Winter in New England is hard, plane tickets to Cancun were on sale, and the anniversary of our first date was only 2 weekends away, so why not go to Mexico?

We flew into Cancun and drove a rental car down to Playa del Carmen, where we had rented a small apartment in a residential neighborhood. I didn’t really have any big plans, I just wanted to eat and spend as much time outside as possible.

Our apartment was within walking distance of everything we needed in Playa, and the neighborhood was quiet and homey. Most nights we would walk to Fifth Avenue to get a drink, do some people watching, and browse the shops. During the day we explored the neighboring towns and beaches while eating as much as possible.

Highlights

Puerto Morelos

Halfway between Playa del Carmen and Cancun, it’s a quieter more relaxed town than either.

Tulum

I wish we had stayed in Tulum. It was less touristy than Playa del Carmen, although still touristy enough to have plenty to do. The vibes were younger, hipper and more relaxed than Playa, with better restaurants and shops. To top it off, Tulum is much closer to multiple archaeological sites, and the more picturesque beaches of the Riviera.