Perfect 4-Day Itinerary For Your Trip to Cancun, Mexico

Are you going to Cancun and wondering what to do?? If you’re like me, I want to have a great time, but I’ve reached a point where I want to be intentional and learn about the cultural aspects of the places I visit! So for the perfect itinerary, we will have a bit of fun swimming with the dolphins, a day filled with Mayan Ruins at one of the Seven World Wonders, and relaxing days on the beach!

Travel Day Itinerary:

Aspen and I went on a mother/daughter trip and we arrived on a Monday because traveling is always a long and tiring day! We wanted to arrive the night before all of our activities, get cozy, relax and prepare! Our flight from the East Coast was only about 3-4 hours so this would definitely give us time to do just that!

We stayed at a Marriott hotel, The Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort & Villas, Cancun which is located in Cancun’s Hotel Zone and directly across from the resort is La Isla Shopping Village, which is an extensive open-air shopping mall!

First thing we did after getting into our room was eat at the hotel restaurant at the pool bar, Viento!!! I had a steak quesadilla and it was fantastic! The service was outstanding, as well!

Once our bellies were full we decided to take a dip in the hot tub to relax a bit!

The amenities at the resort were plentiful!! You will not be disappointed! How could anyone be disappointed with a private white-sand beach on the Caribbean Sea!

If you ever heard of Rick Steves then you know that his travel recommendation are authentic and he always gives you the best ideas to really experience the culture wherever you go! I found PIXAN TRAVEL in one of his blogs and it was by far one of the best experiences I have had!

7:00AM:

Our tour guide, Diego and our private driver picked us up at our hotel! First stop on our private tour was Chichen Itza, which was about 2.5hr drive from our hotel! The van was stocked with snacks and bottled water! During our 2.5 hr drive we learned about each other and Diego gave us a historical background of the Mayans and the places we would be visiting!

Side note: The time changes at some point on the drive and it goes back an hour!

8:30AM: We arrived at the Mayan Ruins – Chichen Itza!

Make sure you are prepared for the weather! It was so hot & sunny! Wear sunscreen, clothes that are comfortable and bring a hat!

We spent about 2.5 hrs at Chichen Itza and if it wasn’t so hot we could have spent a little more time!! Chichen Itza was an entire city and today is an archaeological complex which includes temples, a ball court, platforms, columns, an observatory and cenotes.

11:45AM:

from Chichen Itza we drove 30 minutes to the colonial town of Valladolid where we ate a traditional meal at a beautiful restaurant called El Mesón del Marqués!!

Across the street from the restaurant is the main square which is called Parque Principal! In the main square there was a beautiful fountain and chairs which are referred to as “Gossip Chairs”

Aspen and I are sitting in the Gossip Chairs and behind us is San Servacio Church!!

If you have time to check out the town of Valladolid make sure to walk the cobblestone streets, check out the cute coffee shops and there is also a Cenoté nearby.

2:00PM:

Travel to a beautiful Cenoté which is not touristy! The Cenote we visited is run by a Mayan family and truly gave us an authentic experience!

What was also nice is that there is changing rooms and showers!!!

2:45 PM:

After we were all cleaned up, it was time to head back to our hotel! We arrived back at our hotel about 6:30p (remember there is a 1 hr time change)!

Once we arrived back to our hotel we took a dip in the infinite pool and ate dinner! Since we had a long, hot, exhilarating day we spent the night just relaxing!

11A – 6P:

We are in Cancun, so it’s a must to relax on the white sandy beach with the most beautiful turquoise water! So that is what we did all day!! Lay out, get in the water, read a book, take a little walk along the water, eat lunch on the beach, what more could a girl want???

7:30P: Dinner

We chose a restaurant called Sonora Grill La Isla Cancun! It was an absolute fabulous experience! The decor was fun and inviting and It was prob one of the best waiters I have ever had and he didn’t even speak English! The food was so delicious too! It is a contemporary Mexican Steakhouse! You won’t be disappointed!

Aspen and I shared a mandarin salad which was amazing!!! I could eat it everyday! I had steak and Aspen had pasta and we both loved our meal! Our meals had so much food we took a to go box and ate it the next day!!! It was just as delicious the second time around!

Of course after our meal it was time to relax in our room for our big day coming!

9A: Arrive at Playa Langosta to take our ferry to Dolphin Discovery Cancun Isla Mujeres!

• We took an Uber to the port just because we didn’t want to be late and it was about $12. On the way home from the port we took the bus, which was like $2. For the bus, we were a little confused at first about where it was. When you walk to the street from the ferry, you take a right, walk a little bit and then cross the highway since we were going in the opposite direction. It was fairly easy!

This is a long day!!! Our ferry to leave was not until 5:30p, but was worth the experience!

We did the Dolphin Royal Swim VIP!! This included Buffett style food during lunch hours, drinks, 2 dolphins with 6 interactions ( 1 hr.), showers, lockers, WiFi and a VIP area to relax!

A few things to keep in mind:

• the docking fee at the port is not included, have cash available. It was $15 a person.
• Pictures with the Dolphins cost an arm and a leg but are so worth it!
• The unlimited Buffett is only during certain hours, so make sure you eat then!
• Depending on what time your dolphin lesson is… take a taxi or rent a golf cart to drive around the island – HIGHLY RECOMMEND

This is how Aspen and I spent our trip but there is so much more to do. We didn’t even scratch the surface. When we return to Mexico places on the list to visit are Tulum, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, and Cozumel. I hope my guide helps you plan your trip and if you have any questions, just reach out to me or leave me a comment! I love helping others get the most out of their trips!!

Lots of Love,

Christina