By Yucatan Living's contributing writer, Carol Scott.
Its been a long time since we have seen an article on
traveling with children (of any age) in Southeast
Mexico, so this is the beginning of what we hope
develops into a series on what's available for
children in Merida and throughout the State of
Yucatan. Throughout these articles, "the Yucatan" will
refer to the peninsula and "Yucatan" will refer to the
State of Yucatan, which is the center state on the
Yucatan Peninsula.
Parents should know that the State of Yucatan is one
of the best places in the world to travel with
children - and here are just a few reasons why...
Your children are safe traveling in Yucatan. Tourists,
almost everywhere else in the world, fear a myriad of
terrifying tourist-related crimes. Thankfully, none of
that exists in Yucatan, so parents can relax and watch
their children actually enjoy their vacation.
Your children will love the beach at Progreso! The
water is calm and shallow, with not a single thing in
it that will eat, sting, or bite your child. A day on
the Malecon (17 blocks of beach and restaurants) in
Progreso, complete with hamburgers from someplace
"cool" like Buddy's is the
perfect (inexpensive) day of fun for children of all
ages. There are plenty of water toys and beach games
for big kids, restaurants and shade for parents, and
several kilometers of shallow water for the little
ones. Shopping is just around the corner.
The zoo in Merida was designed with children in mind.
You - and your children - can read all about it in
Yucatan Living and on the zoo's home page.
Best of all,
admission is free! In 2009, Merida is getting a new
zoological park that is going to be one of the best in
the world, so that will add yet another wonderland to
visit with children.
On Sunday morning in the City of Merida, the Bici-Ruta is a "must do" for
children. Streets are closed off throughout the route
of the Bici-Ruta so that children and adults can enjoy
4 hours of non-stop biking fun. The route is currently
beginning in San Juan Park, traveling through Centro,
up Paseo Montejo, and ends at the Burger King circle.
If you don't have a bike, you can rent one - but don't
think that riding bikes is all there is to the
Bici-Ruta. All along the way, there are designated
stops where your children can enjoy free shows and
workshops. The kiddos can make their own handicrafts
and even pick up a game of soccer. Time: 8:00 AM to
12:00 PM, with admission free.
Not really interested in a city vacation, but
wondering what to do with young children in a small
town? Why not head for someplace like the Mayan
village of Ek Balam? There, you will find beautiful ruins to explore ... but that isn't all. There is an
eco-tourism retreat in the Village of Ek Balam that is
"child friendly" and provides plenty of opportunities
for you and your children to interact with the
citizens (and pets) of the village. We were amazed
when we visited the Genesis Retreat website. An
affordable vacation with children! Who knew such a
thing even exists anymore?
But what about those teenagers? Come back next time to
see more for the little ones and for how to keep your
vacation out of the jaws of a teenager's misery by
giving them a vacation in the State of Yucatan that
they will remember for a lifetime.
Photo courtesy of Genesis Retreat. |
