A Family Day out in the Riviera Maya

Have a fun day out in the Riviera Maya with the children on your next visit to Grand Residences. Whether you spend the day on the beach, go snorkeling on the Mesoamerican Reef or head for one of the area’s famous parks, there’s plenty to do for all ages.

Sand castles galore

Start your Riviera Maya adventures with some beach hopping. From the wide beaches of Puerto Morelos venture south to Akumal. With its shallow, calm water, this palm-fringed bay is a family favorite.

Dive right in

After days on the beach, it’s time for a snorkeling trip and a glimpse of the colorful underwater world of the Caribbean. If your children can swim, they’ll soon be ready to put on a mask and flippers and go exploring. There are several shallow water reefs in calm waters right here in the Puerto Morelos Marine Park that are teeming with fish. Akumal is another great snorkeling spot rich in marine life that offers sightings of the sea turtles that give it its name in Maya.

Days of fun at the Riviera Maya’s water parks

If snorkeling proves to be a hit with the kiddos, spend the day at Xel-Ha Park. This chain of turquoise inlets, lagoons and cenotes is a snorkeling paradise where you’ll swim with a variety of reef fish, 90 species have been identified in the lagoon.

There are plenty of other fun activities at Xel-Ha, including zip lining, giant inner tubes for floating across the lagoon, leaping off a cliff into a cenote, nature walks and more. Families can also swim with dolphins and stingrays for an additional fee.

For a panoramic view of the park’s inlets and cenotes and the Riviera Maya coast, climb the lookout tower, the quickest way down is the huge water slide.

Take the children to Aqua Nick Park for a day of watery fun and face-to-face encounters with some of their favorite cartoon characters and friends from the Nickelodeon world. There are seven thrilling water slides, a Lazy River for serene float time, the Paw Patrol aqua playground for the little ones and much more.

On the outskirts of Cancun Hotel Zone, Ventura Park has also fun pools, water slides and rides.

Water, nature and Mexican traditions

Just south of Playa del Carmen, Xcaret is the Riviera Maya’s world-famous park. There are more than 50 attractions to enjoy and you’ll spend the day in the water, discovering Mexico’s wildlife, its history and rich traditions.

Relax on the beach, take the children for a swim in one of the park’s underground rivers (life jackets mandatory) and go snorkeling. You can see more marine life on a visit to the coral reef aquarium. Manatees swim in the lagoons and there are dolphins too (additional fees for dolphin swims and encounters).

The huge walk-through jungle aviary is home to 90 species of birds from southeast Mexico, from hummingbirds to parrots, macaws, toucans and the imposing king vulture. The park also has a butterfly pavilion and regional wildlife enclosures where you can watch spider monkeys, coatimundis, deer and jaguars.

The Children’s World area of Xcaret offers pools, water slides and cenotes for children under the age of 12 to swim in. As your little ones have fun in the water, you can relax in a shaded rest area.

During the day take the children to see the Mexican charrería equestrian show, dances, the Papantla flyers and the sea turtles. Be sure to pace your children with an afternoon nap and treats like gelato so that they are ready to stay on for the unforgettable evening gala performance that showcases Mexican history, music, dance and song. It takes you from the days of ancient Mayan rulers and the thrilling ball game, the coming of the Spaniards to the sights and sounds of a Mexican fiesta, complete with a mariachi band.

Optical illusions

For a fun morning out, Xenses Park might appeal to older children. It is a world full of fantasy and what you see is what you don’t. There are two circuits with 17 different attractions that take park goers into a fantastic realm where nothing is what it seems.

For more optical illusions, visit the 3D Museum of Wonders in Playa del Carmen where you can literally walk into 3D drawings on the walls, floors and ceiling.

Jungle thrills

How about a day of jungle adventures? This is a fun choice for older children who will soon find their adventurous Indiana Jones spirit.

At Xplor Park they can fly through the jungle canopy on thrilling zip line circuits with fun cenote splashdowns at the end to cool off. Drive the family through the forest on your own amphibious vehicle and journey into the underworld for a rafting adventure along a river flowing through the Riviera Maya’s caves. Don’t miss Xplor’s latest attraction, the Toboganxote waterslide with its twists and turns for fast-paced fun.

Between Puerto Morelos and Cancun, Xavage Park has an adventure playground for children with rope bridges, tunnels and zip lines.

Taking the family to Xenotes Oasis Maya gives you the chance to explore the jungle and spend the day at four different cenotes on the Ruta de los Cenotes inland from Puerto Morelos.

If all the members of the family like horseback riding, there are several ranches offering rides through the jungle to a cenote where you can cool off with a swim.

If you want your children to learn about nature, how about a trip to Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve?  A trip from Muyil to the south of Tulum combines a visit to the archaeological site of Muyil with a fun boat ride across the lagoon into the mangroves where you’ll float-swim through a canal. There’s even time for the beach and of course you’ll see plenty of wildlife along the way.

Plan your family adventures

Call in at the new Thomas More Travel desk for information and to arrange your Riviera Maya family outing, day trips and park tickets. www.thomasmoretravel.com