A Family-Friendly Escape (From The Cold!): An Honest Breakdown of Our Springbreak Mexico Trip
Sometimes, you just need to hit pause on life and soak up some sun, and that’s exactly what we did!
Aside from the NEED to temporarily retire from the cold (ehem, Canadians), this trip to Mexico, where we stayed at an all-inclusive resort (Dreams Riviera Cancun), gave me the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure, and quality family time—and I’m already dreaming about going back.
First Impressions …
If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, pack your patience when you get off the plane in Cancun. The immigration line is not for the faint of heart, but stay positive because it does move quickly than you would expect. We also requested a private transfer, which we highly recommend because so many people were stuck in the immigration line and/or waiting for their bags. Psst … We also only traveled with carry-ons!
Now, let’s talk about Dreams Riviera. The moment we stepped onto the property, I knew we were in for something special. From the tropical gardens, the sound of waves in the distance to the warm, welcoming staff, this resort instantly set the tone for a dream vacation (it lives up to its name for sure!). Our room was a little slice of heaven, complete with an ocean view! We booked with the Preferred Club, which was awesome, however, the one thing I would change is that following our lovely check-in, located in the exclusive Preferred Club lounge, we were then met with a sales rep who spoke with us about visiting the sister resort in the coming days for a half day in exchange for services. We did feel really pressured, but politely declined. It killed the vibe a bit because he was really on us to sign up! Ahhh!
Let’s Talk Food & Drinks
If you know me, you know I love good food! What I really appreciated about Dreams Riviera Cancun is that there were a few a la carte restos to choose from with no reso required (except for the teppanyaki bar). As part of the Preferred Club, we were able to enjoy an a la carte breakfast each morning at the Beachside Grill. This definitely beat having a mid brekkie at the buffet. Overall, I would say that the buffet needed a little revamp. We stopped in a couple of time to check out what was being served, but always chose to not dine there. Plus, there was no option for outdoor dining at the buffet. I would suggest dinners at any of the a la carte restaurants and arrive early to avoid the wait. The Mexican restaurant was probably our favourite for dinner and the fish and shrimp tacos at the Seaside Grill for lunch were delicious! There is a BBQ going all day long by the pool, so that is helpful for when you need a quick afternoon snack too! Cocktails at the Preferrred Club bar were always made with care and having premium liquors were a nice touch.
What about the Beach, Pool and Activities?
I really appreciated that there were a lot of scheduled activities throughout the day for the kids. Download the app to stay on top of it all. The girls did some painting by the pool, made bracelets and even played a little beach volleyball. I almost forgot, Harper also tried archery! We spent most of our time at the beach - unfortunately, this time of the year there was some seaweed for the first part of our vacation. We didn’t mind and still went in the water, which was so refreshing. The sand was white and soft and Noa kept busy making sand castles. The girls did love the pools - there are tons of kids toys, inflatables, balls for everyone to use. You just have to ask!! The kids water park was small, but did Noa still loved it. Harper enjoyed pool volleyball, while my husband and I enjoyed relaxing poolside. I should also add that with all the relaxing, I still made sure to balance it out with a couple of workouts. The gym was quite small and wasn’t anything I would write home about, but it did the job and Harper joined me for a peloton ride there too,
Adventure & Wholesome Vibes
We packed in a little adventure, too! We opted to venture off the resort and booked an excursion with Xenotes. We visited 5 different cenotes - snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, kayaking, swimming, cliff jumping, zip-lining and repelling in all of them! It was was all incredible and fun. It was only a 20 minute drive from the resort, which was ideal. Also, the cenotes were private so we had a really personalized experience.
Now back to the resort: some of my favorite moments? The slow mornings hanging by the beach, afternoon margaritas by the pool and the early nights in our spacious suite!
Final Thoughts: Worth the Trip?
Absolutely. I know that going on a trip during Springbreak can be challenging - it’s busy, expensive and can be stressful. However, Dreams Riviera Cancun was not in the heart of the March break madness (it’s also only 20-30 min from the airport). The resort was quite quiet for this time of the year and our 5 night stay was the right amount of time for us to reset and recharge. It was everything I needed and more. The way I look at it is that I was surrounded by my family and grateful to be at a beautiful and clean resort where all of the staff were so kind and helpful. We really needed this to break up the chaos back home. Maybe this could be your sign to just … book that trip!
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Have you ever stayed at a Dreams resort? I’d love to hear your experience, so please drop it in the comments!
—Trisha xo