Your Expert Guide: Spring break with kids (Mexico 2025)

Published by Cassie on 07/11/202407/11/2024

green text box: your guide to an epic mexican spring break with the kids. 4 photos - 1 of a kid on azipline in jungle, 1 of kid by maya ruins, 1 of kid and dad lying on beach and 1 of colourful street

Every January and February I’m contacted by people looking to plan their spring break trip with kids in Mexico, which is wonderful since I love helping people plan vacations in Mexico. This year I thought I’d put my top spring break with kids (Mexico) into one article.

My first response to the request for help is always, “great choice, spring break Mexico is a fabulous option for a family vacation.”

📌 Then I like to highlight that Mexico is an enormous country with almost 10,000 km of coastline covering the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California.

📌 It’s also an astoundingly biodiverse country where you can visit exquisite beaches, trek in pristine jungles, descend into canyons bigger than the Grand Canyon and learn in world class museums. You can swim over reefs, dive into cenotes, marvel under waterfalls, trek in the desert or climb volcanoes.

⭐️ There’s no end to Mexico’s magnificence. Why limit yourself?

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Spring break with kids, Mexico

🧳 Figuring out what to pack when traveling to Mexico with kids can be tricky so we’ve got you covered with a super useful article that covers all the bases.

🍼 If you’re travelling with little ones, did you know that there are equipment rental services to save you bringing car seats, cribs, strollers etc?

✅ Don’t forget to buy insurance before you travel, especially when traveling with kids.

Let’s consider now, the best options for spring break with kids (Mexico 2025). We’ll look at

⭐️ Where to find the best beaches

⭐️ Awesome water based activities (not necessarily on the beach)

⭐️ Where to find the best ruins

⭐️ Spring break city adventures

⭐️ Road trip ideas

Remember: While most of the college student ‘spring breakers’ will be gearing up to party on the Riviera Maya (Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum), in Puerto Vallarta and in Los Cabos, there are multiple awesome spring break destinations for families heading to Mexico from the United States and from further afield if you want to avoid these areas. You can absolutely find great vacation options in the traditional spring break destinations or you can look further afield.

Relaxing on the beach

As noted above, Mexico has almost 10,000 km of coastline. That’s a lot of beach to choose from.

⭐️ The most popular beach spots during spring break are Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Puerto Vallarta. Even if you decide to head to one of these areas, it is possible to find quieter, more family friendly vacation possibilities and to avoid the foam party wildness.

Mexico’s Most Popular Beach Areas

Caribbean Sea / Caribbean Coast / Riviera Maya

man in red shorts lying on beach with small child on top of him . Perfect blue water

Cancun

Pros: All inclusives, fabulous Caribbean beaches with white sand and turquoise ocean, great activities, easy access to Isla Mujeres via ferry

Cons: Busy, big party scene during spring break

🏨 Check hotel options in Cancun or,

⭐️ Book into MexicoCassie’s top recommendation – The Fiesta Americana Condesa, a glorious family friendly all inclusive resort

➡️ Find out which are the very best ruins to visit on the Yucatán Peninsula

Playa del Carmen

Pros: All inclusives, great activities, easy ferry to Cozumel

Cons: Busy beaches, very busy, big party scene during spring break. Beaches not as beautiful as Cancun or Tulum

🏨 Check hotel options in Playa del Carmen or,

⭐️ Book into MexicoCassie’s top recommendation – Sandos Caracol Eco Resort for waterpark, pool, and beach fun.

➡️ Read more about Playa del Carmen at Spring Break and about Playa del Carmen with kids

Tulum

Pros: Caribbean beaches, chilled out hipster vibe

Cons: pricy, Tulum town isn’t on the beach. The road to the beach can be extremely busy.

empty beach with white sand, turquoise water and palm trees

🏨 Check hotel options in Tulum or,

⭐️ Book into MexicoCassie top recommendation – Ikal – a glorious eco-glamping site on the beach

➡️ Read more about visiting Tulum

Bacalar

shallow clear water, three boats on water

Pros: A wildly gorgeous inland laguna next to a pueblo magico

Cons: Not technically a beach

🏨 Check hotel options in Bacalar or,

⭐️ Book into MexicoCassie’s top recommendation – Mayan Playa Bacalar for gorgeous lakeside rooms and direct access onto the lake

➡️ Read more about visiting Bacalar

➡️ Read more about ruins near Bacalar

Pacific Ocean

bright blue ocean, yellow sand and a bay curving round to green tree covered cliffs

Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco)

Pros: Vibrant culture, good queer scene, great day trips available including to the Secret Beach (only for older kids)

Cons: Waves can be large during spring break so great for surfing, less good for kids. Water is cooler than on Caribbean Coast. Very built up.

kids playing in very shallow beautiful sea water, cliff behind them with exit to the real ocean

🏨 Check hotel options in Puerto Vallarta or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie top recommendation – Vallarta Shores Beach Hotel for a lovely hotel with pool and beach access.

Sayulita (Jalisco)

two small children walk along a beautiful sandy beach. Blue sea, trees and rocks in distance, blue sky

Pros: 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.

🏨 Check hotel options in Sayulita or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie top recommendation – Hotelito Los Sueños where you’ll enjoy incredible buffet breakfasts, a wonderful pool and be close to the beach

Puerto Escondido and surrounding area, Oaxaca

Pros: Chilled out, traditionally popular with the backpacker crowd but becoming 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.

Cons: Harder to reach than some of the other areas

🏨 Check hotel options for Oaxaca beaches or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie absolute favourite – Hotel Bahía de la Luna for pure peace, a perfect beach and great food.

Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez

Best beaches in Mexico Islas Loreto Baja Calif

_{Photo taken by Coleman Concierge}

Los Cabos, Baja California Sur

Pros: desert meets mountains, Gulf meets ocean. Stunning beaches, great hotels, incredible food, incredible snorkeling and diving opportunities.

Cons: Los Cabos are the Cancun of Baja California so if you’re avoiding Cancun, this might not be for you either.

🏨 Check hotel options in Los Cabos, or

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie recommended – book a family villa at the Hyatt Vacation Club where you’ll enjoy views over the private beach and use of the gorgeous swimming pool.

La Paz, Baja California Sur

Pros: Just two hours north of Los Cabos and you’re away from all the spring break partying. Access to the Sea of Cortez, an incredible marine world that is sometimes called, “the world’s aquarium”. Wonderful restaurants, Balandra Beach, great climate.

Cons: Tranquility can be pricy.

🏨 Check hotel options in La Paz, or,

⭐️ book into the MexicoCassie recommended – Hotel Posada Luna Sol, a small, gentle hotel that keeps its customers though great service, delicious food and a lovely atmosphere.

Gulf of Mexico

man pretending to throw child into very clean ocean. blue sky

Progreso, Yucatán

Pros: laid back beach town with small hotels and gentle beaches

Cons: Not a luxury destination. Cruise ships dock here, which can make the city busy

little girl in pink standing in front of clear green sea, blue sky

🏨 Check hotels in Progreso or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie recommended – Playa Linda Hotel for beach front views

Isla Aguada, Campeche

wooden slat pier with basic house structure at end over green watter. Child in blue tshirt near foreground

Pros: tiny fishing village with year round dolphins

Cons: Hard to book accommodation as the place is so small

🏨 Check hotel options in Isla Aguada or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie top recommended – Hotel Puerto Sábalo, a small hotel with a good pool and comfortable beds.

➡️ Read more about visiting Isla Aguada

Holbox, Quintana Roo

Pros: tropical island, incredible beaches

Cons: over-touristed, services not always up to coping with the number of visitors

man and small child in very shallow sea water. both looking at camera, man waving. palms and blue sky behind them

🏨 Check hotel options on Isla Holbox or,

⭐️ Stay in the MexicoCassie recommended – HAU Holbox because even when you’re a perfect tropical island the kids still love a good pool!

➡️ Read more about visiting Holbox

El Cuyo, Yucatán

Pros: laid back fishing village with pristine beaches

Cons: Hard to reach with public transport

🏨 Check hotel options in El Cuyo or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie recommended – Beachfront Hacienda, El Cuyo where you can kick back and relax in true Yucatecan style

➡️ Read more about visiting El Cuyo

Focus on Yucatán Beaches

The north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula is often referred to as the Costa Esmerelda because of the gorgeous green of the Gulf waters. The beaches are calm and this region is a popular destination for national tourists. While you might not have 24-hour room service or even luxury all inclusive hotels along this stretch of the Mexican coast, it’s still a perfect place to visit with the kids. Find a hotel in Progreso, along the coast or even in-land in Mérida and explore the area with a rental car.

➡️ Visit the pink lakes at Las Coloradas, Chichen Itza and other awesome ruins from here.

➡️ For people who enjoy windy activities, the kite surfing scene is growing rapidly along this coast.

Water Based Activities

If you’re after a beach vacation with water activities, Mexico is home to fabulous water parks and theme parks, scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities, kite surfing beaches and so much more.

Best water parks: Around Cancun and Playa del Carmen – Mayan Kingdom, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Selvatica

⭐️ Check water park ticket options

massive water slide coming from a maya pyramid — _{Photo provided by Lost Mayan Kingdom water park}

very green sea water, underwater sculpture of woman holding arms up to sky

Best snorkelling and scuba diving: Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez and off the island of Cozumel, or coast of Cancun

⭐️ Check Sea of Cortez options and Cancun options

Best whale watching: Swim with whale sharks from La Paz at spring break. Off the coast of Oaxaca it’s also possible to see humpback whales Dec – April.

⭐️ Check for whale shark swimming possibilities

small whale shark from the back, view from near tail. v blue water things to do with kids in cancun

Best swimming with sea turtles: Akumal, Rivera Maya

⭐️ Check for possibilities to swim with sea turtles

Best waterfalls: El Chiflon, Agua Azul, Las Nubes and Misol-Ha in Chiapas, Tamul in Huasteca Potosina, San Luis Potosi, and Hierve el Agua in Oaxaca.

⭐️ Check Chiapas waterfall tours here

view down into an open cenote surrounded by trees

Best cenotes: found particularly around Mérida, Valladolid and Tulum. While some are deep enough for scuba diving, other cenotes are perfect for kids and nervous swimmers.

⭐️ Read about great cenote tour options here

All-inclusive vs self-catering in Mexico for spring break?

📌 Choose an inclusive resort if you’re looking to relax somewhere with beautiful beaches, a swim-up bar, a kids’ club and water slides. If you have zero interest in cooking then an all inclusive is also a great option.

💥 Remember that all-inclusives will generally be busy, especially those geared towards partying a this time of year.

📌 Otherwise, consider a traditional hotel or renting an apartment wherever you decide to stay as they’re generally cheaper and restaurants/street food in Mexico are excellent and very affordable.

Focus on staying in an all-inclusive: Marcy in Mommyland

Los Cabos is one of our favorite family destinations and when we visit, we like to stay at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos. It’s located in San Jose del Cabo, which is the quieter area of Los Cabos and perfect for families wanting to get away from the “party scene” of Cabo San Lucas. San Jose del Cabo is known for its cool art scene and local cafes. It’s also not far from Cabo San Lucas so you can still take boat rides, look for whale sharks, and do a taco crawl.

The Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos resort is set up well for families. There’s a kids club with tons of programming throughout the day and their own water play area. Kids will love the general pool area because there’s a swim up bar where they can order unlimited virgin lava flows. If you can swing it, I highly recommend reserving a poolside cabana for at least one day. It’s an easy way to let your kids swim while you relax in the shade and have people bring you tropical drinks and tasty food.

The pool area is just steps away from the beach. While I wouldn’t recommend swimming here (the waves are pretty intense), it’s a nice place for kids to play in the sand or take a family walk at sunrise or sunset. They also have horseback riding available.

Since it’s an all-inclusive, you don’t have to stress out about whether or not your kids will eat something. There are also lots of pop up food booths near the pool area during the day so it’s easy to grab lunch items for your family without dragging everyone away from the pool. And of course, there’s also in-room dining for those nights when everyone is tired and you just want to eat in your room.

Exploring Mexican Ruins

If your family is interested in Mexican history then a trip based around seeing some of the incredible ancient ruins in Mexico could be a great option for your spring break vacation.

Ruins on the Yucatán Peninsula

view of a maya ruin from sitting on another Maya ruin

Many of the ‘big name ruins’ are in located on the Yucatan Peninsula making the cities Mérida or Valladolid excellent choices for visiting ruins. The most famous of the ancient Mayan ruins found in Mexico are Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Ek Balam, Tulum. There are also many smaller sites that are also exciting to visit.

📍 Yucatan: Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Ek Balam, Izamal Ruta Puuc, Dzibilchaltun and more

📍 Campeche: Edzna, Calakmul, Xpujil, Becan and more

📍 Quintana Roo: Tulum, Coba and more

Also on the Yucatan Peninsula: hundreds of incredible cenotes, beaches, gorgeous jungle, pueblos magicos

⭐️ Read more about visiting the beautiful cities of Mérida, Valladolid and Campeche with kids

📌 Did you know that I wrote the ultimate travel guide for families visiting Yucatán? It’s available in both English and Spanish.

Ruins in Puebla/Cholula

large hill with steps at base, church on top

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.

Also in Puebla/Cholula: Popocatepetl volcano and national park, plenty of museums, great restaurants

🏨 Check hotel options in Puebla and Cholula, or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie recommended Hotel Tila in Cholula where the kids will love the outdoor pool and proximity to the Cholula pyramid.

➡️ Read more about visiting Puebla and Cholula with kids

Ruins in Chiapas

Palenque stepped pyramid taken from within the grass

The most famous ruins to visit in the state of Chiapas are those of Palenque. There are others, too, including Yaxchilan and Bonampak. This state in southern Mexico is one of my favourite options for a family road trip.

Also in Chiapas: San Cristobal de las Casas, a gorgeous mountain town, Lagos de Montebello (possible to nip to into Guatemala from here), waterfalls (see above)

🏨 Check out hotel options near Palenque and in San Cristobal del as Casas

➡️ Read more about Chiapas with kids

Ruins in Oaxaca

family (2 adults and 2 small kids) standing on steps above grass and ruins of monte alban

The biggest and most well known ruin in Oaxaca state is the incredible Monte Alban. Mitla is the second most visited. Others include Lambityeco, Yagul, Dainzú and others.

Also in Oaxaca: The famous petrified waterfall, Hierve el Agua, walking in the Sierra Norte, even getting down to the Oaxaca coast (some of Mexico’s best beaches are here). The markets of Oaxaca are absolutely incredible and the food in this state is second to none. Oaxacan cuisine is pretty much what most people think of when they think of Mexican food so if you want to get your taste buds a tingling, eating in the Oaxacan markets and restaurants is a winning option.

🏨 Check out hotel options in Oaxaca or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie recommended Casa los Colibris for a spacious, well located apartment

➡️ Read more visiting Oaxaca with kids

Spring Break Mexican Big City Adventures

Why not consider a city break over spring break? Mexico has some incredible cities with so much to offer visitors and particularly children. Mexico has a very child centered, family oriented culture so it should come as no surprise that there are fabulous museums, parks and activities for kids all across the country.

Focus on Mexico City with Kids

Palacio de Bellas Artes: huge building with yellow and orange domed roof. Grass and bushes in front.

While most people are thinking about the best places to relax on the beach, why not take a direct flight to CDMX, Mexico’s capital city and explore this amazing place.

Mexico City is a firm favorite for my entire family, we love the city and my kids regularly complain that we don’t go back enough. With historical sites, museums and galleries, incredible parks and fabulous restaurants, Mexico City is an absolute winner of a family vacation.

Best Family Museum: Papalote Museo del Niño

Best Park: Bosque de Chapultepec

Best Family Day Out: Canals of Xochimilco or visiting Teotihuacan and taking a hot air balloon over the pyramids

🏨 Check out hotels in CDMX or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie recommended Gran Hotel – there is no hotel like this anywhere else.

Other Mexican cities I wholeheartedly recommend for spring break family vacations:

Mérida, Yucatan

adult and two children on bikes in front of colourful letters spelling out merida

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

🚗 Awesome day trips from Mérida include visiting the yellow city of Izamal, seeing the pink salt lakes of Las Coloradas, the flamingos in Celestun and swimming in cenotes in Homun.

🏨 Check out hotel options in Mérida or,

⭐️ Book into the MexicoCassie recommended Casa San Angel, my favourite quirky hotel in Mérida.

Guadalajara, Jalisco

guadalajara written twice, once above the other in big white letters on red background. 2 small kids sitting on either side of middle "A" of bottom text

One of the biggest cities in Mexico, Guadalajara, like Mexico City is full of 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.

🚗 Awesome day trips from Guadalajara include visiting the pueblo magico of Tequila and Lake Chapala.

🏨 Check out hotel options in Guadalajara or,

⭐️ Book into the gorgeously colourful MexicoCassie recommended Posada las Margaritas in Tlaquepaque

Guanajuato, Guanajuato

Mexico Cassie sitting on a corner wall overlooking the city of Guanajuato

Although a less visited, and smaller city, the colourful city of Gaunajuato has plenty to recommend it. With dozens of museums, excellent restaurants and fun tunnels around the city, there’s plenty to do here for families (although fewer playgrounds than in other cities mentioned) if the kids are capable of walking decent distances and don’t mind steps (it’s a very hilly city). Guanajuato is one of the most colourful cities you’ll ever visit and it’s also awfully keen on Cervantes.

🚗 Awesome day trips from Guanajuato include Dolores de Hidalgo, San Miguel de Allende.

🏨 Check out hotels in Guanajuato or,

⭐️ Book to stay in the MexicoCassie recommended Hotel Antiguo Vapor

➡️ Read more about visiting Guanajuato

Queretaro/Tequisquiapan, Queretaro

Bernal monolith in background, yellow church in middle and cacti in foreground

These two small cities have plenty to recommend it for families visiting Mexico for spring break, particularly when it comes to the day trip options.

🚗 Awesome day trips from Queretaro/Tequisquiapan include visiting the opal mines, checking out waterfalls, taking a trip into the Sierra Madre and all the way over to see Edward James’ weird Xilitla house and gardens and even climbing up the Bernal monolith (photo above).

⭐️ Check out hotel options in Queretaro and Tequisquiapan

Intrepid Extras for Spring Break with Kids (Mexico 2025)

🚂 If you’re a family of train lovers, you could:

➡️ take a trip through the Copper Canyon on the Chepe Train

➡️ Ride through the Yucatan Peninsula on the brand new for 2024, Maya train

🚗 If you’re a road tripping kind of family check out these epic Mexican options:

➡️ 10 day Yucatán road trip (the main sites)

➡️ 10 days exploring off the beaten path in Yucatán

➡️ Southern Mexico road trip around Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas

➡️ Chiapas road trip including down to the border with Guatemala

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.