Jackie & Erik
Stuff to Do
Ek Balam
Ek Balam, or black jaguar in Maya, is one of Erik's favorite ruins in the peninsula. Not just because it is so close to his parents house, only about 25 minutes from Valladolid, but because of the architecture and general experience. It is a very nice walk in the park, so to say. Also, you can still climb it which isn't true for many mayan ruins now. They have a little mayan village there too for pictures and plenty of momentos to bring home with you. Also, you can rent a bike or have someone ride you out to their cenotes for a swim to cool off after the climb. Ek Balam is a much easier way to see a Mayan ruin from Valladolid and is about a half day excursion if you do the cenote and the ruin. The ruin alone is an hour walk or so and most of the paths are in the shade.
Chichén-Itzá
Chichén-Itzá, one of the New 7 Wonders of The World according to UNESCO. One way to see Chichén is by going very early to beat the crowds, about a 30 minute drive from Valladolid. It is very crowded during the day and almost impossible to get in sometimes. The best way to see Chichén is by staying at Mayaland Resort which is attached to the ruins. There you can use the back door and skip the line as well as the crowds if you go in the morning. Another option is to see Chichén-Itzá during one of the nightime light shows. We will be doing an event as a group to do this together if you want to join us. The light show is really fun and you don't have to stand in the heat waiting in lines.
Vallazoo
The Vallazoo is a 10 min cab ride from centro Valladolid, very close to the wedding venue. Great place to take kids during the day if you really want to see some jungle animals like a Macaw or a Jaguar. They have a lot of animals, but make sure to bring some water because it can get hot. Takes about an hour or two to get through depending on how much you talk with the monkeys.
Destilería Artesanal de Agave Mayapán
Mezcal distillery museum. One of Erik's earliest memories of Valladolid is visiting here with his parents maybe 15 years ago while they were first dreaming of moving to the Yucatan. Very fun tour with lots of free shots at the end so make sure you are thirsty for mezcal, or have someone who can drink yours for you!
Cenote Zaci
The easiest cenote to get to inside of Valladolid itself. It is a very pretty instagrammable cenote with a restaurant so you can eat at before you jump in at one of its two jumping points. This is a great place if you don't have the energy for a bigger excursion or need something to do for an hour or two. It is about a 10 minute walk from the city square.
Casa de los Venados
This beautiful house is owned by friends of the family and they have a huge collection of Mexican art from all over the country. The guides will take you through all of the rooms and discuss the vast art collection with you from different regions of Mexico. It is free admission, but they accept donations. It is about a half a block southeast of the square.
Mezcaleria Don Trejo
This is our favorite place to get a drink in town. It has a great atmosphere and live music many nights. Let loose and hang out with some locals. It is on the calzada de los frailes so we have stumbled home from here many nights.
Yerbabuena
One of our favorite restaurants in all of Valladolid. This is the best place to go for vegan and vegetarian options that are all super tasty. They also have some of the best juices in the world and an amazing bakery in front with delicious breads.
Museo de Ropa Etnica de Mexico (MUREM)
Learn all about the clothing of Mexico. They have articles of clothing from all over the country showing ethnic designs and traditions of clothing in many of the states of Mexico. Great place for anyone interested in Mexican culture, arts, fashion or ethnic diversity.
Wabi Gelato
Delicious and refreshing gelato with some very unique flavors, habanero being Erik's favorite. They have so many varieties that are ever changing with the seasons. So popular with both locals and tourists that they just upgraded to a bigger location. They are located just a few blocks from the main square.
Hacienda Cenote Oxmán
This hacienda is relaxing place to get a drink and jump in a pool. It also has an amazing Cenote that you can rope swing into. Bring bug spray because its just south of Valladolid further in the jungle. You can ask a cab driver to take you there and its a short trip south of town on a gravel road. The locals love going here too so some days can be more crowded than others, but in October it is not as busy. A great way to spend an afternoon.
CONATO VALLADOLID
A famous restaurant in the heart of Valladolid. This is a revolutionary restaurant where the spark of the 1910 revolution was planned. "The “first spark of the Mexican Revolution,” also known as the Dzelkoop Plan, was an insurrection which began on June 4, 1910, by Maximiliano R. Bonilla and other leaders of the Independent Electoral Center and the Anti Reelectionist Front, against the dictatorship of President Porfirio Díaz." Go here for the drinks, food, and revolutionary atmosphere.
Río Lagartos
A great day excursion about one hour north of Valladolid. Here you can get on a boat and see flamingos, alligators and ride around the Yucatecan Mangroves. The boat will take you to an amazing salt river where you will float because of the salinity. You can also rub the salty sand all over you for a super special skin exfoliation. The small fishing town has some fun restaurants and boat loads of shrimp as well. This excursion will take up an entire day.
Tulum
Tulum is a great place to party and has a great beach most of the year. It is about an hour and a half drive from Valladolid and is a very fun day excursion. We go there sometimes just to hang out on the beach for a day then come back. It is the most touristy location on this list, but is well worth the drive just to see it. Just be prepared to pay a lot more for a margarita than you would in Valladolid. Fun place to stay for a couple nights, or just for a day trip, which is a full day excursion.
Isla Mujeres
Very fun island off the coast northeast of Cancun. The island is mostly Golf Carts and parties with very nice sand. If you want a fun party town this is a good one. The locals even like going to Isla Mujeres because it is touristy, but not too much. Fun place to stay for a couple nights, you take a ferry to get there. The ferry costs 13 US dollars per person round trip and it takes about 15-20 mins to cross.
Isla Holbox
Holbox is a small island on the northern tip of the Yucatan. A small beach town with a more relaxed vibe than Isla Mujeres or Tulum, it has grown a lot in the last 10 years. Many of the locals frequent Holbox as well because it isn't too touristy, but offers a chill beach vibe. Another good place to stay for a couple nights, you take a ferry to get there. The ferry costs around 10-11 US dollars and is about a 30 min ride.