A few weeks ago, the manfriend and I ventured the hell out of Wisconsin to bask in the beachy, hippie vibes of Tulum, Mexico. It was the perfect graduation gift to myself after a semester of craziness, and the first time in forever that I did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

We laid on the beach, then laid on the beach some more. We ate tacos, then ate some more tacos. And we swigged them tacos down with Cerveza Sol beer + spicy sweet margaritas. I read two excellent books—Amy Poehler's Yes Please + Lena Dunham's Not That Kind Of Girl—and slept more than 10 hours a night. It was glorious.

Here's a few of our favorite places to eat and stay, along with some things to do in the area. Although I can't vouch for the sightseeing because like I said, we were total do-nothings.

Oh Tulum...you can bet we'll be back soon.

Tulum is being developed rather quickly and is officially on the tourist / celebrity destination map. By the time you go, it is likely my recommendations will already be old news. So may I remind you that when there's a gorgeous, sprawling beach right in front of you, the closest food and entertainment to you will probably be the tastiest and best kind.

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EAT

First, HARTWOOD. It's THE place to go in Tulum. Jicama salad, papaya empanadas, short ribs braised in agave nectar, pineapple jalapeño margaritas—it was all sooooo good. And second, POSADA MARGHERITA. They've got excellent seafood + pasta, plus their ginger margarita is amazing, and they have the cutest shabby chic interior.

ZAMAS is where it's at for huevos rancheros, GITANO has excellent cocktails, AHAU has a great breakfast burrito, and TAQUERIA LA EUFEMIA has the BEST TACOS. Seriously, I ate their shrimp tacos everyday. Plus, its conveniently located next to Tita Tulum ( see below ).

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STAY

We stayed at TITA TULUM—an eco-friendly resort with a lovely cluster of bungalows located on the south end of Tulum. And right across the street from Hartwood! It's not lavish, but it's clean and super friendly. If you stay, book #5 ( like we did ) with an amazing beachfront view. We also have friends who stayed at HOTEL NUEVA VIDA DE RAMIRO and loved it.

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DO

Truth: we did nothing the entire time we were in Tulum other than beach it and eat effing delicious tacos. However, there's a number of outdoor adventures to be had, including the TULUM RUINS, CENOTES and CESIAK LAGOON BOAT TOUR, which was recommended by an Insta follower.

If you're looking for pampering, head to COQUI COQUI. I spent a half day and too much money on three hours of spa treatments, but it was worth every.single.cent. A sea salt scrub, Mayan body wrap, aromatherapy massage + rose water bath. Don't forget to peruse the gift shop on your way out ( amazing perfumes + candles ) and finish off your visit with an order of ceviche.

For more photos, including lotsa taco pics, check out my Insta: @hollisanne_