Here are some suggestions of fun activities in Tulum. Be sure to check out the websites, if provided, and all prices are approximate.

RUINS
Tulum Ruins: Tulum is the site of ruins from an ancient Mayan civilization. The ones you will find here date back to the 13th century and earlier and are set on a beach where you can swim after exploring. The site contains remnants of a temple, a castle, and other smaller structures, as well as a surrounding wall. You can pay for a guide ($35 US), or you can explore on your own. You can even rent a bike to get there, as it is only 5 minutes from the Zona Hotelera! You must pay to video the ruins, but pictures are free. Also, bring your own water. Entry is $5 US.


Other ruins: Chichen Itza, Coba (These are farther and will require transportation other than a bike/cab.)

CENOTES
These are freshwater pools that are connected to underground caverns. We have been to several of them and each one is unique in its own way. Overall, they are just beautiful. The following seem to be the best ones along the Riviera Maya. They are all open 10a-5p daily and have bayous (bathrooms). A more complete list can be found here: http://www.travelyucatan.com/div-2.htm

Ponderosa: $5 US, located about 35 minutes north of Tulum near Puerto Aventuras
Dos Ojos: $10 US, located about 5 miles north of Tulum
Gran: $50pesos, located 3 miles north of Tulum
Cristal and Escondido: There is a fee, which includes entry to both; located 2.5 miles south of Tulum.

ECO/ADVENTURE PARKS
Many of these require biodegradable sunscreen, and they give discounts for kids of certain ages with ID. Check out the websites!

Labnaha Cenotes and Eco Park: Reserve your small, guided tour in advance, as they limit the number of people allowed in to reduce the environmental impact. You can take a zip-line to the Sacred Lakes, go kayaking, and swim in the Cenote Labnaha on a snorkel tour. Admission is $89-105/person, and it's located about 10 km north of Tulum. http://www.labnaha.com

Xel-Ha: This is a gigantic eco park, where you can go snorkeling, tubing, and zip-lining. You can also walk a rope across a river, swim in the river, lounge in the hammocks, and sunbathe. There is a spa, cliff jumping, scuba diving, and a kids' play area. There are also manatee, dolphin, and ray encounters; bike rentals for rides through the jungle; beautiful walking paths; and more ruins. Admission is $89usd and includes food, beverages, snorkel gear, inner tubes, and lockers. Everything else is extra. This place is located about 10 miles north of Tulum and makes for an incredible day. http://www.xelha.com

XPLOR: This adventure park is more geared toward older kids and adults. It has 2.4 miles of zip-line through the jungle; amphibious vehicles for 2 which you can drive along 6+ miles of paths, and a stalactite river which is underground like a cenote where you can swim or raft. You can also experience all of this after 5pm at night (XPLOR Fuego), when the price of admission is cheaper, and everything is lit by fire! Bring a towel. Admission is $119usd/person or $99usd/person at night. Price includes all adventures and equipment, meals, snacks, drinks, lockers, and dressing room access. It is located about 30 miles north of Tulum near Playa del Carmen. We've never done this but it sounds really cool. http://www.xplor.travel

Xcaret: This is a more cultural adventure park, where you can see all sorts of animals, both on the land and in the water, performances related to Mayan culture, ride horses, and go rafting and swimming. Admission is $99usd/person and includes 1 buffet meal with 1 beer, snorkel equipment, lockers, and a donation to the sea turtle conservation program. It is located about 45 minutes north of Tulum near Playa del Carmen. http://www.xcaret.com

OTHER FUN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Sian Ka'an Biosphere: This is a huge, ecological reserve located just south of Tulum with many different types of fish, birds, and plants. There are half and full day tours for fly-fishing (catch and release only), rafting, kayaking, exploration of unexcavated ruins, mangroves, cenotes, and birdwatching. Check out the website for pricing for all of the different tours. We went fishing with Greg and Melinda down here (in that lagoon you see on the left of the picture) and it was amazing: http://www.siankaantours.org/en/

Tulum Monkey Sanctuary: This is a privately owned ranch near Tulum with spider monkeys and other wildlife. There are also cenotes, tours, crocodiles, and apparently an ornery camel. This place is ranked third of Things To Do in Tulum on TripAdvisor.

Playa Paraiso: This is a beautiful and well-known beach, because of its one slightly horizontal palm tree. It is located at Km 2 in the Zona Hotelera in Tulum, has parking, beach chairs, and a restaurant with bayous (bathrooms). You will likely have to pay fees for most of this.

Akumal: If you have never gone swimming with sea turtles, this is the place to do it. We have done it twice and it never gets old. You just need to rent snorkel gear, but don't hire a "guide" as there are turtles everywhere. It's best to get there super early by 7am or 8am while the water is still calm and clear. It is a small town, located about 20 minutes north of Tulum and is filled with cute shops, good local eats, etc. We highly recommend La Buena Vida Restaurant, which has great food and is on the beach. See if you can get the tree top table!

Snorkeling at Yal Ku Lagoon (different than with the turtles above): Located in Akumal, this pretty lagoon has water that is calm on rougher sea days. It is accessible by steps and is only 6-15 feet deep. Entry fees: $75pesos/adult ($45pesos/child), snorkel/mask for $50pesos, flippers for $50pesos, life jacket for $50pesos, lockers for $20pesos. Biodegradable sunscreen only!

Swim with the dolphins: If you're really daring, become a dolphin trainer for the day. We did it in 2011 and you won't regret it! http://www.dolphinaris.com/locations/tulum/

Extreme Control: This company offers lessons for kiteboarding/kitesurfing, paddle boarding, and scuba diving. It also offers paddle board tours of cenotes with snorkeling, as well as day trips for kiteboarding, swimming with whale sharks, catamaran kitesurfing tours, and tours to Chichen Itza and Sian Ka'an. Check out the website for pricing: http://www.extremecontrol.net/index.php/en/

Tulum Pueblo: The town of Tulum! You'll have to drive or take a taxi from the Zona Hotelera, as the pueblo is located down Highway 307, but it is only about 10 minutes away. It has local restaurants and vendors selling Mayan Crafts.

Golfing: We don't know much about golf, but the Mayakoba golf course, which hosts the PGA, is somewhere down in this area. Check it out and tell us what you think: http://www.travelyucatan.com/mayan_riviera_golf.php