15 Things to Do in Merida Mexico with Kids
- Maria DiCicco
- 2 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Does your family like to travel off-the-beaten-path in Mexico? Whether you've been before for a day or two, or you are visiting for the first time, you'll learn that Merida makes for a great one week vacation. With easy day trips to the beach or ancient Mayan ruins, the city and its surroundings offer a ton of great activities for families.
Below I'll introduce you to my favorite things to do in Merida, Mexico with kids from in town fun to out of town excursions, and more. I've included tour ideas for many of the suggestions for those without a car, or these ideas are all easily doable with a rental car.
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15 Things to Do in Merida Mexico with Kids
Visiting Merida with kids is an excellent way to immerse them in authentic Mexican culture. None of these attractions or activities require full-on days in the car, so kids will not tire of the 'travel of it all' and you can focus in on just having fun.
Before you go, be sure to brush up on the best things to pack for a vacation to Mexico with kids so that nothing essential gets left behind!
Walk the 'main drag' called Paseo de Montejo
Lively at all times of day, browse vendors selling souvenirs on the street, pop into a sidewalk cafe, or take a horse and buggy ride.
Negotiate for rides:
20-25 minute route (about 500 Pesos) or the
40-45 minute route (about 800 Pesos)
as of May 2025.
I highly recommend going out in the evening (when it is cooler) and enjoying a meal at my family's Italian favorite on the Paseo de Montejo, Trattoria La Pasta Montejo before trying to flag down a horse and carriage ride afterwards.
Be sure to take a rest in one of the iconic Merida chairs called "Confidant Chairs" or even sometimes "You and Me Chairs". You can see why - they are perfect for chatting with your loved ones and staring oh so lovingly at one another (or in my case to my daughter, "turn around I can't get your face in it, it's for the blog!").
Visit a Museum
The anthropology museum or the Mayan World Museum are the best.
Kids cost $25 MXN (about one dollar) ages 4-13 and adults are $150 MXN (about eight dollars) at the Mayan World Museum.
The replicas of places that we'd already visited like of Ek Balam (Museum replica photographed below) were really fascinating, along with a good mixture of real artifacts from digs around the region.
We also loved the Meteorite Museum in Progreso, which you can learn more about in my separate Progreso post.
Visit the Food Markets in Merida
The Lucas de Galvez Market and Crafts Bazar GarcÃa Rejón are the best for a quick visit to Merida, but go early in the day or you will find everything all shuttered. Prepare to have something to eat here!
Tour Ideas:
Arrange a Mangrove Tour in Celestun
See flamingos, crocodiles, and all manner of tropical flora and fauna on a great boat trip through mangroves. The town of Celestun offers up seaside meals and shopping, too, for a great there and back day trip.
Go to the Beach!
I've rounded up a stellar list of ideas for a beach day near Merida here, but I highly recommend spending 2-3 nights on the beach before returning to Merida city.
Focus in on Progreso for overnight hotel stays, or nearby Chelem for homestays.
Visit Mayan ruins on the Puuc Route
There is lots to see and do here from visiting six ancient Mayan complexes, a cool ecoparque about chocolate and more.
Dive into all the details including tours at my separate Puuc Route post here.
Visit Pink Salt Flats
These can be part of your beach adventures, but they are located at Salinera Xtampu. Learn a little more about this on my separate 'beach towns near Merida' post here. Once you are done, drive a few minutes down the road to see the Xcambo Mayan ruins.
Tour Idea: Motul, Hacienda, Xcambo, Pink Salt Mine & Progreso Day Trip
This action packed day starts with the famous eggy dish listed later in this article, along with Mayan ruins, beach time and a stop at the salt flats. Do ittt.
Swim in a Cenote
Visit Hacienda Mucuyche for an immersive experience. Explore and swim through underground caves and blue grottoes, walk into the past at the local hacienda ruins, enjoy lunch on site in a palapa-roofed paradise, and enjoy a quirky hand cart ride around a track, all for one admission.
My adventure at Hacienda Mucuyche was one of my favorite activities in Merida. Plan to spend an entire day there!
Tour Ideas:
Tour to Hacienda Mucuyché & Hacienda Yunkú from Merida
Take the horse cart rides at the Cuzama cenotes
This is a super unique option for a really adventurous day of touring and trekking along an old rail line. They'll take you to 3 or 4 cenotes for swimming, but the horse cart ride will be exciting for all!
Tour Ideas:
Hit the Malls
Merida is full of modern malls. There's probably a dozen of them! One that we visited, GalerÃas Mérida, even had a giant ice skating rink in the middle of it.
This is a great place to get a haircut abroad, too (one of my favorite killing time activities on a slow day). I got mine done for less than $13. Not too shabby!
We even made time for Walmart, Costco and other familiar favorites - all in the name of shopping, of course, but also to get out of the heat and into cool air-conditioned bliss.
Stay in a Centuries-Old Hacienda Hotel
Truly a unique experience for the family, enjoy private dinners al fresco, wading in serene swimming pools, and transporting yourself back in time for a night or two.
Check out my amazing round up of overnight stays in a Hacienda hotel near Merida here.
Visit Sendero Jurasico
For dino-lovers, this super kitschy and really cute evening-only attraction takes visitors down a dark road full of dinosaurs and hidden surprises.
This is located in Chicxulub (near Progreso), where the dinosaur ending asteroid hit 65 million years ago!
Go to Motul for their famous "Huevos Motuleños"
A short drive from Merida, visit a Meliponario (Najil Kaab) to see bees, then have a late breakfast in Motul.
Get the famous egg, tomato, ham and pea topped tortillas called Huevos Motuleños at the Municipal Market November 20 market, specifically upstairs at Doña Evelia Huevos Motuleños.
In the market you will find some produce stands and knick knack shops, but upstairs there are some nice souvenir shops.
Buy a beautiful embroidered blouse for as little as $5 USD (100 MXN Pesos) at the market shops next to Doña Evelia's, or out on the street there are several good shops to browse in as well. I bought a Bimba y Lola (knock off) backpack for $15 USD. Wahoo! I couldn't even get prices like that in Spain's knock off market.
Parking is easy at nearby lots for as little as $20 MXN Pesos ($1).
Visit Izamal, the Yellow Pueblo Magico
The town is indeed painted yellow, and it's adorable. Learn more here, but an ideal day is spent getting lunch, perhaps taking a horse and buggy ride around the compact village, and walking around the impressive Convento de San Antonio.
Tour Ideas: Day Trip to Izamal from Merida
From Merida: Chichen Itza, Izamal and Cenote with Lunch
Private Tour Izamal, Ruins & Mayan handcraft workshop
List of day trips from Merida to Izamal here
Dine at Hacienda Teya - Part Meal, Part Zoo?
In reality, this gorgeous old hacienda home is a historic treasure of a restaurant - Hilary Clinton even ate their back in her First Lady heyday. But peel back the onion a bit, and find that not only will you get to enjoy a lovely colonial-style, Spanish influenced meal in a gorgeous setting, but you get a little zoo show too!
I won't over sell it as such, but enjoy table side gawking at deer, peacocks and more little critters just outside your window view of the backyard to the Hacienda Teya restaurant. It made for some really fun dining with our five year old, especially when the peacocks spread out their feathers!
For more on Mexico, browse around my Mexico section here! Have a great trip and let me know if you have any questions.
