This coastal town on the Yucatán Peninsula is one of the central areas of the Riviera Maya area and is also near the popular Xplor and Xcaret amusement parks. The best options for running in Playa del Carmen might be on the beach or around the nicely landscaped paths of the resort you’re staying at — but here are some other recommended spots:

Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) is a pedestrian avenue lined with shops that runs for 1.5 km from Calle 34 (Souvenirs Playa) in the north and the Nike Store near the Cozumel Ferry. Best to go early when it’s not too crowded. A new section of Quinta Avenida continues NORTH of Calle 34 for 2.5 km to 112th, and is runner friendly with a wide, and well lit path and few cars.

Pedestrian Path Along 10th Ave. from Av. Constituyentes to the rotary at Paseo Coba.

Highway 307 Bike Path. Most of the highway is not good for running, as there are four lanes of traffic and often not a decent shoulder or sidewalk. One OK section is a red-colored multi-use path that runs from south of Playa del Carmen to Xplor Park, paralleling the road.

Running the Beach. According to the great web site everythingplayadelcarmen, the best beach running spots are south of the Cozumel Ferry Pier, toward Playacar for about 4 km. Another good section of beach is the ~2 km from the Paradisus Hotel, south to the  Canibal Royal beach club.

Playacar Loop. This neighborhood of high-end homes and a golf course has some of the better running in the area. Although technically a private neighborhood, running/walking seems to be permitted along the Paseo Xaman-Ha, which forms a ~6 km loop around the golf course. For a longer run, add Bahía del Espíritu Santo, a nice quiet street with lovely homes paralleling the beach. The total run here can be 9 km (5.7 miles). Pleasant homes, foliage, and shade.  ROUTE MAP