There are a lot of things that Mexico does really well. It boasts amazing weather, incredible food, and welcoming people.
But if there’s one thing that Mexico really excels at, it’s beaches.
The country is home to some 9,300km of coastline, of which nearly 3,000km hugs the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Along this stretch of white sand sits one of Mexico’s most beautiful and most popular destinations, Tulum.
This little town on the Yucatan Peninsula has grown to be one of the coolest beach spots in Mexico. If you’re planning on visiting Tulum with kids then this post will tell you all you need to know.
Updated for 2020
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Tulum with children
Tulum has changed a lot in recent years morphing from a sleepy beachside town into a destination popular with the A list. One New York Times journalist remarked that Tulum was “a destination so popular with the fashion crowd…that it almost feels like Fashion Week”.
Nevertheless, Tulum is a great place for family travel and there are lots of kid-friendly activities and excursions. It’s definitely changed in recent years with new developments springing up and more and more visitors but it’s still special and one of our favourite places for a family holiday in Mexico.
If you’re planning a Tulum vacation then here are our top tips, including where to go, how to get around, and where to stay in Tulum.
We visited Tulum from Mexico City and it provided the perfect antidote to megacity living. It’s also the perfect Mexico beach holiday if you’re looking for something a little more low-key than nearby Cancun or Playa del Carmen, that are both far more developed.
Tulum is laidback, cool and filled with fantastic restaurants, beautiful beaches and boutique hotels.
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Things to do in Tulum
One of the best things to do in Tulum is to lie on the beach or swim in the sapphire waters of the Caribbean Sea. Currents can be strong, however, so do keep an eye on younger kids. It’s a good idea to bring your own life jackets if your children are not strong swimmers.
If, however, you’re looking for other things to do in Tulum then here are some of our favourite activities.
Visit the Tulum Ruins
The pre-Colombian Mayan site of Tulum is simply magical, owing in no small part to its position on a bluff facing the Caribbean Sea. This was the only Mayan city built on a coastline and was once used as a seaport, trading in mainly turquoise and jade. It was also one of the few Mayan cities to be protected by a wall that enclosed the site on three sides.
The Mayan structures are today home to dozens and dozens of iguanas that bask in the Mexican sun all day long. Visit the Tulum Ruins in the morning, before the crowds and before it gets too hot.
You can also book a guided tour of the Tulum Ruins:
Tulum, Coba & Cenote full day tour
Ride bikes in Tulum
Riding bikes around Tulum is a fun way to get around. There are lots of places to rent bikes but not all of them have children’s bikes or kids’ seats – ask at your hotel for recommendations.
Tulum town has bike paths and there’s a road running from town to the beach that has a well-paved sidewalk for cycling. Near the beach, however, this road ends and you’re cycling alongside cars, albeit cars driving very slowly.
If you’re travelling with children aged 12-years-old and above, you can try a Tulum Bike Tour.
Swim in a cenote
As well as the beaches in Tulum, the Yucatan Peninsula hides underground pools where Mayans communicated with the gods. These cenotes, meaning ‘natural well’ in Mayan, are natural swimming holes formed by the collapse of porous limestone bedrock.
There are literally dozens of these underground pools with water so clear and pure that you can often see the bottom and the fish swimming among the plant life. Some of these cenotes are found in caves and others are open to the sky above, either way, however, swimming in these pristine waters is quite magical.
These cenotes are generally a huge hit with kids. Some are more developed than others with changing rooms and restaurants.
Be aware that most cenotes in Tulum will not allow sunscreen or mosquito repellent, as they poison the fragile ecosystem within the waters. Make sure to cover up accordingly.
This post has more ideas on the best cenotes to visit in the Yucatan.
Search for Iguanas
You’ll spot iguanas almost everywhere you go in Tulum. The spiny tailed iguana (or black iguana as its also known) are native to southern Mexico and Central America and love places that are hot and dry. There are literally hundreds of them at the Tulum Ruins. When they’re born they are bright green but they change to the adult grey colour after about a year.
Discover the ruins at Coba
About 50 km away from Tulum is the Coba Archaeological Site, a wonderful Indiana Jones setting that feels almost undiscovered – if you ignore the tour buses of course!
In fact, there are still large swathes of this Mayan site, set among the jungle and between two lagoons that have not been excavated. What has been discovered are three settlements, two ball courts and Nohoch Mul, the highest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan.
Explore the site by foot, by bicycle or by cycle rickshaw, which the kids loved. You can climb the 120 steps to the top of Nohoch Mul and the views from the top are incredible. Be aware, however, that the steps are very steep and most people come down by sliding on their bottoms!
Spend the day at a Beach Club
We didn’t visit a beach club on our Tulum family vacation but if you’re interested in spending the day at a beach club then I’ve been told that La Zebra Beach Club is the best for kids. There’s a wooden playground on the beach and you can order good food from your sun lounger.
Day trips from Tulum
From Tulum you can explore other parts of the Yucatan peninsula, including the magnificent Mayan site of Chichen Itza (although, personally, I prefer the ruins at Coba and Tulum). These are some of the most popular day trips from Tulum.
Swim with turtles in Akumal
Akumal is a small beach town located between Tulum and Playa del Carmen. In Mayan language Akumal means “land of turtles” and it’s here that you can snorkel with turtles off the beach. There are three sheltered bays – Half Moon Bay, greater Akumal Bay and Aventuras Akumal Bay. All are good for snorkelling, kayaking and swimming – make sure to bring kiddie sized snorkels and flippers if you do want to swim with the turtles as the hire shops only have adult sizes.
Visit the ruins at Chichen Itza
The Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá are one of Mexico’s most popular attractions. Dating back to around 600AD, this ancient Mayan city is beset known for the massive step pyramid, known as El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan. However, the site has much more to offer and you’ll need two to three hours to fully explore the complex (or less, if you’re kids get around places as fast as mine do!). Don’t miss the ball court, the largest of its kind in the Americas. To avoid the crowds make sure you arrive first thing in the morning or after 3pm. If you want to see Chichen Itza with a guide then you can book one through Get My Guide.
Discover the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve
The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO Heritage Site and an area of natural beauty home to thousands of species of flora and fauna. It’s the largest protected natural area in the Mexican Caribbean and a wonderful place to see native plants and animals. “Sian Ka’an” means ‘Origin of the Sky’ and is home to crocodiles, dolphins, monkeys, manatees, ocelots and more – including a number of endangered species. It’s also a wonderful place to go snorkelling. Get Your Guide offer a three-hour boat tour to the middle of the reserve where you can snorkel among the fish and corals and then enjoy lunch on the beach.
Adventure Parks & Water Parks near Tulum
Water parks are not for everyone but they are definitely a fun thing to do in Tulum for kids. Most of these adventure parks offer activities such as snorkelling alongside more thrilling adventures such as ziplines. Tickets tend to be expensive and some of the water parks still have dolphin shows and “swim with dolphin” experiences, something that I don’t support. If you’re interested in visiting one of these water parks, then these are the ones closest to Tulum.
Family hotels in Tulum
We stayed at Posada Margherita, a small eco-chic hotel positioned directly on the beach that has a fantastic Italian restaurant. Tulum is very eco-minded and is consciously off-grid, which means that hotels and restaurants use solar generators and wind turbines to keep the lights on.
This also means that water pressure can be low, lights dim and A/C non-existent. Posada Margherita was no exception, but for someone who is fond of shabby chic design, the hotel suited me perfectly.
The other hotel that I recommend is Villa Las Estrellas, a lovely place on the beach with some great family-friendly cabanas. Make sure to book accommodation well in advance if travelling over busy periods such as Christmas and Easter.
If you’re looking for more Tulum family resorts then take a look at these recommendations from TripAdvisor.
Where to eat in Tulum
There are some fantastic restaurants in downtown Tulum – we particularly loved Casa Banana and the restaurant at Posada Margherita – but there are dozens of others that are equally popular including the uber trendy, Hartwood.
How to get to Tulum
The nearest airport to Tulum is Cancun and from here, it’s a two-hour drive south. You can catch a bus or taxi or hire a car to go from Cancun to Tulum. Alternatively, you can book a private transfer. We hired a car and it was helpful having our own transportation for day trips.
Getting around Tulum
Tulum is small and easy to navigate; you have the town, the ruins and the beach. Your best way to get around town is by walking (although some distances in the Caribbean sunshine can feel long!) or by hiring a bike. I would not recommend driving locally as the roads can get clogged quickly and parking is not always easy. Save your hire car for exploring beyond Tulum.
If you’re exploring more of the Yucatan then this post has some great ideas on things to do in the Riviera Maya as does this one: 13 things to do the Riviera Maya.
The cenotes look so beautiful – really incredible. It sounds like you had a fab time – I’m impressed by the clientele, but also the beauty of it all.
Thanks! It really is a beautiful corner of Mexico, definitely one to add to your travel list!
I had no idea Tulum is off-grid! Very interesting idea, though I’m not sure how well that would fly with my husband and son, since they can’t live without the Internet. I’d love to see the Tulum ruins some day, though. We’ve been to Chichen Itza, but if you say that Tulum is even better… I agree with you about the cenotes, quite fascinating little pools, aren’t they? Looks like your whole family had a great time in Tulum. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thanks! One of the best things about the Tulum (and Coba) ruins are that they draw fewer crowds than Chichen Itza. They still get busy but if you time your visit right you can enjoy them with relatively few people around.
WE really enjoyed Tulum too! Try and get to Akumul though, that was the real favourite. Beautiful family pictures 🙂
Thanks! Yes loved Tulum and Akumal too, I think I could happily spend quite a long time there given the chance!
Beaches and Mayan ruins and good Mexican food… What a great place for a family vacation! I was here years ago with my husband and would love to return with our children.
Thanks! Yes, it’s definitely a great destination for families, although I can imagine that it would be a wonderful place to go without kids too 🙂
Excellent post! You seem to have visited/seen a completely different side of Tulum than I recently did:) I’ll be printing this for my next visit. If I could add a tip: take NON-TOXIC sunscreen. That is, non-toxic to the sea creatures. So many people, so much sunscreen in the water.
Thanks so much! I’m intrigued to know what side of Tulum you saw?? 🙂 Great tip about the non-toxic sunscreen and definitely something more people – us included – should consider. Thanks!
Tulum is beautiful. Thank you for sharing these great pictures and beautiful words.
Thank you! It really is a magical place.
Do you recommend getting a guide to see the ruins in Tulum? We will be staying in Riviera Maya in March with extended family that are much more the resort type than the explorer types but we have convinced them that they simply must see something cultural and educational while we are there. I’d rather do Tulum since Chichen Itza is further (and I’ve been), but would love to hear what you recommend and if there is a guide company you would recommend as these folks are the sort that are used to being catered to.
Firstly, I love the ruins at Tulum! The setting is simply beautiful and it’s an easy site to visit and walk around. I would definitely recommend getting there early however, both to beat the crowds and the heat. We didn’t get a guide as we were with the kids – who were little at the time – but I’ve heard that the official guides employed at the site are very good. I’ve also been recommended toursbylocals.com, although I can’t personally vouch for them. If you do go – I hope you do! – I would definitely recommend staying in Tulum for lunch. There are some really, really good restaurants including Posada Margerita, Casa Bananas and Hartwood. And you would still be back at your resort in time for an afternoon by the pool! Let me know if I can be of any more help.
I too am all about the early walks on the beach. We’ve not ventured over to Tallum, but this is the second article I’ve read that really makes it sound excellent.
It really is, I hope you get to visit soon!
it looks beautiful and I love the carts for getting round the ruins. You really do look like you had a great trip. Need to add to the ever growing list of places to visit.
Yes, the cycle carts are a lot of fun! And very useful for little legs… 🙂
I.Love.Tulum. We spend many holidays in this area, it’s one of my favorite places on earth. The people are so friendly, and it is just so relaxing. We tend to be “all inclusive” go-ers and have yet to steer away and try something like the place you stayed, but it absolutely piques my interest for our next trip!!
I couldn’t agree more! All-inclusives definitely have their plus points but I do love the little boutique hotels along Tulum’s beachfront for sure.
Awesome… You helped me narrow down our activities. Very helpful post ☺️
I’m so pleased! you will have an amazing time 🙂
Wow so beautiful! Would love to take my kids there!! Any recommendations on specific beaches in Tulum for the kids to go swimming*?*
It is really beautiful! There can be strong undertows here so it’s not brilliant for swimming and not great for young kids. The best place for kids to swim safely is at Akumal, a sheltered bay that is nice and calm and home to lots of green turtles! Hope that helps.
Think you just convinced me to go to Tulum! I’m in Cancun at the moment and was trying to decide whether to head to the Tulum ruins. Definitely going to now! Thanks ????
Oh, I’m so pleased!! Tulum is wonderful, have a great time!
Hi! If we are driving to Tulum from Cancun just for the day would you recommend going to the Tulum Ruins or to Coba? My youngest is 5, which cenotes would be best for us to visit and swim in?
Thank you!!!
Ah, that’s a tough choice! Tulum has the most stunning setting and is full of iguanas. Coba is a bit more Indiana Jones-ish, set within the jungle, and you can cycle (or be pedalled) around the site. If you’re driving from Cancun then Tulum is probably a better option as with Coba you really need to get there for when it opens to avoid the bus loads of crowds that arrive soon after. At the end of the day you won’t be disappointed with either! We enjoyed the Gran Cenote with our kids when they were 3 and 5.5 years and it worked really well. Cenote dos Ojos also comes recommended. Hope this helps!
I would love to visit Tulum. We were just in Cozumel and only had time visit San Gervasio, but still Mayan Ruins are so interesting.
Similarly I would love to visit Cozumel! Too many places and too little time 🙂
Thanks for you blog! Great info- I have a question- how did you get a around? Did you rent a car? Thanks!
Thank you! Yes, we rented a car in Cancun and drove everywhere. I’d say that having a car is a really good idea as it makes it so much easier to get around.
Considering going with our 2 boys (9 & 12). Curious how your family was received by others there? Were non-family people pretty friendly & tolerant of the kids being kids? Did you feel welcomed & comfortable?
Hi Angie, yes, absolutely, we felt very welcome! Mexico is such a family-friendly place and even in Tulum (which can be a little hip and cool!), people were very welcoming of kids. Obviously the kids weren’t running around e.g. the restaurant yelling! I think you would have an amazing time and your boys are at the age where they could really enjoy things like Coba ruins and swimming in the cenotes. Hope that helps!
I’m really glad I stumbled upon your post. We’re heading to Tulum in February with our 11 and 9 yr olds and are staying in Downtown. We’re planning on renting bicycles to get around but I was also considering a car, however, had heard some nightmares about checkpoints and difficult police, as well as notorious car rental agencies that apply a ton of charges upon return. Any info or tips on car rental and driving? Thanks!
Hi Justin, thanks for getting in touch. Having a car is definitely helpful as it makes getting to places like Coba ruins, Akumal and the cenotes that much easier. That said, taxis are plentiful so you can still get around if you decide not to hire a car. We rented one in Cancun and returned it there as well and had no problems – no checkpoints and no encounters with police. That said, we were there five years. Generally, however, driving in the Yucatan is fine! Hope that helps.
HI, I’m heading to Tulum in March with my toddler son (soon to be 2) and was thinking about bringing a hiking carrier to visit the ruins.Would you recommend bringing one or do you think an umbrella stroller could handle the walking paths if he gets tired. Thanks so much and really enjoyed reading this post, we can’t wait for our trip!
Hi Tania,
An umbrella stroller should be fine for the Tulum ruins but if you head to the Coba ruins I would recommend a hiking carrier. How exciting that you are heading to Tulum, I hope you have a fabulous time! Katja
Hi! We are considering going to Tulum also. We have a question about the cenotes, do they have a shallow area were a 3 years old can play safely? They seem pretty deep..
Thanks for the input!
Tina
Hi Tina, unfortunately most of the cenotes don’t have shallow areas. They are literally sinkholes filled with water and most of them are fairly deep. That said, my daughter was 3 when we visited and we managed to swim (bring a flotation device or armbands). Dos Ojos (also know as Cenote de la Vida) is probably the best to visit with little kids. It’s not as impressive as some of the other cenotes but good with little kids. I’ve also been recommended Cenote Azul with young children. Hope this helps! Thanks, Katja
thanks a lot, Katja! Very helpful!!!
Did you bring a car seat? We will have a shuttle from Cancun to Tulum with a car seat but then without one once in Tulum. I am debating bringing ours from home but not sure if it’s worth it. It would only be for going in to town as we will be staying on the beach. Any thoughts or recommendations?
Hi Rose, we did bring a car seat because we hired a car while were there. If, however, I was going to get the shuttle I probably wouldn’t bring one. Ultimately, though, it’s a matter of personal preference. How old is your child?
Great post! We are planning a trip for this Christmas, and I’m finding it very hard to find a place to stay 🙁
If it’s a hotel in the centre, how do you get to the beach? And vice-versa? Also, our daughter will be 9 months old by then, any advice? 😀
Hi Dora, We hired a car when we were there and it was really helpful to have as it meant we could explore the area and try out different beaches (like go to Akumal for the day, for example). Have you sorted out your transport yet? As for your daughter, plenty of sun cream, hats and some kind of flotation device (arm bands, life vest) for playing in the shallow water. Don’t go too far out as there is quite a strong current. Hope that helps!
Hello. Thank you for this post. It’s quite informative. Question? My 3-year-old daughter can swim a bit and we plan to take a life vest and flotation armbands for her. I’m wondering which cenotes you may recommend near Tulum that you visited personally. I don’t mind deep water as long as it’s somewhat accessible for someone like my toddler. Also, do you think the open air cenotes may be better than the completely enclosed ones because of the cold water?
Hi, I would recommend Dos Osos (also known as Cenote De La Vida), which is not as spectacular as some of the other cenotes but great for young kids. Cenote Azul is also really good (clearer water, marginally less kid-friendly) and I’ve also been recommended Cenote Grande (although I’ve not been there myself). Personally, I like the open cenotes but purely because I like being able to see the sky! I hope this helps – have a wonderful trip!
Thanks for your post! Question – did you rent a car and travel from Cancun? Thank you!
Hello, yes that’s exactly what we did! It was very easy.
Will it be great also for solo travellers like me?
Tulum is a wonderful place for solo travellers! it’s a really fun scene with lots going on!