Tips for how to get around Playa del Carmen
Once you get a feel for the layout of the town, it is quite simple to get around and find what you need if you know what cross streets to look for. There are lots of good maps on the internet, each emphasizing different areas of Playa. These descriptions and the map at the bottom of this page should help you orient yourself a bit.
The town has grown along the beach, so wherever you go, you will feel the closeness to the ocean. The main street is called Quinta Avenida, or 5th Avenue. It is a pedestrian street and a common point of reference. Avenues, avenida in Spanish, run parallel to the beach. They run primarily in increments of five (5th Ave, 10th Ave, 15th Ave, etc) with 5th Avenue starting one block from the ocean. Streets, calles, run perpendicular to the coast and they run in even numbers (Calle 2, Calle 4, Calle 6), with a few exceptions of major named streets.
There are two main streets that run perpendicular to the coast that are not numerical Calles and are good points of reference – Ave Juarez and Constituyentes, which provide the borders for the most touristy section of Playa. Juarez is the most southern border of the tourist area, and that is where the ADO Bus station is located and it is only 2 blocks from the ferry to Cozumel. Just north of Juarez starts Calle 2 Norte (for North), then they run northward with Calle 4, 6, 8, etc. About where Calle 18 should be, you will find Constituyentes instead. This is another major street running perpendicular to the beach. This used to be the northern border of the "tourist zone" but you will find that area has expanded further north and many new and trendy shops and restaurants are located in this northern area of 5th Avenue. It was once referred to as “Little Italy”, but over the years and grown large and more diverse and now you will find all sorts of upscale dining options available (starting on 5th Ave at Constituentes and running all the way to calle 50 or so - its fun to walk and explore).
You will most likely spend a good deal of your time in town in the more tourist area. This would be the beach, and up and down 5th Avenue between Juarez and Constituyentes. We like to move more “into town”, away from the beach, as far as 30th Avenue, which is where you will find more “Mexican” shops and restaurants and prices drop. Even 10th Avenue, which is just one block west of 5th, is quite different from the slick restaurants on 5th. The ability to order from a Spanish menu is helpful here, as there is less English spoken, but the best bargains are found here and the food is wonderful. There is a Spanish food guide in the reference section of the binder in the condo that you can take with you to help you read the menus. Wal-Mart and Mega grocery stores are both located on 30th Avenue.
The neighborhoods of Playacar Phase 1 and Phase 2 (ours) are located on the southern end of town, a few blocks south of Juarez just on the other side of a street called Avenue Municipalizada, which is primarily a through street connecting highway 307 with 10th Avenue. The entrance to Phase 2 is on 10th Avenue through a main guard station. The community is comprised of a many condominium units, some large all-inclusives on the beach, and many nice homes. They all wrap around a beautiful, challenging golf course. Note: Although you will see other guard gates and entrances to Playacar (there is one across from the condo, for example), visitors and taxis are only allowed to enter and exit through the main gate on 10th Avenue. The others are reserved for owners who have special identification, which is a security measure.
On the map below, our condo is located right where the "P" in PLAYACAR is listed on the map. As you can see, it is perfectly located - close to town, yet in a secluded and quiet area.
The town has grown along the beach, so wherever you go, you will feel the closeness to the ocean. The main street is called Quinta Avenida, or 5th Avenue. It is a pedestrian street and a common point of reference. Avenues, avenida in Spanish, run parallel to the beach. They run primarily in increments of five (5th Ave, 10th Ave, 15th Ave, etc) with 5th Avenue starting one block from the ocean. Streets, calles, run perpendicular to the coast and they run in even numbers (Calle 2, Calle 4, Calle 6), with a few exceptions of major named streets.
There are two main streets that run perpendicular to the coast that are not numerical Calles and are good points of reference – Ave Juarez and Constituyentes, which provide the borders for the most touristy section of Playa. Juarez is the most southern border of the tourist area, and that is where the ADO Bus station is located and it is only 2 blocks from the ferry to Cozumel. Just north of Juarez starts Calle 2 Norte (for North), then they run northward with Calle 4, 6, 8, etc. About where Calle 18 should be, you will find Constituyentes instead. This is another major street running perpendicular to the beach. This used to be the northern border of the "tourist zone" but you will find that area has expanded further north and many new and trendy shops and restaurants are located in this northern area of 5th Avenue. It was once referred to as “Little Italy”, but over the years and grown large and more diverse and now you will find all sorts of upscale dining options available (starting on 5th Ave at Constituentes and running all the way to calle 50 or so - its fun to walk and explore).
You will most likely spend a good deal of your time in town in the more tourist area. This would be the beach, and up and down 5th Avenue between Juarez and Constituyentes. We like to move more “into town”, away from the beach, as far as 30th Avenue, which is where you will find more “Mexican” shops and restaurants and prices drop. Even 10th Avenue, which is just one block west of 5th, is quite different from the slick restaurants on 5th. The ability to order from a Spanish menu is helpful here, as there is less English spoken, but the best bargains are found here and the food is wonderful. There is a Spanish food guide in the reference section of the binder in the condo that you can take with you to help you read the menus. Wal-Mart and Mega grocery stores are both located on 30th Avenue.
The neighborhoods of Playacar Phase 1 and Phase 2 (ours) are located on the southern end of town, a few blocks south of Juarez just on the other side of a street called Avenue Municipalizada, which is primarily a through street connecting highway 307 with 10th Avenue. The entrance to Phase 2 is on 10th Avenue through a main guard station. The community is comprised of a many condominium units, some large all-inclusives on the beach, and many nice homes. They all wrap around a beautiful, challenging golf course. Note: Although you will see other guard gates and entrances to Playacar (there is one across from the condo, for example), visitors and taxis are only allowed to enter and exit through the main gate on 10th Avenue. The others are reserved for owners who have special identification, which is a security measure.
On the map below, our condo is located right where the "P" in PLAYACAR is listed on the map. As you can see, it is perfectly located - close to town, yet in a secluded and quiet area.
Map of Playa del Carmen
