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Cancun is a coastal destination on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico that is loved by many different types of travelers. College-aged students think of Cancun as a great place to get away and party on the beach for a couple of days. Just-married couples find Cancun to be a terrifically romantic vacation destination. And even families may discover that Cancun offers them an affordable chance to experience another culture while enjoying activities on the beach.

Although any of these groups of people may book long stays in Cancun, the most popular Cancun trip is the weekend getaway. Following you’ll find the concise guide to booking and enjoying this type of quick Cancun vacation.

Booking a Weekend Getaway to Cancun

One of the best things about Cancun is that there are always deals being offered for the weekend getaway. Whether you’re interested in a two-day or three-day weekend in Cancun, you should look to the Internet for special prices on your trip. All of the major online websites for booking travel will regularly feature deals for Cancun. As a result, you should never pay full price for tickets to the area; wait a few days until a deal comes up during the time when you want to travel. Savvy travelers should know that the peak season for Cancun travel is from December through April so you’re going to get better deals if you go during the summer and fall.

Where to Stay

Most people are going to book their hotel stay at the same time that they book their airline tickets to Cancun. As a result, you may find that your best bet is to go with the place that is cheapest when booked with the flight that you’re taking. However, Cancun is a destination that offers accommodations at some really terrific resorts and hotels so you might want to go ahead and splurge on this aspect of your trip. Since you’re only planning to stay for a few days, it’s not going to cost you too much. There are three general areas of Cancun where you might book accommodations:

• Cancun Hotel Strip. This is where the majority of tourists are going to book their hotel stay for the weekend. It’s also where most of the hotels that come as part of a flight/hotel package are going to be. There are some great all-inclusive resorts here which can provide you with anything you’ll need from your stay in Cancun.

• Downtown Cancun. This is an area of Cancun that is less driven by tourism. People who are concerned about the risks of international travel will want to avoid these hotels (although Cancun is considered to be a safe destination). In contrast, those people who don’t just want to see the beach but also want to experience a slice of real Mexico will find that Downtown Cancun is the best place to book a hotel.

• Up or down the coast. People who want to cut the price of their stay a little bit without going to downtown Cancun will find that it’s a good idea to rent a car and to drive a short distance outside of Cancun. There are beaches all up and down the coast where you can get a great room on the water at less cost than what you’ll pay in Cancun itself. This is the perfect option for a weekend getaway that’s designed to include romance.

Activities to Enjoy During your Cancun Getaway

You can do all kinds of different things during your weekend stay in Cancun. The partying crowd can hit the club scene. Beach-lovers can enjoy sun tanning, surfing, and scuba diving all along the coast. People interested in history and culture will find that the indigenous attractions of the area are most appealing. Here are some of the most popular things that people will do and see on a weekend getaway to Cancun:

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• Interactive Aquarium. This attraction, located in the center of the Cancun Hotel Strip, is appealing to families visiting the area. It has a variety of different marine life that you can see. Better yet, there are lots of animals (like rays and safe sharks) that you can actually touch.
• Swim with the dolphins. If you’re a fan of the animals but don’t like aquariums, take advantage of the opportunity to swim with dolphins. This is a great activity for kids but it is also a romantic adventure for couples.
• Swim with sharks. If you’re really brave then you can skip the dolphins and go straight to the serious business of an underwater shark tour. There are tours that let you do this out in the ocean as well as a place near the hotels called Cancun Shark Encounter where you can get into a glass cage with the sharks.
• Boating, jet skiing and surfing. You can enjoy almost any kind of water activity that interests you in the ocean here.

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• Snorkeling and scuba diving. Cancun is a great place for adventurous activities in the water. It’s particularly popular with scuba divers of all skill levels who want to see the neat plant and animal life that lives under the waves.
• Theme parks at the Mayan Riviera. There are some really amazing theme parks in this area but they require a bit of a drive so you’ll only want to do this if you are aware of the fact that it’s going to eat up a full day of your weekend. Some people don’t mind; after all, how often do you get the chance to zipline through the Mexican jungle?
• Mayan archaeological sites. There are several different historic Mayan archaeological sites near Cancun which you can visit to get an interesting education in the indigenous history of the area. Popular day trip destinations include Chichen Itza, Tulum and the pyramids at Coba. Like with the theme parks, this is going to be a full day’s activity.

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• Shopping at La Isla. If you find that you need to pick something up during your stay, your best bet is this big Cancun Mall. You can also barter at the local markets for indigenous crafts and other goods.
• Bars and clubs. There is a huge club scene in Cancun and you won’t have any trouble finding it. Just follow the music. The most popular bars are Senor Frogs, Coco Bongo and Daddy O’s but there is something to suit anyone’s style at this place.
• Tequila tours. If you’re a serious drinker then you might be interested in checking out the tequila tours at Le Destileria museum and restaurant.
• Relaxing on the beach. This is probably what you’re going to spend most of your weekend doing if you’re hanging out in Cancun. That’s okay; it’s the best part of the trip.

Tips for Loving your Weekend Getaway

With all of these different activities available, it can be easy to just go, go, go during your entire weekend trip to Cancun. The drawback to this is that you end up more exhausted than rejuvenated during your stay. In order to be glad that you made the trip, you should do all of your adventuring on the first day or two of your trip and leave that final day for the more relaxing beach activities. Travel takes a lot out of you even when it’s tons of fun!

Tags: Cancun | Cancun Hotel Strip | Mexico | North America | Yucatan Peninsula