Mexico

Cancun

Cancun is the easiest Caribbean escape from Chicago: 3.5 hours nonstop, no visa for US residents, and more all-inclusive resorts than you could visit in a lifetime. The trick is knowing which ones are worth it.

Best Time to Visit

When to Go

December through April is peak season — almost no rain, 80s F, perfect beach days. May and November are our sweet spots: cheaper, still sunny, crowds are thinner. June through October is hurricane season — deals get aggressive, but watch the forecast.

Month at a glance

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Peak Shoulder Off-season

Beyond the Hotel

What to See

You can stay on the resort. But here’s what you’d be missing.

The Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera)

14 miles of beach strip packed with resorts, restaurants, and shopping. Good if you never want to leave your hotel. Honest warning: it feels more like Vegas than Mexico.

Tulum

Clifftop Mayan ruins above a postcard beach, about 90 minutes south. Go early (before 9am) to beat the heat and the bus tours. Combine with a cenote swim on the way back.

Chichén Itzá

UNESCO-listed Mayan pyramid, one of the new Seven Wonders. Full-day trip (~2.5h each way). Worth it once in your life. Private tour beats the big coach buses.

Isla Mujeres

Tiny island a 20-minute ferry from downtown. Golf cart rentals, Playa Norte (seriously good beach), and snorkeling with whale sharks May–September.

Cenotes

Freshwater sinkholes hidden in the jungle. Dos Ojos, Gran Cenote, Cenote Azul — cold, crystal-clear, completely unlike the ocean. Bring water shoes.

Local Knowledge

Things you should know

Currency

Mexican peso, but USD is accepted almost everywhere tourists go. Bring small bills for tips. ATMs at the airport have fair rates.

Tap water

Do not drink. All-inclusive resorts provide purified water — use it for brushing teeth too, if you’re sensitive.

Tipping

Even at all-inclusives: $1–2 USD per drink, $2–5 USD per meal for good service, $2–5 USD/day for housekeeping. Makes a real difference to staff.

Safety

The resort strip and major tourist areas are very safe. Don’t wander off the beaten path at night, keep valuables locked. No different from any major tourist city.

Sargassum

Brown seaweed on the beaches peaks May–August. Some resorts clean it constantly; others don’t. We’ll tell you which ones have the best beach in your travel window.

How to get there →

Hotels