Experience Cancun Like a Local - The Ultimate Guide

Most people we know go to Cancun for the all-inclusive resorts and the nightlife but that’s not really our style. We stayed in Cancun for a few days with the intention of using it as a base to visit other places around Mexico, but we were surprised by how much we fell in love with it! The culture in the city of Cancun was so lively, the people were friendly, and we felt safe. Cancun is a place most people pass through but we had an amazing few days here that will make you rethink this traditional “Spring Break” destination.

Where to Stay

Since we’re not “all-inclusive resorts” type of people, we opted to stay in downtown Cancun instead at the Oh! by Oasis and had a great time! Downtown Cancun was way cheaper than the Zona Hoteleria area (where all the resorts are) and there were tons of shops and restaurants. Everything we could have needed was in walking distance. We pretty much walked everywhere, or took the public bus for about 70 cents to the beaches in Zona Hoteleria . If you don’t want to do the all inclusive thing, we highly recommend staying in Downtown Cancun for an authentic experience.

Find other Cancun accommodations here!

Best things to Do

Taste some local foods at Mercado 23
Go souvenir shopping at Mercado 28
Explore the streets of downtown Cancun
Visit the Beaches in Zona Hoteleria

Find other Cancun activities here!

Where to Eat & Drink

Piknik
Nomads
The Surfin Burrito (the best & cheapest burrito we’ve ever had!)
Rooster Cafe

Exploring downtown Cancun lets you see how the locals live and it’s definitely something we recommend you do if you have the time for it! For more details about what we did while we were in Cancun, check out our travel vlog below!