiting the Riviera Maya with Kids

Planning a holiday to the Riviera Maya with kids can be magical – but like any travel with kids there are logistics you need to bear in mind. This is true if you spend to spend your days lounging in the resort as much as if you want to get out and about like we did.

To help your trip go as smoothly as possible, here are some top tips gleaned from our own Riviera Maya adventures:

• Don’t underestimate the heat. The Riviera Maya is hot and humid all year round. We went in May and it was like being inside an oven. This can be difficult to handle, especially for kids. To help with this, pack UV swimwear, hats, sunglasses, and reef-safe sunscreen. When you go in some beaches or the the cenotes, you’ll only be allowed to wear sunscreen if it’s reef safe. If you’re really not coping with the heat, plan your activities for earlier in the day so that you can stay inside for the heat of the day.
  
• Choose a family friendly resort. This makes a big difference! Resorts like the Bahia Principe Grand Coba (where we stayed) have great family touches like kids buffets, entertainment, and spash areas that make it so easy to visit with kids. (If you’re looking to book a family resort, check the latest prices here).
  
• Be prepared for sensitive tummies. The food in Mexico is delicious, but encourage kids to take things slowlty and introduce new/spicy foods with care if they have delicate stomachs. Pack rehydration sachets and some upset tummy relief – it’s better to be safe than sorry.
  
• Bring a lightweight travel buggy. If your kids are 5 or under bring a stroller, even if they think they won’t need it. The heat can be tiring and even the most independent kids will suddenly find they need a sit down (the same rule applies to naps with kids that never nap suddenly wanting one again!)
  
• Carry some Pesos. Most places accept cards or USD but local currency is good for tipping staff in hotels and restaurants, paying for taxis, and small purchases in markets.
  
• Don’t forget your mosquito repellent. The jungle vibes in the Riviera Maya look epic, but the bugs they bring with them are no joke!

FAQs

Is The Riviera Maya Safe With Kids?

Parts of Mexico don’t have the best safety rating with the foreign office and this can be offputting for tourists. But the Riviera Maya is generally considered safe for tourists including for families. The main resort areas across this part of the coastline are well patrolled by the police and because they cater s heavily to international tourists it’s in their best interests to make sure everyone is safe.

Of course it’s important to use your common sense: don’t get mixed up with anything you shouldn’t, don’t walk alone at night, and stick to well lit areas. But we felt very safe visiting the Riveria Maya as family travellers.

When Is The Best Time To Go To The Riviera Maya?

Officially, the best time to visit the Riviera Maya is between November and April. But these are also the most expensive times to visit (peak season means peak prices). To save a bit of money we visited in May instead: the weather was beautiful and we didn’t have a single day or rain, but the prices were much cheaper than if we’d visited even a single month before. I highly recommend it.

August and September are the peak rainy seasons and hurricane season in this part of the Mexico coast. You’re unlikely to experience a hurricane if you visit in the summer, but this is something to be aware of.

Are The Riviera Maya Beaches Calm For Children?

We found all of the beaches we visited in the Riviera Maya to be calm and shallow. At certain points of the year sargassum (seaweed) can be an issue, but most resorts will clear this daily to ensure that you can still swim in and enjoy the sea during your stay.

Can you drink the water in Mexico?

No! It isn’t recommended to drink tap water in Mexico, and I wouldn’t even try it. Stick to bottled water or filtered water if you don’t want to spend much of your trip in the loo with a dodgy tummy. We even used bottled water to clean our teeth – just don’t take any chances, especially with kids.

Conclusion

We loved every minute of our Riviera Maya trip. If you love beautiful beaches or your travelling with water babies that want to swim every day then I think you will too! It was a stunning place with such a rich culture, and the people were so warm and welcoming. It was clear that they genuinely love kids here too. I would certainly recommend this as an amazing destination for family travel.

Have you visited the Riviera Maya? What did your kids think? Would you go back? And do you have any tips or questions that you would add to my list? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!