Things To Do
Playa del Carmen
If you choose to extend your trip and want to stay close by, Playa del Carmen is an awesome and affordable option! There are plenty of big hotel chains (Hilton, Hyatt, etc.) as well as local boutique hotels and condo hotels. There is public beach access in town, so you don't necessarily need to book a beachfront resort to enjoy the beach. We have stayed at a mix of hotels (Magic Blue, El Taj, the Thompson) in addition to home rentals in Playacar (www.playakiin.com/). The main street is Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) which has lots of shops, restaurants, and things to do. Our favorite restaurants include anything on Calle 38 (Perla Pixan, Amate 38), Carboncitos, Yum Yum Thai, Zenzi (for salsa night), and Zitla (for live music). The local gym (aptly named The Gym Playa del Carmen) sells day passes at a reasonable price. We love vacationing there and have explored the area beyond just wedding planning so we would be happy to share more recommendations with you. Don't hesitate to reach out!
Tulum
Tulum is a little further south from Cancun and offers beautiful beaches and hotel options with more of a rustic feel. Many tourists rent bikes to get around as the beach is further away from the town. We have enjoyed day trips to Tulum and spent the day at beach clubs such as Playa Paraiso.
Cenote Tours
A cenote (pronounced seh-NO-tay) is the spanish word for sinkhole. You can tour the beautiful, natural caves at many different sites in the Riviera Maya region. Some popular options are Cenote Azul, Cenote Cristalino, and Cenote Tortuga.
Xcaret
Grupo Xcaret owns a group of theme parks in the Riviera Maya region that are fun, adventurous, and great for the whole family: Xcaret Park, Xel-Há, Xplor, Xplor Fuego, Xavage, Xoximilco, Xenses, and Xenotes. There is also the luxurious all-inclusive Hotel Xcaret which blends the nature and local vibe of the area!