The iconic El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico, stands tall under a blue sky with light clouds. Tourists gather around the base, appreciating the grandeur and historical importance of the ancient structure.

Mexico Family Travel Guide

Illustrated itinerary map of Mexico with hand drawn illustrations

Mexico with Kids

From ancient ruins to lush jungles and tropical islands, Mexico has it all.

On this page you’ll find all the info you need to plan your ultimate Mexico family road trip.

All Mexico Family Travel Blog Posts

Fun Facts about Mexico

Mexico City is the largest city in North America
69 different languages are spoken here
The oldest church of North America can be found in Mérida
One of the Wonders of The World can be found in Mexico: Chichen Itza
Mexicans drink a whopping 165 liters of Coca Cola per person annually
About 50% of Mexico’s bird population is housed in the Yucatán Peninsula

A boy with a white cap and blue sunglasses on the shoulders of his father in the water. His father wears a blue and white cap and brown sunglasses. They are exploring the ruins in Tulum.

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4 week Yucatán Peninsula Family Travel Itinerary Things to Do In Playa Del Carmen Where to Stay in the Riviera Maya with Kids

A vibrant street in Campeche, Mexico, lined with brightly colored buildings and decorated with hanging ribbons. The sunny weather and clear sky make the scene lively and festive.

Things to know about Mexico

Capital:	Mexico City
Official language:	Spanish
Currency:	Mexican Peso
Visa requirements:	Citizens from most countries can travel to Mexico without getting a visa before they travel. They’ll get a 90-day or 180-day visa on arrival. Some others need to apply for a Mexican ETA. Make sure to check your country’s entry requirements well ahead of time. Or check iVisa to find out if you need a visa to enter. You can apply for a tourist visa online, for instance through iVisa
Timezone:	GMT -5 in Cancun, GMT -6 in Mexico City, GMT -7 in Cabo San Lucas and GMT -8 in Tijuana
Power Plug Type:	Type A with two flat parallel pins and Type B with two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin
Voltage:	127V supply voltage and 60Hz
Measurement system:	Metric (Celsius / kilometer / kilogram / liter)
CDC and WHO recommended travel vaccines:	Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies. In some regions malaria medicine is also advised. Always call your doctor for pre-travel advice when it comes to vaccinations and medication.
Safety ranking:	Ranked 135 on the Global Peace Index

Why traveling through Mexico with kids is a must

Mexico is a lively country with a fascinating history and an interesting present. It’s extremely diverse with ancient ruins spread out all over the country, lush jungles, metropolitan cities and instagramworthy beach towns. Traveling to Mexico with kids is a great idea.

Mexico is one of the top visited countries in the world. And that’s no surprise with it’s abundance of tropical islands and beaches all along the long stretches of coastline. You can’t go wrong with a beach vacay.

Popular Mexican islands for family holidays are Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox, Cozumel and Isla Ixtapa. Best beach towns or cities are Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Vallarta, Loreto, Los Cabos and Mazatlán.

And if you get a chance to swim in one of the many kid friendly cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, don’t hesitate to do it. It’s a great experience for kids of all ages.

Ancient ruins can be found all over the country and are fun for (young) kids. Lots of the ruins may be climbed. Often times only the main pyramid is off limits. Our 3yo couldn’t get enough of places like Palenque, Calakmul and Ek Balam. He was acting like a little Indiana Jones.

Yearning to explore some cities during your trip? Cancun, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Merida and Guadalajara will get you your fix.

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Best age to visit Mexico

Mexican culture is extremely family-orientated, people will almost always be welcoming to kids. Mexico is a large country that offers it all: lush jungles, ancient ruins, vibrant cities, tropical islands and amazing food!

Because each region is different, there’s something for everyone to enjoy no matter where you go. When it comes to the best age to visit Mexico with kids, every age has its pros and cons.

Mexico with a baby or toddler

Traveling to Mexico with a baby has its advantages, there’s little to no language barrier when you stay on the beaten path. Large supermarkets sell the popular sunscreen, diaper and baby formula brands and there are enough delicious and healthy food options for young kids and babies starting with solid foods.

On the downside, the humidity and thick vegetation in large parts of Mexico can be challenging and exhausting for both parents, babies and toddlers. Bring bug spray, mosquito nets, sunscreen and clip on fans and make sure your accommodation has airconditioning. A pool is also kind of a necessity, when you start exploring early in the morning you can head back to your accommodation when the heat becomes to much for the young ones and hang at the pool.

Make sure your itinerary is not jam-packed. When you start the day with an activity you not only avoid the heat, but also the crowds. That means little to no lines and as a result happier tots! Another tip is to save museum visits for the hottest time of day. The airconditioning feels like a blessing and the kids won’t mind staring at art for a while, when it’s not interesting enough for them to enjoy.

A young boy walks along the sandy beach at a beach club in Tulum, Mexico, with rows of wooden loungers and palm trees in the background. The weather is warm and inviting, perfect for a family day at the beach.

Mexico: a safe family travel destination

When we told people about our plans to go to Mexico, the most asked question was: is Mexico safe for families?

Mexico is generally safe for travelers. Just use common sense, research the area you want to visit and don’t flaunt with valuable items like jewelry, camera’s and smartphones.

When traveling to an unknown destination, whether that’s Iceland, Thailand or Mexico you always need to educate yourself.

Know what you should or shouldn’t do, what the most common scams are (more on that later) and what you can wear.

Mexico is one of the most visited travel destinations in North America and that wouldn’t be the case if Mexico was dangerous to travel to. Sure, we’ve all heard about coca production in Mexico. But the violence that comes with that is mainly between the different gangs.

When you stay in tourist destinations know that local authorities are working hard to keep popular areas safe for travelers.

Only use official taxi’s, don’t wander around in the dark and don’t go hiking through the jungle, unless it’s a road leading up to a sight.

banner image with the text get access to my free ebook with all the tools and tips you need to plan out and enjoy your ultimate family road trip. The title of the book is also shown and is The Ultimate Beginners Guide: Planning a Family Road Trip. A mock up is shown of a laptop, tablet and phone showing the cover of the ebook and 3 small images giving a sneak peak of 3 pages inside the book.

Kid friendly Mexican dishes

Mexican food is often described to have one of the best cuisines in the world. Most of us have had Mexican food before.

Tacos, nachos, guacamole and quesadillas are famous examples. All of these dishes are very kid friendly. Our toddler is a picky eater but loved taco’s with chicken and ate his weight in fried corn tortillas dipped in guacamole.

Other child friendly dishes are cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork) and empanadas.

Our absolute favorite are marquesitas we had all over the Yucatán. A sweet or savory treat, depending on how you stuff the thin wafer. You can fill it with cheese but also with peanut butter and banana, Nutella or jam. Our kids couldn’t get enough of them and to be honest, neither could we.

We also loved enchiladas and fajitas. A dish we had never heard before was a soup called pozole. It’s a tomato soup with corn kernels. We did think it was vegetarian, but we later learned that it’s made with chicken broth, so if you’re a vegetarian take note of that.

Top Tours in Mexico with kids

Best time to travel

December to April

The best time to travel to Mexico is the dry season. The dry season starts in December and lasts until midway through April. This is winter in Mexico and that means its cooler and less humid, with temperatures between 20° and 25° Celsius. Dry season is the high season which means that prices are at its highest and you should prebook accommodation and a rental car.

Just a little warning for people who want to visit the Riviera Maya in March or early April. This time of year the Riviera Maya is filled with partying Spring Breakers.

May to October

Low season in the peninsula. Rainy season starts in June and ends at the end of October. June, September and October are the months with the most rain and the occasional hurricane. Lower prices, lesser crowds and temperatures between 23° and 33° Celsius.

Most of us travel with kids in July and/or August, when it’s hot (27° to 35° Celsius) and humid. You can experience heavy rainfall from time to time, since it’s rainy season.

We visited Mexico during this time of year and we could deal with the temperature because we used the mornings for sightseeing and the afternoons chilling in the shade, sea or pool. We saved visiting places with airconditioning (like museums) for the hottest times of day. Our Yucatan Peninsula family road trip lasted 4 weeks and we only had one full day of rain and an afternoon, that’s it. We enjoyed it, since it was quite refreshing.

In July and August crowds are large and prices are as high as in the high season, so book ahead.

a graphic of the weather in Mexico per month with degrees C and F

Family safety in Mexico

Must have Mexico emergency numbers for traveling families

For urgent police, fire and ambulance emergency assistance in Mexico call 911. Don’t worry about the country code. 911 works from any mobile phone, including international SIM cards (as long as you have reception).

Some other helpful phone numbers:

Red Cross Mexico (Cruz Roja Mexicana) (medical assistance): +52 55 5395 1111
Tourist Assistance Hotline (SECTUR): +52 800 00 868 42, they can help you find dentists in your area in case of a dental emergency or help you find private clinics in case you need help that’s not urgent enough for a 911 call. You can also call them if you need police assistance that’s non-urgent.

Travel First Aid Kit

Having the best first aid kit for travel abroad offers you peace of mind! A good travel first aid kit contains items equipped to deal with cuts, bruises, sprains and breaks. And should also be filled with over the counter medicine for insect bites, fever, pain and nausea.

There are plenty of first aid travel bags on the market that are pre-made. But these won’t contain over the counter medicines so add these items to the kit yourself:

paracetamol for kids and adults
nausea and vomiting medicine
ORS for kids and adults
coughs and colds medicine
allergies tablets (anti-histamine for bites, stings, hay fever and sudden allergic reactions)

Traveling with prescribed medication

When traveling with prescribed medication you should:

Bring your medication passport
Take your pills and medical equipment with you in their original and correctly labelled packages
Carry your medicine in your hand luggage with a copy of your prescription
If you or any of your family members take medication that falls under the Opium Law (aka Opium Act), you should take appropriate action well before embarking on your trip.

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Vaccinations

Travelers to Mexico are advised to get vaccinated for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, and rabies. This in addition to the childhood vaccinations that are part of your countries vaccination program.

Always call your doctor as soon as you know where you’re traveling to, because some vaccines need to be repeated once or even twice before your departure. You should only take pre-travel advice about vaccinations from your doctor.

Travel Insurance

Don’t forget a travel insurance for your trip! Heymondo covers medical emergencies, theft, delays, cancellations, lost luggage, and more, with 24/7 worldwide assistance and medical chat. All Sas Crossing Countries readers, get 5% off Heymondo travel insurance! Other travel insurance companies worth checking out are World Nomads, and Safety Wing.

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Mexico Posts on the Blog

Background info about Mexico

Mexico is Latin America’s most visited tourist destination. With endless tropical beaches, vast jungle areas, metropolitan cities, a wonder of the world and countless of Maya temples that can be found all over the country this isn’t a surprise.

The food in Mexico is outstanding. It’s so good that it’s officially labelled as a World Cultural Heritage.

Mexico was a colony of Spain for over 300 years. Over that period, not only Spanish, but other Europeans joined the population of already differing native ethnic groups. And let’s not forget African slaves that were brought here by Europeans. You can definitely say that nowadays Mexico is a true melting pot.