We have been to the town of Valladolid, Mexico several times now, located just over two hours from Cancun. This city is a great place to explore, with plenty to see and do there.

From good food to Mayan ruins just a short drive away, there are many things to choose from. I love Valladolid because there is such a variety of things to do, and we enjoyed checking out the city, as well as doing day trips. We flew into Cancun and rented a car from Avant Rental Car, so that we could have a car to explore the city as much as we would like. There is plenty to see in town by foot, but also many things to do just a short drive, or further if you are willing to explore a little further. We also stayed right in the center of town at Hotel el Meson del Marques, which made for a great home base for our adventures.

Enjoy good food

There is no shortage of good food around the city! When we visited, we enjoyed everything from food carts to fancy restaurants.

Make sure you enjoy some street food if you can.

There is everything from street carts to marquesita stands.

Check out the Center Square

The center square in Valladolid is a popular destination, from vendors to “you and me chairs”. We enjoyed sitting and relaxing and walking around the square.

I finally got to try some Mexican street corn in the Center Square – so good!

San Gervasio Cathedral

The Church of San Servacio is located right on the same square, making it that much more scenic and interesting.

Calzada de los Frailes

This quaint road called Calzada de los Frailes, is a nice place to take a walk, shop, and get some food, or simply take in the sights. We walked this street on our way to the Convent of San Bernardino.

16th-Century Convent of San Bernardino of Siena

Built by the Franciscans, this Convent is located at the end of Calzada de los Frailes, a popular pedestrian road with lots of great shops and eateries. There is a light show here if you are able to catch it. We also enjoyed marquesitas here, which is such a treat.

Cenote Zací & Other Cenotes

Cenote Zaci is easy to walk to within the city. In fact, it is easier to walk to instead of trying to find parking. The entrance fee is very cheap and it is fun to jump in from different platforms.

There are quite a few cenotes nearby, including Cenote X’Keken (a little crowded when we went).

We also visited Cenote Samula. So picturesque!

Our favorite was Hacienda Cenote Oxman! There was a rope swing, and the kids had a blast. There are nice facilities here, and we enjoyed a delicious lunch.

Xkopek Bee Keeping Park

The Xkopek Bee Keeping Park is an interesting and unique park to visit and take a tour. We learned about bees in Mexico as well as other things, including cenotes and history.

Mayan Ruins

There are several Mayan ruins in this area. The Ek Balam archaeological site is just over a 30 minute drive.

A little further of a drive, there are the Coba ruins. If you go to Coba on a hot day, especially with kids, splurge on a bike taxi!

Coba Mexico

Day Trip to Izamal

Izamal is known as the “yellow city”. It is a nice place to walk around and explore. You can grab a bite to eat and take photos.

There are also the Kinich Kakmó Mayan Ruins in Izamal. We took a carriage ride to the ruins, which was a fun experience as well.

Local Sights

We spent several days in Valladolid, and did a lot of walking and exploring. We like to check out a variety of things, and not just tourist spots. We went to a local Lavanderia to do our laundry, and checked out the local market, buying some fresh fruit and goodies to bring home. I want our family to experience different things and support the local economy.

Overall

Valladolid is a great place to visit, and also a good place to stay and use as a hub for nearby activities. I do recommend renting a car so that you have the freedom to travel wherever you would like. We have rented from Avante Car rental several times now without any issues. Also check out my Tips for Driving a Rental Car in Mexico.

Are you ready to take that trip now? If so, you’ll need to organize a Visitax Mexico. Luckily, it is super easy to apply online and only takes a few minutes. Happy travels! 

Marysa

About the Author: Marysa

Busy blogger and mom of two girls. We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure! If you have any travel questions, contact me! marysa@anationofmoms.com