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If you’re planning a family trip to the Riviera Maya and wondering whether Xcaret—and its sister parks like Xplor and Xenses—are worth it, our answer is a big, sandy, sunscreen-covered yes. Each park has its own vibe, its own wow moments, and its own “I wish we knew this ahead of time” lessons. After spending days exploring, sweating, swimming, ziplining, and trying not to get lost, here’s our full, family-tested rundown of the three parks we visited, plus everything we learned staying at Hotel Xcaret. If you want help planning your family vacation at Hotel Xcaret, contact me here.

Staying at Hotel Xcaret: Beautiful, Massive, and Full of Surprises for Families

Hotel Xcaret is one of the most visually stunning resorts I’ve ever stayed at. It feels like part tropical garden, part adventure park, and part architectural marvel. There are hanging bridges, rivers weaving through the property, secret coves tucked into the rocks, infinity pools facing the jungle, and multiple massive waterslides right in the middle of the hotel. There are also incredible hidden waterslides in the lagoon and so much more to discover.

But with all that beauty comes one big warning: the place is huge. Truly huge. You’ll get thousands of steps in each day whether you mean to or not. Even going “just back to the room” to grab something feels like a mini expedition by mid-week.

I really wish I’d had a better grasp of the size of this property when packing. I brought my usual flip-flops—because that’s what I always travel with—and I spent the first 48 hours wishing desperately that I had proper walking shoes. Learn from me: this is a resort for supportive footwear, not dainty sandals.

If you’re traveling with little kids, there are complimentary strollers available, and the whole resort is surprisingly stroller-friendly. The only real challenge is the layout—sometimes the path you think you should take is on the other side of a pool or lagoon, so you have to loop around to find the accessible route. It’s not difficult, and there are lots of helpful staff around to ask for directions, but if you’re pushing a stroller and trying to make it to a dinner reservation or a shuttle on time, it’s definitely something to keep in mind.

Where to Stay

If we went back, we would choose Casa Luna or Casa Vida, because both are close to the waterslide area, the kids’ spaces, and the Xiquilit Inn (the super cool mini-hotel for kids). Being in either of these buildings saves a surprising amount of walking. They’re also more central to the shuttle pickup and drop-off zones, which makes getting to and from the parks much easier—especially at the end of a long day when everyone is tired and damp.

Another wonderfully family-friendly choice is Casa Viento, which sits right beside the famous “octopus pool.” This pool has bright waterslides shooting out of the tentacles of a giant octopus sculpture, and kids absolutely lose their minds over it. Right next to it is a kid-friendly buffet restaurant, making Casa Viento a great choice if you want maximum convenience with minimal walking.

We stayed in Casa Espiral, which turned out to be very close to the beautiful, huge infinity pool and the main beach access. We were also steps away from our favourite buffet restaurant, Mercado, which made breakfasts and quick meals incredibly easy. Our garden-suite view was gorgeous—lush greenery, peaceful water channels, and that feeling of being tucked into the jungle while still close to amenities. So truly, you can’t go wrong on location; it just depends on what your family values most.

Being more central (like Casa Luna or Casa Vida) also puts you closer to where the shuttles arrive and depart for the parks. This is something you don’t fully appreciate until you’ve done a full day at Xcaret Park or Xplor and the idea of an extra 10–12 minute walk back to your room feels monumental. And although the boat that takes you directly to Xcaret Park is the most scenic shuttle option, most park visits rely on the land shuttles—so proximity matters.

Kids’ Clubs and Play Areas Across the Resort

One of the standout features of Hotel Xcaret is how thoughtfully it structures its kids’ spaces. Instead of one generic “kids club,” the resort has created specific zones for different age groups so each child feels like the space was designed for them.

Lunateca (Ages 0–4)
This is the dedicated toddler and preschooler zone—soft play, sensory activities, padded areas, and age-appropriate toys. It’s enclosed, air-conditioned, and gives younger kids a safe, calm place to play and decompress. Parents stay with their children here, making it a great option for families who want a quiet, safe indoor space during the hotter parts of the day.

Xiquilit Inn (Ages 5–9)
This is the star of the resort if you have early-elementary-aged kids. Xiquilit Inn is a full miniature play hotel built entirely at kid scale. Inside, there’s a multi-level ball pit, climbing structures, imaginative-play corners, a pretend restaurant where kids can “serve” their parents real non-alcoholic drinks from the mini fridge, and even costumes so they can put on a show on the small stage. It’s whimsical, immersive, and incredibly fun—easily one of the resort’s biggest highlights for this age group.

The “Tween Gap” (Ages 10–12)
For kids in that in-between stage—not quite little kids, not quite teens—Hotel Xcaret actually works surprisingly well. While there isn’t a formally named club specifically for ages 10–12, this age group has access to the arcade and game zone located near the teen club. It’s filled with video games, interactive screens, table games, and comfortable spots to hang out, giving tweens a place that feels age-appropriate and “big kid approved.”

Outside the game zone, tweens also love the resort’s built-in adventure elements: the octopus pool slides near Casa Viento, the rope bridges, the hidden pathways winding around the water channels, the small beach coves, and the sense of freedom they get exploring the resort’s many nooks and lagoons. Even without a dedicated club, the resort offers plenty for this age group to do independently or alongside siblings.

Xiipal Teen Club (Ages 13–17)
For older kids, Hotel Xcaret has Xiipal, a dedicated teen club with video games, arcade games, pool and air hockey tables, music, and lots of lounge-style seating. It has just the right amount of supervision—staff are present—but teens feel independent and free to come and go. It’s the perfect hangout spot for cooling off, meeting other teens, and having downtime away from younger siblings.

Between these thoughtfully designed play areas and all the outdoor adventures—slides, bridges, lagoons, hammocks, coves, and endless places to explore—Hotel Xcaret is one of the rare resorts that truly caters to every age group. Babies, toddlers, school-age kids, tweens, and teens all have something created just for them.

Daily Rhythm at the Resort

One of the best things we did was treat each day like an outing. Instead of constantly trekking back to the room for snacks, sunscreen, goggles, towels, or random items we forgot, we packed a day bag every morning with everything we might need. This saved us hours of unnecessary walking.

Trying to return to your room mid-day truly does feel like a full workout. If you forget something, it’s more tempting to just buy it than go all the way back.

Food at Hotel Xcaret

Food at Hotel Xcaret is shockingly good for an all-inclusive. You don’t just get buffets—you get a mix of high-quality à la carte restaurants, casual spots, smoothie bars, snack shacks, lobby cafés, and full sit-down dining experiences that feel more like dining in a vibrant city than meals at a resort.

Some restaurants require reservations, and they book far in advance. If there is one tip I would emphasize, it’s this: make reservations as early as possible, and if you can, do it before you even arrive. The most popular restaurants fill up quickly, especially for dinner.

The variety is excellent. We found options for every taste: fresh seafood, tacos, teppanyaki, grilled meats, international dishes, and plenty of comforting kid-friendly choices. Portions are generous, flavors are bold, and the overall food quality is genuinely impressive.

One of our favorite meals was at La Silla Steakhouse, which has a warm, elegant atmosphere while still being welcoming to families. We highly recommend choosing the chef’s special, where they simply bring out their best dishes family-style for the whole table to share. It removes all the decision fatigue, and every plate we tried was delicious—easily one of the standout meals of our trip.

We also booked dinner at Tah-Xido, the resort’s hibachi and teppanyaki restaurant, which was a huge hit with our kids. The show was fun, the chefs were engaging, and the food itself was excellent. It’s lively, exciting, and definitely worth including in your reservation strategy.

We hoped to try Las Cuevas, the iconic cave-style steakhouse carved directly into the rock, but we didn’t get the chance. Even just walking by the entrance made it obvious why it’s such a coveted reservation—the atmosphere alone is incredible. If you can snag a table, build your evening around it.

And I have to mention this because it surprised us in the best possible way: room service is fabulous. Everything arrived beautifully presented and still hot. The biggest shock of all? The pizza was honestly the best I’ve ever had. Perfect crust, oozy cheese, unbelievably good—especially for room service. It became our go-to late-night snack, and I would go back to Hotel Xcaret just for that pizza.

Between the variety, the quality, and all the memorable dining experiences across the property, Hotel Xcaret truly stands out for having some of the best food we’ve ever had at a family resort.

Xplor: Adventure, Ziplines, Cave Exploration

Xplor is the ultimate adventure playground. If your kids love thrills—climbing, zipping, splashing, and exploring caves—this is the day they will talk about for the rest of the trip. Just be prepared for lots of walking! Everything is spread out, and even though the activities are incredible, you’ll be doing a lot of walking between them. If you have kids under 5 there isn’t much for them at this park, so I would suggest sticking with XCARET park for the little ones.

What to Wear at Xplor (And What I Really Wish I Had Known Beforehand)

Most people at Xplor wear bathing suits, and that’s totally normal. But here’s the thing no one tells you: you need to be comfortable walking around in whatever you're wearing. The park involves a lot of movement—walking between attractions, climbing stairs to the ziplines while wearing a harness, getting in and out of rivers, and sometimes waiting in lines while soaking wet.

I wasn’t fully prepared for this. I wore a bathing suit with a cover-up, thinking I could just pop the cover-up back on whenever I was done swimming. But the reality is that you have to leave anything you don’t want to get wet in your locker, and you won’t see it again until you return—so the cover-up was basically pointless. It was a bit uncomfortable wearing the zipline harness in a bathing suit. Hello chaffing! A lightweight quick-dry t-shirt and athletic shorts would have been a much better choice. They dry fast, they’re comfortable for walking, and you don’t feel so exposed while hiking up dozens of stairs in a swimsuit.

And definitely bring your own towels. The parks don’t provide them, and the ride back to the hotel is on an air-conditioned bus. If you’re soaking wet and towel-less, you will shiver the entire way home. A small microfiber towel is perfect because it packs tiny and dries quickly.

Footwear Tips

I wore my Merrell sandals, that I adore and wear everywhere, and although all the signs said closed-toe shoes only for many attractions, no one ever questioned my footwear. I was allowed on the waterslides, the ziplines, everything. That said, if you have water shoes, wear them. They’re more practical for the constant switch between wet and dry areas, they have great grip, and you won’t have the stress of wondering if you’ll get told NO at the end of a long walk to the attraction.

Just make sure the shoes you pick are something you can walk in comfortably for hours. You will be covering a lot of ground, and some paths can be slippery.

Locker Logistics

Once you start your activity circuit, you won’t return to your locker for a long time. That means no phones, no wallets, no loose items, and no cover-ups unless you’re okay with them getting wet or being left behind. Plan your outfit and what you carry accordingly. After each activity you will end up back at the locker area, so you can definitely go back to your locker if needed. There is an included buffet restaurant in the park, and many water fountain stations to keep you hydrated while your water bottle stays tucked away in the locker!

Photos at Xplor

This part is really important and totally different from the other Xcaret parks.

At Xplor, your photos are linked to your helmet, not your bracelet. Once you put the helmet on, you wear it the entire day, and you scan it at the photo points built into the park. Because of this, you can’t buy your Xplor photos back at the hotel or bundle them with another park unless you purchase the package in the park that same day.

They offered us a package deal of $100 USD that included photos from both Xplor and the hotel, but again—it had to be purchased at Xplor because the pictures attach specifically to your helmet ID.

You definitely don’t need a camera or phone with you at this park. It’s not practical to carry, and it’s not allowed on many attractions. Between the wet areas, the caves, the ziplines, and the rafting, a phone would just be something to worry about. The helmet photo system is surprisingly good, and the photo locations are designed to capture the best moments.

Our Favorite Attractions at Xplor

The four-person raft slide was an instant family favorite. It’s a big raft you all sit in together, and the slide takes you through several types of drops and curves—tunnels, a swirling toilet-bowl style spin, and one major drop. It’s exciting without being too intense, and perfect for families.

The Hammock Splash is much gentler and ideal for kids who might hesitate on the more intense activities. You sit in a hammock, glide forward, and make a small splash into a pool. It’s fun, accessible, and a nice breather between the bigger adventures.

The ziplines at Xplor are incredibly efficient. I was shocked at how quickly everything moved. There were virtually no long lines, and the whole process was handled smoothly. Kids can go tandem with an adult on many of the ziplines, but not the water ziplines—those require kids to be big enough and confident enough to ride solo. These water landings are gentle but startling if you’re not expecting them.

Xplor is well run, safe, and extremely memorable—but it’s also a full-on active day. Pace yourself and drink plenty of water.

Xenses: Wild, Weird, and Totally Unforgettable

Xenses is one of the most unusual parks we’ve ever done. It’s part sensory challenge, part water adventure, part optical-illusion playground, and part “did that just happen?” It’s also the park where kids’ reactions might vary the most. Finding the lockers was the first challenging optical illusion, where you need to walk beneath a ladder with a black cat on top! We missed this entrance the first time thinking the ladder was construction area. Once we made it, even the bathroom was bizarre and interesting as you can see above!

Part 1: Staying Dry (Sort Of)

You begin near the Pinwheel, a large, colorful hub that acts as the center of the park. The first part of the experience includes illusion rooms, perspective tricks, and the famous dark sensory tunnel.

The dark sensory tunnel was the biggest surprise. You must walk barefoot through a completely unlit tunnel, feeling your way through different environments—sand, jungle, water, rock. My 7-year-old lasted about thirty seconds before bailing, but my older child and husband thought it was fascinating, just a bit long and disorienting. It’s unlike anything we’ve done before.

When you exit, you walk past flamingos, macaws, and tropical landscaping. Even the walkways are entertaining here.

Part 2: The Water Circuit

This is where you’ll want to change into bathing suits. You start by wearing shoes as you walk through the Pueblo (Town) that is a sensory overload. You feel like you are walking uphill, but you are actually walking downhill. The water flows the wrong direction and nothing is as it seems! There is lots of fun to explore here for kids of all ages, with many fun photo ops! Once you get through the town you enter a small swimming area where you can enter a cave tunnel, which is the beginning of the activity circuit.

You can go barefoot or wear water shoes—we chose barefoot, but honestly, water shoes are more comfortable because the walkways are uneven stone and it’s not easy on the feet.

The entire experience is a circuit you complete in order. It starts with a big, fast waterslide that shoots you into a pool in a cave. It’s only for strong swimmers and kids ages 5 and up. If you want to bypass any activity, it is possible to do so.

From there, you move to the Bird Flight zipline, which allows you to soar over the jungle in superman style harness. Kids must weigh at least 65 lbs for this, so younger or lighter kids may have to skip it.

Next comes a saltwater river float, which is incredibly relaxing—you float/ push yourself along, and the salt content keeps you buoyant. After that is the mud river, a thick, silky float through warm clay-like water followed by rinse stations and a sauna cave.

The circuit ends in a small, shallow pool where younger kids who couldn’t participate can wait with an adult. This part of the park takes about 45 minutes and is one of the most fun and unique activities in all of Xcaret’s parks.

Xenses was a good half day park to do in the morning and spend the rest of day at the hotel. Just note that the Pueblo section of the park doesn’t open until 10am.

Xcaret Park: Massive, Magical, and So Easy to Spend a Whole Day In

Xcaret Park is absolutely enormous. Admission is included if you stay at the Xcaret Hotel’s, or you can purchase a day pass. It’s a blend of cultural experiences, natural environments, ocean activities, wildlife exhibits, and underground rivers. You will not see everything in one day, and that’s okay. Half the fun is wandering and stumbling onto something new.

Children’s World

This was one of the biggest hits of our entire trip. Children’s World is a dedicated area only for kids, with a separate path for parents to supervise. That means kids get independence while adults still keep eyes on them.

The zone includes a water-themed obstacle trail, two fun waterslides, tunnels, splash areas, and lots of climbing and exploring. Every child must wear a life jacket, and there are lifeguards at the bottom of each slide and water area.

Our kids loved it so much that they completed the circuit at least ten times before agreeing to explore the rest of the park. The minimum age is 5, so the younger siblings can play in the splash pad or the small swimming area.

Aquarium Path and Dolphin Experience

We followed the blue line on the map, which leads you through an underwater-themed area featuring sharks, rays, turtles, and an enormous aquarium.

You’ll also pass the dolphin encounter area. We booked a dolphin experience for two of us, which cost $130 USD for a 30-minute session. It’s worth knowing that photos are extremely expensive. We were quoted $200 USD for 10 digital photos but opted to buy just one perfect shot for$20 USD. Walk away if you want a better price—they will chase you down.

Strollers, Bags, and Logistics

If you have younger kids, definitely bring a stroller or rent one at the gate. Xcaret is huge and kids tire fast. Rentals are $25 USD for a single and $35 USD for a double. You will need a piece of ID to leave as collateral, which we forgot since we were in the all-inclusive mode. There are restaurants that are included at this park, but others are not, so if you want to avoid extra spending money

You can bring a backpack, and lockers are available throughout the park. Each major attraction area has its own locker area, so you don’t have to return to a central hub.

Underground River Swim

I highly recommend doing one of the underground rivers. They are peaceful, cool, and fascinating. The river we did was about 650 meters long and took around 45 minutes with kids.

You can use flippers, which help immensely, especially if you’re towing a slower swimmer. There is also a bag service: you place your belongings into a bag, lock it, and it magically appears at the end of the river. Just remember to bring your own towels, because none of the Xcaret parks provide them.

Final Tips for Families

After three parks and a full resort stay, here are the biggest lessons we would pass along to other families:

Water shoes are essential. You’ll use them every single day.
Bring your own towels, because none of the parks provide them.
Use the flippers to make the underground river swims far easier and more enjoyable.
Book dolphin encounters, kayak rides, and dinner reservations early—they fill fast.
Pack a day bag each morning and avoid trekking back to your room midday.
Budget a good chunk of your day for Children’s World; kids adore it and won’t want to leave.
Expect long walking days and bring comfortable shoes.

Even with the walking, heat, and logistics, this is easily one of the most memorable and unique family vacations we’ve ever taken. The variety of activities, the natural beauty, and the chance for kids to test their independence made it a trip we’ll be talking about for years. Let me know if you want a printable packing list, a customized itinerary, or a follow-up post on choosing between Xcaret parks!

Considering a family trip to Xcaret? Let me help you plan it. I know the parks, the hotel layout, the best dining options, and what to book in advance. Contact me to get started—I’d love to help you design a trip your family will never forget.

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