5 Things to do with Your Teenager in Playa

Okay, maybe I was a misfit, but when I was a teenager the last thing I wanted to do was spend time with my family.

Even if that meant a family vacation to the Riviera Maya with an incredible list of things to do, I would have wanted nothing to do with it.

I mostly blame the fact that I was an adrenaline junkie and quite honestly thought I was too cool for school, but also, I guess I just liked things that were a bit off the beaten path.

Now i’m a few years older and still enjoy the beat of my own drum.

Here are 5 slightly different things to do with your super cool teenager.

1. Bike tour of Playa del Carmen’s legendary street art

One of the things I loved the most as a teenager, and well, still do, is street art.

I can’t exactly tell you why, but at the age of 16 I completely fell in love with graffiti.

Something about it captivated me. Maybe it was the underground element of it or the inherent risk of painting on freeway overpasses or bridges, but I was captivated.

Okay okay I know it’s illegal, for the most part, but society has made a major shift in the way street art is viewed. Commercials use famous street artists to brand products, and art galleries and museums all over the world are showcasing pieces of graffiti.

So, get on your bike, and let’s go.

For me, an informal bike tour not only incorporates exercise into your buffet filled holiday, but allows you to see local art, and well, what I would consider “the real Mexico.”

Being a resident of Playa del Carmen’s local neighborhood of Colosio, I get to see a community unlike that found on the popular 5^th avenue. A community with abandoned boats on the side of partially constructed roads, local street vendors, and rooftops made out of tin and palm fronds.

I guess what some teenagers would appreciate is that this authentic experience “keeps it real,” and I think that’s what many teenagers desire from those around them.

But parents, don’t worry, just ride down 5th avenue to the Paradisus and back and you will feel safe, I promise!

 2. Get Your Teenager Certified in Scuba Diving!!!

Let me just say one thing, I LOVE SCUBA DIVING!

If I could scream it from the mountaintops I would, but Playa del Carmen happens to be the flattest place I have ever lived :).

But seriously my friends, get your teenager certified. This is a fun, challenging, and a relatively inexpensive thing to do (considering the process, time, and equipment involved).

Most all-inclusive resorts have scuba diving certification and training pools on the grounds, and if not, there are multiple dive shops throughout the area.

Talk about creating memories and confidence building!

The Mesoamerican Reef

Okay, so you don’t have to go diving with bull sharks, but like I told you before, I was an adrenaline junkie from the time I was a kid.If you desire to keep it a bit more modest, there

If you desire to keep it a bit more modest, there are other types of fabulous sea life and right here we have the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest coral reef system in the world! Totally amazing!

But, truly my friends, this is an excellent activity. Not only did it challenge me, as I did have to study scuba diving materials, take a few different exams, and completed confined water training (pool session) and 2 open water certification dives, but I finished feeling like a million dollars!

I couldn’t even believe how powerful it felt to use basic science to better understand my buoyancy underwater or how long I could stay at different depths.

Call me stupid, but I just did not understand science in a traditional classroom setting. Had I taken a class trip to the ocean and been forced to use my skills in this way, I feel I would have learned it overnight!

It truly is one of the most amazing experiences you could ever give your teenager. An educational experience and something that is so cool, I can’t imagine they wouldn’t go home and brag about it to their mates.

Oh yes, the certification process only takes 3-4 days, and your slightly younger adventurers can become Junior Open Water Divers beginning at age 10! Get them off that Xbox and in the water!

3. Jungle Buggy Adventure

I swear I swear I am not trying to sell you one of our awesome Playa del Carmen tours, but you have to know how amazing this experience was!

You absolutely must take your teenager!

Why? For one, this will meet all of your teenager’s adrenaline needs!

Come rain or shine, you or your teenager (driver’s license or a learner’s permit allowed) can drive an off-road dune buggy through the Mayan Jungle!

Take a look at these monsters:
The day we went it was pouring rain, with huge puddles covering the road. It is an understatement to say we got absolutely soaked! But if it’s not adrenaline that your teenager seeks, there is still a lot to offer!

After a wild ride through the jungle, you stop at a mystical underground cave, where you will swim past stalactites and stalagmites thousands of years old, and even see a family of bats or a scorpion spider or two.

What teenager doesn’t want to see stuff that grosses out their parents!?

But honestly, I think the coolest part of this tour is ending it with a visit to a typical village where they will be able to see what life is like for many Mayan families.

Here we had the opportunity to stop at a local market and buy pre-packaged (6$) gift bags with living essentials and head straight into the community.

Truly, I think it’s an experience your teenager will never forget.

What I love most about post-millennials is that they seem to be more aware of the world around them than some of their older predecessors.

Whether they watch documentaries on Netflix, or YouTube videos of people around the world, the age of information has made its impact, and I see so many teenagers going above and beyond to serve their community.

I would definitely allow them the chance to do so while on vacation!

Save 10% on the Jungle Buggy Adventure here or if you have any questions feel free to call us at 888-537-9797.

4. A Day at the Local Skatepark

One thing I love is being active. Whether it is walking, diving, hiking, snowboarding, or plethora of organized sports, I feel my mental health is almost directly correlated to my activity level.

I love being outside, and even if I don’t know how to skateboard myself, I love the culture, and I love to watch skateboarders land tricks and take enormous risks that I would never be able to!

Take a look at this video of the Playa del Carmen skatepark, how could you not want to visit?

In all seriousness, as a teenager, being active was essential. Though it wasn’t skateboarding at the time, it was playing club soccer, there was something indescribable about using my body as a type of machine. But even more so, I feel there is something more unique about skateboarding; it’s deeply personal.

“I fell in love with skateboarding because it was individual; there were no teams, there were no captains, there was nothing to perfect. No style that had to be measured. It was completely opposite of what I saw in so many sports. It was creative. And to this day, that’s what I love, that’s always kept me back to it because it’s endless creation.”

– Rodney Mullen, aka the godfather of street skating.

Okay, enough with all this deep stuff, you are on vacation and so is your teenager.

Bring your rebel to the skatepark, let their wheels hit the pavement, and hopefully they will make some new friends!

5. Skydiving!!!

Okay, maybe this is a little extreme, but what is more extreme than raising a teenager? Or this is this because I was an unusually difficult teenager myself?

Hmmm, I am unsure, but what I am sure of, is that skydiving in Playa del Carmen would an experience both you and your teenager would never forget.

Take a look for yourself…

One place that came highly recommended is Skydive Playa.

This center was described as being extremely professional, with staff that will calm your nerves and assures you of a good time.

The most popular option for skydiving is what is called tandem jumping. At Skydive Playa, this jump will include a 40-second freefall, from a plane hovering around 10,000 feet, and an 8-minute canopy ride while you’re attached to jumpmaster.

This is truly a unique way to experience Playa del Carmen, until you go in for a soft, on-target beach landing.

From personal experience, I can say that skydiving was truly life-changing.

Though I got a bit sick to my stomach after the parachute was pulled, which is why I haven’t returned to the sport, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to go.

The day I went skydiving was like no other. I met people from all walks of life, most of whom were adventure seekers like myself, and who appreciated the feeling of sheer awe!

But if viewed through the eyes of a teenager, this is an incredibly fun activity that will pump some adrenaline into their veins and look super cool on Facebook.

You can see more of our adrenaline filled tours here.

Need a little hand deciding on what to do? Reach out via email or call us at 888-537-9797. We’re here to help.

Enjoy!

Have any comments or questions, leave them below!