Mexico

Mexico Travel Guide

The highly misunderstood country of Mexico just so happens to be one of my favorites. The people here are the friendliest you’ll meet anywhere in the world.

The food is amazing (obvs), there is so. much. color, and the history is so fascinating. As you’ll see in this Mexico travel guide, there’s so much more to Mexico than what you can see from your beach chair at the resorts.

I fell instantly in love with Mexico on my very first day and maybe you will too. Let’s learn more about this beautiful country in this Mexico Travel Guide.

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Mexico travel basics

What currency is used in Mexico?

Mexican pesos are the currency of Mexico (Check out xe.com for the most up-to-date currency conversion–they have a mobile app too!)

What time zone is Mexico in?

Mexico being as big as it is spans four time zones and they’re the same four we use in the U.S.: Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern.

What are the Mexico visa/passport requirements?

If you’re planning to spend less than 180 days in Mexico, no special documents are required and you can enter with your U.S. passport alone. Your passport must be valid at the time of your entry into Mexico.

What language do they speak in Mexico?

The primary language spoken in Mexico is Spanish (and of all the Spanish speaking countries I’ve been to, Mexican Spanish is the easiest to understand!).

What are the most popular destinations in Mexico?

Mexico City

One of my favorite cities in the world, Mexico City is Mexico’s vibrant capital. Here you can visit ancient ruins and some of the world’s best museums, tour Frida Kahlo’s house, take in a gotta-see-it-to-believe-it lucha libre match, drink margaritas the size of your head, and so much more.

Yucatán

Probably the most famous among tourists to Mexico is the Yucatán Peninsula–the home of such beach destinations as Cancún, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Merida.

Oaxaca

A small city in Central Mexico known for its architecture, delicious cuisine, beautiful mountains and coastline, and for being the home of mezcal.

Guanajuato

Another popular area of Central Mexico, recognized for its color, Colonial architecture, and its adorable little cities like Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende. (But be warned, San Miguel de Allende’s charming facade hides some serious problems.)

When is the best time to visit Mexico?

Mexico weather

Given Mexico’s size, it’s almost impossible to summarize the country’s weather. For instance, Mexico City (in the chart below), due to its high elevation, sees annual temperatures comparable to the central U.S. While the Yucatán and other beach-y parts of Mexico see much warmer temperatures year-round.

For up-to-date weather information on the Yucatán Peninsula, go here.
For up-to-date weather information for Guanajuato, go here.

Mexico seasons

Mexico has two main seasons–the wet one and the dry one. Mexico’s rainy season typically falls between May and September, with the dry season being everything else. As with much of the Caribbean, hurricane season lasts from June – November.

So when should you visit Mexico? I have personally visited in both the spring and fall and would recommend both. In the spring you have the jacaranda bloom and perfect weather. In the fall you have Day of the Dead and perfect weather. Actually, who cares what time of year it is–just get yourself to Mexico already!

Where to stay in Mexico

Mexico is a huge country with a long list of great places to stay: hotels, hostels, resorts, apartments, you name it.

When you decide where in Mexico you want to visit, I recommend reading hotel reviews on Tripadvisor, then booking your room through Booking.com (my favorite booking site).

And don’t forget, there’s always vacation rentals. I’ve stayed at rental every time I’ve visited Mexico. Check out some of Mexico’s best vacation rentals here!

Mexico Travel Guide: What to do in Mexico

Mexico is an enormous country with a diverse landscape so anything you want to do, chances are you can do it. So far, I’ve kept most of my time in Mexico in and around the cities but Mexico’s beaches are huge in the world of tourism.

What to do in the city

In Mexico City, the 7th largest city in the world, your entertainment options are endless. Personally, I’m a fan of the city’s world-class museums (Casa Azul, National Museum of Anthropology, etc.) but you can also catch a lucha libre match, head outside the city to the ruins of Teotihuacan, sail down the canals at Xochimilco, and so. much. more.

What to do at the beach

At Mexico’s beaches you can relax in the sun (something I’m terrible at), go snorkeling and scuba diving, windsurfing, kayaking, and just about anything else beach and water-related.

What to do everywhere else

Other popular things to do in Mexico include checking out its many cenotes, horseback riding through the countryside, getting a firsthand look at how tequila is produced, exploring ancient Aztec ruins, eating all the tacos, and so much more!

Mexico packing essentials

For your trip to Mexico, pack the following:

– Packing cubes

– Mexico guidebook: I prefer Rough Guides and Fodor’s, but you can also find one from Lonely Planet. Also, this culture-centered guide to Mexico is really helpful.

– Spanish phrase book

– Sunglasses

– Steripen

– Travel hair dryer

– Great multi-purpose shoes

– Must-watch movies like Frida and Coco

– Travel insurance. Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

My blog posts on Mexico

Below you’ll find my posts that focus on the awesome country of Mexico — all the way from what to pack, helpful tips for choosing what to do, the things that shocked me the most, and how to celebrate an amazing holiday.