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Cancun is one of the best destinations in Mexico for autistic families. There are so many family-friendly activities to choose from during your visit. You can easily choose which activity, or activities, you do on each day of your trip to Cancun. Of course, the goal will be to make sure your autistic child does not go into sensory overload at any time during your Cancun trip. If you are unsure of how to create an itinerary that has your family’s best interests in mind, we need to chat. As a Certified Autism Travel Professional, I have helped numerous autistic families by creating the perfect itinerary that fits their individual needs. I can do the same thing for your family, so you enjoy every minute of your time down in Cancun.
Plan an Autism Friendly Trip to Cancun
Weather in Cancun
When you are first thinking about a trip to Cancun, it is important to consider the weather. Some autistic kids are not a fan of the heat, while others don’t mind. So, it is important to keep the average temperatures in mind for the month you are considering visiting.
The temperatures in Cancun do not vary much throughout the year. The months of November through March are normally the coolest. This is when temperatures average in the low 80s. April, May, and October are all in the mid to upper 80s. And June through September is usually in the 90s.
It is also important to note that the rainy season in Cancun is between the months of May and October. Hurricane season is between the months of June and November. However, most of the hurricanes hit between August and October.
Transportation in Cancun
Cancun is not the destination you will want to drive in for an autism-friendly vacation. The locals are known to speed and tailgate on the narrow roads.
I highly recommend taking a taxi from the airport to your resort. I can help arrange for one, as I am making your travel arrangements.
You may also want to take a taxi if you are traveling to areas further from the downtown area of Cancun. Again, I can help you plan for this.
During the rest of your autism-friendly trip to Cancun, I recommend walking or taking the bus. The beach is in close proximity to almost all the hotels. So, it will be easy to walk to a beach. You should also be able to walk to certain places in the northern part of the Hotel Zone.
The bus travels frequently through the Hotel Zone, as well as the downtown area. There is also a bus that travels to Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen.
Autism Friendly Resorts in Cancun
There are quite a few resorts that are family-friendly in Cancun. Most of those resorts are all-inclusive. I highly recommend staying in an all-inclusive resort for your trip to Cancun. It will make it much easier for your family when it comes to activities, meals, and other amenities.
You will even discover a couple of resorts and hotels in Cancun that are designated as Autism Ready. These hotels and resorts have trained their staff, so they can offer complete inclusion on their properties. The goal is for these properties to have a Visitor Guide available for autistic families in the future. These guides will ensure all autistic families enjoy every moment of their visit.
Best Autism-Friendly Beaches in Cancun
A spectacular beach will most likely be steps away from your Cancun accommodations. However, there are quite a few autism-friendly beaches in Cancun you may want to consider checking out.
Playa Chac Mool
Playa Chac Mool is one of the quieter beaches in Cancun. Most people arrive at this beach to read a book while relaxing in the sand.
The kids can go swimming here without being overwhelmed by too many people. And there are rentals available if your family does want to participate in water sports.
Playa Delfines
Playa Delfines translates to Dolphin Beach. This beach is known for its dolphin sightings. And trust me, no one in your family will be able to resist spotting dolphins throughout your visit!
The water can be choppy here. It is best to not go swimming if the water is too rough or there are no lifeguards present.
This beach is near the Hotel Zone. Yet, it isn’t in the middle of it, which makes it quieter. You won’t find restaurants, shops, or hotels on Playa Delfines. So, you will need to pack everything your family needs for a day at the beach.
There are restrooms available at this beach. And you can easily get to Playa Delfines via the bus.
Tulum Beach
A day in Tulum doesn’t need to be spent focusing solely on the ancient Mayan ruins. You can easily check out the ruins and then head to Tulum Beach for a little swimming and downtime. Of course, this is dependent on your autistic child and their needs.
There are open-air cafes near this beach. So, it can be an excellent place to grab a bite to eat after the ruins and before a little time on the sand.
Autism-Friendly Things to Do in Cancun
Okay, so you know spending time at any of the local beaches is one of the autism-friendly things to do in Cancun. But there are so many other incredible things your family will love to do in this destination.
Wander Around Downtown Cancun
One of the best things to do in Cancun with children is to wander around the downtown area. The crowds will get bigger as the day goes on, so it may be best to visit earlier in the day, as the shops are opening.
A walk along Avenida Tulum will have you entering numerous shops for a little souvenir shopping. Depending on the time of your visit, you may want to stop at one of the street vendors to try the local cuisine.
Experience Ventura Park
Ventura Park is located directly in the Hotel Zone in Cancun. This makes it a wonderful place to visit if you are staying in this area.
This water and amusement park offers five different worlds to explore and have fun in. Those five worlds include:
Wet’n’ Wild World - A waterpark filled with water slides.
Aaah! Ventura - An impressive ziplining circuit.
Fun World - A theme park perfect for little ones.
Grand Prix - A go-kart track filled with fun for the whole family!
Underworld - Cutting-edge technology ensures the family has plenty of fun challenges.
Escape to Isla Mujeres
Sometimes, you need to travel to an island to really escape the loud sounds while on vacation. And you can do just that when you take the ferry from the Puerto Juarez Pier to Isla Mujeres. The ferry ride is approximately 15 minutes each way. Plus, the ferry leaves every 30 minutes, making it convenient for autistic families.
You can easily rent a golf cart or two and explore the island. It isn’t difficult to find your way around and you can stop anywhere you want. And if you don’t want to do that, you can simply spend your time at the beach. There are several tours that are offered with pick up and drop off from Cancun!
Have Fun at Parque las Palapas
This beautiful park has become one of the best places to spend time with family in Cancun. There’s plenty of space for the kids to run and play. Your entire family can grab a bite to eat from one of the food stalls. Those stalls usually offer a large variety of foods that include quesadillas, fried plantains, and corn on the cob.
Throughout the week, live musicians can be heard in different areas of this park.
Explore the Mayan Ruins
There are ancient Mayan ruins near the Hotel Zone in Cancun. They are the El Rey Ruins. You can easily explore them, as well as the Museo Maya de Cancun for an autism-friendly option. The San Miguelito Ruins can be found within the museum.
Another option is the El Meco Ruins to the north of Cancun.
If you think your autistic family is ready for a road trip though, you may want to consider heading out to Chichen Itza or Tulum to see the Mayan ruins there.
Go Shopping at Plaza las Americas
There is a massive mall in Cancun called Plaza las Americas. If it happens to rain during your trip to Cancun, this is a wonderful place to go to escape the raindrops. Your whole family should love doing a little shopping. And if the kids don’t, they can always play the arcade games.
I do recommend sharing that you visit this mall on a rainy day with your autistic child. This will ensure they do not get overwhelmed when plans unexpectedly change in the middle of the day, or trip.
All these things can help you, as you are considering planning an autism-friendly trip to Cancun. While you can plan this Cancun trip on your own, I have a few extra resources you might find helpful. I can use these resources to plan your autism-friendly trip to Cancun for you, so you can focus on your family and the other daily tasks you have. Contact me and see how I can make all your vacation dreams come true during your Cancun trip and all future family vacations!
