3 Day Cancun Itinerary

Hola! Can we just start by talking about how beautiful Cancun is?! If your idea of a vacation includes laying on a gorgeous white sandy beach, sipping a margarita with views of crystal clear water, then there is no better place than Cancun.  Last year I got lucky to come across a great deal to Mexico and I jumped on the opportunity. Here is my 3 day Cancun itinerary.

As I have mentioned in the past, I LOVE being around water, especially if it is turquoise and involves laying on a beach. So I hopped on a 3 hours flight from Philadelphia to Cancun in April last year (throwback post) and by 10:30 AM I was in beautiful Cancun welcomed by sunshine and humidity. Yay for puffy hair!

DAY 1- 3 DAY CANCUN ITINERARY

Upon arrival, we got a rental car and an old fashioned map and headed to our hotel. The roads were easy to navigate, I did not use a GPS the entire trip which was shocker for a directionally challenged individual like me. The hotel I stayed at was called Real Inn Cancun. After grabbing some lunch from Stock Cafe, we headed to the Forum Beach Cancun which was 5 mins walking distance from the hotel. The view was simply breathtaking and surreal. As I let my feet sink in the beautiful white sand on the beach and took in the views of the dreamy turquoise water, it hits me that I am in Cancun, Mexico. Growing up thousands of miles away from this part of the world, Cancun was a place that you saw either on tv or calendars. Never did I think at that time that I will actually be there someday. Words can’t describe the feeling that you get when you realize that you are actually living your dream! Take a look yourself at my 3 day Cancun itinerary.

DAY 2

The next morning we headed to explore the famous Mayan Ruins, Chichen Itza. The drive was roughly 3 hours long, again without a GPS (woohoo). Just a heads up, it gets pretty hot and humid as you are walking the open grounds while exploring the ancient ruins. We spend the evening cooling off at the pool and as we were planning our last full day in Mexico, a lovely couple overheard our conversation and suggested we try out snorkeling with sea turtles! Brilliant idea!

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Shop my summer essentials here.

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DAY 3

The next morning we tried to book an excursion with our hotel, however, we were disappointed to find out that the tour bus had left 4 hours ago which was at 6:00 AM and reservations needed to be made at least 24 hours in advance. Not the best planner here but hey I was on vacation. Anyways, we still had the entire day so we drove to Akumal. Upon arrival, we were bombarded with tour guides offering snorkeling sessions. Lucky me! Now here’s a little secret about me. As you all know I love being around water, however, sadly enough I can not swim, not even float! But that doesn’t stop me from going in it with the help of a life jacket. Our guide was aware of my swimming skills so he kindly propelled me through the rough waters as I held on to a life buoy. It was an amazing experience, watching huge turtles and rays swim underneath you. I live for moments like these and will cherish these memories forever. We had a lovely dinner at a local Mexican restaurant called Hacienda El Mortero with a live band playing Mariachi music.

Handmade goods by local artisans

Now lets talk about how you can get to Cancun too! I was able to snag a great deal through Frontier Airlines, roundtrip was roughly $178. Unbelievable! The crowds had died down after spring break making it easier to find a good deal for the hotel. Real Inn Cancun was roughly 20 kms from the airport, conveniently located by the beach and the hotel staff was excellent! My recommendations are you check out smaller airlines for a chance of getting low cost flights and Groupon getaways have plenty of all-inclusive packages. Once you are there, Spanish is the major language so it is important you learn a few key phrases. If you stay in the touristy area, most of the employees speak English. You will find delicious food at every corner, so be prepared to eat away! Lastly, the customer service I received in every place I went to is the best I have seen so far in my life (not an exaggeration). Every single person was very welcoming and friendly. I am thankful for this quick getaway  and would highly recommend you check it out too! Mexico won’t disappoint you.

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“Some of the best memories are made in flip flops”- Kellie Elmore

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PIN ME– 3 DAY CANCUN ITINERARY