In case you haven’t heard, Tulum is the new hot spot along the Riviera Maya in Mexico. Cancun is old news, unless you like high rise hotels dotting the beaches, big cities and a non-stop party scene. Not exactly our idea of the ideal family vacation destination. Tulum is about 2 hours south of Cancun and boasts some of the Riviera’s most beautiful beaches, chicest hotels, ancient Mayan ruins and the best cenotes. Here are 12 best family outdoor activities are located near Tulum.
There’s one thing for certain–you could spend months on the Maya Riviera and never get bored. Endless adventure awaits you everywhere you turn! We spent 6 weeks in Mexico and were on a mission to discover some of the best outdoor family activities near Tulum to include the best beaches and cenotes, and other family-friendly adventures. We also wanted to discover some lesser-known hidden gems too!
A note about where to stay in Tulum. There are several mid to high-end boutique hotels on the beach and in town, but quite honestly, you can find some really good Airbnb’s in Tulum, which is what we prefer most of the time when we travel. That way you can cook your own meals and save some money on food, but also have more space for your family. We also love staying in more local neighborhoods so we feel less like tourists!
Now onto our list for the best outdoor activities near Tulum, Mexico!
1. Bike through the Coba ruins
The most famous ruins on the Yucatan are Chichen Itza, but guess what? There are lots of other amazing ruins, two of which are near or right in Tulum! You might have seen photos of the stunning Tulum ruins, located on the cliffs overlooking those Caribbean blues, but have you heard of the Coba ruins?
The Coba ruins are definitely lesser known than the Tulum or Chichen Itza ruins, but nonetheless worth a visit! Located only 45 min east of Tulum, the Coba ruins blew our socks off. Nestled deep in the forested jungle, these ruins are surrounded by trees. Because the ruins are pretty spread out too, there are 3 different ways to see these ruins. You can walk (not recommended unless you plan to spend a whole day here), hire a bike taxi, or our preferred method, rent a bicycle.
Renting a bicycle is definitely the most fun way to see these ruins, and also the least hottest. Our #1 tip is to get here early in the morning right when it opens, get your bike and head to the tallest temple first. If you do this, you beat the crowds and can climb to the top of these ruins before it gets too hot.
Unlike most Mayan ruins nowadays, you can actually climb to the top of the Coba ruins! It makes it more fun and the views are amazing all the way around! Definitely a must if you visit Tulum! Admission is only a few dollars and the same for a bike rental. They even have small bikes for kids!
Here’s another tip: Bring plenty of water and snacks. Most of the bikes have a cage to put your gear in (don’t leave it unattended though!), so you don’t have to lug it around in a backpack. Don’t forget sunscreen too!
Once you finish exploring the ruins, there are some great cenotes nearby you can swim at. Located only about 10 min away from Coba, you can find Cenotes Choo-Ha, Tamcach-Ha and Multun-ha. The entrance fees for each cenote are around 55 pesos or $3 USD. They are a wonderful way to cool off after a hot day exploring the Mayan ruins of Coba!
2. Paddleboard in a cenote
What exactly is a cenote? Essentially a cenote is a giant limestone sinkhole in the ground filled with fresh water. There are thousands of cenotes all over the Yucatan peninsula and perhaps one of the best attractions about coming to this area of Mexico. All beautiful and unique, each cenote offers something different. Some are deep and great for cliff jumping, others offer incredible stalagmites and stalactites that make awesome scuba diving spots, and some even have turtles and other wildlife found in them!
One of the best ways to explore some of the bigger cenotes is by paddleboard or kayak. We loved going paddleboarding with Extreme Control Adventures in Casa Cenote, located just outside of Tulum. This cenote is the most brilliant blue color and is surrounded by mangrove forests. It’s known for being a good spot for learning how to scuba dive too.
As you meander through this mangrove forest, be prepared to see birds and fish, and maybe even the resident croc who lives here permanently! (Don’t worry, there’s never been an incident with the croc in all the years that it’s lived in this cenote.) We loved paddleboarding on the calm water and then getting to explore and snorkel amongst the mangroves.
After our morning paddling in Casa Cenote, our tour with Extreme Control took us to a second paddleboarding spot. We then headed to Soliman Bay, which is a 5 min drive and a great snorkeling location. This spot is pretty secluded as we saw very few people here both times we came. It’s very shallow and the reef is close, making it ideal for snorkeling. Once we finished at Soliman Bay, we were then treated with a delicious lunch of fresh ceviche and beans and rice right on the beach!
3. Go beach hopping
You can’t come to the Yucatan without visiting the gorgeous beaches that dot the coastline and make this region of Mexico world-famous for its stunning turquoise water. In our opinion, some of the best beaches are closer to Tulum, as the sand is white and as soft as powder sugar. Here is a list of a few of our favorite beaches near Tulum (with some tips):
Playa Parasio: This is one of the main beaches in Tulum. *Note that all the beaches in Tulum sit in front of various boutique hotels, but there are several public access points off the beach road. There are also plenty of beach clubs and restaurants to buy food and drinks and boats offering snorkeling excursions to the reef. We love Playa Parasio early in the morning for sunrise and in the evening when it’s less crowded. The famous leaning palm is located on this beach.
Playa Ruinas: This is the beach right below the Tulum ruins. This beach is about as picturesque as they come, but it can get crowded with the people visiting the ruins. We would suggest coming here early, as soon as the ruins open, as that is the only way you can access this beach. It’s a stunner!
Akumal Bay: Located about 30 min north of central Tulum is Akumal Bay, the famous turtle-sighting beach! Akumal offers a large and popular sandy stretch that is great for families, sandcastles and swimming. It is here you can swim with turtles in this protected preserve, however, keep in mind that you have to go with a guide, wear a life jacket and stay within a certain section of Akumal Beach. Not really our cup of tea, but if you want a good chance of seeing turtles, this might be worth doing.
Playa Xpu-Ha: Nestled between Tulum and Playa del Carmen is Xpu-Ha beach, one of our favorite beaches along the Maya Riviera. Not only is this beach beautiful, it is a bit more secluded and less crowded than some of the others in the area. It is the quintessential Yucatan beach!
Secret Beach: If you truly want to get away from the crowds and find complete serenity, head to Secret Beach, which lives up to its name by offering a secluded spot located deep in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve just south of Tulum. This gorgeous virgin beach boasts crystal clear, calm waters and is often deserted. It takes about 15-20 to reach it from Central Tulum by car or about an hour on a bike. Bring your own lunch, there are no restaurants or beach clubs here like the other beaches!
4. Explore Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve on a kayak
Speaking of Sian Ka’an Biosphere, this is one place you have to explore while you’re visiting Tulum! A sublime area of natural beauty, Sian Ka’an is home to thousands of species of flora and fauna, which is why the region became a designated Biosphere Reserve in 1986. A year later, Sian Ka’an was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and remains the largest protected area in the Riviera Maya.
Possibly the most astonishing part of the Yucatan peninsula, Sian Ka’an is located just south of Tulum. It is still not very well known, so if you want to get away from all the tourist hot spots, come here.
We spent several hours kayaking in Siam Ka’an’s lagoon with Yucatan Outdoors one afternoon/evening. We started the excursion snorkeling in a cenote just outside of Sian Ka’an before paddling in the calm waters of the mangrove mazes of the preserve. Wildlife we spotted here included herons, pelicans, frigate birds, fish, crabs, and more. The best part was we were literally the only people (along with our guide) in the lagoon. It was so magical and peaceful!
After paddling around the lagoon for awhile, we stopped to have homemade empanadas and watched the most spectacular sunset! There is simply no place like Sian Ka’an in the Riviera Maya!
5. Take a day trip to Bacalar Lagoon
Nicknamed the “Maldives of Mexico”, Bacalar Lagoon is an amazing lake in the southern tip of Quintana Roo State in the Yucatan, about 2 1/2 hours from Tulum. It is called the “Lake of Seven Colors” because of the white sandy bottom that gives the effect of having so many shades of blue. It is also the second largest body of fresh water fed by underground cenotes, even though it looks like the ocean! The lake is about 34 miles from tip to tip and 1.2 miles at its widest point. This size makes it a huge place to visit and explore.
The town of Bacalar was declared a Pueblo Magico since it is such a unique place. Bacalar lagoon has a diverse ecosystem supporting unique freshwater mangroves, ancient stromatolites and rare wildlife.We spent a day here (left Tulum early in the morning), swimming and playing in the water at Balneario Cocalitos, a beach and park located on the southeast end of the lagoon. There is a large grassy area to picnic at, a restaurant and bathrooms, a swing (in the lagoon), and kayaks for rent.
We took a couple of clear kayaks out for a few hours to explore the lagoon more, but it was so windy, it made it almost impossible to get very far. The kayaks weren’t the most efficient either, but they sure look cool!
There are some great cenotes near Bacalar that might be worth exploring if you have time, most notably Cenote Azul which is one of the deepest cenotes on the Yucatan. There is also an on-site restaurant and bar here.
There is much more to explore at Bacalar and if you can spend a night or two here, that might be best however if you can only squeeze in a day trip here, it will be worth it!
6. Go zip-lining in the jungle
Zip-lining is such a fun family outdoor activity and the Maya Riviera has plenty of options for zip-lining. Our choice? We did a fun combination tour with Kay Tours (seriously the best guides ever!) where we spent the morning snorkeling, and then they took us zip lining at Cenotes Zapote. But that wasn’t all! In addition to zip lining, we also got to bike through the jungle to some pretty amazing cenotes in the same park! Some of our favorite cenotes were here!
7. Snorkel at Puerto Morelos
Probably one of the top highlights from our time in Tulum was snorkeling at Puerto Morelos. As mentioned previously, we spent an entire day with Kay Tours, who offers in-exclusive private tours in the Riviera Maya. We started the day snorkeling in Puerto Morelos and it was beyond incredible! We were the first boat out on the water in the morning, so for a couple of hours, we were only ones out on the reef!
People rave on and on about snorkeling in Cozumel, but want to know a secret? In our opinion, snorkeling was better in Puerto Morelos. The water was clearer, the reef more pristine and colorful, and we saw so much marine life here such as eels, rays, turtles and more. Our whole experience with Kay Tours blew us away!
From their customized tours to fit our needs, to the snacks and personalized water bottles in the van for us, to the rash guards the provided us to wear on the reef (vs chemically-laden sunscreen), Kay Tours thought of everything! This is a must-do for one of the best family outdoor activities near Tulum!
8. Learn how to kitesurf
One of our main goals in spending 6 weeks in Tulum was to learn to kitesurf. And the Riviera Maya is one the top places in the world for kitesurfing (otherwise known as kiteboarding)! Little did we know that kitesurfing is a sport that takes SEVERAL lessons to learn the basics of flying a kite and safety before even getting out on the water on a board, but regardless, we spent a couple of days on the beach in Tulum learning how to properly control a kite and it was so much fun!
Our guide, Marco with Extreme Control Adventures was the best instructor because not only does he have years of experience kitesurfing and teaching, but he is patient and makes it fun for everyone! It was the perfect introduction to kitesurfing and enough to get us hooked!
If you really want to experience kitesurfing in the best spots along the Riviera Maya, consider spending a few days with Marco in El Cuyo. El Cuyo is north of Cancun about an hour and is world famous for always having the best conditions for kitesurfing.
9. Swim in cenotes
Obviously, you can’t come to Tulum (or the Riviera Maya in general) without visiting some cenotes. They are EVERYWHERE. We probably visited over 30 cenotes between Tulum/Playa del Carmen and Valladolid. *One important thing to note is that most every cenote is NOT free. It seems like they should be free (much like going to a beach), but that is not the case. The reason being is most cenotes are on private property. We’ve paid anywhere between $1-2 per person up to $15 per person. Yikes!
Some of our favorite cenotes near Tulum include:
Gran Cenote: This one might be one of the busiest and well known cenotes in the Tulum region, but it’s worth going to. Just go early in the morning right before they open and there shouldn’t be too many people. Bring snorkel gear if you can (otherwise you can rent there) as there is amazing caves to explore and turtles! The water is super clear and really beautiful.
Cenote Zacil-Ha: This is another awesome cenote near Tulum and really good with small children. The cool thing about this cenote is the snack bar! You can get a pina colada here while relaxing in the sun.
Carwash Cenote: Officially, this swimming hole is called Aktun Ha Cenote, but most locals know it as the Car Wash Cenote. It got its name because it’s only a minute or so off the road, so many taxi drivers would stop by to clean their cars in hot, dusty weather. This one rarely gets super crowded too, which is a plus. Underwater, there are a large variety of plants and fish which make it great for snorkeling.
Cenote Calaveras: This circular-shaped cenote is near Gran Cenote, off the main highway towards Tulum. It’s not a big cenote, but it’s a fun one! There is a ladder that descends into the cenote, but what makes it fun is jumping into it from the ledge. There are even some smaller “holes” you can jump into but don’t worry, the water is plenty deep.
Casa Tortuga Cenotes: Four different cenotes make up Tortuga so you could easily spend a few hours here. You have to go in a guided tour group, which might be a turn off, but what’s nice is once you are done, you can explore the cenotes on your own. We loved cliff jumping and swimming through the caves!
For a complete list of all the best cenotes near Tulum and beyond, make sure to check out our post of the 18 Top Cenotes for Kids in Mexico.
10. Spend a day on Cozumel
You can’t come to the Riviera Maya without spending some time on Cozumel. Cozumel is very touristy as it’s a hub for major cruise ships (in fact, there are cruise ships in the port every day of the week), but it’s famous for good reason. Here lies some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the world.
To get to Cozumel from Tulum (assuming you are staying there), you will need to get to Playa del Carmen first, which is a 45 min drive and then hop on the Cozumel ferry. From there, it’s about a 30 min ride over to the island of Cozumel. *Tip: Plan to go on a day during the week when there are the least number of cruise ships at port.
There are plenty of things to do on Cozumel, but if you’re only going to spend a day here, you should definitely prioritize diving or snorkeling. We spent a day on a catamaran snorkeling at a couple spots on the famous Palancar Reef and then headed over to El Cielo, a gorgeous beach known for its clear water and starfish. We didn’t see any starfish, but we saw a few rays and enjoyed swimming just off the beach. After swimming, we were then taken to a private beach where we enjoyed a delicious lunch and access to their aqua park (which the kids loved the most!).
11. Bike Ride in Tulum
The best way to get around Tulum is by bike! You can find lots of bike rental shops all over town for around $5/day. We got ours from iTours and spent a day biking all over town in Tulum and then down the beach road all the way to Sian Ka’an! It was hot, but we stopped for tacos at our favorite taco eatery in town, Antijitos Chiapaneca’s (the best al pastor tacos in town and super cheap!) and ice cream which made getting super sweaty worth it.
You can also bike to the Tulum ruins or the beach, so bring your beach gear if you plan to do that. Between the town and the beach, it’s only about a mile or two, so everything is relatively close.
12. Explore underground caves
Cave tubing is a popular and fun family activity in the Riviera Maya, although we didn’t do that there because we had done it in Belize recently. There are some great places to go cave tubing near Tulum, such as the popular water parks like Xcaret and Xplor. These waterparks have everything from underwater caves, cenotes, zip lines, slides, and more.
There will be no shortage of fun and non-stop adventure for a memorable family trip in Mexico! In addition to our best outdoor family activities near Tulum, If you want to explore more outside of Tulum, make sure to read our 10 Day Epic Yucatan Road Trip for some great off-the-beaten-path ideas and experiences.