Mexico destination ideas

Let’s consider now, the best options for your Mexican family vacation over spring break. Read the whole thing or jump straight to the section that’s best for you and your family.

Quintana Roo

Best for Caribbean beaches, luxury hotels, water based adventures, cenotes & ruins. When people think of Spring Break in Mexico, it’s usually Quintana Roo they imagine.

MexicoCassie top tip: 🚖 Regular cabs from Cancun airport are just about the only time I actually think people get properly ripped off in Mexico. Pre book your transfer with Omytransfer to get from Cancun airport to your hotel anywhere on the Riviera Maya if your hotel doesn’t offer free transfers.

Jump to → Cancun | Playa del Carmen | Tulum | Bacalar | Holbox

Cancun

Why visit: here are some of the best all-inclusives in Mexico. This is a top spot for relaxing on fabulous Caribbean beaches with white sand and turquoise ocean, signing up for some great activities, and for easy access to Isla Mujeres via ferry

Take into account: It will b busy, big party scene during spring break

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – yes, little kids will love the beaches but you won’t be able to let them play in the sea without supervision, many hotels have little kid-friendly pools and activities

School age kids – yes, again, the beaches, hotel pools, water slides, and plenty of amazing activities including cenotes, ruins, boat rides, water parks and more

Teens – definitely, teens will love some of the adventure parks, wild cenotes, lounging on the beach, shopping malls

MexicoCassie experience – I’ve taken my kids to Cancun multiple times and they always have a brilliant time. We have loved water parks, swimming with whale sharks (not during spring break), MUSA underwater museum, playing on the beach and taking a trip to Isla Mujeres.

Playa del Carmen

Why visit: Aslo great for all inclusives, great activities, and for the easy ferry to the gorgeous island of Cozumel. If your kids are into shopping, this is a good option.

Take into account: The beaches will be busy, this is a big party destination during spring break. It is possible to find quiet spaces in Playa del Carmen, but you need to be careful. Beaches not as beautiful as Cancun or Tulum in my opinion

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – yes, little kids will love the beaches but you won’t be able to let them play in the sea without supervision, many hotels have little kid-friendly pools and activities

School age kids – yes, again, the beaches, hotel pools, water slides, and plenty of amazing activities including cenotes, ruins, boat rides, water parks and more

Teens – definitely, teens will love some of the adventure parks, wild cenotes, lounging on the beach, shopping malls

MexicoCassie experience – we have been to Playa del Carmen a few times, the kids love Río Secreto, taking a trip to Cozumel and exploring 5th Avenue.

Tulum

Why visit: Caribbean beaches, chilled out hipster vibe and amazing restaurants

Take into account: Tulum can be extremely expensive, the beaches often suffer with massive amounts of sargassum

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – yes, little kids will love the beach here but you won’t be able to let them play in the sea without supervision

School age kids – yes, again, the beach, hotel pools, and plenty of amazing activities including cenotes, ruins

Teens – definitely, teens will love some of the adventure parks, wild cenotes, lounging on the beach, the main shopping strip is great for teens with money to spend. Very Instagram friendly

MexicoCassie experience – when they were small, my kids absolutely loved Tulum, and they were wowed by the ocean here. They had their first ever cenote experiences in Tulum when they were 2 and 4 years old. Visiting ruins from here and floating down the channel at Sian Kaan will never not be a winner for everyone.

Bacalar

Why visit: Because this is a wildly gorgeous inland laguna next to a pueblo magico, with a very laid back atmosphere in a tiny town

Take into account: This is not technically a beach so if your family is looking to relax on the sand, this is not for you

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – there are playgrounds and even some water play spots for smaller kids, the water is shallow at the edges of the laguna

School age kids – kids will love being able to wander the plaza and the small market at dusk, as well as play in the laguna, rent kayaks, take boat rides

Teens – any teens who enjoy water based activities will love to spend a few days on the water here. Because it’s a really small town, teens will be able to enjoy freedom here that they might not in other, larger Riviera Maya destinations.

MexicoCassie experience – I’ve taken my kids here once when they were younger (I’ve been multiple times without them too), they loved playing in the water, taking the boat tour around the laguna and playing on the plaza.

Holbox

Why visit: for magical tropical island vibes, incredible beaches

Take into account: In recent years it has become somewhat over-touristed, services not always up to coping with the number of visitors

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – the beach is a delight for kids, the waves are never strong or large and there are a few playgrounds around

School age kids – for kids who are happy playing in the water, this is a great option. There are kayaking tours for stronger, bigger kids

Teens – if your teens enjoy chilling out then they’ll love it here, the evenings do perk up and there are some trendy spots and cool stores

MexicoCassie experience – my kids loved playing on the beach, in the sea and on the plaza. They also loved that there’s really very little need for shoes here!

Also in Quintana Roo

Yucatán

Best for gentle beaches, colonial cities full of history, Mayan ruins, cenotes

Jump to → Progreso (beach town) | El Cuyo (beach village) | Mérida (colonial city) | Valladolid (colonial city)

Progreso

Why visit: This is a laid back beach town with small hotels and gentle beaches – with a car or tours you can easily reach cenotes, ruins and the bustling city of Mérida

Take into account: This is not a luxury destination, it’s real Mexico, it’s where many Mexicans like to go for Semana Santa . Cruise ships dock here regularly on day trips, which can make the city busy on those days

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – the Gulf beaches here are some of the most gentle beaches you’ll find in all of Mexico, perfect for little ones just getting used to the sea

School age kids – Progreso is a delight with school age kids, they’ll love the beach, the clubs, inflatable assault courses in the water, the playgrounds and everything else. The meteor museum is fun for kids too, as are the nearby ruins and cenotes.

Teens – Progreso is a small enough town that you will be able to let your teen off to explore if they get bored sitting on the beach. Progreso is also near enough to Mérida that there’s plenty of city activity to be had nearby. And if they like kite surfing or kayaking, both are easily doable here.

MexicoCassie experience – we used to live in Mérida so my kids know Progreso extremely well, it’s always been our ‘after school’ treat to go to the beach here for a meal and a play.

El Cuyo

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – little kids will love the beach and how gentle the water generally is (unless a surprise norte storm comes up)

School age kids – you can let the kids run free here, there’s no one around to bother anyone

Teens – there are some trendy restaurants here, the beach is perfect and for anyone wanting to learn to kite surf, this could be a good destination

MexicoCassie experience – my kids always have an amazing time playing on the beach and in the perfect water and absolutely love this tiny town

Mérida

Why: Access to beaches, cenotes, ruins, museums. Merida is one of the safest cities in Mexico and it has plenty of amazing activities for kids and families.

Take into account: this is not beach town, it’s a large and busy city about 45 minutes from the coast.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – there are many parks and playgrounds here and the day trips are fun for everyone

School age kids – school age kids will love everything about Mérida, take them for tacos, ice creams, to kid friendly museums, playgrounds, and on day trips

Teens – Mérida is a big city with a bustling city centre, teens will never be bored here

MexicoCassie Mérida experience – I lived in Mérida with my kids for many years, they love the city, the food, the fun there is to be had here and they can’t wait to visit again

Valladolid

Why visit: Everyone will have fun exploring his small town, with a lovely, lively plaza, access to ruins & cenotes, Chichén Itzá is close by

Take into account: there is no easy access to a beach from Valladolid, it’s right in the middle of the peninusula

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – there are playgrounds and space to play, and the city is never too busy

School age kids – there aren’t many museums here so kids won’t be bored! There’s a cenote right in the centre of the city

Teens – because the city isn’t too big, teens can wander around, enjoying the great shopping opportunities, alone

MexicoCassie Mérida experience – my kids always enjoy a trip to Valladolid and nearby cenotes. El Balam ruin is a favourite of theirs and they love learning about traditional bee keeping and trying all the honey options in Xkopek.

Also in Yucatán

Campeche

Best for colonial city visit, river dolphins, ruins and escaping the crowds

Jump to → Isla Aguada (for dolphins) | Campeche city |

Isla Aguada, Campeche

Why visit: because it’s great families who love to get away from tourist destinations, and enjoy gentle nature based adventures. This is a tiny fishing village with year round dolphins

Take into account: It is hard to book accommodation as the place is so small and you’ll need a car to get here, considering pairing with Campeche and driving in a rental car

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – there is a small beach here so there’s somewhere to play in the water. If the kids love dolphins they’ll be wowed

School age kids – this is all about the dolphins here so yes, good for kids!

Teens – teens who need adventure and activity might be bored here as it’s a very small town with very little to actually do

MexicoCassie Isla Aguada experience – my kids were 8 and 10 when we visited and they rated the dolphin adventure 11/10 and asked to take the tour for a second time to see more dolphins. They absolutely loved every second of our time here.

Campeche city

Why visit: If you enjoy exploring cities and don’t mind getting off the tourist track, this is a great option. This is a coastal colonial city with a pirate history, and nearby Maya ruins.

Take into account: you’ll need to fly into CDMX, Mérida or Cancun and take the train, or rent a car to get here. Although this is a coastal city, it is not a beach city but there are some beaches nearby.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – if your kids can walk around a city, they’ll enjoy it here, the tourist train is good fun, there are light shows, and pirates to think about

School age kids – great for school age kids who will enjoy playing around the fort and on the city walls

Teens – this is a small city where you can let the teens explore on their own if they want to

MexicoCassie Campeche experience – we always love a trip to Campeche, it’s a delightful city and my kids always enjoy their time here.

More in Campeche

Incredible ruins such as Calakmul & Edzna

→ Read the MexicoCassie guide to the archaeological sites in Campeche

Barely visited cenote and water based fun in Campeche

→ All mentioned in the MexicoCassie guide to Campeche & the MexicoCassie southern Mexico road trip guide

Chiapas

Best for nature fun, small mountain towns, ruins and waterfalls

San Cristobal de las Casas

Why visit: staying in a gorgeous small town is such an adventure, and there are awesome day trips to spectacular places such as the Sumidero Canyon, and nearby visiting Indigenous communities

Take into account: You’ll need to fly into Tuxla Gutiérrez and either take a bus or rent a car to get to San Cris.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – little kids will love the nature parks just outside the city, there aren’t many playgrounds here, honestly

School age kids – this is much more of a place to visit with slightly older kids who can appreciate the town, enjoy the great food and cope with exciting day trips

Teens – with teens San Cris will be fabulous as it’s small enough that you can let them explore and they’ll love the incredible artisanias markets around town

MexicoCassie San Cris experience – my kids love San Cris and every day trip we’ve taken from here. We spent a Christmas in town, and the kids loved the market, the chocolate making course we took and of course, the food!

More in Chiapas

Oaxaca

Best for culture, history, ruins, nature & hippy beaches

Jump to → Beaches | Oaxaca City

Beaches around Puerto Escondido & Huatulco

Why visit: Families looking for a chilled out beach experience will love this. Traditionally popular with the backpacker crowd these beaches have become more mainstream. If you enjoy sitting under palapas sipping a beer while the kids play, this is a perfect option. Day trips include whale watching and turtle release programs.

Take into account: These beaches are harder to reach than some of the other areas. To get to the Oaxaca beaches you’ll mostly likely want to fly to Huatulco airport and then rent a car to explore the area.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – there are good activities for kids but the beaches are not particularly gentle, little kids will need constant beach supervision

School age kids – kids will enjoy the hippy vibe and the beaches but they will need to be watched in the water

Teens – depending on where you stay, teens will have a great time exploring the markets

MexicoCassie Oaxaca beach experience – I have been multiple times but have not actually taken my kids to the Oaxaca beaches, much to their disgust.

Oaxaca City

Why visit: Adventurous families who love cultural cities, fabulous cuisine and amazing nature day trips (ruins, massive petrified waterfalls, cultural villages) will have a brilliant time

Take into account: you can combine with a few days at the beach if you want to fly or drive from Oaxaca to Huatulco.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – there are a few playgrounds here but most of the fun for small kids is in the plazas, the meeting local kids and in the adventures (see my kids on their first trip to Oaxaca when they were very small in the photo above)

School age kids – kids who enjoying trying new foods will love the markets, the plazas are so full of life here and there are many ice cream options

Teens – Oaxaca like most of the cities I’ve recommended, is great for teens who want a little independence and the markets here are incredible for teens who enjoy shopping

MexicoCassie Oaxaca experience – I have taken my children to Oaxaca multiple times and we have always had an amazing time, we love Oaxaca.

Also in Oaxaca

Jalisco & Nayarit

Best for big city adventures, learning about Tequila, nature fun and queer beach town, hippy style beaches

Jump to → Guadalajara |Puerto Vallarta | Sayulita (Nayarit)

Guadalajara

Why visit: Because this is one of the biggest cities in Mexico, with many fabulous museums and big parks. It also has a great zoo and a theme park just outside town. The day trips from Guadalajara are another reason to consider this city as serious contender in the spring break with kids in Mexico planning.

Take into account: This is a very large city and you’ll need to keep your kids close so they don’t get lost or overwhelmed.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – this is a big city, it has some excellent parks but small kids probably wouldn’t particularly love this trip

School age kids – there are great museums for kids here, and there’s so much going on that school age kids who don’t mind big cities will have a blast.

Teens – there’s enough going on here to keep teens happy and in Tequisquiapan & Zapopan they’ll be able to grab the freedom they so desire.

MexicoCassie Guadalajara experience – my kids like big cities and kid friendly museums so they love Gudalajara. They very much enjoyed the theme park here because we rarely let them go to anything like that!

Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco)

Why visit: Vibrant culture, good queer scene, great day trips available including to the Secret Beach (photo above) and water parks

Take into account: Waves can be large during spring break so great for surfing, less good for kids who don’t surf.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – because Puerto Vallarta is a big town, it has everything you need for smaller kids, beaches are good and there are plenty of kid friendly activities. Don’t leave kids unsupervised in the ocean.

School age kids – plenty of adventures to be had at the beach, in the pool, in town and further afield once the kids are big enough to enjoy adventuring.

Teens – if you’re happy to give your teens some space to explore, they’ll love to be able to wander around the city on their own, or along the malecon. It’s a big city so although there are great activities for teens, younger teens may feel frustrated that they can’t explore alone.

MexicoCassie Puerto Vallarta experience – my kids loved the day adventure to Las Marietas because it felt like total luxury to them to be fed on the boat, to get to play on island beaches and then to swim into the hidden beach. This remains one of their favourite experiences in Mexico. They thought our hotel was ‘swanky’ too 😉.

Sayulita (Nayarit)

Why visit: This surfer-chic hippy town is a pueblo magico with no large hotel chains or all-inclusives. Great restaurants (again, no chains). Low key day trips into the jungle or out to the ocean.

Cons: Getting more popular and therefore prices are rising. You’ll probably need to rent a car to get here

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – the vibe here is more laid back than Puerto Vallarta so it feels easy with small kids, the beaches are clean and delightful

School age kids – with great markets, awesome surfing classes and fabulous food, school age kids love this town

Teens – because it’s laid back, teens will be able to explore on their own and take some free time to chill

MexicoCassie Sayulita experience – my kids’ actual favourite thing here was jumping the small stream that crosses the road. Kids are weird. However, they also did love their surfing classes, the jungle tour we did and generally hanging out

Also in Jalisco

Amazing outdoor fun in Jalicso in Tapalpa

→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to visiting Tapalpa

The pueblo magico of Tequila is fascinating and fun for everyone

→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to Tequila

Puebla adventure

Best for big city fun, awesome day trips, volcano spotting

Why visit: Families who love city adventures and inland adventures will love the atmosphere here. The cities of Puebla and Cholula are often visited together. The biggest pyramid in Mexico is actually located in Cholula and while it’s no longer possible to go inside it or to climb it, it’s still incredible to see. If your kids want to see a smoking volcano this is also a great (and perfectly safe location).

Take into account: you can take a bus from CDMX to Puebla and take day trips or rent a car and then explore the state alone

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – unless your kids are good with long days, rural areas and cities, this might not be the perfect adventure for them

School age kids – kids who can cope with long days, want to see smoking volcanoes, giant pyramids and generally explore will love this trip

Teens – I think teens would love this experience as it’s varied, fun and there’s possibility of free time to do their own thing

MexicoCassie Puebla experience – I haven’t actually taken my kids to Puebla but they’re keen to visit based on my experiences and everything I’ve shared with them. They love volcanoes (we visited Colima’s volcano together) and city adventures.

Also in Puebla

Mexico City & surrounding area

Best for big city adventures, culture, museums, and day trips

Why visit: Because this is the best city on earth.

Take into account: this is one of the biggest cities in the world. I’ve been multiple times with my kids since they were tiny, a trip with small kids is not the same as a trip with teens. You have to plan accordingly, and be aware of how busy and enormous this city is.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – if you focus on kid friendly museums and the parks then it’s an excellent place to visit with kids

School age kids – again, if you focus on the parks and kid friendly museums, and a few day trips such as Xochimilco and the pyramids, you’ll have an amazing time

Teens – CDMX is the best place on earth to take teens. They may not get the freedom to wander off at night but every district has a different personality and there’s so much to see and do that it’s impossible to be bored here.

MexicoCassie CDMX experience – this is my kids’ favourite place on earth and every time we discuss a potential trip, they’ll try to throw it into the mix. Papolote was their favourite museum when they were little, now they prefer to focus on the day trips, the amazing food and shopping possibilities.

Easy day trips from Mexico City

Guanajuato

Best for city adventures, culture, forgotten villages

Jump to → Guanajuato City | San Miguel de Allende

Guanajuato City

Why visit: Any families who enjoy Mexican history and culture will find this city fascinating. There are references to Cervantes and Don Quixote everywhere too. Exploring the city’s history, underground tunnels, and incredible food scene is a win for everyone.

Take into account: this city is built up the sides of a steep ravine. The city centre is at the bottom of the ravine and the barrios climb its walls. It’s incredibly picturesque and extremely colourful, but definitely not for families who don’t enjoy a good work out.

🧒🏻 Good for

Pre-school kids – if you stay in the centre and don’t plan on moving around too much, little kids won’t be too problematic. It gets very busy in the centre at night though.

School age kids – same with school aged kids, Guanajuato requires a lot of walking. There are great day trips that the whole family will enjoy though.

Teens – The Mummy Museum, while probably too much for little ones, will be a hit with teens who are ready to be shocked (it’s a very tastefully curated museum but it can be shocking, I highly recommend reading about it before deciding if you want to take your kids of any age).

MexicoCassie Guanajuato experience: I haven’t actually taken my kids yet but I think they’d both enjoy it and would cope fine with the Mummy Museum too.

Also in Guanajato

Final thoughts

This is just a small number of the truly excellent adventures you can have in Mexico. It would be impossible to write about every single option in one article so here you have a few of my favourite options for family travel in spring time in Mexico. Do let me know if you choose one, or if you go elsewhere, I’d love to know.

​I hope that this article has given you some great Mexican destinations to think about when planning your family trip to Mexico whether you’re thinking spring break, winter break or even summer vacation. Whatever time of year you plan to visit Mexico, you’ll always find something incredible to experience.