Family travel is a special time for bonding and learning about one another. We understand that a trip has to suit all ages and what your 6 year old finds cool and fascinating might not be the same case for your teenage. Luckily, Mexico is the perfect destination for any type of family vacation whether it’s cultural, beach, or adventure. Follow the below outlined advice, concerns, and tips for a relatively stress-free family vacation in Mexico.
Preparedness and Safety
In terms of safety, Mexico is still a safe destination for the savvy traveler despite common misconceptions! For a detailed outline, visit the safety section on our website, but generally speaking, resort areas such as Cancun, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Mita and cultural destinations like Oaxaca, Puebla, Mexico City, and Guanajuato do not see high levels of violence or crime. As with any travel, you should always exercise caution and be aware of your surroundings, even more so in a group with children. Be sure your children are always equipped with contact information in case they ever wander off.
Once you’ve made the decision to have a fun-filled family holiday in Mexico, there are some basic pre-travel tips you should follow. This includes creating copies of all passports and ids, leaving contact information of the hotel and itinerary with someone back home, and ensuring your children know about the journey that lies ahead (including language barriers and other new experiences they might encounter). In some countries, it is recommend to register your travel with your home embassy or consulate; registration allows you to record information and can assist you in case of an emergency.
The most important travel tip we can provide is make sure you pre-arrange transportation from the airport to your hotel. As if juggling a whole family wasn’t enough, think about adding everyone’s luggage, and documents, and other obstacles to that mix! Having someone waiting for your family, easily noticeable with your last name on a sign in hand, and willing to maneuver your luggage for you, takes off a lot of stress and eliminates scurrying around last minute trying to find a taxi.
Eating and Drinking
In beach destinations, there is no shortage of a variety of food and there is something to please even the most picky eater. However, if opting for a more cultural family journey though Mexico’s interior, the variety is limited. For kids, generally, quesadillas or fideo noodles are a satisfactory choice. If planning to bring an infant, no need to fill your luggage allowance with baby food and diapers — most grocery stores carry brands like Gerber, Pedialyte, Huggies, and Pampers. Be sure your family stays hydrated and replenished with bottled water and remember, do not drink any tap water unless your are sure your hotel has a thorough purified system running throughout.
It’s no secret that Mexican food sometimes doesn’t sit well with all travelers so it never hurts to bring with you some anti-acid and pepto. If anyone does fall victim of Montezcumas Revenge, it is recommended to supplement their treatment with a flavored bottle water called “Electrolit” – you can get it at any pharmacy (or similiar) store. It is intended to restore electrolytes for children 6 and older and can help ease the toll of the sickness.
Copyright © 2014 by Journey Mexico. This article was written by Jessica Seba and originally published on the Journey Mexico Blog.
