Travel Plans – February 2016: Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula

 

For some time now, my mother has wanted to take the entire family—mom, dad, my sister and me—on a trip. The timing had never seemed right but, now, it is finally about to happen. The four of us are headed to a resort in Cancun, on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Obviously, it will be great to spend time with my family and, for my sister, it will be a special treat as she hasn’t had the opportunity to travel as much as me or our parents. However, some people with a tad more travel experience tend to look down upon all-inclusives. I get it. It can feel like the fast food of travel. It can feel canned and sanitized. It can feel—dare I say it?—Americanized.

Honestly, I feel no need to disparage such trips. My mother, for instance, made it very clear that her goal was to relax, to have everything taken care of for her. I get that, too. I get not wanting to worry. I get wanting to get away not just from the cold Canadian winter, but from chores and cooking and groceries and mixing your own damn drinks.

I get that.

I also get wanting to spend day after day lounging on the beach under a pristine sky, breaking only to leap into the ocean for a quick swim before returning to your towel or lounge chair.

I totally get that.

And I also get that, though it isn’t the case for my family, for many, all-inclusives are the only type of getaway they feel they can afford.

I absolutely get that.

But, hey, this is a site about adventure and discovery, even in one’s backyard, but especially abroad! So, yeah, I’m not really about spending hours on the beach. I’m not too concerned with the stresses of figuring out where I’m going to eat next and—quite the opposite—I look forward to the opportunity to seek out new eateries.

Now, I’ve done the all-inclusive thing before, but under very specific circumstances (in one case I was with someone who really needed to relax and, in another, I was shooting a reality show . . . long story), so, this time around, my goal will be to see how much adventure I can get out of an all-inclusive resort in Cancun. What is there to discover while there? What is there to explore?

My first stop, as usual, will be Atlas Obscura. Then I’ll break out a few more traditional guide books. The rest I’ll figure out once I’m there . . .

Honestly, the point of this site is to highlight the potential for adventure and discovery no matter where you are, and that certainly includes all-inclusives. Adventure is for everyone and it can be had anywhere. I’ll prove it.