By: Patty M. Vanegas Posted: November 4, 2023 Updated: May 2, 2025
Beachside dinner to lively nightlife – Playa Del Carmen has something for everyone!
We ventured into Playa Del Carmen after exploring Tulum earlier in the day. The pedicure like experience we discovered naturally in the cenotes of Tulum was found in the downtown shopping area of Playa Del Carmen.
First, we decided to stop at a local place for dinner. We ordered from the menu on our phones. One option was these delicious crispy jumbo shrimp tacos with complimentary toppings. Another was the seafood cocktail with a heaping helping of fresh cucumber slices. The adult beverages were quite tasty too. We kicked off our shoes, sunk our feet in the sand, and enjoyed our meal. Afterwards, we went for a walk along the beach. Breathtaking views, couples on blankets enjoying picnics, and families playing in the sand greeted us.
We returned home after dinner to freshen up. We needed it after the sweltering sunny July day. We were drenched in sweat earlier in the afternoon at the Tulum ruins, although we cooled off with the relaxing cold dip in the cenotes. Our family was taking us to tour the downtown area of Playa Del Carmen that night. Whew! We did a lot that day!! We are grateful to our nephew who drove us starting early in the morning from Cancún to Tulum to Playa Del Carmen and back to Cancún all in the same day!!
We found traditional folkloric dancers in the main plaza. Next, we explored the restaurants and shopping center of Playa. This did not disappoint. We discovered a great Indian shop with beautiful fabrics and incense holders. My sis and I bought matching scarves and holders for our meditations and yoga sessions. There were a few reminders of our proximity to the U.S. here and there with 7Eleven and The Hard Rock Cafe. However, many of the places were locally based stores.
We stopped by the church in the plaza. Oh the door! We love the doors of Mexico. Really. Check out our post on doors in Morelia. We passed the church to enter into an open area where they had a public festival. Later, we enjoyed more tacos at a known taco stand restaurant. This was followed by more walking around to enjoy the sights. A couple bonus videos below give glimpses into evenings in Playa.
There was so much to see while in Playa Del Carmen!!
Now, for the new fun part we promised on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!!!! We are kicking off our winter book give away contests beginning this month. One lucky winner each month will receive a free autographed paperback edition of Playing Tourist in Mexico signed by Patty. All you have to do is find the question in the post (no worries, we will tell you when a post has the question), and leave your answer in the comments section below the post. The winner will be selected by the end of the month and the book will be mailed out via USPS to the address you provide us. Your address will be used only to send you the book. (We are not fans of junk mail either.) Each month we will place a new question in an announced post. Email subscribers receive links direct to our latest posts as they are published in real time. So, be sure to sign up.
Q&A Hint: the question is in a photo caption about Chihuahuas. The answer is in the photo. You may need to double click or zoom in on the photo to see the answer better. Fun. Simple. Now get in here to win it!!
This video is a glimpse into the nightlife in Playa Del Carmen.
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