Back in October 2025, we packed our bags for Cancun for the very first time. We had been to Cabo more times than I could count, but friends kept telling us that the all-inclusive resorts in Cancun were on another level. The price was also surprisingly good, so we decided it was time to find out for ourselves.
We also invited close friends from our neighborhood. A couple we had become good friends with over the years and their two daughters. Our boys were four and seven, and the girls were five and eight at the time, so having four kids together sounded like it could either be a great idea or a complete disaster.
Luckily, it turned out to be one of the best parts of the trip. The kids got along incredibly well and barely fought. They kept each other entertained, which gave the adults something we don't always get on family vacations: time to relax. Having kids who are relatively close in age is a must when traveling with another family. It makes everyone's life happy!
The Price Was Right
We booked an all-inclusive stay at Hilton Mar Caribe for about $3,000 and flights were around $1,600 per family, bringing the total to roughly $4,600 per family for five days and four nights.
We had booked a "two-bedroom" room, although what we actually received was a suite connected to a regular room. It wasn't exactly what I had pictured when I made the reservation, but it ended up working perfectly. The rooms were connected and large enough for four people, and the setup gave each family some flexibility.
The kids could sleep and play together while the adults hung out in the other suite. Since the kids were usually busy playing with each other until bedtime, we didn't have to constantly watch them. That alone made the vacation feel much more relaxing.
The package included meals, regular drinks and alcohol, and access to the kids club. Some premium alcohol required an additional charge, but there was plenty available without paying extra.
Our Cancun Routine
The first thing we did after arriving was exactly what you would expect from a family with hungry kids: we went straight to the buffet. We grabbed some food, ordered drinks, and officially started our vacation.
After lunch, we headed to the pool. The kids immediately discovered the water slides and became obsessed. They went down over and over again, climbing back up just to do it all over again. The adults wanted to try the slides too, but we were told adults weren't allowed. Maybe I was too heavy for the slide. Who knows?
The pool area was surrounded by the resort buildings, which provided some shade during the day. It wasn't a giant water park, but it was comfortable, fun, and perfect for the kids. By the end of the first afternoon, I remember thinking that we had made a good choice.
The beach, however, wasn't quite what I expected.
Cancun is famous for its beautiful turquoise water, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, there was quite a bit of seaweed floating in the water and washing up on the beach. Some areas looked fine, while others were noticeably messy. It wasn't terrible, but the beach wasn't the highlight of our trip.
The kids were still young—four and seven—and they weren't very comfortable with the ocean yet anyway. So we spent much more time at the pool.
Eggs, Nachos, and Mango Slushies
Our days quickly developed a simple routine.
Wake up, eat breakfast, go to the pool, eat again, drink something, let the kids play, and repeat.
Every morning, I went straight to the buffet and ate three sunny-side-up eggs. That became my breakfast ritual.
For lunch, I made a lot of nachos and usually looked for rice and soup. The food selection was fine overall, but I did wish there had been more Asian food.
"Can I get a mango slush?"
For all four kids of their own age, being able to swim up to a bar and order their own drink seemed like a pretty big deal. They felt like grown-ups, and they were perfectly happy with their colorful slushies while the adults enjoyed their cocktails and beer.
At night, when the kids went to sleep, my friend and I would head down to the lobby bar to get drinks before starting our card games. That's also when we discovered that tipping the bartender seemed to make a noticeable difference in the amount of alcohol poured into our glasses. We quickly adapted.
Teppanyaki Night
One of the most memorable dinners was Teppanyaki.
We made reservations and went together as a group. It was actually our friend's wife's first Teppanyaki experience, and she ended up being even more excited than the kids.
The chef put on a show, including a volcano made out of onions. Then came the part everyone wanted to try: the chef cut pieces of meat and tossed them toward us, telling us to catch them in our mouths.
Of course, everyone tried.
The husbands somehow did the best, while the kids watched with jealous expressions. It was one of those dinners where the entertainment became just as memorable as the food. We wanted to go back, but unfortunately, we couldn't get another reservation, so we ended up eating at the buffet most of the other nights.
Then We Started Planting Beans, Beans?
If I had to choose the single biggest memory from the trip, it surprisingly wouldn't be the beach or even the pool.
It would be Bohnanza.
Our friends brought the card game with them. It's a German game about planting, trading, and selling beans. And somehow, we played it constantly.
When the kids went to the kids club, we planted beans.
When the kids went to sleep at night, we planted beans.
When we were drinking Ballantine's, we planted beans.
At one point, we joked that if we were going to spend this much time playing Bohnanza, we could have just gone to our neighborhood swimming pool instead of flying to Cancun.
But the game was genuinely fun. The trading was the best part. If someone had a Red Bean you desperately needed, suddenly the game became a serious negotiation.
"Come on, give me the Red Bean."
"I'll remember this. Next time I'll give you a better bean."
We were practically beg for a card. It was ridiculous, but that's exactly why it was so much fun. And no, we didn't need music while playing. Who listens to music when you're planting beans?
The Thunderstorm
One night after dinner, we returned to our room when clouds suddenly rolled in.
Then the thunder started.
Lightning flashed across the sky, followed by heavy rain and loud cracks of thunder. At first, it was a little scary. The kids noticed it too.
But the storm kept going.
After about thirty minutes, the kids seemed to get used to it. Eventually, they just went back to playing with each other as if nothing unusual was happening. Another ten minutes or so passed, and almost as suddenly as it had arrived, the storm disappeared.
Everything became quiet again.
The kids went to sleep without much trouble. After spending so much time in the pool all day, they were already exhausted.
A Little Night Market
Another evening, after dinner at the buffet, we walked outside with the kids and found a small night market set up at the resort. It was the final night of the market, and vendors were selling souvenirs and handmade items.
The kids noticed some animal-shaped carved figures painted with fluorescent colors. Under normal light they looked interesting, but when a black light was shined on them, the paint glowed brightly.
Of course, they wanted one.
We ended up buying a small figure to take home. It wasn't anything expensive, but it became another little reminder of the trip.
Five Days Went Too Fast
Five days and four nights went by surprisingly quickly. By the last day, I remember thinking, Do we really have to leave already?
I wanted to stay longer.
The kids had spent almost the entire trip playing together without fighting. The adults had plenty of time to relax, drink, talk, and, of course, plant beans.
That was really what made the trip special.
If it had just been our family, I don't think it would have been nearly as much fun. Having another family there changed everything. The kids had built-in friends, and the adults had built-in company.
It felt less like we were trying to entertain our children and more like everyone was simply enjoying the vacation together.
Cancun or Cabo?
After experiencing Cancun for the first time, I still like both Cancun and Cabo. But I would choose them for slightly different reasons.
If we're going to spend the entire trip inside an all-inclusive resort, I would probably choose Cabo next time simply because Cancun is farther from home. If I'm going to fly that far, I'd want to spend more time exploring the area outside the resort.
But Cancun was exactly what we needed on this trip. We didn't need excursions or sightseeing. We needed a few days where nobody had to cook, clean, or worry about a schedule.
The kids played. The adults relaxed. We ate whenever we wanted, drank cocktails by the pool, watched a Teppanyaki fire show, survived a tropical thunderstorm, and spent an unreasonable amount of time negotiating over beans.
Looking back, Cancun itself isn't necessarily the first thing I remember. I remember our friends, kids playing tother, mango slushies, and the thunder.
And most of all, I remember sitting around at night with a drink in my hand, seriously negotiating over a Red Bean as if it were worth a fortune.
If we ever take another all-inclusive trip with our friends, there is one thing I know for sure.
Bohnanza is coming with us.
LET'S GO!