Cancun Attractions

The city of Cancun itself has become busy and traffic-clogged; most families will prefer spending their days at the beach or pool, with day trips to some of the surrounding beaches or villages. Book a catamaran sail over to tiny Isla Mujeres, where you can rent a golf cart to drive the entire island or simply stroll the small downtown, picking up and a lazy lunch. Isla Mujeres is also home to Garrafon Reef Park , with great reef snorkeling, kayaking, a climbing tower and a zip line that deposits riders in the Caribbean.

Xcaret, south of Cancun, is so heavily advertised - you'll see its buses and billboards from the moment you touch down in Mexico - that you might fear it's just a tourist trap, but it's well worth an entire day's visit. Billed as an "ecological theme park" it's got tons to do, including a raft tour through the jungle, a sea turtle nursery, horseback riding, a butterfly pavilion and a replica of a Mayan village, where spectacular, traditional dancing and music is performed at night. And if your family has even the slightest interest in archaeology, plan a visit to the Mayan site of Tulum, about 75 miles south of Cancun. Perched on a cliff over the Caribbean, the park is compact but picturesque, with crumbling stone temples overlooking the ocean; hire an English-speaking guide to best appreciate it.

Zipping along the mangrove-lined Laguna de Nichupte on a WaveRunner built for two is exhilarating and best for older kids who remember to hold on to the driver. Among the outfitters operating these "jungle tours" are AquaWorld and Aquafun, whose vehicles are motorized boats. For those who want a quieter commune with nature, opt for a kayak tour. Most expeditions feature a snorkeling stop at a site known for its turtles. Swimming with these creatures is likely to be the most memorable part; for teens, the best is often the exciting ride.

Watch dolphin shows, and swim with these intelligent creatures at the aquarium, located in La Isla Shopping Plaza. For a different experience, feed the sharks as you're lowered into their habitat in an acrylic cage. Reserve the dolphin swim and the shark cage dive ahead of time.

After a 20-minute ferry ride from Puerto Juarez north of Cancun, you reach Isla Mujeres, a five-mile-long island that's a nice day-trip. Playa Norte, the island's prettiest beach, features a wide stretch of sand, but the waters can have a strong undertow, so always ask if swimming is safe before venturing in. Along with snorkeling and swimming, Garrafon Natural Reef Park features dolphin encounters, kayaking, a zip line, hammocks for lounging and restaurants.

Come to this eco-adventure park, located 11.4 miles west of Puerto Morelos, for the thrill of gliding through the treetops on a 12-station zip line course and for swimming in the cenote, a freshwater sinkhole. You can opt to reach the cenote by driving a buggy, navigating a Segway or riding a horse. The park also offers a zip line and snorkel option.

Open-air La Isla Shopping Plaza is the most appealing of Cancun's shopping malls. Along with the Interactive Aquarium, the mall features restaurants and cafes. When exploring the Riviera Maya's attractions, stop at Playa del Carmen's Avenida 5 (Fifth Avenue), which is lined with shops and eateries. Or, browse the adjacent Paseo del Carmen shopping area. Kids and teens like the lively atmosphere at both, as well as the chance to buy souvenirs.

The Great Mesoamerican Reef, one of the world's largest, begins at Punta Nizuc, off the northern section of the Cancun's hotel zone, and stretches for 450 miles. For beginning snorkelers, the Punta Nizuc Marine Park showcases schools of tropical fish in relatively shallow water. At the southern end of Cancun's district, the reef off Puerto Morelos is also a good snorkel spot. Isla Mujeres, reachable by ferry from Cancun, lures divers and snorkelers to El Garrafon National Park, Manchones Reef and Banderas Reef. At the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks, a popular dive spot, you might (not surprisingly) encounter these toothy creatures.

Take older gradeschoolers and teens to Tulum, a sizeable excavation on 60-acres. In this once-major sea port, the Maya loaded feathers, jade, herbs, salt and honey into canoes and transported these items inland, via a network of canals. Guides demonstrate how the Maya created "sundials" by aligning small openings in the limestone walls of two structures. When a shaft of light aligned so that it pierced both openings, the Maya knew it was a particular season. Enjoy the sea views from the cliffside Castillo (castle).

If you are traveling with gradeschoolers and have time for just one of the Riviera Maya's eco-adventure parks, choose this one. Besides swimming with dolphins (reserve ahead) and splashing in natural pools, you'll view turtles, tapirs, flamingos and jaguars; walk through a bat cave and butterfly aviary; and get a diver's-eye view of tropical fish with Sea Trek, (don a helmet with pumped in oxygen) or Snuba. (Oxygen tanks float above you on a raft.) Avoid days when the cruise ships are in port, or arrive in the afternoon (when most cruisers depart), and stay for the evening shows. After watching the demonstration of the ancient Mesoamerican ball game Pok-Ta-Pok, in which players use their hips -- not hands -- to send a ball sailing through a hoop, we finally understand the game. The Mexican folkloric show features songs and dancers in colorful regalia.