Cancun, Mexico: A Fun Vacation Itinerary

Cancun is a wonderful place to vacation with the ocean all around you and a great culture that is rich with history. Cancun is a favorite vacation spot in Mexico the ideas of what to do there are seemingly limitless

With a multitude of hotels along the coast, you can really live it up soaking up the suns rays and enjoying the beautiful sound of the waves. I was fortunate enough to get to go with my husband when he was on a business trip. We had a good time, but like so many other trips the time is too short. Cancun can have its share of weather, which is part of what makes it so beautiful at times. For instance, right before a big storm, the water turns the most incredible turquoise color.

This hub is designed to share what we did on our itinerary, and is a sort of pick and choose your own itinerary from the categories of hotels, restaurants, and things to do.  I give several options in each category, and they all come highly recommended. 

In Cancun there are many wonderful hotels.  I will share a few that I have heard great things about.  When we went,  we stayed at the Ritz Carlton, which was a real treat and because of the business trip.  I truly enjoyed the time there, and would love to go again if possible. The pool outside and the beach were truly spectacular.  The staff is always on hand to try to help or just allow you your privacy if you don't want to be bothered.  They give you towels and chaise lounges to rest on or sleep on the beach.  You can get something to eat or drink as well, and have that applied to your bill.  The inside of the Ritz Carlton is truly amazing and beautifully decorated. 

There is a little balcony to the outside part, and I can recall having a single flower in a vase on the little table when we came in.  I love little touches like that.  The food is amazing at the Ritz Carlton if you care to stay in.  The room service is wonderful as well. 

Other good hotels are the Hyatt Regency Cancun, JW Marriott Cancun, and I am sure there are many more.  If you ever get the chance, there is a lot to see and do in Cancun and the surrounding areas.

Eating in Cancun is fun and unique, and you might be surprised at the wide range that is offered there. We actually ate at the Hard Rock Cafe in Cancun and it was a lot of fun. It is located right in the heart of all the shopping areas and on the main strip. The food was good, atmosphere was great, and a joy to eat at a different Hard Rock Cafe far from home.

Another great recommendation is Italian which may sound odd since you are in Mexico! That said, the best Italian Restaurant we went to there was La Dolce Vita. It is Cancun's best Italian Restaurant from what we heard. The food there is incredible. As for atmosphere, they have that as well, and you get a great view of the surrounding area. They have received awards before, which is no surprise to my husband and myself. The cuisine is truly authentic. So if you are craving Italian this should be a consideration. Reservations are required. I do recall afterward, that we walked back to the hotel, it was so nice outside even though it had been raining earlier in the day.

The last places I would recommend are at the Ritz Carlton itself. You would be surprised what they have to offer, and why not try one of these out for fun? There is Casitas, The Culinary Center, The Club Grill, Fantino, El Cafe Mexicano and The Caribe Bar and Grill. Try out any of these for an exception experience in dining, from fancy to more casual.

When in Cancun, there is much to experience and having an idea of what is offered can help to narrow down one's choices. For me, I was just happy to get to go, and if all I did was enjoy the ocean I would have been a happy camper. So besides walking along the beach, sunbathing, and swimming, there is also local shopping in Cancun. There are many stores and vendors selling all kinds of things so make sure you have time to really look around so you are getting what you want the most.

More exciting however, are things like renting a two person boat, and going snorkeling way out past the mangroves. There are places that have all kinds of rentals. We went out with a group on little two person boats and went on a tour through the beautiful mangroves. It was like wonderful pathways on water through lush vegetation which boasted its own wonderful wildlife! I truly loved the wind blowing through my hair and going out on this trip. When we were out of the mangrove area, we could definitely pick up our speed and head out to the ocean for the reefs where we would end up snorkeling.

You can also go parasailing, jet skiing, boogie boarding, and enjoy many other water  sports.

Once out to where we needed to be, we went snorkeling. My husband said this is the most fun he had had in a while and would love to do it again. For me, it was no surprise how much I loved it, because I love the ocean and the beautiful amazing fish in the reefs. It was a great learning experience and just a lovely day. We went back and got to see it all the amazing things along the way in the mangroves. I would highly recommend a tour like that.

Tulum Mexico was surprisingly wonderful to me.  It is an ancient site with incredible stories.   Tulum was an area of defense.  Invaders would come long ago from not just the land but the sea as well.  So this was a fortress against those possibilities.  It was a port of call as well.  There was a lot of trading to be done, commerce was growing.  The Mayan ruins of Tulum are well visited and perhaps now more than ever with all the talk of the Mayan Calendar.  As far as Mayan ruins along the Mexican coastline, you won't find any like Tulum. It about the only major Mayan ruin along the Caribbean coastline of Mexico.  The Riviera Maya is simply beautiful.

We arrived and did a short bit of walking then ended up entering the ruins for a tour.  There is some fascination history there, and the ruins, the structures were really drawing me in.  I listened intently as I was able to the person giving the tour.  I wanted to learn all I could about the past and present of Tulum. 

Towards the end of this tour, we ended up near the cliffs edge, overlooking the Caribbean.  The color of the water is breathtaking, and it was hard to imagine that people would want to attack so long ago in such a beautiful serene place.  It makes sense though and history is full of examples of such.  If we had the time, I would stay for a very long time at this place.  To keep learning and taking it all in.  I would highly recommend going to Tulum Mexico.  There is a lot of great shopping there too where you can pick up souvenirs, and also help the locals out because they sell many things to tourists there.