Visiting Mexico: Travel Tips and 5 Destination Recommendations

As a Spanish speaker and travel lover, visiting Mexico is definitely on my bucket list.  While I’ve had the chance to get a taste of the taste bud-tingling food and enjoy the upbeat, exciting music at parties and quinceí±eras (a celebration for a Hispanic girl on her 15th birthday), I’ve been told time and time again that the few glimpses into Mexican culture is nothing like the real thing.

I’ve enlisted the help of my friend Maria Garcia, who spent the first 10 years of her life in the state of Michoací¡n, Mexico, to give myself and other travelers some tips for traveling to and within Mexico.  She also shares her favorite places and bucket list locations in the country.

Here are Maria’s Tips for Traveling in Mexico: 

While Mexico is a beautiful place for a vacation, it is still helpful to be aware that it is still a foreign country to many of us. 

– Don’t associate yourself with fancy or expensive items.  It is important to be casual in what you wear as well as in how you travel.  Don’t wear jewelry that is expensive and keep the sparkles to a minimum.  This goes for clothing, purses, and other accessories as well.

– Don’t carry a lot of cash.  While most people know this as a general rule, other think that it is best to carry large amounts of cash because of its immediate availability in emergency situations.  For your own safety, it is best to carry very little cash or, better yet, none at all.

– Educate yourself on your location.  This is perhaps one of the best ways to help you stay safe in your travels.  The more you know the culture of your surroundings and are able to fit in with the locals, the better.  Knowing some of the spoken language of the region also helps a lot, and is seen as a sign of respect.

With these tips in mind, here are Maria’s 5 most recommended locations to travel to in Mexico:

1. Lago De Camécuaro National Park

Camécuaro is definitely a must-see if traveling in the state of Michoací¡n, Maria’s home state where she lived the first 10 years of her life.  She remembers going to to this beautiful National Park with her family as a kid and canoeing or swimming in the crystal clear water around the roots of the trees.

2. San Juan De Los Lagos

The town of San Juan De Los Lagos is located in the Mexican state of Jalisco.  This historical tourist location is the home of the Basilica of San Juan which is one of the most magnificent basilicas in all of Mexico according to Maria.  The interior that is decorated with gold leaf and cypress woodwork as well as beautiful stained glass windows will leave you breathless.

3. Cancíºn

Cancíºn is one of the better-known locations on this list as it is a famous spring break vacation spot.  However, this unique, tropical city attracts many more tourists than just college kids.  Located on the Yucatí¡n Peninsula, Cancíºn’s Caribbean beaches and beautiful weather are the prime reasons for its earned title as a great vacation destination as well as its spot on Maria’s bucket list and mine.

4. Guanajuato

The city of Guanajuato is located in Guanajuato, Mexico and is also a very historical town.  Maria says that overlooking the sight of the unique architecture is an awe-inspiring experience.  The city is home to the Mummy Museum where mummified bodies that date back to the mid-19th century are on display.  Guanajuato offers numerous other interesting attractions including the Festival Internacional Cervantino.

5. Benito Juarez Zoological Park

This well-known zoo in Morelia, Mexico is an amazing activity to do when traveling with kids.  The park houses nearly 500 species of animals including several endangered species including pygmy hippos, Asian black bears, African elephants, and bonobo chimpanzees.  This zoo was also one of Maria’s favorite places to visit when she was a kid, and she definitely recommends it for anyone traveling with children.

I hope you keep these tips in mind and consider these exciting destinations when traveling in Mexico!

Have you traveled to Mexico before?  Do you have any tips?  Have you been somewhere in Mexico that is worth a visit or perhaps a location that is on your bucket list?

This post was written by Kathryn Johnson, a junior majoring in Spanish at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Kathryn’s passion for travel blossomed from her love for foreign language.  In August, 2015, she plans to volunteer in France or Morocco before traveling to Spain for a semester-long study abroad experience.

Kathryn is currently learning about travel marketing and social media during an internship with VentureTime Travel.

View her LinkedIn profile at  to learn more about her accomplishments and future goals.

Visiting Mexico? You may want to check out these other posts:

• Five Fun Facts about Puerto Chiapas, Mexico
• Photo Journey: Turning 16 on a Carnival Cruise in Mexico
• 5 Fun Facts About Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• 5 Travel Tips for Cruise Visitors to Cozumel, Mexico
• Cruising With a 12-Year-Old: Para-sailing from Cozumel, Mexico

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