Cozumel is made for families. There are things for everyone to do together.

Things to Do

To soak up local culture, explore San Miguel de Cozumel, the island's only town, which lies on the northwest side of the island near the hotel zone. Tropical cafés and boutiques line the busy twelve-block malecón, Avenida Rafael Melgar. The center of activity, especially on Sunday evenings, is the Plaza del Sol, San Miguel's zócalo, where the strains of salsa music flow from the outdoor cafés and locals gather to listen and dance.

Why not step into the cool depths of the Museo de la Isla de Cozumel (Cozumel Island Museum) on the waterfront near the main pier in San Miguel on a hot afternoon? Here you can view displays of underwater treasures and Mayan relics. Exhibits focus on the origin and history of the island, including pre-Columbian artifacts and colonial-era cannons and swords. You can also learn about the island's plant and animal life and topography, including an excellent exhibit on the Palancar Reef. Afterward, sip a cool fruit drink in Del Museo, its rooftop restaurant, and enjoy the spectacular harbor view. Later, pay a visit to San Miguel's old cemetery to see brightly decorated family mausoleums and shrines.

About six miles south of town, you'll come to a snorkeler's paradise, Parque Laguna Chancanab. If you're a beginner snorkeler, you'll find the area of Laguna Chankanaab, which means “Small Sea” in Mayan, an ideal spot to break in your mask and flippers. Just steps away from Cozumel's beachfront hotels, the marine park blossoms with brilliant life in just a few feet of crystalline water. The lagoon bustles with barracuda, parrotfish, octopus, and sergeant majors. The nearby ocean causes the formation of petrified coral in the lagoon. Fish move between the ocean and the lagoon through two underground caves. An archaeological park contains sixty replicas of Mayan art set in a lush botanical garden with over 700 species of plants and resident iguanas. Snorkeling shops provide everything you'll need to explore the coral of the lagoon. You can swim or lie under a palapa on the beach after having lunch in the one of the restaurants. Entrance fee is $12 for adults, $6 for kids ages three to eleven, and those under three enter free.

The 247-acre Punta Sur National Ecological Park, located at the southern tip of the island, is home to birds, reptiles, and fish that inhabit Columbia Lagoon and adjacent mangrove swamps. A tiny snail-like Mayan temple, called Tumba de Caracol, dates to A.D. 1200. You also can visit the park's museum in the late nineteenth-century lighthouse at Punta Celerain, which focuses on the history of navigation around the island. Afterward, you can go for a swim or on a guided jungle walk, then stop for a bite or a cool drink at the snack bar or restaurant. Plan on a minimum of five hours to see it all. Admission is $12 per person; children eight and under get in free. Shuttles make stops throughout the park every fifteen minutes, taking you from point to point.

Though nothing compared to archaeological sites on the mainland, it's worthwhile to visit the ancient Mayan ruins of San Gervasio, the island's most interesting and accessible site. The Maya erected its small temples, built between A.D. 300 and 1500, to honor the goddess Ixchel. It's said that many Mayan women made at least one pilgrimage to these temples to present offerings to this goddess of fertility. You can take a guided tour in English of the four groups of buildings.

Day tours to the Mayan archaeological sites of Tulum, Coba, and Chichén Itzá on the Yucatán Peninsula are available at hotel desks and from local travel agencies.

For Kids

Cozumel is made for kids. Begin with Playamia Grand Beach Park (formerly Playa Sol Beach Adventure Park) (987-872-9030, www.playamia.com.mx), located fifteen minutes south of San Miguel. Here, you'll find a playground and waterpark for adults and kids, where you can use WaveRunners, kayaks, and a water trampoline or slide down a water mountain; go water skiing and parasailing; ride in paddleboats, sailboats, and banana boats; go snorkeling and diving; play volleyball; shop for Mexican handicrafts; visit a small zoo with regional animals. After all that, you can sit under a large palapa or relax in a floating lounge chair sipping your favorite drink. You have a choice of three packages: Basic, which includes use of all equipment and facilities, for $12 per person; Fiesta, which includes the basic package plus an unlimited open bar for $35 per person; and Premium, which includes the Fiesta package plus snorkel gear, a towel, and a Mexican buffet, for $42 per person.

Also, you may not want your kids to miss a chance to swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Discovery (987-872-9702, www.dolphindiscovery.com) within Chankanaab National Park. After watching a video and working with trainers for twenty minutes to learn how to interact with the dolphins, you get to “play” with the friendly creatures for ten minutes. Children must be at least eight years old to participate. The cost is a rather steep $125 per person for children and adults. The price for just a dolphin encounter is $99 per person. Nonswimmers can also play with the dolphins. A session for non-swimmers is $75 for adults and $70 for children under twelve. If you want to dive with the dolphins, the price is $165 for adults only.

Chankanaab also has a large, shallow children's pool sheltered from the ocean, where small fish can come in with the gentle waves. Teens will enjoy the better snorkeling at nearby Dzul Ha Beach Club.