Mexico |ˈmeksəkōˈmāhēkō| a country in southwestern North America, with extensive coastlines on the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, bordered by the US on the north; population 111,211,800 (est. 2009); capital, Mexico City; language, Spanish (official).
This summer we had a beautiful family summer trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico–thanks to our bid at last year’s Big Brothers Big Sisters gala! We purchased this vacation stay as part of the live auction, generously donated by a local attorney in Dallas. I was honored to be the event Chair last year—and these kinds of donations helped us to reach our financial goal for the mentorship program. I would love it if you could join us for this year’s event in October, with Chair hosts Sherice and Tim Brown. (Click here for more info on how to register!)
The vacation package we won in the auction was a weekend stay at the Villa Mirasol in the heart of Playa del Carmen. It was a beautiful 4 story house with 9 bedrooms (large enough for our entire extended family and several friends!) Playa is a charming coastal resort town located right along the Yucatan Peninsula’s Riviera Maya strip on the beautiful Caribbean shoreline. It’s one of my favorite vacation spots because you get the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean mixed with the authentic Mexican culture that I love!
The area we stayed in was perfect for an extended family vacation. There was something for everyone to do with the beach nearby and basketball and tennis courts up the road. Field golfed bright and early each morning at nearby courses while I worked out at a local gym. In the evenings, we would gather the whole family together to take boat rides out on the water to watch the sunset or walk to the It Guilty hotel rooftop bar, less than a block away from our house.
There is so much to do in Playa. We explored the city, and I enjoyed being able to walk everywhere we needed to go. I would take the kids shopping on 5th Avenue and 38th Street where there were souvenir shops and a little French bakery. You can get great sushi at Sushi Club and specialty drinks at PIOLA lounge or Mandela. (All the clubs are off 12th Street if you are traveling without kids!)
The best thing about family beach trips is that the kids stay so entertained by simply playing in the water and sand every day. We took the kids swimming in an underground cave at Xcaret Park (also known as Mexico’s Majestic Playa) and spent long hours playing sand volleyball and beach games at Mayakoba beach. (This beach was so clean and beautiful because the city pays a crew to pick up litter and clean the area throughout the day!)
One of my favorite days was when we drove ATV’s and zip-lined through the jungle at the Aktun Chen Park. I wasn’t sure if Baby Field would like it, but after we went, he kept saying, “Can we go again, Mommy?!” Now, I doubt he’ll be afraid to try anything. It was so fun to watch all of the kids experience this—and in such a beautiful area.
The weekend was full of celebrations—celebrating my brother Chris’ and my friend Kristin’s birthdays, as well as our friend’s 3rd wedding anniversary. But we had such a big group on this trip that we decided to download the WhatsApp smartphone app in order to communicate with everyone in a group text. It was so easy to use and I recommend it for anyone traveling internationally!
I always love our family vacations, but there’s no place like home! 🙂
XO-
Sabrina
