It was a 16-day road trip across the Eastern tip of Mexico – a unique and special trip, unlike any other we’ve taken. It was filled with history, culture, art, music, relaxation, and fun. It was fed by regional specialties – from street side taco stands to top restaurants and everything in between. It was fueled by a desire to dig into Mr. Vacay’s roots, by visiting the homeland of his family. 

We started in Campeche, zigzagged 500+ miles in a rental car, and ended in Cancun. The roads are easy to travel, well marked, safe, and edged by lush green trees. Pueblos dot the freeway, some sparsely developed, but all looked alive with people & kids coming and going. We had our arrival and our departure cities, as well as a few must-sees in-between. But the rest of the itinerary was open, which allowed us to make unplanned stops and linger longer in places we didn’t want to leave.

The divine Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel, in Merida, was a highlight of the trip. A former private residence with impeccable service. We felt spoiled in a dreamlike home away from home. The location is fantastic, near El Paseo de Montejo and not far from the city center. Inside, the hotel boasts beautiful details in furnishings and design, so nice in fact that you might not want to leave.

Other highlights include the food (of course, the food!), the epic ruins of Uxmal and Tulum, and the unbelievably blue, warm, and tranquil waters of Isla Mujeres. This was our journey.

Campeche

  • Campeche – A beautiful beginning and easy start to our trip. We spent two days enjoying the art, which was literally everywhere. Sculptures in the streets and along the malecon, and grand murals on parking lot walls. At Las Mananitas, we dove into panuchos, salbutes, and tamales without looking back.

Yucatan

  • Choco Story – A great history of cacao and an intro to Mayan culture.
  • Labna – Our first glimpse of the ruins that make this area so well known.
  • Uxmal – Beautifully preserved, peaceful, and awe-inspiring ruins. The impact was profound. I’m so glad we stopped.
  • Muna for spices & Uman for tacos
  • Merida – The hometown of my in-laws. No surprise, I truly fell in love with this city. We stayed for five days, I could have easily stayed longer, and I would gladly go back. It has a small town vibe, with big town polish. The city center is easy to navigate with abundant restaurant choices, beautiful shops selling artisan crafts, and parks featuring free evening concerts.
  • Progreso – A sleepy beach town! We had lunch on the beach at the well-known Eladio’s.  It’s a perfect day trip and an easy drive from Merida, especially when combined with the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya on the way out of town.
  • Chichen Itza – The vendors lining the paths of this site – selling crafts, art, and souvenirs – coupled with the volume of tourists, makes the place feel slightly un-natural. The distractions made me grateful that this was not our only ruin stop.
  • Valladolid & Cenote Zaci – A perfect place to park the car for an overnight stay. It’s a quaint city, great for quick shopping, and a cooling dip in the city center cenote!
  • Temozon – Known for carne ahumada and smoked meats, it was a great side trip on the way out of Valladolid. We stopped to eat at Carnes Concepcion, scored a piece of furniture, and wrapped up our stop by exploring the ruins and cenote at Ek Balam.

Quintana Roo

  • Playa del Carmen – A hopping beach town with sprawling resorts, theme-park adventure lands, and a bustling tourist strip (their 5th Avenue would put many US malls to shame).  The place is a little over the top and seemingly so distant from the Mayan culture we had been exposed to earlier in our trip. We stayed for a week, in a gorgeous condo, one block from the beach. Hotels, timeshares, and vacation rentals abound. We also got to enjoy the free three-day Maya Riviera Jazz Fest on the beach at Mamita’s Beach Club.
  • Tulum – The famed blue waters framed by the ruins are absolutely worth the stop and the walk. Added bonus, vast beautiful beaches a little further south of the ruins, and waterfront tacos at Pancho Villa Bar & Grill.
  • Isla Mujeres – A short ferry ride from Cancun, it was a welcome respite from the hub-bub of Playas. We stayed two nights in the new, relaxed, ocean front oasis hotel, Playa Arena. And we rented a golf cart to scoot around the island – to shop, see the sights, and to settle in at Zama Beach Club where we enjoyed their restaurant, pool, beach lounges, and clean lockers/changing rooms.

We collected beautiful things to bring home from our trip. Mementos to decorate our house and remind us of our journey. But we also brought home something far less tangible. A glimpse into the past and a journey along roads traveled by so many before us.

We will go back to this area, to see what we missed, and to revisit our favorites!