I try to do a big vacation at least once a year. Since I finally got my son’s passport last year (co-parenting woes), this year I decided to take him on his first international trip. So we kicked off Summer with a trip to Playacar Mexico, and stayed at the Riu Tequila for about a week. It was an amazing time. Warning: there’s lots of pictures ahead. Oh, and a vlog at the end.
LEOPARD SWIMSUIT | COVERUP | SIMILAR TWO PIECE | EARRINGS | LEOPARD SLIDES | STRAW BAG
Playacar is a gated community in Playa del Carmen. The neighborhood is home to residential villas as well as resorts, and one of the most beautiful beaches in the area. It’s walking distance (or a five minute cab ride) to the famed La Quinta Avenida.
CROP TOP | PLEATED PANTS | PEARL SLIDES | STRAW BAG
This was my second trip to Mexico. Last time I went to Cancun with my girls and it was whole vibe. But I decided to take my son to Playa del Carmen as from my research, it appeared to be more of a family scene. And I was right. Playa was the perfect choice for a mom and son trip.
The Riu Tequila is a family friendly, all-inclusive resort in Playacar. It’s not directly on the beach. However, it’s a hop, skip and a jump away via a 10-minute walk, or 5-minute trolly ride over to the Riu Yucatan. While you’re there you can enjoy lunch overlooking the beach. When you stay at the Tequila you have access to the Riu Yucatan and Riu Playacar amenities. But you may only eat lunch at the sister resorts, and must enjoy breakfast and dinner at your home resort.
Speaking of meals, the food at both the Riu Tequila and Yucatan was amazing. I never made my way over to the Riu Playacar as I was more than satisfied with the options at these two.
We were able to make it to all of the restaurants. The buffet was our favorite. We went there to full up and get dessert after eating at the specialty restaurants since the portions were pretty small.
SIMILAR TEE | FLAMINGO SWIM TRUNKS
All-inclusive resorts must seem like paradise for teen boys since they inhale everything. Esean definitely enjoyed the unlimited food. He’s usually not a huge fan of the beach. But the dusty NYC beaches will make you that way. He made the best of his time at the beach while on vacation though. But the pool has his heart, and that’s where he spent most of his time.
Since it’s just Esean and myself when we go on vacation, we don’t usually get a lot of pictures together. So we overload on selfies. We do use a tripod to capture photos whenever we can. But setting up the tripod and remote is too much of a hassle when you’re just trying to have fun. We did set it up for a few photos though.
LEOPARD SWIMSUIT | DENIM WRAP DRESS | COVERUP JUMPSUIT | SNAKEPRINT BIKINI | PEARL SLIDES
I always take a book to read while on vacation. My book of choice this time around was Grace Jones’s I’ll Never Write My Memoirs.
SIMILAR STRIPED TEE | POLKA DOT SWIM TRUNKS
WHITE DRESS | WHITE POLO SHIRT
The Riu Tequila hosts a White Party and Neon Party on alternate Friday Nights. It was a White Party week during our vacay. We were album cover sharp. If this dress looks familiar it’s because I wore it in Jamaica last Summer. I have no issues with repeating outfits. In fact, some of the pieces worn on this trip are at least 5 years old.
KIMONO COVERUP W/ MATCHING HEADBAND | METALLIC SWIMSUIT
We stayed on the resort relaxing & eating for the most part. But we did venture out to La Quinta Avenida one afternoon. We got hassled from the moment we stepped out of the taxi by men claiming they were our waiters at our hotel. They were not. This didn’t spoil our fun though. We still had a good time walking around while enjoying snacks. Our time was cut short though due to rain. Before y’all ask, this dress is 10 years old. So no direct links, but you can try the below options.
SHOP SIMILAR SNAKEPRINT DRESSES
We ended the day with dinner at the Steak House specialty restaurant, and it was on point. I was glad to see a Pescatarian option on the menu.
We spent our last full day in Playacar lounging between the beach and the pool. It was a lit Coco Bongo’s Foam Pool Party in the afternoon at the Riu Yucatan, and Esean had the time of his life!
COVERUP | MAGENTA SWIMSUIT | CAT EYE SUNGLASSES | STRAW BAG
On our last night, we had dinner at the Mexican specialty restaurant. This was the only restaurant at the Riu Tequila that required a reservation. The buffet at the Riu Yucatan was converted into a restaurant overlooking the beach. I enjoyed my food. Esean, not so much. We were definitely still hungry though.
We truly enjoyed our time in Playacar, and the Riu Tequila was the perfect choice for our vacation. Esean met other teens that he was able to hang out with. While I just enjoyed relaxing since I don’t get to do it enough. Next year my son will be turning 18 and graduating high school. So I’ll have to do it big. I’m already planning. If my pics didn’t tire you out, check out my vlog to get a behind the scenes peek at the fun!
