4 Days at Xcaret: The Ultimate All-Inclusive Experience

Hotel Xcaret (for families) and Xcaret Arte (adults only) are next to each other. As all-inclusive resorts, they both include all meals, all drinks and all parks owned by Xcaret, which makes the Xcaret resorts different from all other hotels in the area.

Upon arrival, the easiest thing to do is walk around the resort and check out the many restaurants and activities at the hotel. There's paddle boarding and kayaking at the resort, but make sure to reserve this activity the day before you're planning on doing it.

If you arrive at the hotel by 4 PM, heading out to Xoximilco as a first-day activity is a great option. Xoximilco is about an hour away, but the resort takes care of driving guests there in an air-conditioned, luxury bus with free WiFi. Xoximilco is open Monday to Saturday and guest pick-up is at either 3:20 PM or 6:10 PM. Once at Xoximilco, guests will board a "trajinera," which is a colorful, fully decorated boat that is maneuvered with a pole. At Xoximilco, guests will enjoy live music, several courses of dinner, and lots to drink (this is an adults only activity). There are opportunities to walk around a bit before and after the trajinera experience, so you can explore several really cool shops. There will be live entertainment throughout the ride in the trajinera, along with activities to keep everyone fully entertained. This will go on past midnight, so you'll board the bus back to the hotel and arrive at Xcaret Arte around 1:00 AM.

After a long night, spend the first half of the day relaxing. Head out to one of the many amazing restaurants, such as Bio, for a refreshing breakfast. If you're not too full from breakfast, relax at Xcaret's Muluk Spa that incorporates complete wellness with local traditions.

If you want to continue relaxing into the afternoon, walk to the beach or one of the many hotel pools.

If you're yearning for some afternoon adventure, start slow by going to Xenses, a small Xcaret park that can fully immerse yourself in and complete within two hours. Xenses makes you question your senses—what you see and what you feel might be completely misaligned and that's what makes this park fun and unique.

Come back to the hotel and let your mouth do all the sensing with Encanto, a restaurant that provide your palate with sensory overload with a multi-course dinner. On your way back to your room, you'll likely find live music and light shows at the main stage at the center of Xcaret Arte.

Each day at Xcaret is like a completely different vacation, so Day 3 will combine adventure, relaxation, and culture.

Start your day at the "mercado" where you can eat and drink anything and everything you can think of, including some made-to-order juice and smoothies.

You'll be leaving the hotel early and boarding a bus to Tulum, the famous Mayan archaeological site that sits at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Caribbean. The bus ride is about an hour long and there will be free snacks and drinks available onboard (this is, after all, all-inclusive!) Upon arrival, the tour guides will expertly discuss the history and meaning of the site and you'll also have time to explore on your own and be amazed by the clarity of the turquoise blue waters.

Thereafter, the bus will take you to Xel-Ha, another park that is part of the Xcaret properties. For this park, you'll need to change into your swimming suit since it's focused on water. From relaxing tubes that take you down the river to swimming with manta rays or going down the slide that is almost 100 feet high, Xel-Ha has activities for people of all athletic and adventurous levels. And once you work up your appetite, remember that your meals are included. You'll spend a few hours here and will be picked up at the end of the day and returned to the hotel, where you can eat and drink to your heart's content.

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately day 4 is your last day. If you'll be staying at Xcaret on a Sunday, make sure to go to Sunday brunch, which takes the food experience to a new level. There are still many unexplored parks, including Xcaret Park, Xplor (which boasts the second longest zip line in Latin America), Xavage (for high-speed water adventures) and Xenote (zip lines and swimming or kayaking in Mexico's famous water holes).

This last day will be a relaxing day with Xailing, a tour of the Mexican Caribbean on a catamaran. Guests will enjoy stunning views and a "party on a boat" feel that includes drinks and snacks.

Upon your return to the hotel, make sure to explore restaurants that you haven't tried (and with so many restaurants, there's a chance you won't have time to go to all of them). You can also relax in your room, order room service 24 hours a day, and take a well deserved nap in your balcony's hammock.

Remember that Xcaret Arte offers free classes for their guests, including painting, salsa lessons, ceramics and playing instruments, among many others. The resort itself is so replete with options, you don't actually have to go anywhere to enjoy your time at Playa del Carmen. Whatever you choose to do on day 4 — or any day, for that matter — is sure to be unforgettable.