Mexico Travel Guide: 15 Best Places to Visit This Year

With its mix of ancient civilizations, wild landscapes, and ever-changing cities, Mexico is one of the most vibrant countries on Earth. Whether you're looking for turquoise waters, colonial charm, or deep jungle mysticism, this land delivers with style and soul.

From buzzing metropolises to off-the-map beach towns, we've gathered 15 of the coolest places to visit in Mexico, a list for travelers who want more than margaritas by the pool. Here’s where to go if you’re chasing color, culture, and unforgettable moments in one of the best places to travel in Mexico.

1. Mexico City

Fast and fashionable, North America’s largest city is a maze of murals, markets, and modernism. Art deco facades frame streets where taco smoke rises beside boutiques and bookshops. Roma buzzes with digital creatives, while Centro Histórico tells a different story one of conquistadors, cathedrals, and Tenochtitlán’s ancient soul.

What to do: Explore Templo Mayor, sip at mezcalerías in Condesa, and visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Tip: Start your Sundays on Reforma Avenue — it’s closed to cars and open for bikes, dogs, and breakfast runs.

2. Oaxaca

Oaxaca is Mexico with all five senses. Mole simmers in market stalls, marimbas play in the zócalo, and Zapotec weavers spin wool into living art. Churches gleam with gold leaf while the surrounding valleys pulse with mezcal fumes and fiesta drums. It’s soulful, savory, and striking.

What to do: Visit the ruins at Monte Albán, shop for alebrijes in nearby villages, and learn to cook mole.

Tip: Time your visit with Day of the Dead Oaxaca’s celebrations are among the most authentic in the country.

3. Tulum

Once a sleepy beach town, Tulum is now a siren song for the eco-luxe crowd. Raw concrete villas disappear into the jungle, cenotes glitter under sunbeams, and yoga mats unroll at sunrise beside ancient ruins. Still, the Caribbean breeze softens even the trendiest corners.

What to do: Swim in turquoise cenotes, explore Mayan ruins on the cliffs, and catch sunset at a beach bar.

Tip: Head to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere for unspoiled mangroves and near-empty beaches.

4. San Miguel de Allende

This highland haven seduces with charm in every brushstroke. Cobbled streets curl past sunflower-hued buildings, rooftop terraces brim with jazz and clinking wine glasses, and church bells echo across the valley. Artists, writers, and dreamers have called it home for decades.

What to do: Visit the rose-pink Parroquia, browse artisan galleries, and relax in thermal hot springs nearby.

Tip: Catch a rooftop sunset near the Jardín Principal — golden hour here is pure magic.

5. Puerto Escondido

Wild and windswept, Puerto Escondido doesn’t care for polish. Surfers ride Zicatela’s epic swells while backpackers chase coconut cocktails under palm trees. Fishermen, fire dancers, and free spirits all coexist in this salty Pacific outpost where the jungle kisses the sea.

What to do: Learn to surf, explore the Manialtepec Lagoon, and laze at Playa Carrizalillo.

Tip: Visit in November for top-tier surf competitions and sea turtle releases.

6. Guadalajara

Guadalajara hums with tradition and tequila. The birthplace of mariachi music pairs colonial plazas with cantinas pouring smoky reposado. Street murals bloom across gritty walls, and locals debate fútbol with fervor. It’s proudly Mexican, yet fiercely modern.

What to do: Sip tequila in nearby Tequila town, explore the Instituto Cultural Cabañas, and stroll Tlaquepaque’s artsy alleys.

Tip: Try torta ahogada — Guadalajara’s messy, spicy sandwich is best eaten with your elbows out.

7. Isla Holbox

Barefoot and blissfully car-free, Isla Holbox floats between sky and sea. Sandy streets lead to hammock-strung cafés, and flamingos wade through the shallows at dawn. Days pass in a dream of sunsets, salt, and slow living.

What to do: Swim with whale sharks, bike the coast to Punta Mosquito, and kayak among mangroves.

Tip: Bring pesos — ATMs are rare and many spots don’t take cards.

8. Puebla

Puebla wears its history on tiled sleeves — blue and white Talavera ceramics cover churches, courtyards, and kitchen walls. Volcanoes smoke on the horizon while mole poblano simmers on every corner. Understated but elegant, this city is a baroque beauty with a modern beat.

What to do: Climb the towers of Puebla Cathedral, try the city’s iconic mole, and explore the tunnel networks below the city.

Tip: Make a side trip to Cholula — its massive pyramid hides beneath a charming church.

9. Bacalar

Bacalar’s lagoon doesn’t need filters — it naturally glows in seven shades of blue. Here, hammocks hang over water, pirate forts guard quiet shores, and cenotes open like eyelets in the lakebed.

What to do: Kayak the lagoon at sunrise, swim in Cenote Azul, and float in Los Rápidos’ clear channels.

Tip: Skip motorboats to preserve the ecosystem — paddleboards or kayaks keep the magic intact.

10. Mérida

Mérida moves at the gentle pace of a marimba. Mansions line the Paseo de Montejo, plazas host spontaneous serenades, and embroidered huipiles color every corner. Beneath its colonial charm is deep Mayan pride — ancient rituals and flavors that refuse to fade.

What to do: Visit the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya, tour nearby cenotes, and try cochinita pibil at a local cocina económica.

Tip: Every Sunday, downtown Mérida closes to cars for “BiciRuta” — rent a bike and join the locals.

11. Copper Canyon

Deeper than the Grand Canyon and twice as wild, the Copper Canyon (Barranca del Cobre) is a colossal tangle of cliffs, pine forests, and indigenous Rarámuri trails. The famed El Chepe train snakes through jaw-dropping scenery that few travelers ever forget.

What to do: Ride El Chepe from Chihuahua, hike to Urique, and meet local Tarahumara communities.

Tip: Book train tickets well in advance, especially for panoramic window seats.

12. Valle de Guadalupe

Mexico’s wine country has desert air, bold reds, and a culinary scene worthy of Napa envy. Amid rolling hills and modernist wineries, Valle de Guadalupe offers long lunches, slow sunsets, and architecture as elegant as the wines.

What to do: Taste wines at boutique vineyards, dine in open-air kitchens, and sleep in airstreams or domes.

Tip: Weekdays are quieter and more personal — plan ahead to avoid weekend crowds.

13. Palenque

A jungle city lost in time, Palenque emerges from the canopy like a myth retold. Its temples still whisper Mayan secrets under misty skies, while howler monkeys scream through the trees. It's mysterious, moody, and unforgettable.

What to do: Climb the Temple of the Cross, visit the onsite museum, and cool off at nearby waterfalls like Misol-Ha.

Tip: Stay in jungle eco-lodges near the ruins to wake up with the rainforest.

14. Cozumel

Cozumel is where coral dreams come true. This Caribbean island is wrapped in reefs, with waters so clear you’ll think you’re floating on glass. It’s beloved by divers, sunbathers, and anyone chasing turquoise peace.

What to do: Dive at Palancar Reef, snorkel from the beach, and rent a scooter to explore wild eastern shores.

Tip: Avoid peak cruise ship hours to enjoy Cozumel at its quietest and most authentic.

15. Campeche

Campeche is a fortified rainbow on the Gulf coast, where pirates once prowled and pastel mansions now glow in sunset light. Behind its UNESCO-protected walls lie quiet streets, sea breezes, and colonial calm.

What to do: Walk the ramparts, explore the archaeological site of Edzná, and take a sunset stroll along the malecón.

Tip: Don’t miss the nightly video mapping show a free spectacle projected onto the city’s historic buildings.