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Last Updated on December 30, 2023 by Natalie

We took a vacation to Tulum, Mexico with kids over spring break. It was part of a larger trip that included visits to some famous Mayan ruins and would end in Cancun. To say Tulum wasn’t what I expected is an understatement. It’s not a sleepy village anymore but has bloomed into fascinating beach town. Now, let’s into all the awesome things in Tulum!

Guide to Visiting Tulum with Kids

Tulum is growing quickly, so the vibe is changing. However, it’s still focusing on eco-friendly stays and a great place to vacation with kids. We decided to stay in an airbnb apartment that wasn’t on the beach, because it had an amazing pool. For our kids’ ages, this was ideal. However, getting to the beach was a bit of a challenge for us. You will see blog after blog suggesting that you can and should bike ride to the beach. I do NOT recommend this! There is a lot of traffic in Tulum and you will likely be crossing a busy road on your bicycle. With kids, it’s an unnecessary risk. For just adults, it might be fine but if you have kids, don’t risk it. Rent a car or find a hotel on the beach (or both).

Our trip was exactly what we wanted for the ages of our kids (4 and 5). For our next trip, I will prioritize staying on the beach.

Disclaimer

Blissmersion a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post contains affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. All parts of our travels are paid for by us and we do not accept free stays or discounts related to blogging.

Family Vacation Tulum, Mexico

On this trip, we were heading toward Tulum, after I’d originally planned to go from Piste (where Chichen Itza is located) to Valladolid and stay overnight. However, we had to cut our time short in Valladolid, which meant we went a day early to Tulum. I was busy searching the internet for a hotel for the night when we’d pass small towns and I’d have some connection, but I was coming up short with affordable options. Once in Tulum, we did a little sightseeing by car. After driving along the beach road, which was PACKED, we turned around and headed back toward the downtown.

We finally found a hotel and went to relax, have a swim, and decompress from our travel day. Then, we began our exploration of Tulum!

How Far is Tulum From Cancun?

It is 148.6 km/81.2  miles and takes just under 2 hours during normal driving conditions. The distance from Cancun airport to Tulum is less, at 117.9km/73.2 miles and runs about 1.5 hours.

Looking for a fun day trip from Tulum? Check out Cenote Dos Ojos!

Where to Stay in Tulum, Mexico

Great Budget Hotel (Not on the Beach)

We stayed at a great budget hotel on the edge of Tulum for our first night. The pool was chilly and a little deep for little ones, but it was still a pool and our kids used their floaties without an issue. It tired out the kiddos and relaxed us. We slept well and woke up refreshed and ready for breakfast, which was provided by the hotel. Both the coffee and breakfast were good. This is an excellent budget option! It was less than half the price of the condo I’d booked for the following few nights. Please note, it’s not on the beach.

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Condo (Great Value)

One of the highlights of our visit to Tulum was the condo we rented. It was located in a newer development that was still under construction. Our building was complete and the pool was absolutely awesome. Every single thing about the condo and the pool were better than I hoped. The advantage of renting a condo is that there is a kitchen. This cuts down considerably on food costs. There was also free parking, which is a huge help when you have rented a car.

Best Luxury Beachfront Hotel

This hotel is one of the best hotels in Tulum. It’s located on a gorgeous, white sand beach only 6 miles from Tulum. It has three pools, and some rooms have private plunge pools! Please note, there is only one kids’ pool and the other two are adult only. Since it’s right on that gorgeous beach, there should still be plenty for the kids to do. There is also a bar-restaurant and a cafe on site. There is also free wifi and breakfast is included.

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Best Beachfront Eco Hotel

Check out this amazing eco-friendly beach hotel in Tulum. I’ve included this one because not only do they have an amazing beachfront property, free wifi, and a free continental breakfast, but they are truly an eco-hotel. They participate in sea turtle conservation efforts, have power provided by solar panels and wind generators (so 24 hours a day electricity), and their sewer treatment system was carefully planned so as to not to contaminate Tulum’s underground river system. Please note that the electric system cannot support hair dryers or irons, so leave those at home. Only a few rooms have air conditioning and it’s only available during certain hours. It’s a rustic experience and a wonderful way to experience Tulum!

Check prices and availability

An Overview of the Mayan Ruins of Tulum

The Mayan Ruins at Midday

After breakfast and more pool time, we needed to figure out what to do between check out time at our hotel and check in time at our Airbnb. Since my carefully planned itinerary had been messed up by not staying near and then visiting the Ek Balam ruins, my husband suggested we go ahead and visit the Mayan Ruins at Tulum.

Of course, I said yes.

But, because there’s always a but, by the time we got there, it was midday. It was hot and busy. The line for the entrance was long enough to be daunting. Especially when you know your little people aren’t exactly happy to be at another archeological site.

How to Skip the Long Lines at Tulum Ruins

I’ve read in several places to head to the bathrooms outside the entrance because there aren’t any inside the ruins. While I was taking care of that stuff, my husband inquired about tours. He excitedly greets me outside the restroom and says, “if we purchase a tour, we skip the line!”

You can imagine my relief. We like the private tours anyway,because we can go at the pace of our family. We also learn so much more from our visits!

While incredibly beautiful, the Mayan Ruins at Tulum were my least favorite of the ruins we had the pleasure of visiting. Still, my husband and I enjoyed our tour and the beauty of the grounds. Be aware, there isn’t much shade, especially at midday. It was fairly busy, though not packed.

What to Bring

Make sure to bring mosquito repellent, sunscreen, hats, and water. I also suggest wearing sturdy shoes to archeological sites. This site is spread out and for the fabulous views, you’ll need to climb some steps.

You can organize all of your family’s items with packing cubes!

Here’s what to avoid in Tulum (and what to do instead)!

Dining & Food Options

Since we stayed in a regular hotel and an Airbnb (opting to not go to an all inclusive this time), we did a lot of our own cooking. We also ate lunch or dinner out most days. The main street of Tulum is filled with amazing restaurants that are totally worth your taste buds. My favorite is listed below and any restaurant you choose is going to be delicious.

There is a nice food and shopping area around the Mayan Ruins. Again, it’s fairly expensive and the mariachi band there made sure I was aware that they were disappointed with the tip I’d given them.

I’ve noticed in tourist areas, people will come right up to you in restaurants to sell you items, play music, even beg for food. You don’t have to purchase or tip anyone in those circumstances.

El Mariachi Loco

We loved this restaurant. It has a large menu with plenty of options for everyone in the family. There is also a mariachi band that plays regularly and that’s an awesome experience! Sit away from the front if you want to experience it from afar (and less loudly) with your little ones.

Tips for Celiacs

We went to Chedraui, an upscale grocery store in Mexico (ched-row-ee, with the row rhyming with ow). There was a small gluten free food section near the beginning of the produce section in the grocery store. I looked at it, but during the time of our visit, a half loaf of gluten free bread came out to about $8 USD (outrageous). Look in the regular bread section for Bimbo gluten free bread. It’s made in Mexico and gluten free (“sin gluten” or “libre de gluten” in Spanish). A whole loaf was around $5 USD and priced the same as in my local grocery store in Central Mexico. Sanissmo brand also makes some awesome gluten free crackers.

Traveling with a baby? Consider bringing along a travel tub!

Things to Do In Tulum with kids

Of course, Tulum is famous for its beautiful beaches. However, there are also many awesome things to do in the area. Since we spent several days in a row focused on visiting Mayan ruins (including seeing Chichen Itza with kids), everyone was worn out from sightseeing. We missed out on most of the other cool things Tulum with kiddos in tow.

Tulum Beach

We spent much of our time at the public beach in Tulum. We were there in early April. It was covered with a thick layer of brown seaweed. There was also quite a bit in the water. At first, I was disappointed. It was not what I expected, given what you see on Instagram or blog posts about Tulum. But I soon learned that the seaweed was the bubble wrap of the ocean, as the seed pods were really satisfying to pop! But you did have to watch out for the little sea louse that live on them (though it was neat to see them crawling on my hands, too).

The public beach at Tulum does not have any changing or bathroom facilities that I could see (it’s possible there’s another entrance further down that we did not see, but obviously, there’s no guarantee). Additionally, there aren’t any parking lots for the beach. We parked along the road and walked to the public access.

If we return to Tulum in the future, I would like to stay in one of the hotels on the beach. I’d consider an all-inclusive, too. The hotels will clear any errant seaweed, resulting in a better experience.

Coba Ruins

As I mentioned above, the Coba ruins were my favorite of the three. We rented two pedicabs and enjoyed the ride to the big pyramid and back. Overall, our kids (ages 4 and 5 at the time of our visit) enjoyed these ruins the most. They loved riding on the pedicabs with us. Once we returned from our short tour of the grounds, we went climbing on the ruins near to the entrance.

The Coba ruins are about 45 minutes from Tulum. Get there early and explore! During the wet season, remember the mosquito repellent!

Mayan Ruins in Tulum

The Mayan Ruins in Tulum are a beautiful addition to your itinerary. If you are staying in Tulum, these ruins are the most convenient to see. I recommend visiting one morning of your trip, with morning being cooler and the least busy. Be sure to pack a beach bag with towels, swimsuits, sunscreen, and hats, so that you can enjoy the amazing beach at the ruins.

Cenotes

Gran Cenote is one of the most famous cenotes in the area. It is more expensive due to its popularity. However, it is really easy to get to from Tulum. It isn’t the only cenote, though! There are many you can stop into and enjoy. This is when a car will come in handy again, so you can stop at a less expensive and still awesome cenote with your family.

Akumal

Akumal means “the place of the turtle” in the Mayan language. It’s a beach-front community that is located on Akumal Bay and Half Moon Bay. One of the coolest and unique things to do is to explore Rio Secreto, an underground river! Akumal Beach is also pretty awesome.

Si’an Kaan Biosphere Reserve

The Si’an Kaan biosphere reserve was established in 1986 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Tours are small, limited to 6 people (though family groups larger than this can be accommodated – up to 12 people). The site is the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean and it is home to thousands of species of plants and animals.

Chichen Itza

There are several easy ways to see Chichen Itza if you’re staying in Tulum. If you are renting a car, you can opt to drive over early and visit the site as long as you’d like. My in-depth guide will tell you all you need to know about visiting Chichen Itza without a tour.

See all that brown seaweed? 2018 was a particularly bad year for the coastline, as there was so much seaweed! Check out the seaweed tracker for your trip’s seaweed forecast. Mexico’s coastline isn’t the only one affected by the seaweed. Much of the Caribbean is seeing it come ashore. Check out the best beaches in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and read about the seaweed conditions there, too.

For a more in-depth look at activities, check out Mexico Cassie’s post about alternative things to do in Tulum!

Things NOT to do with Kids in Tulum

I do NOT recommend biking with children. There is a lot of traffic and not all of the areas have bike lanes to make it safer. Cyclists will also have to cross a busy road with heavy traffic to get between the beach and town. Though it is much smaller than Cancun and has a small beach town feel and laid back vibe, it has bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hour. I don’t recommend trying to navigate this with children.

Things We Did Well

Renting A Car

We rented a car to drive around the Yucatan. This way, we knew there would be seat belts for the kids’ car seats. In Tulum, I still believe having your own car is the best option (and safest option) for family travel. If your children are old enough for a booster, I recommend this one and you can also check out more information about portable booster seats for bigger kids.

Things We Could’ve Done Better

Bring a Baby Carrier

For this trip, especially with all the trips to ruins, I wished I’d brought my toddler sized baby carrier along. See some great toddler carrier options here! My children were worn out from walking around ruins. I recommend that families of young kids bring either their baby carrier or stroller for ruin exploring.

Is Tulum Worth Visiting?

A resounding yes! It is a gorgeous area, even away from the iconic beaches. For my next trip, I would opt to stay on the beach. First, our children are older and love the beach. Second, I love to have easy beach access whenever possible. Our accommodations were perfect for little kids, who didn’t love the beach, so they are definitely an awesome option, too.

Do you have feedback on visiting Tulum with kids? The best feedback comes from my readers. Please leave a comment. Thank you!

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