The Beautiful Country To Our South

Hmmmmmm….how to see Mexico….. Well, I’ve spent zero time exploring the inland empire of Mexico. None. I am a beach person who was born to beach people, who married to a beach person and gave birth to three beach people. Yeah…I know…I live in the desert…but I’m working on that, too! 

My travels have brought me to a variety of different beaches, and oceans, in Mexico, and I have enjoyed every single location we have visited. While many people tend to write Mexico off as a location, we have found the absolute opposite to be true. With a lovely demographic of people who are proud of their lands, Mexico is a wonderful destination for you to consider as you are looking ahead to your next vacation. Here are some of my observations and vacation memories!

Every Ocean Is Different

I’ve been fortunate to see different parts of Mexico, and enjoyed several different bodies of water while there. In addition to the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, I recently enjoyed a location at the top of the Sea of Cortez that was both different and exciting. No matter which body of water you are visiting, there is a wide range of activities for you to enjoy beachside in Mexico. While the water may be warmer, or the waves a bit larger, in different spots, all of them boast beautiful beaches with glorious sunsets that you can enjoy—even if the sunset is behind you at the time!

Different Options For How To Visit

On a cruise ship

We are devout cruisers, and have visited several spots in Mexico only while on a cruise ship. This is, in our opinion, a great way for us to “try out” different locations that we might want to vacation to in the future.

For example, cruising has shown me that Mazatlan is not a good destination for us, but we would absolutely do Puerto Vallarta for a week-long vacation after visiting on a cruise ship. So, if you are just getting started exploring Mexico, consider a week-long Mexican cruise to spend just a day in Cozumel, or Cabo san Lucas, and you might find your new favorite spot. 

Go all-inclusive

While not common in all areas to see in Mexico, we love visiting an all-inclusive resort.

It kinda reminds us of cruising, but without changing locations every day. Cancun is famous for the all-inclusive resorts at that location, as are several other cities. While this will not give you a sampling of different cities, it is a fun and relaxing way to really immerse yourself in one area and its culture, without worrying about the costs or availability of restaurants and activities. Like cruising, booking an all-inclusive is very expensive, but the front-loading is such that you will have very minimal costs while you are on your vacation, which I definitely prefer. 

Rent a condo

We’ve done this at several locations, and encourage you to give it a try. You will have a much larger, more relaxing location than a regular hotel room. In addition, we have enjoyed having a full kitchen available to us. While I won’t really cook dinner, it’s helpful to have a good breakfast, lunch fixings, and to be able to reheat last night’s seafood dinner. Best of us, particularly when we travel as a family, the washer/dryer in the condo gets a good workout with both clothes and especially beach towels. I love being able to go home with a clean suitcase.

Different Areas To Consider

Mexican tourist areas are as diverse and interesting as we have here in the United States. While I mostly prefer a great beach vacation, I’ve found interesting hiking and history in different Mexican cities, making it a perfect, diverse vacation. 

Ensenada

Closest to the California border on our list, Ensenada is sort of “Mexico-lite” for me, with the only really interesting feature a blowhole you can visit. If you cruise from California, you will probably stop here, and the best suggestion I have for you is to get a good, authentic Mexican lunch—washed down with local beer!

Cozumel

Visiting here several times, we have done both beaches and touring in this location. The multitude of all-day beach and activity passes makes this a great destination for the family, so definitely look into that option. It’s how my kids learned to kayak and paddleboard for free! You really need to devote a day to visiting the ruins at Tulum from this location. It is so very different from anything we have in the US, and is something everyone should see.

Cancun

I mentioned the all-inclusive resorts that pepper the coast in Cancun. They are significantly less expensive than other options in Mexico, and anything I’ve found in the Caribbean. Beachfront all-inclusives have been running about $400-$500 per day for a couple, but include gourmet meals at a variety of restaurants, all of your drinks (alcoholic and non-) and the majority of your activities. 

Costa Maya

This sleepy little town has been appearing on cruise itineraries for the past few years, and we very much enjoyed visiting here. A short cab ride to the beach, we were able to rent chairs and an umbrella very inexpensively for the day. Food and beverages could be ordered right from the beach, and I enjoyed my shrimp tacos and Pacifico while sitting in the water on a low chair. Heaven.

Cabo san Lucas

Having visited Cabo both on and off a cruise ship, we enjoy this bustling town both ways. With a vibrant shopping scene right off the cruise ship dock, you can do some shopping before taking a quick water taxi to one of the beachfront restaurants.

Renting an umbrella and chairs was easy and cheap, and we enjoyed riding the waves while waiting for drinks and lunch to be delivered to our spot. While this location is a favorite among the college drinking crowd, we haven’t had any problems finding a (relatively) quiet and peaceful beach experience if that’s what you’re looking for. Excellent place to start to see Mexico.

Puerto Vallarta

We love the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, and it is one of the best places for a full day of touring and relaxing. While located beachfront on a wonderful sandy beach with soft waves crashing on the shore, you can easily walk to several historic churches and buildings. Whether you are religious or not, the architecture of these hundreds years old buildings is absolutely amazing, and definitely something everyone should see. Being able to shop, sightsee and then spend a few hours on a lovely beach is the definition of my perfect day! 

Mazatlan

Definitely the most rustic of the locations we are discussing, Mazatlan is a less developed port that we have only visited on cruise ships. We did venture well out of town to Stone Island to do some horseback riding on the beach several times. Those days were among my kids favorite ever, since they were able to ride independently right on the beach (not nose to tail), and then spent a lovely lunch and a few hours on a beautiful beach. It was definitely tougher to get to Stone Island, but I do recommend it if you find yourself there. 

Rocky Point

New to my list is Puerto Penasco, which is a mere 60 miles south of the Arizona border. This sleepy location on the Sea of Cortez was a great find for us, staying at a condo right on the beach. With warm water, powdery sand, and plenty of beach chaise lounges and umbrellas, we are absolutely fans of this location. It helps that it is driving distance from where we live, making it one of the easiest locations on our list. Called “South Phoenix” due to the number of retirees flocking to Rocky Point, it is becoming busier, but remains a fabulous location to visit.

Most Important Considerations

Yes, I’m suggesting you see Mexico, a foreign country. You need to be careful—just like you are in any city in America. All of the locations I’ve highlighted are quite popular with Americans, so you will probably have little trouble using American money, and the majority of the locals we have encountered have been able to understand enough English to get our point across. Be aware of yourself and your surroundings anytime you travel, and be careful with your personal belongings, regardless of the location.

And bring your sunscreen.

And your appetite—the seafood is out of this world.

See you there~ 

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