First time Cancun/ Mexico trip with 16 month old. Help!
 

My husband has a conference starting 14th October, so we decided to combine it with a pleasure trip a few days before. After which my daughter (16 mth old then)and I would come back to Boston leaving him for the conference.
This is our FIRST time in Mexico and dont know much about the roads, places there. We love to travel and did a lot of trips around the world, drove around.... I would like to understand this trip and get started on planning and booking. That said,
Here are our specifics:
-Fly in to Cancun from Boston
-Trip from 9-14th October or so (5-6 days)
-On a budget
-With 16 month old daughter
-Love to do the Ruins, nice calm beach where we could take dips and wade through water, like visiting scenic beaches, avoid crowds and please suggest any other activities we can do.

My questions:
- What place could we stay, how can we plan a trip from Cancun airport to finally see 1-3 ruins and get back to Cancun airport
- Suggestions for an itinery suitable for our 16 month old with nice hotel recommendations. (which means not crowded hotels, but nice and basic with good food around)
- Activities to do?
- Suggest trips to ruins wheresome can guide us in short before we explore
- Dont mind renting a car and driving, just need information on how much does it cost and is it doable?

Please advise! Thanks so much.

Preeya

I can't think of a calm place in the ocean in Cancun. The waves can be really rough.

The good thing is that the pools are excellent.

Tuluum would be the best place to see the ruins. It is on the Atlantic Ocean. There is also one little ruin in Cancun.

Why are you basing your trip to the ruins around the Cancun Airport?

<b><font color="navy">I agree about not ever remember seeing a calm beach in Cancun - and we just returned from Cancun last November. We stay at the Marriott Casa Magna, which was nice. It's sistered with the JW Marriott next door and you have use of both properties. It wasn't crowded when we were there - but that's not to say it won't be when you go.

Also.... about renting a car. I would recommend taking taxi's. We always use their buses to get around since they run up and down the hotel zone all the time and cheap and very accessible. However, you have a 16 mo old - so maybe Taxi's would be better. Driving in Mexico can get a little scary - believe me, we tried in Puerto Vallarta. I think most tourists stick with Taxi's or the bus.

You can always rent a driver for the day and have hime take you for a tour around the city etc. I heard it's not that expensive and lots of people love to do it.</font></b>

We went to Cancun two years ago with our children (13m, 13m, 25m) and stayed at the Ritz. I don't remember the water being particularly rough and the beach was beautiful. They also had a nice pool area for the kids and the staff could not have been more friendly and accomodating. This was pre-hurricane so I am not sure how the renovations have affected things there but we loved it with our children. Got a suite and it was so easy to manuever especially when they were napping or enjoying their early bedtime.

As far as ruins and roads, can't help you there. The heat and logistics of hauling three toddlers (actually the twins learned to walk there so they weren't even really toddlers) was more than we could address so we skipped ruins that trip. I am sure someone else can help you with the feasibility of a young child at the ruins.

Just remember to get a passport if you don't have one already for your daughter. Have fun. We had a great time.

taitai

The beach at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral beach resort has the calmest water in the hotel zone.
it's a NICE resort with a huge kid friendly pool, conveniently located to lots of restaurants &amp; shops and within walking distance.
take a tour of the ruins at Tulum.
take the boat over to Isla Mujeres, gorgeous calm beach.
as far as transportation I would stick to public buses within the hotel zone. you dont want to be driving around Cancun on your own with a 16 month old.
Have fun!