​​Often called the cultural heart of Mexico, Guadalajara is the birthplace of mariachi, tequila, and charrería (Mexican rodeo). It’s deeply traditional yet buzzing with creative energy – think leafy streets, colorful murals, stylish cafés, and trendy boutiques. All right up my alley!

Honestly, Guadalajara wasn’t even on my radar or high on my bucket list. I was just browsing for quick, direct flights from San Francisco and it popped up. I kinda booked it on a whim – and I’m so glad I did. Because over my four days in Guadalajara, I basically ate my way through the city: birria, tacos, churros… at times it felt like I was on a nonstop food tour, haha. My favorite kind of trip!

In this post, I’ll help you plan the perfect Guadalajara itinerary – plus where to eat, stay, and explore. Spoiler alert: you’re gonna fall in love with this place.

Before visiting, I had no idea what to expect. Even though I’d been to coastal favorites like Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita, I’d never ventured inland to Guadalajara itself. 

But Guadalajara won me over with its leafy plazas, bustling markets, and effortlessly cool neighborhoods like Tlaquepaque and Colonia Americana (hello, cocktail bars and concept stores!). It reminded me of a smaller, more laid-back Mexico City – a city I absolutely adore and love re-visiting every few years.

As the capital of Jalisco and Mexico’s second-largest city, Guadalajara somehow manages to stay charming, artsy, and very walkable. 

So let’s get to it! Lots of birria, plazas, murals, and mariachi coming right up. Just make sure to pack your appetite – and maybe some stretchy pants – for all these amazing things to do in Guadalajara.

4 Days in Guadalajara Itinerary Logistics

Where is Guadalajara and How to Get There

Guadalajara’s in western Mexico, right in the middle of the state of Jalisco (aka the birthplace of tequila, mariachi, and so many good tacos). Sitting at around 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) above sea level, it’s up on a high plateau, which means the weather stays pretty mild and comfy year-round. No crazy heatwaves or humidity here!

It’s about 350 miles (560 kilometers) northwest of Mexico City, tucked inland on what’s called the Western Mexican Plateau. That might sound a little technical, but it basically means you’ve got mountains, valleys, and lots of gorgeous nature surrounding the city. And all that natural beauty definitely adds to the charm.

Because of where it’s located, Guadalajara makes a great base for exploring western Mexico. It’s way less touristy than the beach spots, but still full of culture, history, and amazing food. And if you do want some beach time, Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita are just a 2-3 hour drive away. So you kinda get the best of both worlds!

Flying Internationally

Thankfully, flying to Guadalajara is super straightforward. The Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL) is just about 30 – 40 minutes from the city center and has direct flights from tons of major U.S. and Canadian cities. 

I flew in from San Francisco and couldn’t believe the flight was under 4 hours. It was a really pretty flight since we flew along the coastline the entire time. You’ll also find good connections from Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Chicago, and Vancouver, among others. Once you land, you can grab an Uber (what I did!) or a pre-booked taxi to your hotel – easy.

Getting from Guadalajara Airport to the City Center

Using a rideshare app is by far the easiest and most cost-effective option, and how I got from the airport to my hotel in the city. Uber and Didi both operate at the airport, and rides into central Guadalajara (25-40 minutes depending on traffic) usually cost around 200-350 MXN (about $10–$20 USD). You’ll need to walk to the designated pickup zone just outside the arrivals area (past Pizza Hut), so keep an eye out for signs or ask an airport staff member.

Psst – At first I thought my initial Uber driver was trying to scam me by having me meet technically outside the airport, but once the next one told me this, I realized it was typical. Whoops!

Coming from Elsewhere in Mexico

If you’re already in Mexico (you lucky duck!), you’ll be pleased to know that Guadalajara is really well connected to other parts of the country by both bus and domestic flights. It’s just a 2-3 hour drive (or a super quick flight) from places like Puerto Vallarta or Sayulita, which makes it a popular add-on if you’re looking to mix beachy vibes with city exploring. 

Tons of travelers do a combo trip – start on the coast with tacos and surf, then head inland for tequila tastings, art galleries, and historic charm. If I had another few days I would have gladly gone to Sayulita (and San Pancho – my favorite) for a bit.

There’s also reliable long-distance buses (like Primera Plus or ETN) from other major cities like Mexico City, León, San Miguel de Allende, and Guanajuato. If you’re not in a rush and want to save money, this is a great way to go. And trust me, these buses are comfy (I’ve taken them plenty, haha).

How to Get Around Guadalajara

Getting around Guadalajara is actually super easy, even if your Spanish is a little rusty (no shame – I’m right there with you!). The city has a mix of modern transportation and walkable neighborhoods so no need to rent a car unless you really, really want to. 

Uber is your best friend here. It’s reliable, affordable, and way easier than trying to flag a taxi or figure out the bus routes. I used Uber to get just about everywhere – short rides within the city often cost less than $3 USD (!!!). You can also use DiDi, another popular rideshare app in Mexico, though I personally stuck with Uber and had zero issues.

If you’re staying in neighborhoods like Centro Histórico or Americana, you can walk to a lot of the major sights, especially if you’re a city walker like me. The tree-lined streets and colorful buildings make strolling around part of the experience.

There’s also a light rail system (SITEUR) that connects some key parts of the city and suburbs. It’s clean, efficient, and costs just a few pesos, but I honestly didn’t use it at all since Uber was so convenient (and cheap). Buses are available too, but they can be confusing and inconsistent if you’re not familiar with the routes.

If you’re planning day trips to places like Lake Chapala or Tequila, tours with transportation included are the way to go – you won’t have to deal with logistics or designated drivers (especially important if you’re sampling tequila, obviously). More on that soon!

When to Plan Your Guadalajara Itinerary 

The best time to plan your Guadalajara itinerary really depends on what kind of vibe you’re going for – but good news: Guadalajara is a year-round destination with pretty mild weather.

Winter (November to February)

This is widely regarded as the best time to visit Guadalajara, and when I visited! The weather is pleasantly warm during the day, with temperatures hovering in the low 70s to mid-80s°F (21-30°C), and cooler, crisp evenings – perfect for strolling through the historic center or dining on an outdoor terrace. Rain is minimal, and the city is lush and vibrant after the summer rains. 

For reference, I visited in mid-February, and had mostly sunny days, clear skies, and comfortable temperatures. I didn’t realize when I booked my trip that I’d be there for Guadalajara’s birthday (the city was officially founded on February 14, 1542), so got especially lucky with a bunch of fun events and lots of dancing/performances (including some epic fireworks in the town square).

Thankfully, besides the GDLuz Sound and Light Festival at night, the crowds were manageable and I never felt like I was fighting for space at popular attractions. However this is peak tourism season though so make sure to book your accommodations early.

Spring (March to May)

Spring is a wonderful time for those who enjoy a bit more warmth, as temperatures climb into the mid-80s and 90s°F (28-35°C), especially in May. The sunny days and blooming jacaranda trees (those stunning purple blooms) provide a beautiful backdrop for sightseeing. And there’s less tourists here than during fall and winter!

Summer (June to September): Rainy Season

While summer in Guadalajara brings lush greenery, it also means the rainy season is in full swing. Expect afternoon or evening showers, often heavy but short-lived (like what happened to my friends and I when we went to Mexico City in August). 

Temperatures hover between the high 80s and low 90s°F (30-34°C), with high humidity levels. It’s not unbearable, but you’ll need to pack for both rain and heat. The upside to visiting in summer is that the city is less crowded, hotel prices are lower, and everything looks wonderfully green. 

Autumn (September and October)

Autumn sees the last of the rainy season, but the rains start to taper off in September, and by October, there’s clearer skies. Temperatures cool slightly compared to summer, with days in the mid-80s°F (29°C) and nights in the low 60s°F (16-18°C). It’s still a great time to visit with fewer crowds, but always check the forecast as some years, September can still bring heavy rains.

Are 4 days in Guadalajara Enough?

I certainly think so! On a 4-day Guadalajara itinerary you can explore the historic city center, eat your weight in birria and tortas ahogadas, and wander through colorful neighborhoods like Tlaquepaque. And even have time for day trips to Tequila (a must do!), Lake Chapala, and the artisan town of Ajijic. 

I found 4 days in Guadalajara to be the perfect amount of time, and didn’t feel rushed at all. Just note if you wanna watch Lucha Libre (only on Tuesday nights) and/or catch the Jalisco horse races (races take place on Sundays), you’ll need to coordinate your itinerary to fall on those days.

Sure, you can definitely stay longer (it’s Mexico’s second largest city after all), but if I had a few more days, I’d likely go to the beach.

Health and Safety in Guadalajara

Guadalajara is generally safe for travelers, especially in popular neighborhoods like Centro Histórico, Tlaquepaque, and Chapultepec. Like any big city, though, it’s smart to stay alert – always keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded areas, and avoid walking alone late at night. I personally felt very comfortable here and had no issues, but I always took basic precautions (like using Uber at night and not flashing valuables).

Can You Drink the Water in Guadalajara?

Technically, tap water in Guadalajara is treated, but locals and visitors both avoid drinking it. Stick to bottled or filtered water just to be safe – most hotels, Airbnbs, and cafes offer filtered water stations. Also avoid ice from street vendors unless you’re sure it was made from purified water.

Street Food in Guadalajara

Street food is a huge part of the culture here, and honestly, skipping it would be a crime. I ate plenty of tacos, elotes, and tejuino from carts and roadside stands and had no problems. That said, go where locals go, look for vendors with a crowd (it usually means high turnover and fresher food), and trust your gut – literally. If something looks like it’s been sitting out too long in the sun, maybe skip that one.

Other Guadalajara Itinerary FAQs

Language

Spanish is the official language in Guadalajara, and while you’ll definitely find some English speakers (especially at hotels, tourist attractions, and higher-end restaurants), don’t expect fluent English everywhere. 

I was actually surprised how little English was spoken here – not like in Mexico City where you’ll hear English practically everywhere you go for the most part. Most street vendors, taxi drivers, and small shop owners speak little to no English. 

Therefore, I definitely recommend brushing up on your Spanish before going, or at least knowing a bunch of basic phrases. Google Translate is your best friend (just be sure to download the language in advance if you won’t have service every minute of your trip).

Currency

Guadalajara, like the rest of Mexico, uses the Mexican Peso (MXN). And lucky for us in the US, the conversion rate is usually quite favorable for travelers. 

Don’t expect all restaurants and shops in Guadalajara to take credit cards (although most mid-range and upscale restaurants do), so always be prepared with some cash. In addition, you’ll want some cash for tips (see below), at small handicraft shops, and road-side taco stands, as well as for any taxis you may be taking. 

I highly advise you to take out some pesos at an ATM at the airport upon landing (as you’ll get the best conversion rate using an ATM and never at a currency exchange kiosk). I recommend getting a no-fee ATM card if you don’t already have one (we’ve been using Charles Schwab for years and haven’t paid a pesky fee in forever).

At the time of writing (May 2025), the peso is equivalent to 5 cents USD (or 1 USD = ~20 Mexican pesos). I found it easy-ish to convert in my head by thinking of 100 pesos = roughly $5USD (or 200 pesos = ~$10USD). It takes a bit of practice but after a day or two you’ll be able to do the conversion super quickly in your head.

Tipping

Tipping is customary and appreciated in Guadalajara. In restaurants, 10-15% is standard if a service charge isn’t already included. For smaller services (like taxi rides, bag handling, or bathroom attendants), a few pesos or rounding up is perfectly fine. On tours, tipping your guide is a nice gesture if you enjoyed the experience.

Electrical Outlets

Mexico uses the same voltage and outlets as the U.S. (110V, type A/B plugs), so if you’re coming from the U.S. or Canada, you won’t need an adapter. 

Where to Stay in Guadalajara

Guadalajara is a sprawling city, but most travelers stick to a few key neighborhoods that are safe, centrally located, and full of charm (plus tacos, always tacos). Here’s a quick breakdown of the best areas to base yourself:

Centro Histórico (Historic Downtown)

If it’s your first time in Guadalajara and you want to be right in the heart of the action, this is the place to be. You’ll be within walking distance of iconic sites like the Guadalajara Cathedral, Teatro Degollado, and the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres. Expect grand colonial buildings, bustling plazas, and local markets galore. Just note: it can get busy and noisy, especially on weekends. Check out Hotel TÖTEM Guadalajara (a stylish boutique hotel) and Hotel Portobelo (modern amenities and a central location)

Colonia Americana/Chapultepec area (My Favorite!)

Trendy, artsy, and effortlessly cool – this is Guadalajara’s hipster heart. Think colorful street art, tree-lined streets, third-wave coffee shops, and tons of stylish boutique stays. It felt super safe and walkable, and it’s where you’ll find some of the best nightlife and brunch spots. 

For reference, I stayed at Hotel Antre Chapultepec, and had a great stay! It’s a newer hotel in a great location, super clean, and pretty posh! And the hotel is within walking distance to oh so many restaurants, including Tomate Taqueria (where I went twice, haha), Cafe San Pedro, and Postreria GDL. Honestly, if I went back, I’d stay here again in a heartbeat. Doesn’t hurt that I got a great deal and my room cost less than $250 total for 4 nights!

Also check out Demetria Hotel (where I would have stayed if I wasn’t traveling solo) and GALA Hotel Boutique (more boutiquey with lots of personalized service).

Other Areas to Stay in

Guadalajara is way larger than most people realize, but hey, it is Mexico’s second largest city! If you’ve never been to Guadalajara I highly recommend staying in Centro Historico or Colonia Americana, but there’s other options too!

• Tequila: Yes, that Tequila. While most people visit on a day trip, spending a night or two in this colorful Pueblo Mágico is 100% worth it – especially if you’re doing distillery tours and don’t want to rush back. The town is adorable, filled with agave fields, boutique hotels, and (unsurprisingly) more tequila than you can dream of. Check out Hotel Solar de las Ánimas, Tequilera Hacienda La Cofradía (on my bucket list for next time), and Casa Salles Hotel Boutique.

• Tlaquepaque: A charming artisan town that feels like a mini getaway within the city. It’s a great spot for colorful colonial vibes, traditional mariachi music, and shopping for hand-painted ceramics and leather goods. Stay here if you want something different from the usual city experience. Check out Tlaquepaque Pueblito (super colorful and fun) and Aura Hotel Boutique (basic but very spacious rooms).

• Chapalita: Quieter and more residential with great restaurants and leafy parks and close to Expo Guadalajara (great if you’re in town for a conference or event). Just FYI, it’s a bit farther from the historic sights. Check out Hampton Inn by Hilton Guadalajara Expo and Baruk Guadalajara Hotel de Autor.

• Zapopan: Technically its own city within the Guadalajara metro area and a little farther out from the main attractions – but it’s home to some of the fanciest shopping centers and the stunning Basilica of Zapopan. A good option if you want a more upscale, suburban feel. Check out avid hotels – Guadalajara Av Vallarta Pte by IHG.

• Near the Airport: My flight home was at the ungodly hour of 7:25AM (yes, early!), so I decided it’d be best to stay the night beforehand at an airport hotel. I stayed at Hangar Select Aeropuerto Guadalajara, which was super comfy (my room was HUGE), and has a free airport shuttle – just make sure to arrange this at check-in).

What and Where to Eat in Guadalajara

The best part of Guadalajara! If you’re not sure what to do next on your Guadalajara itinerary (or you have a little extra time)… just eat. Seriously. That’s exactly what I did, haha. 

This city is bursting with flavor and EVERYTHING (and I mean EVERYTHING) was absolutely delicious. I had such a hard time deciding where (and what!) to eat because I had so much pinned on my map! 

Should I grab birria on a street corner, sip a fruity cazuela under papel picado, or splurge on a 10-course tasting menu?! All of it, por favor!

The food scene is equal parts traditional and experimental, so you can go from devouring a drenched torta ahogada at a hole-in-the-wall spot (yum) to sampling edible art at one of Latin America’s top restaurants – all in the same day. Let’s just say I ate very, very well during my 4 days in Guadalajara, haha.

Classic Local Favorites

• Tortas Ahogadas Don José: Messy, spicy, and oh so satisfying. Tortas ahogadas are the local specialty, and this no-frills spot is beloved for a reason. Just note they will NOT give you a fork and knife (even if you ask nicely in Spanish, haha, I tried).
• Birrieria Las 9 Esquinas: A go-to for traditional Jalisco-style birria (stewed goat or beef). There’s often live mariachi nearby, especially on weekends! I came here twice; I loved it so much.
• La Chata: A Guadalajara institution serving homestyle Mexican comfort food – great for your first meal in the city.
• Churros La Bombilla: Old-school churro spot with serious history. Think crispy, golden perfection dusted with cinnamon sugar. The best churros in the city and open very late!
• Taco Fish La Paz: Best fish tacos in town. Just go. I devoured mine. (Open from 9am – 4:30pm, so plan accordingly!)

Cool, Trendy Eats

• Piggy Back: This café is known for its chilaquiles – huge portions, bold flavors, and some of the best I had in Mexico. Plus, the whole space is oh so cute and I fell in love with their branding.
• Tomate Taquería: Open late and a solid bet for after-hours tacos. The al pastor hits especially hard post-tequila. I came twice and loved the meat both times.
• Karmele: A trendy, plant-forward bakery perfect for a lighter brunch or lunch option with a local twist. I stumbled upon this little cafe and LOVED their karmelito pastries. A must on your Guadalajara itinerary.
• Postrería GDL: Where dessert gets theatrical! Expect dramatic, multi-layered creations that are as beautiful as they are delicious. They’ve even got a five-course dessert tasting menu (which I would have loved to try if I wasn’t traveling solo).
• Loba Gastropub: Upscale pub-style dining with craft beer from Cerveza Loba, one of Guadalajara’s top microbreweries.

Elevated Dining + Drinks

• Restaurante Alcalde: Ranked among the best restaurants in Latin America. Go for the 10-course tasting menu (around $125 USD), or sample à la carte if you’re not feeling quite that hungry.
• Allium: A creative, locally-driven spot listed in the World’s 50 Best Discovery guide.
• De la O Cantina: A sleek and stylish cocktail bar with an old-meets-new cantina vibe.
• El Gallo Altanero: One of the top bars in Mexico (#48 on World’s 50 Best Bars!). Closed Monday and Tuesday, so plan ahead.

The Best 4 Day Guadalajara Itinerary

But first, a few notes about this Guadalajara itinerary:

• This Guadalajara itinerary assumes you have a full 4 days in Guadalajara. Meaning if you arrive mid-day or late at night, you’ll want an extra day in order to see and do all the things on this itinerary.
• BUT you can easily shorten this itinerary into 2 or 3 full days by simply removing a day trip or two. You’ll notice that 3 out of the 4 days in Guadalajara are actually mostly day trips, haha.
• You can totally rearrange the days if you’d like. Meaning, you can easily do Day 3 on Day 1, and vice-versa.
• This Guadalajara itinerary doesn’t include Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling that only happens on Tuesday nights) and Charreria (Mexico’s national horse-racing sport with competitions taking place on Sunday). If you’d like to see either of these things, make sure you arrange your itinerary accordingly!

Day 1: Explore Downtown Guadalajara (Centro Histórico)

Morning and Early Afternoon: Centro Historico

I started my Guadalajara itinerary with a walking tour – something I always recommend doing on Day 1 in a new destination! It was a deep dive into the city’s historic heart, and honestly, the perfect intro to the culture, history, and energy of Jalisco’s capital. I didn’t realize how much there is to see in Centro Histórico, from towering cathedrals to leafy plazas and grand government buildings covered in bold murals. 

You can certainly explore it all on your own (nothing’s terribly far), but I highly recommend joining a walking tour like I did. My guide gave tons of helpful context and historical background I would’ve totally missed on my own, plus I felt very safe wandering with a small group. And I didn’t have to navigate at all, which is always appreciated when I travel solo!

We started at the iconic Guadalajara Cathedral, one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks with its signature yellow spires and blend of architectural styles. From there, we strolled through Plaza de Armas, passed the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres, and admired the fountains and statues in Plaza de la Liberación.

One of my favorite stops was Palacio Municipal de Guadalajara, which I hadn’t even heard of before the tour. Inside, we found a jaw-dropping mural by José Clemente Orozco that spans the grand staircase – bold, expressive, and so powerful in person. 

We also popped into the Teatro Degollado, a 19th-century neoclassical theater known for its opulent red velvet interiors and perfectly preserved architecture. Even if you don’t catch a performance, it’s worth visiting just to step inside and take it all in.

Next it was market time! Because no visit to Guadalajara is complete without a market or two, and we covered both ends of the spectrum. 

First was Mercado San Juan de Dios, the largest indoor market in Latin America – a total sensory overload in the best way. We wandered through its maze of stalls, sampling local fruits (some I’d never even seen before!), and eyeing all kinds of snacks, souvenirs, leather goods, and more. FYI – you’ll want cash for the market. I even got to try chapulines (fried grasshoppers) and they were better than I’d imagined (kinda tasted like powdery lime crackers to me).  Although I’m not so sure I’d choose to willingly snack on them, haha.

Don’t miss some jericalla flan, a Jalisco speciality that’s basically a cross between flan and creme brulee. And it’s absolutely delicious. You’ll find lots at the market (but always make sure it’s covered for sanitary reasons).

Later on, we swung by Mercado Corona, a smaller, more traditional covered market. It felt more local and relaxed, with everything from fresh plants and handmade cigars to quirky knick-knacks and religious figurines. It’s the kind of place you could poke around for hours and still stumble on something new.

By the end of the tour, I felt like I’d seen so many layers of the city – from its historic core and artistic heart to its everyday hustle. It was a full but satisfying morning/early afternoon, and the perfect way to kick off my time in Guadalajara!

Evening: Wandering Chapultepec & Colonia Americana

After a full day exploring downtown, I headed to the Chapultepec area in Colonia Americana – easily one of the coolest neighborhoods in Guadalajara. The wide, tree-lined boulevard is buzzing with energy, especially in the evening when locals gather at cafés, bars, and taco joints. Plus, I was staying nearby so I definitely wanted to explore my neighborhood.

It reminded me a bit of La Condesa in Mexico City, with its leafy streets, trendy spots on every corner, and that perfect mix of laid-back and lively energy.

One of the first things I stumbled upon was the massive Frida Kahlo mural, known as Magdalena. Painted by Irish artist Fin DAC, this 150-foot-tall piece is an absolute showstopper and a powerful tribute to Frida’s spirit and style. You really can’t miss it – literally and figuratively (it’s HUGE).

Dessert: Okay, confession: I had dessert before dinner – no regrets there. One of the best parts about solo travel is that I get to make all the rules, wink wink.

I popped into Postrería GDL, which is known for its wildly inventive and artful desserts. The menu changes seasonally, so if you’ve seen something online or on Instagram, there’s no guarantee it’ll still be available. Luckily, the waiter walked me through each dessert in detail so I could make an informed (and delicious) decision. 

I ended up going with a super creative citrus-forward dish inspired by the ocean, with bright flavors like yuzu and other tropical notes. It looked like a work of art and tasted just as good. Honestly, I wanted to try everything on the menu – it was that hard to choose.

Al Pastor Dinner: For dinner, I made my way to Tomate Taquería, a beloved local spot serving over-the-top tacos. Just a heads-up: there was a huge line out front when I arrived, so definitely don’t come starving. But the wait was worth every second. 

I ordered both the tacos al pastor and an al pastor volcano (covered in cheese) – and quickly realized it was way too much food so saved the volcano for breakfast the next morning, haha. Plus, my limonada con frutos rojos drink was HUGE!

If you’re looking for a nightcap, here’s a few suggestions in the Chapultepec/Americana area (although I called it a night after my very long day). 

1. De La O Cantina: Stylish and low-key with craft cocktails focused on Mexican spirits and ingredients. Cozy, creative, and consistently great.
2. El Gallo Altanero: Ranked on the World’s 50 Best Bars list (#48)! Trendy spot known for its expertly crafted cocktails and rooftop vibes. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
3. Cantina La Occidental: A classic Guadalajara cantina with a lively atmosphere, cheap drinks, and a great place to soak up local flavor (both cultural and alcoholic).
4. Gallo Altanero Patio: Same folks as El Gallo Altanero, but this one’s more casual and open-air, perfect for a chill drink under the stars.

Day 2: A Boozy Day Trip to Tequila

No Guadalajara itinerary is complete without a day trip to the colorful, agave-scented town of Tequila. It’s only about an hour away from the city, and whether you’re a diehard tequila fan or more of a curious sipper (hi!), this UNESCO-listed pueblo is packed with flavor, charm, and culture.

I joined a guided group tour (there’s a ton of options so shop around!), and I’m so glad I did. Everything was handled for me – transportation, stops, and of course, lots of tequila tastings. If you’re not planning to spend the night in Tequila or figure out logistics yourself, a tour is by far the easiest (and most fun) way to go. Especially if you’re planning to end the day at Cantaritos El Güero (more on that later).

A few other tours to check out: the premium tequila tour and the classic tequila route!

Stop #1: Agave Fields

Our first stop of the day? The iconic blue agave fields, stretching out toward the hills in every direction. We stopped at a local tequila farm, where I got to wander through the spiky rows and take a few (ok, a ton) of fun pics. 

The scenery was unreal – bright green agave set against a deep blue sky, with mountains in the distance. Truly one of those “wow, I’m really here” kind of travel moments. I loved the little farm we stopped at; the entire setup was so charming and photogenic and the swing overlooking the agave fields was so fun! 

Plus, some people hopped on a horse for even more photos, but I decided to skip out since I was wearing a short dress, haha.

Stop #2: Tequila Tour and Tastings

From there, we headed over to Hacienda Casa González for a tequila production tour and demonstration. The space was absolutely stunning – old-school hacienda vibes with traditional equipment, rustic barrels, and agave hearts waiting to be cooked. 

We learned all about the tequila-making process, from roasting the piñas to fermentation and distillation. The guides were super engaging and passionate about their craft, and I walked away with a whole new appreciation for what goes into a single bottle of tequila.

Then came the tastings… and wow, did they go all out. There were soooo many tequila samples and shots being passed around, I didn’t even try to keep up. 

People were getting tipsy fast – some even drunk before noon. I kept it chill (I’m honestly not a big drinker and can’t handle my liquor anymore), so I just tasted a few of the more unique varieties. My favorites? The coffee-infused tequila and some of the fruit-flavored ones – sweet, smooth, and dangerously sippable.

Stop #3: Tequila Town and Market Lunch

After all that, we finally made our way into the town of Tequila itself. We had free time to stroll around the main square, shop for souvenirs, and snap a few pics with the oversized colorful “TEQUILA” letters. The vibe was festive and lively – mariachi music drifting through the air, colorful flags overhead, and plenty of street vendors and tequila bars if you wanted to keep the party going.

Instead of a sit-down meal, I opted to eat at the local market in Tequila, which was absolutely buzzing with energy. I grabbed a plate of juicy birria tacos (so good!) and some fresh tortillas while listening to a live mariachi band perform right there in the food hall. 

Just know that mariachi isn’t free – if you linger, record a video, or they stop by your table, it’s expected that you’ll leave a small tip. Totally worth it for the ambiance. 

Stop #4: Cantaritos El Güero

To wrap up the day, we made one final stop: Cantaritos El Güero, a roadside bar that was way more of a full-on experience than I expected. Think music blasting (and tons of dancing), bartenders pouring tequila from two feet above your cup, and a party atmosphere like no other. Overwhelming to say the least, especially if you don’t know what to expect.

Everyone comes for the signature drink – the cantarito – a citrusy tequila cocktail made with grapefruit soda, lime, orange, and salt, all served in a massive clay mug. You can choose your cup size (they get beyond huge and wildly expensive), and it’s the kind of drink that feels celebratory from the very first sip. Such a fun and hilarious way to cap off the day.

Thankfully I made friends with everyone on my tour; I don’t think it’s the kind of place you enjoy solo, haha.

Psst — Cantaritos El Güero is between Tequila Town and Guadalajara, so make sure you have a ride back if you’re not going on a tour.

What to Know Before You Go:

• If you want to ride the Jose Cuervo Express tequila train, it’s a super scenic option, but it only runs on Saturdays – and tickets go fast (and they’re expensive).
• Other great distilleries to check out if you go on your own: La Rojeña (Jose Cuervo), Casa Herradura, Cava de Oro, and La Cofradía.
• Bring cash for the market, tips for mariachi, and water – you’ll need it after all that tequila.
• Don’t forget sunscreen and a hat if you plan to wander the fields or town for long.

By the time we rolled back into Guadalajara, I was overly exhausted. If you’re planning to drink a lot, I definitely wouldn’t make any plans for tonight, haha. 

Day 3: Day Trip to Tlaquepaque

Up next on this Guadalajara itinerary – Tlaquepaque (pronounced tlah-keh-PAH-keh, you’re welcome, lol)! 

And it couldn’t be easier to get to, as it’s just 15 minutes from central Guadalajara (via Uber for about 150 MXN / ~$7 USD). While many think it’s simply a neighborhood of Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque is actually its own municipality – and one brimming with artistic flair, colonial charm, and mariachi magic.

Expect pedestrian-friendly cobblestone streets, shady plazas, beautifully preserved buildings, and loads of local art. It’s considered the creative and cultural capital of the Guadalajara area for good reason. And it reminded me so much of other small Mexican towns I love, namely Todos Santos, San Miguel de Allende, and even Oaxaca (which I’m dying to get back to sooner than later)!

While you can easily spend all day exploring Tlaquepaque, I found just a few hours was plenty – which gives you time to check out other spots in Guadalajara earlier in the day, which is what I did.

Morning Stop: Casa ITESO Clavigero (in Guadalajara)

Before heading to Tlaquepaque, I made a quick cultural pit stop at Casa ITESO Clavigero, located in the quiet Colonia Americana neighborhood. Before visiting Guadalajara, I didn’t realize that Luis Barragán (a famous architect in Mexico) designed any buildings here. 

I had seen his way-more-popular houses (including Casa Gilardi and Casa Estudio Luis Barragán, both in Mexico City), so was thrilled to learn that one of his early works is tucked away right here in Guadalajara.

Built in the late 1920s, the house is a stunning example of regional Tapatío architecture – full of clean lines, natural light, and minimalist elegance. I will say it didn’t wow me as much as the others in CDMX did, but I was still happy to see it.

Casa ITESO Clavigero was originally the private home of Mexican philosopher and politician Efraín González Luna, and it now serves as a cultural center owned by the Jesuit university ITESO. It’s free to enter and usually hosts rotating art and architecture exhibits, as well as gardens you can stroll through. 

Architecture lovers, don’t skip this – it’s considered a National Artistic Monument. There’s even a cafe inside if you need an early morning coffee.

Late Morning & Afternoon in Tlaquepaque

Hop in an Uber and head straight to the heart of Tlaquepaque. It’s compact and very walkable, so you won’t need to plan much – just wander and enjoy without a real plan. I promise you’ll eventually run into everything, haha. But here’s a few things not to miss!

• Walk Calle Independencia: This is the town’s charming main street (pedestrian-only!), and full of artisan shops, colorful galleries, and whimsical sculptures. Expect handmade ceramics, blown glass, leather goods, and a lot of local color – literally. I loved getting a mango ice cream (mmm my favorite!) and wandering around.

• Try a Tuba: Nope, not the instrument! Tuba is a unique regional drink made from fermented coconut sap, and it’s typically topped with chopped peanuts and fruit candies. It’s sweet, refreshing, and something you won’t find just anywhere. You’ll see locals selling these right on the street!

• Go shopping at Plaza de Artesanías: A small square with a handful of shops to buy local Mexican crafts. I found some super cute keychains here, and loved taking photos of the popular umbrellas hanging overhead.

• Pop into Sergio Bustamante’s Gallery: This surrealist sculptor is famous for his oddball creations, and his flagship gallery here is as whimsical as it is thought-provoking. From wide-eyed papier-mâché children to fantastical creatures, it’s one of the coolest spots in town.

• El Refugio of Tlaquepaque: On normal days, you can tour and photograph the photogenic rooftop of El Refugio of Tlaquepaque. But it just so happened that a special marketplace was happening the day I was there so the rooftop was unfortunately closed.

• Lunch at Restaurante Casa Luna: Come for the food, stay for the setting. The space is a stunner, filled with mosaic tilework, plants, ceiling mobiles, and twinkling lights. There’s often live music, and the menu features upscale takes on traditional Mexican cuisine.

• Visit the Ceramic Markets: Tlaquepaque is a ceramics hub, and even if you don’t plan on buying anything, the markets are worth a browse. You’ll find both contemporary and traditional styles — perfect for a little window shopping or unique souvenirs.

• Wrap up at El Parián: This massive open-air cantina is said to be the biggest bar in Mexico, and it’s more of an experience than a single venue. Dozens of small bars and restaurants circle a central gazebo where live mariachi bands play throughout the day. Don’t leave without trying a cazuela – a giant tequila-based citrus cocktail served in a clay bowl with fruit slices. It’s the town’s signature drink and super refreshing. I have to admit this spot is crazy touristy and it was kinda dead when I visited, so I opted to skip it and just took a quick glance. Although I do think it’d be more fun with friends later on in the day.

Day 4: Day Trip to Lake Chapala and Ajijic

On your last day of your Guadalajara itinerary, it’s time to once again, get outta the city, this time for some lakeside charm! No shortage of day trips here, haha. Psst: if you can, I’d recommend visiting on a weekday, as it gets very busy on weekends and understandably so.

Just an hour outside of Guadalajara, this scenic region feels like a totally different world – think colorful colonial towns, peaceful water views, and a pace of life that’s way slower than the city.

This day trip includes a little bit of everything: tequila tastings, boat rides, artisan shopping, and sunset strolls. You’ll get to explore Ajijic, a quirky artist enclave with serious Pueblo Mágico energy, and Chapala, a traditional lakeside town with a great malecón for people-watching and photo ops. It’s one of the most popular and well-rounded excursions from Guadalajara – and after spending a full day exploring the area, I totally get why.

I really recommend taking a guided day tour to this area; having a guide made the whole experience super smooth and stress-free, especially since the towns are spread out and not super easy to navigate on your own without a car.

This is the exact day trip tour to Lake Chapala and Ajijic that I took, and thought it was great value for money! The tour first took us to a tequila factory, had lunch overlooking the lake, then took a boat ride on Lake Chapala, visited the magical town of Ajijic, and finally ended with sunset in Chapala town. A fantastic and very full day!

Stop #1: Tequila Factory Visit

Yes, more tequila! It’s hard to get away from it around here, haha! This one wasn’t quite as flashy as the big-name spots near Tequila, but way more intimate. I loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at the process and chatting with the staff, who clearly knew their stuff (and were very generous with the samples). Definitely a great little bonus before the main events of the day.

Stop #2: Seafood Lunch Overlooking the Lake

The tour took us to a restaurant right on the lake, called Mariscos El Carnal. I typically scoff at restaurants on tours, but this was actually pretty decent! 

We sat upstairs with a lovely view of Chapala Lake, and loved the light breeze. The menu had so much to choose from (it was actually a bit overwhelming), with a big emphasis on seafood (which makes sense considering it’s a seafood restaurant, haha). Lots of shrimp, ceviches, octopus (my favorite!), and shellfish platters.

I wouldn’t necessarily choose to eat there if I wasn’t on a tour, but it was good enough, haha. And the views couldn’t have been better.

Stop #3: Boat Ride on Lake Chapala

Next up was a breezy boat ride on Lake Chapala, Mexico’s largest freshwater lake. With the Sierra Madre mountains in the background and pelicans flying overhead, it was a peaceful way to take in the views and learn a bit about the local ecosystem. 

Our guide pointed out a few small islands and shared stories about the region’s history – super interesting and not something I would’ve learned on my own. The boat ride was short but felt like it was long enough.

Stop #4: Stroll Through Ajijic, The Artsy Pueblo Mágico by the Lake

From there, we made our way to Ajijic (pronounced ah-hee-HEEK), one of Jalisco’s designated Pueblos Mágicos. This is a title given to towns with special cultural, historical, or natural significance – and it definitely earns its name. 

This lakeside village has become a bit of a haven for artists, creatives, and expats (especially from the U.S. and Canada), but still retains its authentic small-town Mexican charm.

What makes Ajijic stand out is its colorful, creative energy. The streets are covered in murals – seriously, nearly every wall bursts with color and character. The town has a strong art scene, with plenty of little galleries and studios to duck into, as well as artisan markets where you can find everything from handmade textiles to quirky sculptures.

It’s also just incredibly walkable. You can stroll the cobblestone streets at your own pace, pop into cute cafés, and admire the colonial architecture framed by jacaranda trees (especially beautiful in spring when they bloom purple!). The main plaza is often buzzing with live music or small events, and there’s always a relaxed, easygoing vibe.

I can totally see why so many expats live here – there’s year-round spring-like weather and oh so gorgeous setting right on the shores of Lake Chapala, backed by the Sierra del Tigre mountains. Unfortunately this makes the town exceptionally pricey, so don’t plan on buying any souvenirs here as everything is at least triple the price.

Stop #5: Sunset in Chapala Town

Chapala town is the perfect place to end a day trip from Guadalajara – laid-back, scenic, and full of local charm. It’s the largest town on the shores of Lake Chapala (Mexico’s biggest freshwater lake), and it feels way more traditional than Ajijic, with less of the expat/artsy vibe and more of that authentic, everyday Mexico energy.

We got here just in time for sunset along the malecón (lakefront promenade). There were snack stands (don’t miss a refreshing raspados – shaved ice), local families out for a walk, and a golden glow over the water that made for a perfect photo op. It was the kind of spot where you could just sit, sip a cold drink, and soak it all in. And that we did!

Chapala also has a cute main plaza and a handful of shops selling local handicrafts. I also noticed some cool murals scattered around the town. Overall, it’s super walkable and makes for a relaxing, photogenic final stop before heading back to Guadalajara.

All in all, this day trip was super well-paced and a great way to experience another side of Jalisco. If you’ve got the time, I’d definitely recommend adding it to your Guadalajara itinerary!

Hope this helps you plan the perfect Guadalajara itinerary! Are you headed to Mexico anytime soon?!

The post The Perfect Guadalajara Itinerary: 4 Days in Guadalajara appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Wow, another year flew by – I say this every year (look at my past Year in Review posts if you don’t believe me, haha), but damn did 2023 go fast. I feel like I was just reflecting back on 2022 last month!

2023 was another year of living on my own terms, going against societal expectations, and truly enjoying my life. It was a year I heavily leaned into truly living in the present, indulging in extravagant trips and meals without regret, and working damn hard for it all. As I get older, I’m understanding there’s no time like the present, so I make it my mission to fill my year with fun experiences and try not to take life too seriously.

Overall, 2023 was pretty excellent. 

I listened to a shit ton of audiobooks (over 50!), finally made it to Disneyland, and crossed a huge bucket list trip off my never ending list of adventures. I traveled with friends, with my sister, with my husband, found my way back to solo travel, got to see my parents twice (!), and had a whole slew of visitors as well! 

Wild to think this is actually my 11th year writing detailed year in reviews on my blog. Sure, those 10-second overdone reels on IG are fun for a few minutes, but I honestly don’t even know how to make them, haha. Plus, I like being able to write 8k words and include over 100 photos (which is probably more like 200 knowing me).

It was the year of the Eras Tour (although I didn’t have any interest in participating, I opted for Beyonce instead), the horrific war in Israel, and deciding I want to visit all 50 states in the next few years (before I turn 40!).

So proud of this life I created for myself. 

Interested in seeing what I got up to in years past? Here’s all my year in review posts: 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022

2023 by the Numbers

• Countries Traveled To: 8 (USA, Guatemala x2, Belize, Tanzania + Zanzibar, Mexico, England, Austria, Czech Republic)
• States Visited: 8 (California, Hawaii, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina)
• Days On The Road: ~105
• Days Traveling Solo: 8 (Caye Caulker, Belize and Flores, Guatemala!)
• Flights Taken: 34 (60,500 miles flown!)
• Books Read: 56 (favorites: Molokai, Pachinko, Into Thin Air, Remarkably Bright Creatures, The Day the World Came to Town, Fly Girl, The House in the Cerulean Sea, Nowhere for Very Long)
• Duolingo Streak: 576 days (primarily Spanish and math!)
• Candy Crush level: 3195

January 

The year started off a bit crazy, getting home from Mexico a week later than expected after the airline canceled my flight. I made it home at 9:30pm on New Year’s Eve, just in time to celebrate my late arrival with my husband by indulging in a slice of our favorite cheesecake and some cuddles with Kona. 

MAUI

Just a week later we were off to Maui for Noah to run the Maui Oceanfront Marathon! He has a goal to run a full marathon on each Hawaiian island it’s offered, and although he already crossed Maui off his running list, he decided he wanted to run again! Fine by me; I’ll never say no to a trip to Hawaii (obviously). 

He PRed AGAIN and subbed 4, finishing the full marathon in 3 hours, 59 minutes, and 34 seconds! Absolutely WILD — my husband is a beast! So, so proud of him and his dedication.

Besides his running escapades, we spent most of the long weekend in Kihei, kinda sorta feeling like a local, walking to the beach for sunset every night and eating/drinking nearby. I sometimes love revisiting places we’ve been to a bunch of times, so I can focus on simply enjoying our time together instead of feeling like I need to see and do everything. Something I’m clearly working on, haha.

The main focus of this Maui trip (besides Noah running the marathon of course) was WHALES! Since we were visiting during prime whale season, we saw SO many humpbacks. So, so magical. And besides taking an official whale watching tour, we saw so many whales right off the coast — all those breaches and whale tails never get old!

We left Maui with holes in our hearts, aching for permanent island life. The heartache was so bad we started semi-seriously talking about moving to Hawaii (complete with a pros/cons list and mile-long to-do list). We ultimately decided this isn’t the best time for our dream, but I think we’ll be back sooner than later. 

February 

I kicked off the month by taking myself out on a solo birthday date to see Mean Girls on Broadway! Scored myself a $40 rush ticket, which turned out to be an amazing seat all the way down in the orchestra! Such a fun show, and proud of myself for making the effort despite going solo. 

Also — I celebrated TEN official years of A Passion and A Passport on February 9th — cannot believe I’ve stuck with my passion project turned side hustle for oh so long!

MADONNA INN

I always plan a birthday trip for myself (past years including Mexico City, Hawaii, and Todos Santos), and decided to do something low-key this year. We celebrated my belated bday with a weekend in SLO at the Madonna Inn, complete with pink champagne cake, a glitzy pink bathroom in our all pink room, and pink boozy drinks. 

It was truly an instagrammers paradise, perfect for a quick birthday trip! Think whimsy gingerbread trim, bubblegum pink and fuschia accents, and eccentric and unconventional hotel rooms. The whole space is quirky, bizarre, and downright wacky — in the best kinda way! To say I loved it was a downright understatement, haha. 

We saw some friends for lunch, took way too many photos, and checked out all the tacky decor at the hotel. 

GUATEMALA 

A few weeks later I was off to Guatemala, a country I hadn’t been to for over 5 years and one I was super thrilled to be heading back to! The country is so misunderstood (and wildly underrated), but I’m glad it’s becoming a place travelers don’t overlook anymore. It’s actually getting pretty popular!

After scoring cheap $350 round trip tickets (and desperately missing all the color and culture), I couldn’t not go! Plus, I went with a friend I hadn’t seen in years (hey, Kris!). We ended up going with a bunch of really cool people, and met even more in Guatemala once there!

It really was the best travel crew and I loved and appreciated all our deep non-judgemental convos! Travel people really are the best kinds of people.

Lake Atitlan 

Our first stop in Guatemala was the famous Lake Atitlan. And despite the loooong 5 hour ride there (TONS and tons of traffic), we absolutely loved the lake and I’m aching to go back sooner than later.

We primarily spent our time at the lake zipping around on lanchas and visiting a whole bunch of different towns (which were all so, so different) — the colorful town of San Pedro (where we saw a chocolate demonstration, weaving demonstration, and learned about Mayan bees), super hippy San Marcos, the market street in Panajachel, traditional Santiago Atitlan, and the colorful blue village of Santa Catarina Palopo. 

Volcano views EVERYWHERE! 

We stayed at La Fortuna at Atitlan, an eco-hotel with a completely outdoor bathroom (toilet included). Lemme just say — such a unique experience showering outside completely naked. It was also crazy windy at some points; our entire shack would shake; but thankfully we saw no bugs or scorpions — something we were super worried about (we even shook out our entire bedding each and every night)

That pool with a perfect view of the volcano was something else, as was the old-school bus turned sauna. 

Antigua 

In Antigua, we spent a glorious few days wandering the colonial town, admiring the volcano views, checking out all the cute cafes, and shopping at all the markets and boutiques (we wanted to buy so much). 

I hopped on a photo shoot at the famous yellow arch, took a chocolate making class, relaxed on nets overlooking the highlands and volcanos (absolutely epic), and spent a morning at Hobbitenango walking on the trolls hand and hanging out in the hobbit houses. 

Nights in town were absolutely epic — we could see the orangey glow of the erupting volcano from our hotel. Super wild and surreal! Definitely not something we see here in California. 

We ended our whirlwind of a trip with the most impressive tasting menu at Sublime in Guatemala City — it even rivaled fine-dining meals I’ve had in Mexico City. There’s a reason why it’s on the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America! So unique and creative, and way cheaper at that, haha. 

March 

Strawberry, California

We had been aching for a winter trip, so were thrilled when our friends invited us to their new cozy cabin in the snowy mountains. And I swear, it legit felt like a boutique hotel – they did an amazing job with it, but no surprise there (Kris is kinda a master at home design and interiors). 

It was a weekend full of homemade eats (thanks Taka!), puzzle competitions, bourbon hot chocolates (loaded with mini marshmallows), marmalade making, comedy specials, bubble-filled board games, and snowy winter walks. 

We couldn’t even get in through the front door — completely covered in snow!

It was a weekend being fully present with fun people and hardly any phone time! Need more days like this!

BELIZE & GUATEMALA 

Caye Caulker, Belize

Time for my first (and actually *only*) solo trip of the year! I spent a glorious few day taking it slow on Caye Caulker, and luckily met a great group of people my first morning and spent a decent chunk of my time on the island with them. 

I’ve actually been to Belize before (over a decade ago), but primarily stayed in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. After my new friend I met in Mexico started sending me photos from her trip to Caye Caulker, I instantly knew I needed to head back to Belize.

Two of the main reasons I came? The Blue Hole and snorkeling in the Hol Chan barrier reef! 

Gazing out the window of a tiny 12-seater propeller plane flying over the Blue Hole was a major highlight and wildly impressive and the reef, wow, just wow! — crazy how many blues there are!

I spent a full day out on the water snorkeling in the Hol Chan Barrier Reef, and saw so much wildlife it was incredible! Manatees, spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, sea turtles, sting rays, lots of coral, and tons of colorful tropical fish. Such a perfect day out on the dazzling water, besides getting the worst sunburn of my life!

Other highlights on Caye Caulker included watching sunset every single night at the beach (most likely with a mango juice in hand), spending a lazy day relaxing at a beach club on the north side, and eating and drinking my weight in fresh coconuts, iced cacao tea, bbq chicken and shrimp, and the creamiest key lime pie. 

It’s impressive how many locals I had long conversations with. There’s such an amazing, positive energy here — hard to describe but Belizeans are just so helpful and actually care about their visitors. By far some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. 

April

Flores, Guatemala 

I crossed the border and continued my solo spring break trip with a few days in Flores, Guatemala (loved the country so much I just couldn’t stay away!). 

And what a moving few days it was. Swinging in a hammock at sunrise over the lake with sounds of hundreds of birds in the jungle, and then once the day was over, watching sunset over the lake every single night with watermelon juice in hand. Super idyllic; I just loved those slow nights/mornings. 

My major adventure here?! Waking up at 2:30am for a sunrise mission to Tikal! While there wasn’t exactly a sunrise, walking through the jungle in the pitch black listening to howler monkeys is something I’ll never forget. I got a full tour of the park afterwards and loved all the temples — so impressive and hardly crowded. Also saw a bunch of animals in the jungle too — toucans, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and cute coati! One of those pinch-me moments in life I’ll never forget. 

I wandered around the colorful island town taking tons of pictures of all the decorative doors and buildings (which totally reminded me of Guatape in Colombia a bit)!

Strolling the malecon for the best lake views was my favorite, as was taking a lancha to a scenic mirador, hanging out at a locals beach, and watching my new friends jump off rope swings into the lake (I was too chicken for that of course). 

Before the trip was over, I spent a full day swimming in the bluest, crystal clear waters I’ve ever seen at Crater Azul. Kinda crazy how this place is wildly unknown (and I kinda wanna keep it that way).

ANDREA VISITS SF

You read that right! My cousin came to visit — it was so fun having her in SF for a whole week (!!!) and showing her around our area. 

And we really took advantage of our time together – I don’t think we had this much uninterrupted quality time in years. So, so special and I can’t wait for her to come visit again soon Plus, Kona was obsessed with Ann from the first moment she got here at 2 in the morning, haha. 

We did *all* the things — we took plenty of silly selfies at Battery Spencer, had dangerously delicious pizza in North Beach, wandered around Chinatown, drove down Lombard Street, played tourist at the Painted Ladies, had a picnic at the Aquatic Park, rode on a cable car (my very first time!), took the ferry and explored Alcatraz, had huge scoops of cookies n cream at Ghirardelli, gawked at all the cute sourdough shapes at Boudin, and spent a night cheering on the Giants at the game (although we never actually made it to our seats, haha). 

There were also day trips to be had — a morning in Sausalito, dining al fresco in the sunshine and walking alongside the water, down to Monterey and Carmel for a day, wandering the cute storybook town, exploring the coastline on the 17 Mile Drive (my favorite), and just overall enjoying the sun!

We spent our last night together celebrating Ann’s early 40th birthday indulging in the most delicious over-stuffed lobster rolls while watching a gorgeous sunset over Half Moon Bay. Such a great visit and so thrilled she came to California!

Home in the Bay

After getting home from Central America, I spent most of the month at home here in the Bay Area; I really tried to take advantage of the wonderful weather we’d been having. 

And after all this rain, I swear EVERYTHING looked SO incredibly green with tons and tons of WILDFLOWERS!

I tried doing all the spring things – searched for wildflowers in a nearby park (found lots!), finally visited the famous wisteria fence in SF, checked out the floral exhibit at the Westin St. Francis, took so many photos of the cherry blossoms on our block, had flowery beach walks in Half Moon Bay, and found tons of poppies on a verrry long walk/hike in the East Bay. 

I also saw Come from Away on Broadway — what a heartfelt show and even based on a true story! We spent a few days in the city, trying a new bakery, walking by the bridge, and just enjoying SF. 

May

May was the first month in forever that was super, super low key — I hardly left the Bay Area! We took a few day trips, but honestly just hung out and relaxed SO much. I tend to overdo it with trips (although always very much worth it), so I’m starting to appreciate the downtime I do have. 

At home I checked out the mini yellow super bloom at Mori Point (with a sea of yellow flowers overlooking the beach), saw yet another musical (1776), and did some more city exploring: Coit tower, Mamas for brunch, and Japantown. 

Pacific Grove

We took a spontaneous Sunday drive down to Monterey, and finally got down to see the pink magic carpet in Pacific Grove. It was just as stunning as I imagined! Always forget just how much we love it down here, and crazy that it’s less than 2 hours from us. 

Tiburon

A quick day trip up north to Tiburon was another highlight of the month; I can’t believe after living in the Bay for almost 10 years we had never gone! We feasted on an amazing lunch right by the water at Sam’s, took long walks with the prettiest seaside views, and saw a colorful art installation. 

Orange County 

The minute school was out (remember, I’m a SLP at a high school), we drove down to SoCal for the week, doing some research for a potential upcoming move, and seeing a bunch of good friends/hanging with their cute kiddos.

Besides bringing the gray SF weather down to OC (the sun only came out ONCE our entire week there), it was great to explore different areas and get a feel for what we’re looking for (decided close to the beach it is!)

We checked out Dana Point, San Clemente (which we already knew we loved), a whole bunch of towns a bit further inland (not our style), Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Newport (LOVED!), and even a few towns in San Diego and in southern LA county. We even met with a realtor – yes, kinda prematurely, but wanted to see what’s out there!

June

June started a few months of basically nonstop travel, but first we celebrated a friend’s beautiful wedding up in Sonoma (Taylor you looked smashing as usual)!

Disneyland!

After living in California for over 9 years, I *finally* made it to Disneyland to celebrate a friend’s birthday with some favorite friends. 

And omg what a blast it was — we spent over 15 hours in the park, from 9am to almost 1 in the morning (and I was still ready to go!), haha. Of course there were lots of lines during peak hours (to be expected), but filled the time with lots of singing, dancing, stretching, mustache-making, etc. 

The morning/early afternoon was spent at Disneyland, then headed to DCA until they closed — then back to Disney for more rides until they closed! A super long and tiring day, but I already can’t wait to go back!

Some Disney stats:

• Rides rode: Big Thunder Railroad (twice!), Pirate of the Caribbean, Star Tours RITR, Hyperspace Mountain, the tea cups, Runaway Railway, the Incredicoaster, Buzz’s Astro Blasters, and Millennium Falcon 
• Ate: giant Mickey macaron, Mickey pretzel, popcorn crack, Mickey ice cream sandwich, lobster nachos, churro 
• Saw: World of Color Show 

Would I go again? 1000% – I can confirm Disney truly is the happiest place on Earth. Yes, despite the high price tag. I kinda wanna see it all decorated for Halloween or Christmas next time!

Newport, Rhode Island

A few days later I flew to NY bound for Rhode Island for a sister trip to Newport! Such a great start to summer, and love that we were able to have a few bonding days just for us! Think I wanna make this a tradition.

Ali’s been to Newport a bunch of times prior, so I was lucky she took me around to her favorite spots! We took a trolley tour learning about the history of Newport, went on an afternoon sail on an old lobster boat admiring all the fancy yachts, sipped Del’s frozen lemonade, and toured the ornate and opulent Breakers Mansion — so much gold everywhere!

I’ll never forget our last dinner overlooking the water with seafood pasta and the most amazing mashed potatoes, all the trips to Bowen’s and Bannister’s wharf, shopping on Thames street, and fresh lobster rolls!

We also spent a morning walking along the stunning cliff walk, cruising on Ocean Drive, and admiring the stunning Castle Hill Inn. Such an underrated state — if you have the opportunity to visit RI, go! 

All in all it was a fantastic few days — even the long drive home was so fun (tons of singing and dancing, haha). 

New York

Trips to NY are primarily about seeing those I love, and that’s exactly what I did, with some NYC exploring thrown in. Plus, I got to hug my 99 year old grandma, which, I didn’t know at the time, would be our very last one.

Once we were back in NY, I spent an afternoon in Astoria with my cousin, indulging in overpriced ice cream, thrift store shopping, and wandering around downtown. 

I always love exploring spots I haven’t been to in a while, so I ferried it over to Brooklyn for a few hours, spent the morning wandering around DUMBO, and watched the sunset on the ferry with some old friends for some stunning skyline views. 

My sister and I took a day trip to Greenport, strawberry picking and pizza winery included! Sunset overlooking the water with boozy lemonades in hand was the perfect way to end the night.

And I *finally* crossed the TWA Hotel off my bucket list! Highly recommended if you’ve got a few spare hours between flights or get to the airport extra early — so fun and nostalgic with tons of photo ops, a bar IN an old airplane, and a rooftop pool where you can watch planes take off. 

Tanzania: African Safari

After 3 long years (getting a puppy and of course international travel stopping due to we-all-know-what), we FINALLY made it on our long-awaited safari in Tanzania!

Was it everything we dreamed of and more? Yup, 1000%.

We spent a week doing game drives in several parks in Tanzania, including Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and of course Serengeti National Park! What an absolute dream come true. 

Just 30 seconds into Day 1 we saw a huge herd of zebras, and throughout the week saw tons of giraffe (so stately and majestic), more elephants than we could ever imagine (with some walking right in front of our jeep – so special each and every time), and *so many cats* (over a dozen lions). Such a surreal experience and honestly hard to put into words. 

We also saw tons of warthogs (pumbas are such funny little creatures), hyenas (we even heard them laugh!), cheetahs, wildebeest and buffalo and gazelles (oh my!), tiny little dik diks, kori bastards, baboons and black-faced monkeys, flamingos, ostrich, and so many hippos! Plus an endangered black rhino on our last day in the crater, and a huge pride of lions on our night drive. 

Unfortunately we only saw 4/5 of the Big 5 – the leopards were definitely hiding from us despite our patient guide looking for them for over 3 hours!

We woke up bright and early one morning for an unforgettable hot air balloon safari in the Serengeti – such an amazing experience and champagne-toasting in the bush afterwards was so epic (along with the loo with a view – I literally watched zebras grazing along as I used the bathroom, haha). 

Another main highlight was spending two nights at Lemala Nmpingo Ridge in Tarangire – such a splurge but oh so worth it for the sundowners each night, immaculate tent with outdoor tub overlooking the park, and the safari chic atmosphere. We were obsessed; I could easily live there, haha. 

July

Zanzibar

Once we begrudgingly said goodbye to all the animals on our Tanzania safari, we spent the next week relaxing by the beach in Zanzibar. Such a wildly different culture and feel than mainland Tanzania, and I’m glad we got to experience both. 

We explored the historic Stone Town (felt so much like a medina in Morocco), fed the tortoise on Prison Island, and learned all about the exotic fruits and spices on a spice tour. We had a delicious meal at Emerson with cocktails at sunset, with one of the comfiest atmospheres around – pillows upon pillows barefoot!

A main highlight in Zanzibar was spending the day on Nakupenda Bis – a blip of a sandbar in the Indian Ocean a few miles away from land. Hardly anyone was there, and we played in the sparkling shallow waters, I found tons of beautiful, untouched shells, and indulged in a seafood feast cooked by our guide right on the sand (complete with lobster, tuna, octopus, calamari, and homemade fries!)

Our day at Mnemba Island was my favorite day – the sun finally came out and we spent loads of time wading through the waters of yet another sandbar, ate so much passion fruit and avocado, and snorkeled in some of the healthiest reef I ever swam in — and I was the only one in the water (even more impressive than snorkeling in Maui and Belize, surprisingly!). Who knew?!

Our other days on Zanzibar were spent watching sunsets from our fave rooftop bar, taking long walks on the beach, witnessing the crazy tides, relaxing poolside, dodging the rain (yup, ugh!), and drinking tons of passion fruit mojitos. 

Such an impressive country and makes me eager to explore more of Africa! Although the flight was just shy of about 25 hours…

Central Mexico

After a week at home, I was off again – this time to Mexico with some friends! I can’t seem to stay away from this colorful country, haha. At least the flight is way shorter than heading to Africa. 

Guanajuato

I spent a fun few days exploring the city semi-solo (before my other friends arrived), staying with a friend I met in Bacalar last year (hey hey Dani!). I loved getting a more locals’ perspective (bars! friends! People to help me translate/understand the nitty gritty. The best rooftop in the city.), and of course the cutest dog in the whole city, Iggy.

During my almost-week in Guanajuato, I took the funicular up and admired the iconic views from the Pipila viewpoint (twice!), wandered around the plazas and squares with elote and churros in hand, drank so many lemonadas and passionfruit concoctions, loved the colorful buildings and Callejon del Beso, explored the outdoor and indoor markets (mmm fresh jugo de fresa y sandia), watched sunset every night (rooftop bars, university steps, swinging in Dani’s hammock, etc), drank way too many chocolate frios from popular cafes, and loved practicing mi espanol.

I also went on a sticky hot day trip to Dolores Hidalgo to see the famous rainbow tomb, try allll the weird and wacky ice cream flavors, and check out the iconic pottery. 

After five full days in the small city, I kinda started to feel like a local! Such a fun feeling!

San Miguel de Allende

Next up — SMA! I *loved* revisiting this colorful little city — we spent lots of time admiring the most beautiful library, took tons of photos along the colorful streets, wandered the Fabrica la Aurora art center, listened to mariachi music and people watched at Jardin Allende every night, ventured into way too many colorful shops, and checked out the views from the mirador. 

But our favorite? Just wandering the town; I swear every street is a postcard and more beautiful than the last. 

Plus all the eating! We had more amazing meals in SMA than I thought possible, complete with rooftop views of the iconic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel (including late-night taco carts, breakfast chilaquiles, famous chocolate churros, enmoladas, and our favorite meals at Toastevere and Garambullo). 

Mexico City

I always love heading back to CDMX (it’s such an eclectic and vibrant city with tons of colorful culture). Even with just two full days, we squeezed in oh so much!

We wandered around the gorgeous leafy green Parque Mexico, drank at some fun bars and speakeasies (like GinGin and Handshake), checked out the views from Chapultepec Castle, learned all about Luis Barragan at Casa Gilardi (my second time visiting!), and spent some time in ritzy Polanco.

We also spent a hectic morning downtown, heading to Biblioteca Vasconcelos (my first time!), the House of Tiles (always a must), Palacio Postal, Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the iconic CDMX sign in the Zocalo. Plus the ceiling at Gran Hotel, a wild time grabbing pastries at Pasteleria Ideal, and finishing at the indoor artisan market.

Of course the food was a major highlight – and we ate way too much (featuring ricotta stuffed squash blossoms at Lardo, al pastor tacos at Orinoco, ricotta cacao rolls and guava rolls at Rosetta, churro ice cream sandwiches at El Moro, and everything delicioso at Expendio de Maiz).  

Getting stuck in crazy thunderstorms a few too many times (including that night we camped out in an ATM for far too long and hid under umbrellas at Frida Khalo’s house) will forever be a core memory of the trip. 

August 

Once August rolled around, I said my sad goodbyes to summer as work started up again (and I took Kona on a field trip to school and everyone loved him).

I saw some Broadway shows and went to a few concerts (Aladdin!, Cirque du Soleil!, SAM HUNT, BEYONCÉ!) and decided I wanna accomplish a new travel goal — visiting all 50 states by age 40!

Ali and Kevin come visit!

As soon as I got home from Mexico (less than 12 hours later!), my sister and her husband Kevin flew in! I had just spent a week with her in NY/Newport earlier this summer, but won’t say no to more sister time!

I was SO thrilled for their visit – and I loved showing them where we’ve been living the past 9 years!

We had the most amazing meal at House of Prime Rib, complete with late-night donuts from Bob’s afterwards (drool). And after they got back from Napa, we spent the next few days driving down the coast, laughing non stop on rides in Santa Cruz, indulging in delicious fish tacos, somehow making it down to the beach at Shark Fin Cove (practically hanging onto Kevin), and taking foggy walks in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay.

We also spent an afternoon wandering Sausalito, checked out a few downtown areas on the Peninsula, admired the bridge views at Battery Spencer, did some San Francisco city exploring (Ghirardelli! Fisherman’s Wharf! Calacademy! The most amazing North Beach food tour! Dancing on the streets in Chinatown and getting yelled at for asking for a lime wedge, haha – inside joke I don’t wanna forget lol!). 

Lots of fun family time and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Beyoncé 

Because she totally deserves her own section, haha. I super spontaneously bought tickets to see Beyonce… less than 48 hours before the show. It was easily the most expensive concert ticket I’ve ever bought, but the experience of seeing her live was so worth it!

Was a scramble for sure figuring out a sparkly silver outfit (crazy last minute) and transportation, but we did it!

And what a Queen she was!!! Even from up high in the nose bleeds! We LOVED seeing everyone’s over the top outfits, and her daughter even came out for a few songs!!!

I didn’t make it home until after 2am… and went to work the next day… but I managed to power through, somehow!

September

The fall season started off with lots of busy weekends, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We also saw New Found Glory and All American Rejects in concert, and got a surprise upgrade to box seats!

Labor Day trip to Napa 

We hadn’t been to Napa Valley in forever (we typically head to Sonoma instead) so we decided to go for a night over the long weekend. Most of our time was spent in Calistoga, and we loved the chill vibes (felt way more laid-back than the typically pretentious towns of Napa Valley).

We went wine tasting at Tank (so cool!), checked out a few vineyards, spent too much time at Dr. Wilkinsons (with total Palm Springs vibes), had s’mores by the fire, and just overall relaxed. Kona loved the hula hoop in our hotel room and playing corn hole, haha. Next time we’re really hoping to get a mud bath!

Other highlights included wandering around downtown Napa for a morning, perusing Oxbow Market, walking by the river, and having a delicious meal of fresh pasta for lunch. It’s always a good time in wine country!

Laguna Seca in Monterey

Another weekend in September was spent down in Monterey with friends, celebrating Noah’s (very) belated bday! We walked around the charming town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, had some delicious pizzas at La Bicyclette, took a short hike at Point Lobos, and had cocktails while playing some golf (so incredibly fun!).

But the real reason we were down there?! To see the last Indycar race of the season!

After following Formula 1 for so long, it was about time we saw a race in action! Felt like we were in a real-life video game! So crazy and insane! Such a fun weekend with some of our favorite people!

Weekend Trip to Seattle

We ended out the month with a long weekend trip to Seattle to visit some good friends of ours that recently moved there. 

Our friends showed us around and we all played tourist — went to the top of the Space Needle, sipped cocktails at so many fun bars (plus pie at Pie Bar!), watched a perfectly pastel sunset at Kerry Park, spent lots of time on their rooftop admiring the views, took a long walk at Discovery Park, checked out the vendors at the Ballard Farmers Market, stuffed our faces with tons of good food (pizza! Malaysian!, brunch!), and wandered inside the Amazon Spheres. 

My #1 highlight?! Taking the ferry over to Bainbridge Island – probably my favorite thing we did during our 3 days in Seattle! Had some delicious fish n chips, ice cream, walked around the local shops, and meandered by the waterfront. Seattle truly shines in the sun!

I also spent some time solo, eating as much as I could at Pike Place Market, exploring Pioneer Square and taking the popular Underground Tour, and loving the striking architecture at Seattle Central Library.

So grateful to have such great friends who opened their home to us and shared their new life in Seattle with us! We even contemplated a potential move afterwards… (sense a theme for 2023?)  

October

October was another busy month at home, with my parents visiting towards the end of the month and some concerts sprinkled in. We saw Neyo (he wore that famous red suit we loved at the Lovers and Friends festival in Vegas last year), and I reached a 500 day streak learning Spanish on Duolingo! 

We had some fall fun in SF — had a sticky picnic to watch the airshow with friends, admired the fall decorations at The Westin (always amazing), and got Halloween themed cocktails at The Summer Place! I even made an apple pie, almost from scratch!

I sadly canceled a dream New England fall foliage road trip, but hey, maybe I’ll go next year instead! Apparently the colors weren’t as bright and bold as normal, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

Glamping in Russian River

We started off the busy month with a night glamping at AutoCamp. I’ve been wanting to go glamping in the redwoods for oh so long – it feels like such a Northern California experience right?! So I’m thrilled we finally made it happen!

We are *so* not camping people, and couldn’t even get our fire to start (true story), but we managed!

It ended up being so fun (despite the rainy weather) – we took a long walk amongst the towering redwoods in Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, had ice cream and a chocolate biscuit for lunch (whoops – that pistachio baklava flavor was LIFE), and a delicious dinner in downtown Guerneville.

We ended the night hanging by the fire (making s’mores) in the lodge and enjoying our tent! It was a pretty low key weekend but loved being able to relax a bit and of course that we could take Kona along with us! 

Boise, Idaho

After my canceled New England trip, I decided to visit a new state — Idaho it was for state #30!

We spent the weekend in Boise wandering around town, hitting up all the hip coffee shops, checking out some fun speakeasies (yes, they have those in Boise, I was surprised!), taking photos at the murals downtown, doing a sunset hike above the fall foliage, and walking down the Boise River Greenbelt. 

And oh so much food — finger steaks with fry sauce, an ice cream potato (probably the highlight of the trip for me, lol), DIY fries (I mean, we were in Idaho!), potato pizza, and the most creative, memorable meal at KIN (I’d go back to Boise just for that, haha).

It was such a relaxing weekend together, and I cannot believe we’ve never been to Idaho before despite being less than a 2 hour flight from us! Boise kinda felt like an outdoorsy Denver/Portland hybrid, and I can see why people love it so much (heck, tons of Californians are moving there). 

Mom and Dad visit!!

We closed out October with a visit from my parents. We spent so much quality time together – I forgot how much I love hanging out with them!

Our days were spent exploring the Bay Area and beyond. We went to Santa Cruz for a day, riding the steam train along the redwoods (such a cool experience), finding new species at the UCSC Arboretum (my moms favorite!), and walking along the water watching the surfers. 

Another day was spent in the city exploring Golden Gate Park, including a visit to the Japanese Tea Gardens (such great mochi!), the observatory at the de Young Museum, and taking a walk around the lake.

We also spent some time local as well, wandering some downtown areas on the Peninsula, getting a great brunch, going to a street fair, checking out the insanely decorated Halloween houses, and lots of yummy take out! Love visits from family. <3 

November

Apple Hill

It *finally* started feeling like fall in San Francisco, and after I unfortunately had to cancel my epic New England fall foliage road trip, we booked a weekend in Apple Hill as my consolation prize, haha. Not exactly the same, but still super fun!

We bounced around from farm to farm and orchard to orchard, sipping apple cider shakes and hard apple ciders, indulging in alllll the things (apple crisp a la mode, HUGE apple fritters, smooth pear cider, a super cute hot chocolate flight, apple dumplings, and more), and admiring all the fall colors.

And of course the most orgasmic apple cider donuts that ever existed – oh so fluffy and soft, and perfectly covered in tons of sugar – a donut I’ll remember for the rest of my life, haha.

We got so lucky and visited during peak foliage – I couldn’t believe the colors of the leaves (including that perfectly peak red tree I found).

Sometimes it’s the small moments I love the most, like having a super low key night eating cheeseburgers in bed and watching Elf together with Kona – which is exactly what we did that night, haha. 

New Mexico Road Trip for Thanksgiving! 

New Mexico was my 31st state of my 50 states challenge! We road tripped almost the entire length of the state, starting in Albuquerque and heading to Santa Fe, Truth or Consequences (what a fun name!), Las Cruces, Bandelier National Monument, and White Sands National Park.

And New Mexico was exactly what I thought it’d be — lots of Pueblo-style architecture, green chile cheeseburgers, and stunning natural landscapes. It was such a fun and varied road trip, and it makes me excited to explore other new-to-me states!

In Santa Fe we went shopping at the Plaza, ate our weight in blue corn pancakes, donuts, and enchiladas, sipped margaritas on the margarita trail, climbed up ladders and saw petroglyphs at Bandelier National Monument, and I learned about and admired Georgia O’Keeffe and all her artwork. 

Our short time in Albuquerque was spent wandering around Old Town (loved it!) and heading up 10,300 feet on the tram for sunset (absolutely spectacular despite the freezing temps).

We soaked in hot springs along the Rio Grande River in Truth or Consequences (what a colorful tiny town) and ran around like little kids on the white gypsum sand at White Sands National Park outside of Las Cruces.

The trip was super bittersweet because my sweet, sweet 99.5 year old grandma passed away just as we were getting on the plane, and I spent the next 48 hours in a frenzy trying to figure out if we could get to New York. 

Logistics got the better of me so we decided to celebrate her life down in North Carolina with my parents later in the month. Lots of tears were shed, but I found peace knowing my grandma wouldn’t want me in a state of intense stress.

Plus, Noah’s parents visited for a few days, so we got to spend some time with them before and after our trip to New Mexico.

December

North Carolina 

After a few weeks at home, we were off again, this time to North Carolina to see my parents! It was a low-key few days, spending lots of quality time with them, and reminiscing tons about my grandparents – we even found my grandpa’s GED and lots of old photos! Some of my favorites!

Besides the trip down memory lane, we did lots of puzzling (worked on a 2000 piece puzzle!), explored the Battleship North Carolina (so interesting!), saw dozens of decorated Christmas trees at the Fort Fisher Aquarium Festival of Trees, wandered along Wrightsville beach in the winter sun looking for seashells, and walked on the Wilmington Riverwalk and caught a gorgeous sunset. 

My dad also gave us a golf cart ride around their new development which was definitely a fun highlight as well!

Christmas in Europe!

London, England 

After planning (and re-planning) this trip for months, it was finally here! Our first time to Europe in the winter, and we chose to start our 2-week Christmas Market trip in London. I could not believe just how festive the city gets for the holidays (after finally getting there – our flight was canceled and we spent an unexpected night/day in Salt Lake City).

We primarily explored the SoHo/Mayfair and Covent Garden areas, and wow, just wow! London really goes all out! 

Of course we saw all the over-the-top decorations in the city — including all the windows at the big name brands on Bond Street (loved Cartier the most), a festive high tea, lunch at Sketch (oh those bathrooms!), the Regent Street angels, wandered Harrods (don’t miss the fish n chips) and Fortnum and Mason, devoured festive cupcakes at Peggy Porschein, and more. Basically all the festive things in London. I was obsessed with it all to say the least. 

In all honesty, the Christmas markets were nothing special, but we kinda expected that (and ohhh that cheese wheel pasta, drool).

I kinda forgot how much I love London (it’s such an eclectic city with so much personality and fun), and now I’m scheming how we can maybeee live there someday, at least for a little while

We also got in a few of our favorites toward the end of our trip, like Indian at Dishoom, salt beef bagels at Beigel Bake, wandering the markets in Shoreditch, and a new favorite — the famous chocolate strawberries at Borough Market (which I’ll gladly pay £8.5 for over and over).

Prague, Czechia 

After our few days in London, we flew over to Prague, and what an unexpected good time it was (and great to revisit after almost 8 years). 

The Christmas Markets in Prague were by far the best ones on our trip, despite the insane crowds on our first night (it was Christmas Day and all…). We stuffed our faces with so much market food, like paprika sausages, savarak wine (admittedly not our favorite), so many trdelniks with Nutella, fried cheese, old Prague ham, mini potato dumplings, and more. Honestly, it was hard to keep track!

Besides all the market gorging, we crossed the Charles Bridge at sunrise, explored the Prague Castle (before all the crowds came), sipped savarak on a river cruise, gawked at some great views from a few medieval towers, saw the wild architecture of the famous Dancing House, took pics at the Lennon Wall, saw the crazy old astronomical clock, watched some insane performances and ate massive pork knees at a medieval dinner, and tried (and loved) kolaches, a traditional Czech dessert.

Cesky Krumlov, Czechia

Next up – Cesky Krumlov, a small South Bohemian town that’s known for its super cute storybook little village! And little it was, haha. We quite literally walked every block a few times.

During our few days, we got great views of the tiny town from the Cloak Bridge and other viewpoints, stepped into the St. Vitus Church, got lost in the UNESCO Heritage Historic Town Center, and strolled along the peaceful riverbank.

We got so lucky with food, considering we made zero reservations – lucking out with a table at Krčma Šatlava (where we had dinner in a cave with candlelight), and having a classic Czech meal at Svejk (where I ate the most delicious vareniki of my life).

The Christmas markets right in Svornosti Square were small, but of course we managed to eat even more trdelniks, sausages, fresh potato chips, crepes, spiced nuts, and a delicious apple rum drink we were both obsessed with.

We admittedly devoted too much time in Cesky, but it was nice to relax for a bit in the middle of our very-busy trip.

Hallstatt, Austria for New Years!

Our last stop of 2023 – Hallstatt, Austria; a place that’s been on my Pinterest board for oh so many years. It wasn’t the snowy winter wonderland we had hoped for, but still so idyllic with its dramatic landscapes and frozen fairytale village.

In town, we wandered around finding all the best viewpoints, eating so many Austrian pastries and more schnitzel and potato salad than imaginable (so much potato salad, haha). We stayed at the most beautiful hotel of our trip, super modern with unobstructed views of the lake and even heated floors! It was marvelous!

A huge highlight of our entire Euro winter trip was taking the gondola up to Dachstein Krippenstein and doing the short snowy hike to 5 Fingers. To say I was enamored by the views is a massive understatement – I legit almost cried it was so beautiful. 

We watched the sunset from the top of the mountain and breathed in that crisp mountain air; definitely one of those moments you can’t believe life is real. Those snowy peaks were something else – Austria you officially have my heart.

We rang in the New Year eating soft pretzels in bed and watching loads of fireworks over the lake – exactly how we wanted it. Calm and cozy with full bellies stuffed with schnitzel and apple strudel.

We also went to Bruges, Belgium for a few days and had another wintery day in London – but that’ll have to wait for next year’s Year in Review since it was technically already 2024! 

Thanks 2023 for a beautiful year, filled with tons of family time, puppy cuddles, good food, and of course lots of travels and adventures. I’ve got a few things in the works for 2024, but it’s always so exciting to see how the next year pans out! Happy New Year, friends!

The post 2023 Year in Review: The Year of Adventures, Near and Far appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Bacalar, Mexico — full of laid back vibes, a stunning freshwater lagoon with shockingly turquoise waters, a colorful downtown area, and all the delicious and healthy food you could want. It’s the best place to relax on any longer Yucatan/ Quintana Roo trip, and I cannot wait to go back (even though I just went)!

There’s a reason Bacalar is affectionately known as the “Maldives of Mexico”. Instead of going halfway around the world to find crystal clear turquoise waters, come to Bacalar instead! Known for its Lagoon of Seven Colors (La Laguna de Los Siete Colores), I could have spent my days just gazing out at all those beautiful blue and turquoise hues. Lemme just say – it was hard to leave!

The Mexican Government even designated Bacalar a Pueblo Magico (magic town!), and I can totally see why. This little known gem in the Yucatan Peninsula stole my heart the moment I arrived.

Haven’t heard much (if anything!) about Bacalar?! I admit I hadn’t either until visiting! We tend to love unpretentious little towns not many people have heard of. Kinda like when we visited Borrego Springs on our Southern California desert road trip, Todos Santos as a side trip to Los Cabos (although it’s recently gotten way more popular), Izamal as a day trip from Valladolid, and Menton and Villefranche Sur Mer near Nice!

So when I found myself with an extra week in Mexico (after the airline canceled my flight and gave me no options to return home… true story), I decided to make the 5 hour bus ride down to Bacalar. Why? To meet up with a girl I met a few days prior in Valladolid! What a great (super spontaneous) decision it was!

Bacalar was the best surprise on my much-longer Yucatan Peninsula itinerary. It’s a less-visited paradise – a relatively unknown slice of the Caribbean. And I was all for it. 

Bacalar’s not as popular as other spots in Mexico (I’m looking at you Mexico City, Tulum, Cabo, etc) but still very, very worthy of a visit. I feel like it’s still under the radar to most tourists (how San Pancho and Izamal are), but I’ve got a feeling it’s gonna start getting popular, and FAST. So don’t wait much longer — go soon!

Before I get into all the fun things to do in Bacalar, he’s a bunch of info to help you plan your trip!

Bacalar Trip Planning Logistics

Where is Bacalar?

Bacalar is nestled in the southeast corner of Mexico in the state of Quintana Roo, about 215 miles southwest of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula. 

It’s not too far from the Belize border (only about 30 minutes or so), and plenty of travelers to Bacalar head to Belize afterwards. Including my friend I met while traveling solo in Mexico!

Bacalar is about 2 hours south of Tulum, which is the closest major (and popular) tourist destination. It’s not on the coast, so you won’t find any beaches, but Bacalar is perfectly situated right on the stunning Bacalar Lagoon. Meaning – tons of lake time!

Planning a trip to Mexico and thinking of adding on Bacalar? Remember — Mexico is a HUGE country! Bacalar is on the opposite coast of popular spots like Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, and the up-and-coming tiny town of San Pancho, and nowhere near Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, or Oaxaca (although those are all worthy of their own Mexico trip). 

You’ll wanna save spots like Los Cabos, La Paz, and Todos Santos for another Mexico trip as well, since they’re far away from Bacalar.

I recommend grouping Bacalar with a trip to Merida, Izamal, Valladolid, Chichen Itza, and Tulum!

How to Get to Bacalar

Even though Bacalar is pretty far removed from the other hotspots of the Yucatan Peninsula (it sits in the extreme south of Quintana Roo), it’s fairly easy to get to! There’s no airport in Bacalar, but there’s thankfully other ways of getting here.

Most people head to Bacalar from elsewhere in Quintana Roo (like Cancun or Tulum) or from nearby Belize City. Bacalar is pretty far south in the Yucatán Peninsula, so expect to be a few hours away from all the popular, well-known hot spots.

Option 1: Rent a Car From the Airport and Drive

Many visitors to Bacalar will be flying into Cancun International Airport (airport code CUN). From here you can easily rent a car and drive straight to Bacalar from the airport in about 4 hours. Unlike other parts of Mexico, the roads are in decent condition and mostly well-maintained. 

If I was traveling with friends I think we would have rented a car as the drive seemed pretty straight forward (I took the bus). Plus, having a rental car will give you utmost flexibility, meaning you can make some stops along the way to Bacalar, like to Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Akumal (to swim with sea turtles).

You can also drive from the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Belize City. It takes about 3 hours or so.

Psst: If you’re heading from Belize into Mexico (and therefore crossing the border), you’ll need to go through two immigration checkpoints – one for each country. Be prepared to pay the fees.

Option 2: ADO bus from Cancun, Tulum, or Valladolid

Don’t feel comfortable renting a car? Take public transit instead! ADO is the largest bus company in Mexico, and services the entire Yucatan Peninsula. These are large coach tourist buses and exceptionally nicer than standard buses in the states. Since I was already in Cancun anticipating my flight home… which was then canceled the day of.. I took the bus from downtown Cancun to Bacalar. 

It was a long and tiring day – about 5 hours on the bus. But thankfully, I had previously used the ADO buses all around Yucatan and Quintana Roo, and found them super comfortable, safe, and easy! 

You can easily take an ADO bus from all around the Yucatan Peninsula to Bacalar. Here’s some popular nonstop routes and travel times:

• Chetumal: 45 minutes
• Mahahual: 1 ½ hours
• Tulum: 2 ½ hours
• Playa del Carmen: 4 hours
• Valladolid: 4 hours
• Cancun: 5 hours
• Merida: 5 hours

Buses run continuously throughout the day and late into the night. And aren’t expensive at all – expect buses from Cancun to Bacalar to be about 600 MXN pesos, or $30USD. Book your ADO bus ticket here (or you can simply show up at the bus station, but there’s no guarantee the exact bus time you want will still be available). 

Psst – you’ll likely save some money booking in advance on the website. I had no problems using my Visa, but I’ve heard some people having difficulty using foreign credit cards.

Make sure to bring snacks, water (don’t worry, there’s a bathroom on the bus), and some entertainment. The ADO bus drops you off on the side of the main road about 15 minutes from town – you can either walk to your hotel (which I did) or take a quick taxi ride.

Option 3: Fly to Chetumal

Rather fly? While there’s no airport in Bacalar itself, there is one about 45 minutes away in Chetumal, Mexico. You can take a short commuter flight from Cancun (with AeroMexico or Volaris) or Belize City (with Tropic Air). 

You can then take a shared shuttle transfer right from Chetumal Airport to Bacalar for less than $20 (or rent a car if you’d like instead). 

Option 4: Day Trip from Mahahual

Mahahual (Costa Maya) is a cruise ship port, so if you’re headed to the area via cruise ship you can easily take a day trip to Bacalar and explore its lagoon if you prefer! Mahahual and Bacalar are about an hour away from each other, and there’s plenty of local tour companies offering day trips.

Option 5: Day Trip from Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Cancun

While I honestly think Bacalar deserves way more than a few hours (all you’ll really get on a day trip), if that’s all you have time for, GO! Most organized tours will take you on a tour of the stunning turquoise lagoon, plus give you time for lunch and a walk around town to see the San Felipe Fort. 

Book your tour from Cancun here and from Playa del Carmen here.

How to Get Around Bacalar

The downtown area of Bacalar is pretty compact, so you can easily walk from spot to spot. I think we walked almost 15k steps each and every day!

However, if you’re headed to a beach club a bit further afield (or Los Rapidos – highly recommend), you’ll need to take a taxi. There’s no Uber in Bacalar (yet!), so expect to take taxis and carry pesos on hand. As always in Mexico, negotiate on a price before getting into a cab, and feel free to negotiate a bit.

When to Visit Bacalar

Bacalar is gorgeous any time of year, but if you don’t wanna get stuck in a massive storm, keep on reading!

Unlike other coastal areas like Playa del Carmen and Tulum, Bacalar is typically a bit cooler. So expect a light breeze no matter the time of year and bring along a light sweater or jacket for night time.

High Season: December – April (Dry Season)

Winter (December to April) is the best time to visit Bacalar with pleasant temps and the least rainfall of the year. Expect hot temps during the day (mid to high 80s°F) and mild, warm temps at night once the sun goes down.

Just know it’ll be more expensive and crowded the week around Christmas (when I went!) and Easter (spring break). Bacalar isn’t overrun with tourists – yet – but what is typically a pretty sleepy town definitely wakes up around these holidays. If there’s any restaurants you really wanna dine at, come early.

For reference, I visited in late December, and unfortunately had mixed weather of rain, clouds, and sun. When we arrived it was pouring rain, and it hardly let up the rest of the day. 

Thankfully it was dry the next few days, although I wish we had more sun! The colors of the lake really shine when it’s sunny. I heard that once it rains for a few days, that’s it for a while, so I must have just gotten unlucky. All the more reason to head back.

Low Season: May – November (Hot, Rainy Season)

Summer brings the heat and rain, and I don’t recommend visiting between June and October if you can’t stand the sweltering heat. It can be pretty steamy this time of year, (with temps reaching well into the 90℉), but that’s what the lagoon is for!

Your best bet during low season is to visit towards the beginning, between May and July, before Hurricane Season is in full swing. The most rain occurs in September and October, when most major hurricanes hit the area.

Prime Hurricane Season: August – October 

Whatever you do, avoid visiting Bacalar from August through October. While Hurricane Season officially runs from June through November on all of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, the absolute worst of the hurricanes hit between August and October. 

Meaning you don’t wanna visit now. Avoid visiting Bacalar during this time – the chance of heavy rain and wind may force you to ultimately leave and spoil your vacation anyways!

While the odds of a hurricane actually hitting Bacalar are fairly low, tropical storms do happen (resulting in major flooding and potentially muddy and dark lagoon waters). I’d hate to plan an entire trip to beautiful Bacalar only to have it spoiled by rain and a hurricane! No thanks!

Additional FAQs and Info About Bacalar

Is English spoken? A little bit! Since tourism is increasing fast in Bacalar, you’ll find many locals with some proficiency in English. But that doesn’t mean everyone is fluent nor should you expect everyone to speak in English. Locals will greatly appreciate it if you use a bit of Spanish (or at least try!). So download Duolingo and practice the basics before you go! 

We managed just fine with our limited Spanish, although my 2 weeks in Mexico practicing beforehand definitely helped!

Local Currency: Like the rest of Mexico, the local currency in Bacalar is the Mexican Peso. I highly advise you take out some pesos at an ATM at the Cancun airport upon arrival (as you’ll get the best conversion rate using an ATM and never at a currency exchange kiosk). 

Don’t expect all restaurants and shops in Bacalar to take credit cards, so always be prepared. In addition, you’ll want some cash for tips, at small handicraft shops, road-side taco and snack stands, as well as for any taxis you may be taking to/from the beach clubs. 

Don’t rely on ATMS: Word to the wise – take out enough cash before heading to Bacalar. 

I always assumed ATMs would be readily available with cash to dispose of everywhere around the world… until I got to Guatape in Colombia on a different trip and there was absolutely no money to be found. 

Now I typically do some research in advance. But since I headed to Bacalar on a whim, I didn’t know what to expect until I got there! Unfortunately I learned firsthand that there’s not many ATMs in Bacalar, and the ones that I did find weren’t working properly or ran out of cash.

After asking around, I found what I think is the one main strip of ATMs in all of Bacalar – within the main building at the Plaza – with 3 or 4 ATMs next to each other. It’s kinda tricky to find, but go around the building and you’ll see it kinda hidden.

There’s also an ATM at the entrance to La Playita Restaurant, but its typically out of money (including when I was there).

With all that being said, bring enough cash with you just in case all the ATMs are out of money at the same time. You don’t wanna get stuck without any pesos – that means no boat rides, no local snacks, and minimal restaurants to choose from.

Hate paying those pesky ATM fees? I feel you – those are the worst and really add up over time. Look into a no-fee debit card before your trip. We’ve been using Charles Schwab for years and haven’t paid a fee in forever.

How Long to Stay in Bacalar: I spent three nights and two full days in Bacalar, and felt it was the perfect amount of time. If I had booked a hotel right on the water, I think I would have enjoyed another day or two hanging at the lake and relaxing. The town is teeny-tiny (we walked the whole thing a few times), and most of the activities focus around the water.

However, if you’re not too far away, (Tulum is about a 2 ½ hour drive), you can easily see its highlights in a very long day. But however long you stay (as a day trip from Tulum or a few days like me), definitely take a sailing trip on Lake Bacalar. The color of the water in the lagoon is unreal – I wish I could float in those waters all day, everyday.

Bacalar is a Pueblo Magico: There’s a reason Bacalar’s been designated as a Pueblo Mágico (Magic Town) by the Mexican government (just like Todos Santos, Teotihuacán, Izamal, Valladolid, Sayulita, Tulum, San Miguel de Allende, etc – wow, I’ve been to quite a few of them!).

Bacalar is known for its natural beauty (have you seen the photos?!), historical importance, and variety of activities. Hence the designation as a Magic Town!

Are there beaches in Bacalar? Nope! But the Bacalar Lagoon is just as good (if not better) than any beach, so don’t dismiss Bacalar on that fact alone! If you’re dying for a beach day, head on over to Mahahual, about an hour or so away by shuttle.

Can I wear sunscreen in Bacalar? You may have heard you cannot wear sunscreen in the Bacalar Lagoon – and that’s true! Of course, make sure to slather on that sunscreen when you’re out in the sun, but make sure to completely wash it off before entering the lagoon. 

But why?! Sunscreens (even reef safe and biodegradable kinds) can negatively affect the pH balance of the lagoon water. This in turn can damage its fragile ecosystem, which the town has worked so hard to preserve. Just follow the rules people!

There’s other ways to protect your skin — come prepared with a sun hat and long-sleeve swimwear!

Is Bacalar the next Tulum? Ugh, I sure hope not! But honestly, (and unfortunately), it kinda seems like it! There’s a reason The New York Times called Bacalar the next Tulum in 2019. 

As I was walking around town, I totally got some trendy Tulum vibes – not that I hated it, but it just makes me sad to think in the next 5 years or so this place will most likely be discovered by the masses and probably lose some of its authentic, laid back charm.

In 2019 alone, over 200k tourists visited the lagoon — much higher numbers than in the past. Tourism is becoming such a big part of the community that about half of the town’s residents work in the field!

Which is why I urge you to GET. THERE. NOW. Bacalar was even trending on Tik-Tok a few weeks ago, which makes sense as it’s a cheaper, less-crowded alternative to Tulum.

So… with all that being said, get there before it gets spoiled by the masses (and don’t post too much about it on social media).

Are there crocodiles in Bacalar Lagoon? Yup – although you probably won’t come across any. The Bacalar Lagoon is a fresh water area, and is a habitat for plenty of wildlife, yes, including crocodiles. Only swim in areas that are heavily patrolled, and never, ever by yourself. There have been a few crocodile attacks in the last year, although thankfully no casualties.

During our 3 days in Bacalar we (thankfully!) didn’t run into any crocodiles. I would have royally freaked out. While out on the lagoon, listen to your captain and boat staff – some spots of the lagoon are dangerous to swim in.

Is there sargassum (seaweed) in Bacalar? Nope! Unlike other parts of the Caribbean (I’m talking about you Tulum and Playa del Carmen), Bacalar is completely free from sargassum (seaweed). Sargassum is a type of brown algae that grows in masses in the ocean and piles up on the sand. Not exactly what you picture a beautiful beach day to look like. 

Trust me, it’s way worse than it sounds – and thankfully Bacalar has none of that since it’s a lagoon and not the open ocean.

What’s a stromatolite? Yeah – I had no idea until I visited either, haha. Stromatolites (or estromatolitos in Spanish) are one-cell organisms, and they’re the OLDEST LIVING THINGS ON EARTH! As in dating back to more than three billion years ago – whoa (for reference, Earth is ~4.5 billion years old). They’re living fossils and are super important for the health of the lagoon.

Just like algae cleans the salty ocean, stromatolites clean the freshwater of the lagoon by increasing the amount of oxygen. Stromatolites are super rare, and Bacalar is one of the few places on Earth where they survive and thrive! Whatever you do, don’t touch or stand on them. 

Health and Safety in Quintana Roo

Health: You’ll need to stick to bottled water as you cannot drink the water in Bacalar (you can brush your teeth with it, but that’s about it). But don’t worry, you’ll easily find bottles of purified water in all restaurants and markets. 

And rest assured, all ice is made from purified water as well. Our hotel had bottles of water for us everyday, and we thankfully didn’t get sick from any fresh veggies or fruit we ate. 

In terms of food, when ordering from street vendors, ensure it’s fully cooked and hasn’t been sitting out for too long (if foods not selling this is a good indication it’s been there a while). We had no problems with any drinks or food in Bacalar, and felt everything was of great quality.

Safety: I know, I know. Mexico gets a bad rep. But I can assure you we felt completely safe during our few days in Bacalar, even walking back to our hotel at night. 

Use precautions like you would elsewhere in the world – like keeping expensive jewelry/watches at home, hiding electronics, being extra careful and observant at banks and ATMs, and knowing your alcohol limit. 

Where to Stay in Bacalar

You’ve essentially got two options for staying in Bacalar – in the town itself, or directly on the lagoon. It kinda depends what kinda experience you want. I opted for a hotel in town to be closer to restaurants and nightlife, but I could totally see the appeal of being right on the water. No bad choice here!

Like Tulum and Sayulita, expect to find boutique hotels and guesthouses in town and lining Lake Bacalar. There’s no megaresorts or massive chains over here – mostly small, independent hotels. Don’t expect ultra-luxury and tons of entertainment; you go to Bacalar to get away from it all.

Here’s a breakdown of the two main areas to stay and recommended hotels in each. 

Downtown Bacalar

If you wanna be closer to restaurants and the center of town, I’d choose a hotel in Downtown Bacalar. Hotels over here are typically more affordable. 

Note you’ll need to either take a short taxi ride (100 pesos or so) to get to the more desirable parts of the Lagoon (where the beach clubs are), or walk about 45 minutes to them like we did.

• Agam Hotel: This is where I stayed, and would highly recommend it! It was located right on the outskirts of town, so nothing was far and felt pretty peaceful. Super chic and the included breakfast was great!

• Hotel Aires: A sustainably managed property with a swimming pool and thatched roof boho-style bar. Trendy rooms include balconies with beautiful lagoon views. I’d gladly stay here for that pool alone!

• Hotel Makaaba Eco Boutique: Right in town with free bikes, an outdoor swimming pool, a terrace and restaurant. Plus, those nets overlooking the pool look so fun! I especially love the banana trees, papaya trees, tomatoes, chili peppers, corn, and herbs growing right on property!

• The Yak Lake House Hostel: A very vibey hostel – we peeked in and it looked like such a good time. There’s shared dorms for about 20 bucks a night and private room options right on the lagoon, with a cool communal hangout and pool. I’d totally stay here next time.

Directly On the Lagoon

Wanna wake up right on the lagoon? There’s plenty of hotels lining the lagoon with water views – take your pick! 

Most hotels over here have fun activities like kayaking and yoga. While you can watch sunrise from the private docks of your hotel (most have these), you may miss out on the more popular restaurants and bars in downtown Bacalar. 

• Casa Bakal: Here you’ll find rooms immersed in nature, cozy hammocks facing the lagoon, and even free use of kayaks and paddle boards! The bungalows look so cute! Such a great location and only a 10 minute bike ride into town.

• Casa Arabe: Our lagoon tour left from Casa Arabe, and the entire property looks divine! I’d gladly spend all day on that lounge and terrace. With the most amazing views, too! 

• Habitas Bacalar: This famous Tulum hotel now has a second location in Bacalar – it’s easily the best upscale hotel in all of Bacalar (with a price tag to match). The hotel is set between the tranquil Bacalar lagoon and the Mayan jungle, and I’m dying to stay in one of the individual bungalows. The restaurant looks delicious too!

• Mia Bacalar Luxury Resort and Spa: Green, ecological, private and luxurious. Located a bit north of town right on the lagoon, Mia Bacalar is what Mexican dreams are made of. I’d love to stay here with my husband next time – it looks oh so dreamy and romantic. Or at least I’d  have dinner at Hunab Ku, their signature restaurant. They even have an authentic temazcal on property!

• Hotel Carolina Bacalar: This small boutique hotel has a trendy vibe with swings in the water, a private dock, and pool overlooking the lagoon. Plus a garden and a private lagoon area.

What to Pack for Bacalar

No one dresses up in Bacalar – I mean we practically lived in bathing suits our entire time there! Leave your fancy clothes at home – you don’t need them here. Besides your typical beachwear, here’s a few other things you’ll wanna pack for your trip:

• Polarized sunglasses (better for blocking out the harsh UV rays)
• Beach bag and/or backpack: make sure it’s large enough to fit a beach towel or two!
• Hat/s: The sun is strong here! I love taking a wide-brimmed sun hat for the beach and a fun trucker hat when hanging around town.
• A waterproof kindle or other e-reader for reading at the beach clubs on the lagoon and hotel pool (I’d be worried a physical book may accidentally get wet!)
• Your hotel may give you towels, but we love traveling with a sand-free beach mat
• Reusable water bottle: better for the environment and a must at the beach! 
• Aloe Vera Gel: always have some handy in case you get a sunburn; aloe will give the burn some much-needed relief
• Dramamine: This will help with motion sickness on your boat tour (which is the #1 thing to do in Bacalar!)
• Bug spray will come in handy during Bacalar’s humid months (June to October), and calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream is good to have on hand for when you undoubtedly get bitten
• Portable battery charger: Charge your phone on the go and never run out of battery! I always need to borrow my friends so I’ve finally made it a habit to start bringing my own.
• Noise-canceling headphones: Great for both the plane and the beach! I’m obsessed with my AirPods and Noah loves his Bose Quiet Comforts.
• Foldable tote bag: If you’re planning on doing some shopping in Bacalar (you must!), bring your own fold-up tote bag as not all street vendors give out bags. I love this collapsible reusable tote bag (hardly takes up any room in your suitcase and it’s so lightweight)
• Some meds for an upset stomach/antidiarrheal medicine (just in case you accidentally drink the water or something doesn’t agree with you – bound to happen, just be prepared)
• Sunscreen: The sun is strong here (this is Mexico afterall!), just know you can’t wear any sunscreen in the lagoon (not even the reef-safe/mineral kind).
• Water shoes are great for getting in and out of the water at Los Rapidos
• Dry bag for storing all your stuff on your lagoon tour! 
• Underwater camera: All my underwater photography tips and gear here. I’d pack an underwater phone case too, which is perfect for protecting your phone on the boat and floating down Los Rapidos.

Best Things To Do In Bacalar

Finally – what you’re probably here for! All my favorite things to do in Bacalar, plus a few I wish I had time for! 

One of the beauties of Bacalar is that there isn’t a crazy ton to do here. Yes, there’s enough to keep you busy for a few days, but most of the activities revolve around the lagoon and are just plain relaxing! Fine by me! If you’re a sucker for hanging by the water, I guarantee you’ll love this place.

Have two full days in Bacalar? Plan for a lagoon tour one day, and spend some time at Los Rapidos on the other. Hey, I just planned your whole trip for you, haha.

Boat Tour of Bacalar Lagoon

Out of all the things to do in Bacalar, taking a boat tour of the lagoon is easily #1. You can’t visit Bacalar and NOT spend a day out on the water. It’s the main reason people come to Bacalar afterall! Have you seen the photos?!

Bacalar is famous for its lagoon of 7 colors – known as Lago de Siete Colores in Spanish. Why the 7 colors? Because as the water depth changes in the lagoon, so does the color of the water! Imagine a dark navy and deep turquoise and pale translucent blue. Basically all the shades of blue you can think of! 

And yes, it’s just as remarkable as it sounds. The lake is crystal clear and it’s all freshwater! Conservation efforts have been put into place ensuring pollution is kept to a bare minimum.

When you arrive into town, you’ll quickly see all the guides trying to sell you tours. I think we got approached by 5 different people on our first afternoon stroll! These tours aren’t horrible (we listened to plenty of spiels), but I was worried the communication barrier would be problematic and had a feeling they’d feel exceptionally touristy. 

Not all tours are offered in English, so if your Spanish isn’t up to par, I recommend booking a guided tour of the lagoon in advance. All lagoon tours typically visit the same spots – including Pirate Canal, Bird Island, and a few crystal-clear cenotes.

Regardless of when you book, there’s two different types of boats you can choose from:

• Sailboat tours
• Pontoon boat tours

While both are great options, I highly encourage you to spend a little extra money and take a sailboat out on the lagoon. For starters, sailboats don’t pollute the gorgeous turquoise waters like pontoon boats do, and groups are usually a bit smaller. Plus, there won’t be any annoying engine noise – the last thing you want on your relaxing day out on the water!

Sailboat tours will always be a bit more expensive since they’re typically a bit longer (3-4 hours instead of 2) and on nicer, more comfortable boats. Some even offer snacks and lunch! Book your sailboat tour here!

We paid about $50 each for a half day tour of the lagoon, which visited all the popular spots you’ll wanna see! Out of all the things to do in Bacalar, we LOVED our tour out on the water – I could have stayed in that turquoise water all day.

If you’re traveling with a few friends and/or family members, why not book your own private boat for the afternoon?! If you have 4 or 5 people it’s not really all that much more expensive, and then you have complete control of how long you spend at each stop!

Float down Los Rápidos

Los Rápidos was a pleasant surprise in Bacalar, and one of my favorite things we did our entire trip. 

What is it exactly? Basically Mother Nature’s version of a lazy river! I wasn’t expecting to have so much fun at Los Rapidos – but I did, and I would have gladly stayed all day.

Los Rapidos is actually part of the Bacalar Lagoon (yes, it’s all the same body of water) – but the current is a bit stronger and it’s lined with stromatolites and mangroves. It’s absolutely beautiful, even on a cloudy day like we had – just look at those drone photos (sent to us by two friendly gals we met that day)! What a unique, spectacular landscape.

After you pay the small entrance fee (150 pesos or so, ~$7.50USD), you can either chill out in the water, grab some food and drinks overlooking the lagoon, and/or float down the river! 

We headed straight for the water! Simply walk on the wooden platform to the end of the canal and float back with the current. Doesn’t sound too exciting, but I swear it’s such a good time.

Life jackets are not mandatory, but in order to achieve max-chill and least effort, we wore them in the water. Beware – most of the lifejackets are a size large so you may need to browse through quite a few until you find your size. You can also rent a kayak or paddleboard (for an additional fee), but we simply floated down the river in our life jackets.

Whatever you do, don’t step on a stromatolite – they’re the oldest living organisms on Earth and are extremely, extremely fragile and delicate.

Los Rapidos is one of the most unique things to do in Bacalar, and one I wouldn’t miss even with only 2 days in the area.

How to get to Los Rapidos: You’ll need to take a quick taxi ride as Los Rapidos is located a few km away from downtown Bacalar, on the way to Xul-Ha. Well worth it, I promise! Shouldn’t cost you more than 200-250 pesos one way ($10-12USD).

Sunrise Stand Up Paddle  

Up early?! Sign up for a sunrise stand up paddle board session! What’s better than enjoying a spectacular sunrise at the Lagoon of Seven Colors, listening to the songs of local birds, and relaxing on the lake sitting on your paddle board?! Hint: not much. 

Don’t know how to paddle board? No worries – the instructors will teach you how and guide you the whole way. And luckily the calm waters of the lagoon make it super easy to enjoy (meaning you’re way less likely to end up in the water)!

Definitely one of the best things to do in Bacalar, especially since you have the lake almost to yourself that early in the morning! It sounds oh so peaceful. I missed out on this but totally wish I had the motivation to wake up before the sun — I like my sleep, what can I say?!

This sunrise paddleboard tour even includes photos, so you can leave your phone back on dry land and fully take in the experience.

Explore the Town of Bacalar

Downtown Bacalar is way less touristy than other nearby spots in Quintana Roo (helloooo trendy and overcrowded Tulum). Sure, you’ll still find stalls selling street food and some souvenir shops, but the town is way more laid back and chill. 

The downtown is honestly only a few blocks, making it super easy to explore in only a few hours. There’s still lots to see though! In the middle of town you’ll find the zocalo (town square plaza) with the iconic Bacalar letters (Letras Bacalar) and marquesita stands.

Despite its small size and considering it’s still pretty much off the main tourist path, there’s a good amount of scrumptious restaurants, cute cafes, and shops to explore. I was surprised just how much good food was here in the tiny town! Even though we stayed for 3 nights, I still missed so many places on my restaurant wish-list.

I loved wandering around and finding the colorful murals around town – that was totally unexpected! I swear, it’s gonna be the next Tulum – get here NOW before everyone finds out about this hidden paradise.

Relax at a Beach Club

Since Bacalar is situated on a lagoon, there’s no real beaches here (understandably). Unlike nearby spots like Tulum and Playa del Carmen, there’s no long stretches of white sand. Instead, there’s plenty of beach clubs (known around here as balnearios) to hang out at, complete with hammocks and swings in the water. Way more fun than any beach I know!

At most balnearios you’ll pay a small fee (around 50 pesos or so) in order to use the facilities, like docks, hammocks over the water, onsite restaurants, and more. Did you read that right? HAMMOCKS OVER THE WATER! Life made!

A few of the most popular beach clubs in Bacalar to check out:

El Buho Hotel & Lagoon Club: We spent a few heavenly hours here after our lagoon tour, and never wanted to leave! There were hammocks in the water, sun beds on the deck, and beach chairs by the water. The ultimate laid back paradise.

One note – getting into the swings in the water is way harder than it looks unless you’ve got tons of upper body strength. I didn’t even attempt it even though I wanted that photo so badly! My friend struggled pretty badly, but eventually made it up into the swing!

We had a yummy lunch at the Italian restaurant on the property – whatever you do, try the Neapolitan bruschetta (so simple and light but we devoured it within a few minutes and I wanted even more). 

Beach Club Blu: Located right near Cenote Azul, this balneario is more upscale and pristine than the others, with soothing music, sun beds, towels, and service. It’s far from being overcrowded, although it makes sense since the entrance fee is pricier than the others at 150 pesos per person for a day pass. 

Unfortunately when we went it was super windy so we decided to take a quick peek then headed back to town. The staff was super friendly and helpful though!

Balneario Ejidal Mágico Bacalar: This is the closest beach club to town – perfect if your hotel doesn’t have access to the lagoon. There’s changing rooms, a restaurant and bar, souvenir shop, hammocks and swings in the water, platforms to jump off, and even pontoon tours and kayaks to rent as well. 

Well worth the small entrance fee of ~50 pesos per person (although if you want a palapa it’s an extra 70 pesos). 

It’s not as fancy and chic as the new tourist places on the lagoon, but the prices are much better. Loud and fun, don’t expect much peace and quiet here. All in all, a great spot to hang out with the locals while sipping a margarita with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Admire the View from the Pirate Tower at Casa Árabe

If it hadn’t been for our lagoon tour departing from the docks at Casa Arabe, I don’t think we would have ever known about this place! Casa Arabe is actually a hotel right on the lakefront, and we loved having a quick look around. 

Of course I wandered up the (many claustrophobic) steps to the viewpoint – it’s actually the highest spot in Bacalar, so of course there’s a great view from up there. Seeing all 7 colors of the lagoon at once was mind blowing! Just look at those shades of turquoise!

Isla de Los Pájaro (Bird Island)

All lagoon tours make a stop near Isla de Los Pájaro (or Bird Island in English). You won’t be able to actually reach the island or step foot on it (the entire island is protected), but boats can get pretty close to it! And you probably won’t even see any birds here because they typically migrate back to the island as the sun sets. 

Because our boat tour was during the day, we unfortunately didn’t see any birds, but honestly I was too mesmerized by the crystal clear water to even realize we were docked outside the island anyways, haha.

The water is super clear and ridiculously clean, with the lightest blue waters I’ve ever seen – a beautiful spot along the Bacalar Lagoon. Our sailboat stopped here and we swam around for a half hour or so, taking in the gorgeous landscapes and cool, refreshing waters. One of my favorite stops on our sailboat tour!

Canal de Los Piratas (the Pirates’ Channel)

The Pirate’s Channel connects the Hondo River with the Bacalar Lagoon, and it’s absolutely mesmerizing. You can see all seven colors of the lagoon over here – great for photos, swimming, and hanging out in the water.

It’s most impressive from above – the Canal de Los Piratas is a super photogenic, narrow strip of vibrant turquoise water, complete with sand bars on both sands! If you have a drone, this is the spot to whip it out.

And guess what?! Real pirates used this channel way back when to secretly enter the lagoon in the 1700s! Crazy! Talk about a wild history lesson.

Nowadays, The Pirate’s Channel is a great spot to relax and hang out. It’s only accessible by boat or kayak, and you can actually walk around and explore the piece of an abandoned ship’s bow. The water is so shallow you can walk for a while and the water will hardly even cover your ankles.

We zipped by the Pirate’s Channel on our lagoon tour, but I didn’t even realize it because I was having too much fun sailing with the wind in my hair.

Explore a Cenote

If you’ve spent any time in the Yucatan Peninsula, you’ve surely heard of cenotes! If not, I’ll explain! 

Cenotes (pronounced suh-NO-tayz) are natural freshwater swimming holes; essentially, sinkholes filled with groundwater (connected to much larger bodies of water deep under the surface). Some are even part of massive cave systems, full of stalagmites and stalactites, like the crazy popular Cenote Suytun outside of Valladolid. Pretty fascinating, right?

The cenotes in Bacalar are a bit different – they’re not underground or even partially cave-like like many you’ll find in Tulum and Merida. Instead, these are sinkholes that are like giant open lakes of varying depths – causing the color of the water to vary drastically from cenote to cenote. 

Good to know: Before swimming in any cenote in Bacalar, you’ll need to take a quick shower to rinse off your sunscreen and bug spray – these chemicals harm the nutrients in the cenote. 

Here’s the most popular ones in Bacalar, and where many lagoon tours go. I visited all 3 on my sailboat lagoon tour and found them each fascinating!

Cenote Azul (Blue Cenote): This cenote is HUGE, and is actually one of the largest sinkholes in all of Mexico! It’s filled with intense blue water (hence the name, haha), and it’s a great place to cool off on a hot day. Cenote Azul is perfect for snorkeling and diving – it’s 90 meters deep (that’s almost 300 feet!) and there’s tons of caverns to explore.

At Cenote Azul you’ll find a restaurant with beers, swings to take pictures on, and shaded patios for when you’ve had too much sun. It’s honestly kinda like a beach club! But unlike some of the more posh beach clubs nearby, Cenote Azul has a more local vibe to it. And it’s only 50 pesos to enter (~$2.50USD)!

Cenote Negro (Black Cenote): This is Bacalar’s largest and deepest cenote at 100 meters deep (~330 feet)! The color is a deep, dark navy (almost black!) that stands out in contrast with the turquoise waters surrounding it. If you have a drone you can easily capture the clear distinction between the turquoise water of the lagoon and the area where the cenote begins.

In order to see the different colors and how they change, you’ll need to view the cenote on the lake itself – so best to see it on a lagoon tour or kayak! You’re not allowed to swim in Cenote Negro due to the depth of the water… there’s also been a few crocodiles swimming there recently. No thanks!

Psst – Cenote Negro is also known as The Witch’s Cenote (or Cenote de la Bruja). There’s a local legend that states a Mayan witch lived on its shores! Whether or not that’s true… we’ll never know!

Cenote Esmeraldas: We visited Cenote Esmeraldas on our lagoon tour, and while it’s worthy of a quick stop, it’s not the actual cenote that is the most impressive. It’s the area around the cenote that is – the clearest, most bluest turquoise water you’ll ever see! 

Boats stop here for a while, and it’s a great place to chill out and swim around. The captain had a hard time getting us all back on the boat, haha.

Visit San Felipe Fort (Fuerte de San Felipe)

San Felipe Fort is right in the middle of Downtown Bacalar, so you can’t miss it as you’re wandering around town! Easily one of the most historic things to do in Bacalar! I admit we almost missed the fort, but quickly checked it out on our way to dinner one night.

This Spanish fortress was built in 1729, completed in 1733, in order to defend the town from pirate attacks roaming the Caribbean coastline of Mexico. Yes, there were real life pirates over here, just like in Kleftiko, Greece (another gorgeous spot I highly recommend visiting)!  

While most visitors head up here around sunset for great views of the lake, you can also go inside the little museum if you wish. For 110 pesos for foreigners, you get to see some artifacts and murals depicting the area’s history, as well as learn about the history of this magical town. All the way from pre-Hispanic times to the recent formation of Quintana Roo, the state where you’ll find Bacalar. 

Try a Marquesita 

What’s a marquesita you ask? A speciality of the Yucatan Peninsula, and quite possibly my favorite thing I ate during my entire two weeks in the Yucatan, that’s all! 

They’re essentially a thin-wafer crepe rolled like a taco, stuffed with filings of your choice! Think condensed milk, jam, chocolate, custard, caramel, fruit, etc. I especially loved nutella with edam cheese and strawberries (sounds weird but I swear it’s so unexpectedly good). 

I devoured a whole bunch during my 2 weeks in the Yucatan Peninsula, and loved every bite. Whoops!

You’ll find street stalls selling these delicious local specialities in the downtown Zocalo, on the side streets near the fort, and towards Balneario Ejidal Mágico Bacalar at sunset.

Go Kayaking

Kayaking out on the lagoon is easily one of the best things to do in Bacalar! You get to explore at your own pace and admire the colors of the lagoon for as long as you’d like. Great for outdoor adventure lovers!

Plus, you can access places the sailboats and pontoons can’t reach! Secure your full-day kayak rental here! I’m pretty clumsy and would have definitely fallen into the water, so I skipped this activity, although I want to start learning how to kayak soon.

Day Trip to Mahahual

Have an extra day to spare? Already sailed the lagoon and floated down Los Rapidos? Head over to Mahahual, a small beach town about an hour away in the Caribbean on the coast of Mexico. And yes, there’s actual beaches here! And they’re gorgeous!

Spend the day at a beach club, enjoy the beautiful sandy coastline, get a beach-side massage, and even go snorkeling. My kinda day!

This full-day guided tour to Mahahual includes roundtrip transportation from either Bacalar or nearby Chetumal, access to a beach club and all its facilities, plus a trip to a Mayan village to meet its beekeepers.

Local Tip: Mahahual is home to a cruise port, known as Costa Maya, so avoid cruise ship days if possible! 

I’m so bummed I didn’t make it to Mahahual – next time for me. Those sandy white beaches look gorgeous.

Suggested Bacalar Itinerary

We had no set plan when we arrived in Bacalar, and wouldn’t have had it any other way. Kinda felt like laid-back island life! Here’s a rough example of how we spent our 3 days in Bacalar:

• Day 1: Check into hotel, explore downtown Bacalar, tacos at Mr. Taco
• Day 2: Lagoon tour sailboat trip, Bacalar viewpoint, hang at beach clubs, dinner at Finisterre Bacalar
• Day 3: Morning/afternoon at Los Rapidos, marquesita snack, sunset drinks and dinner at La Playita

Where to Eat and Drink in Bacalar

I was pleasantly surprised by the plethora of foodie options in Bacalar. Despite its small size, we had no trouble finding delicious, freshly-made meals. 

I will say the vibe is definitely on the pricier side, and you’ll see this in the menu and boho aesthetics. Nothing was crazy expensive and food was way less expensive than at home in San Francisco, but not as cheap as in other spots I visited in the Yucatan.

• La Playita: One of the most popular spots for sunset drinks and dinner in Bacalar! We came one night and I couldn’t stop raving about my coconut shrimp (the best I’ve ever had). Truly a Bacalar institution and not to be missed!  Feels just like paradise with a perfect view of the lagoon!

• Yerbabuena Smoothie Bar: One of the best brunch spots in Bacalar, with fresh (and delicious) smoothie bowls, colorful toasts, smoothies, and more on the menu.

• La Pina: A super chill place with authentic Mexican food, plus fresh smoothies with a beautiful sandy tropical leafy garden in the back. Don’t miss the molletes, chilaquiles, and empanadas!

• Mr. Taco: By far the best tacos in Bacalar. Super, super casual, and such a fun, colorful spot for a quick lunch. It’s usually pretty busy, but we managed to find a table pretty fast!

• Finisterre Bacalar: Such a chic, fresh Italian dinner spot right in town. We loved this spot so much, we ate here twice! A beautiful romantic place to spend a nice evening with a glass of wine or two. Plus, the service was next level – all staff was so, so attentive and helpful.

• Ixchel Bacalar: Great spot for a relaxed affordable Mexican brunch. Think chilaquiles, pancakes, toasts, and fruit bowls.

• Mango y Chile: I had this spot saved on my list, but I didn’t manage to make it here! Mango y Chile is known for their plant-based burgers (crispy tofu burger anyone?), vegan hot dogs, and veggie tacos. My friend loved the falafel burger and said the lake views were phenomenal!

• El Taco Loco Bacalar: Located a bit north of town, but worth the short trek. Unfortunately we didn’t make it here but I heard great things about the camarones (shrimps) tacos al pil pil and empanadas.

• Enamore Bacalar: A cute cafe with trendy boho vibes with the best cinnamon rolls in all of Bacalar and tons of fresh juices/smoothies.

• Mi Burrito Bacalar: A food truck known for their banana leaf wrapped burritos – everything looked so good! Kinda reminded me of the burrito spot I loved in Tulum. I’m so mad I wasn’t hungry enough for another meal! They’re known to run out of ingredients, so go on the earlier side.

Hope this helps you plan the best trip ever to Bacalar! Which of these things to do in Bacalar will you be adding to your itinerary? Any questions? Ask below in the comments!

The post 18 Things to do in Bacalar: The Ultimate Guide to Quintana Roo’s Laidback Lagoon (Mexico) appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Izamal completely took me by surprise. I knew I would love it – it’s practically bathed in yellow (!!!) – but I didn’t realize just how sweet and appealing it’d be. It’s super easy to get around, completely safe, hardly crowded, and you can really see the main highlights in only a few hours. 

Since I have a thing with brightly colored towns (some of my recent favorites being Cartagena in Colombia, Chefchaouen in Morocco, and Burano and Villefranche Sur Mer in Italy), I knew I needed to include Izamal on my Yucatan itinerary. The entire town is YELLOW! Such a happy and cheery color, even on an unfortunate gray day like I had.

Izamal is known for its bright yellow buildings, authentic local vibe, and charming narrow streets. This beautiful colonial town is still kinda off the beaten path, and I saw way less tourists than I did in nearby Merida and Valladolid. 

And like other small towns in Mexico, it’s considered a Pueblo Magico (Magic Town). The Mexican government gives this special designation to particular towns in Mexico to preserve those with special cultural histories, like the yellow streets of Izamal! 

I’ve been lucky to visit quite a few of these magical Mexican towns, including Todos Santos, Teotihuacán, Tulum, Valladolid, Sayulita, Bacalar, and San Miguel de Allende. I’m so glad I was able to check another one off my list – the charming yellow city of Izamal!

Plus, it’s such an easy day trip from both Merida and Valladolid! More on that later. Here’s everything you need to know about the golden yellow city of Izamal!

But first, some important info about Izamal in the Yucatan!

Important Izamal Info

Why is the town yellow?

First things first — why yellow anyways?! Looking at pictures of Izamal, Yucatan, you’ll quickly notice it’s got a distinct aesthetic and monochrome color palette. As the Coldplay song goes “it was all yellow”…, haha. This makes the entire yellow city absolutely spectacular for photo opportunities, so don’t forget your camera!

On my tour of Izamal, I learned that the town was painted a specific shade of yellow over 60 years ago. The color is so sacred to the town, that locals who live in the city center aren’t even allowed to repaint the exterior of their house! 

As far as the reason behind all the yellow-ness, there’s a few different theories for this:

1. Yellow is a very important color to Mayans since it represents maiz (corn), and they believe corn is a gift from god.
2. The city was painted yellow in order to spruce up the town before Pope John Paul II came for a visit in 1993. But since the town has been yellow for over 60 years, this theory doesn’t make all that much sense, haha.

We’ll never really know the real reason, and that’s ok!

Is all of Izamal completely yellow? No! And not many visitors realize this! Before visiting I totally thought the entire town was yellow. The part that people visit — the city center/colonial area — is where you’ll find all the yellow buildings. If you venture past the city center, you’ll find buildings that aren’t even all yellow (gasp!)

Don’t worry — the yellow section is way more than one block though, haha. So yes, still very worth it to visit if you’re coming for all the happy yellow vibes. 

Brief History of Izamal

I’m not the biggest history buff, but I found the history of Izamal to be kinda fascinating!

Izamal was founded in the Late Preclassical period (750 to 200 A.C.), almost 2,000 years ago by the Maya. The yellow city was named after the ancient Maya god Itzamná and means “dew that falls from the heavens.” It was occupied almost continuously throughout the last 2,000 years. 

I was surprised to learn this, but before the Spanish arrived and essentially took over, Izamal was a huge Maya city, on par with Chichen Itza! I never would’ve guessed; I mean, everyone’s heard of Chichen Itza, yet Izamal remains relatively unknown. You can still see remnants of plenty of its structures even to this day, but many are crumbling and in no condition to fully admire. 

Today, Izamal is known as the ‘City of Three Cultures’, since it’s, well, comprised of three different cultures! The ancient Maya people, the Spanish colonial people, and today’s modern/contemporary population! 

Where is Izamal 

The yellow city of Izamal is located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico between Merida and Valladolid. It’s a great town to include as a day trip from either, or on a longer Yucatan itinerary or road trip throughout the region. 

Being pretty centrally-based in the Yucatan, you can also easily visit from Quintana Roo as well if you’re in Tulum or Cancun.

• From Merida: ~70 km/1 hour drive
• From Valladolid: ~110 km/ 1 ½ hour drive
• From Chichen Itza: ~75 km/ 75 minute drive
• From Tulum: ~200 km/ 3 hour drive
• From Cancun: ~250 / 3 ½ hour drive
• From Playa del Carmen: ~250 km / 3 ½ hour drive

Most people visit Izamal from Merida, one of the largest cities in Yucatan state, as it’s only about an hour away. But if you’re visiting Chichen Itza from Valladolid and looking for something else to do afterwards, an afternoon trip to Izamal is a great idea!

How To Get to Izamal from Merida

Since most people head from Merida to Izamal (it’s the closest major city), I’ll give you directions from there! Getting from Valladolid to Izamal is possible as well, and that’s what I ended up doing.

Public Bus: If you’re on a budget, the cheapest way to get from Merida to Izamal is by public transport. The bus is only about 25-35 pesos each way ($1.30-$1.80), cash only, and takes about an hour and a half to reach the yellow city of Izamal. 

To be completely honest, I had a hard time finding information online about a public bus from Merida to Izamal. It doesn’t seem as popular a route as I had thought – even the staff at both my hotels in Merida were unsure of how and where to catch it. 

The little preliminary info I did find online said the bus departs from either Terminal Oriente (at Calle 67 y 65, C. 50) or Noreste Bus Station (on Calle 67 and Calle 50). 

If you’re planning on taking the public bus, I recommend walking over to the bus stations ahead of time (like the day before or something) to find out the Mérida to Izamal bus schedule and make sure you’ll have a way of actually getting to the yellow city. 

Drive: A day trip to Izamal from either Mérida (1 hour drive) or Valladolid (1.5 hour drive) is super easy! It’s a bit further away from Valladolid, but definitely doable. I actually visited Chichen Itza in the morning from Valladolid, had lunch and a swim at a nearby cenote, and then headed over to Izamal for the afternoon. Worked out perfectly!

Ride shares: If you’re with a small group, a ride share (Uber or Cabify — another ride share option in Mexico) from Mérida may be a great option for you. Expect a ride from Mérida to Izamal to cost about $40 each way, taking about an hour or so.

If I was with a friend or two I think I would have chosen this option, but being solo it seemed kinda expensive. Note there’s no Uber or any ride shares in Valladolid. 

Guided tour: Since I was traveling solo and thus decided not to rent a car, I chose to take a guided tour to Izamal. At first I was totally planning on taking the bus/colectivo, but ultimately decided on a tour to ensure I’d actually make it there, haha.

As noted, there’s not a ton of recent information online about getting to Izamal on public transport, and I really wanted to go! Even the staff at my (very-popular) hotel and a local on my Mérida cenote-hopping tour weren’t exactly sure how to get to Izamal via public transport. 

Here’s a few guided tours to Izamal:

Since Izamal is still relatively unknown and off the typical tourist track, there aren’t a ton of tours that stop in Izamal — yet! I can totally see this charming yellow city gaining popularity in a few short years. Get there now, haha!

With that being said, if you’re planning to visit Izamal on a guided day tour, book ASAP! They fill up fast since there aren’t tons of them. 

From Mérida – Chichén Itzá, Izamal, Valladolid, & Cenote Trip: Only have one day to dedicate to this area? This tour goes to oh so much! You’ll discover Chichén Itzá, one of the 7 Wonders of the World, swim at Cenote Chichikan, visit Valladolid and Izamal, and enjoy a cooking demonstration and buffet lunch. Will be a long and tiring day but 100% worth it to see all these spots!

From Mérida – Chichen Itza & Izamal Guided Day Trip: Visit the legendary Chichen Itza on a guided day trip from Merida. Wander through the remains of the ancient civilisation, admire the Temple of the Warriors, swim in a cenote, and then spend the afternoon in the yellow city of Izamal.

From Mérida – Day Trip to Valladolid and Izamal: Wander the yellow streets of Izamal and admire the colonial buildings of Valladolid to explore the history and culture of Yucatan on a day trip from Mérida, with a buffet lunch and dip at a cenote included!

From Valladolid – Guided Day Trip to Chichen Itza, Cenote, and Izamal: This is the EXACT tour I took from Valladolid, and it was such a fun day! The tour took us to the world wonder of Chichen Itza (with a local guided tour included), provided lunch and a swim at a nearby cenote, and then gave us a guided tour and free time at Izamal, the yellow city of Mexico. 

So glad I chose this tour and didn’t attempt to go myself – it was seriously so stress free and not rushed at all.

How to Get Around Izamal 

Getting around the yellow city of Izamal is super easy – you can make it practically everywhere in town on foot! The city center is only a few blocks, so getting where you wanna go won’t take long. 

You’ll also see horse and carriages in Izamal, and while you can use these for transport, they’re mostly used for tourist tours around the city.

When to Visit Izamal 

Time of Year: Like other places in the Yucatan Peninsula, November through March (dry season) is the best time to visit Izamal. While it’s by far the busiest months, you’ll get the best weather and least rain. Temps are cool (it was mid 70s when I visited in December) and the humidity isn’t horrible yet. I wore a light sundress and was perfectly comfortable.

Whatever you do, avoid May to September, as this is when temps really heat up (above 100°F) and the humidity is really bad.

Time of Day: If you’re visiting in the sweltering summer months, you’ll wanna visit either in early morning or late afternoon. Avoid mid-day at all costs – it’ll be far too hot and uncomfortable to wander around for too long.

In terms of crowds, honestly, I’m not really sure this matters all that much. Izamal doesn’t have the same recognition as, say, Tulum or Mérida, so it never gets insanely crowded. It’s pretty sleepy compared to its nearby towns/cities, especially in the morning.

I visited on a Saturday afternoon during high season and it was hardly crowded. Of course you’ll see tourists out and about, but I never felt overwhelmed with crowds or anything like that.

How Long to Spend in Izamal 

The town isn’t very large, so you really only need half a day or so to thoroughly explore. I wandered around (and took tons of photos), explored a few shops, indulged in some ice cream, and checked out the ruins in a matter of 3-4 hours or so.

Should you stay overnight?

If you’re using Izamal to break up the drive from Valladolid to Mérida, you can certainly stay the night! There’s a super cute hacienda, Hacienda Sacnicte, only 20 minutes or so north of Izamal that I would have totally booked if I was traveling with friends/my husband and doing a road trip. 

Right in Izamal, there’s Hotel Rinconada del Convento, that’s right in the center of town, as well as the popular San Miguel Arcangel.

However, I wouldn’t use Izamal as a base to explore other spots like I would Mérida and Valladolid. The town is just too small in my opinion to wanna stay multiple nights. Plus, there’s not as many restaurants here. 

Other Important Info and FAQS

• Is English spoken? Not a ton of English is spoken in Izamal, which is typical of small towns in Mexico. Brush up on your Spanish beforehand. If you’re traveling to Izamal on a day tour, your guide can help you out with any language barriers you encounter. 

• Carry some cash. Not all places in Izamal take credit cards, including horse and carriage drivers, taxi drivers, smaller shops, and street food vendors.

• Is a trip to Izamal worth it? 1000% Yes! I’d still consider this tiny Mexican town a hidden gem in the area as it’s hardly crowded and a great spot to get away from the tourists in Chichen Itza and Merida. If you like photography and/or aimlessly wandering around photogenic colorful towns, you should go. It makes for the perfect day trip and is super easy to get to on a tour or with a rental car.

• Is Izamal safe? Mexico always gets a bad rep, but don’t believe everything from people who’ve never actually been to the destination! I walked around for a few hours solo and felt completely safe at all times. Use normal precautions like you would anywhere – walk in well-lit, populated areas, be aware of your surroundings, leave your expensive jewelry and electronics at home, and keep an eye on your stuff. Izamal is in Yucatan State – one of the safest states in Mexico.

Things To Do in Izamal, Yucatan 

One of the beauties of Izamal is that there isn’t a TON to do here, but enough for a few hours! Honestly, I really loved just wandering around taking photos and relaxing in the courtyard.

Convento de San Antonio de Padua

The Convento de San Antonio de Padua is easily the main thing to do in Izamal. It was built in the mid-16th century by the Spanish, and painted a beautiful yellow color just like the rest of town. Well worth a walk through the courtyard and surrounding area.

The church is absolutely striking, and you can walk around for free. But you can’t visit this place without the reminder of the brutality of colonialism. 

The history of how the convent was built is absolutely horrible – the indigenous people were forced to destroy their very own temple in order to build this cathedral right on its foundation. The stones of the demolished Mayan pyramids were used as the foundation of this very convent! Just something to think about as you’re admiring it’s beauty. 

Honestly, the architecture is pretty but there’s not really much to do besides admire and learn about the convent. When mass is not in session, you can go inside and check out the interiors.

Climb the Kinich Kak Moo ruins

Another one of the best things to do in Izamal is to climb Piramide de Kinich Kak Moo, dedicated to the Sun God. It’s actually the largest Mayan pyramid remaining in Izamal! Since the yellow city isn’t crazy crowded (yet!), you may have the ruins mostly to yourself.

There’s four other ruins in town, but they’re much smaller and very, very deteriorated. Kinich Kak Moo is the one to visit! I later learned that the Spanish used the stones of the other 4 pyramids as foundations for their buildings – even the Convent! Which is why Kinich Kak Moo is the only one left standing.

While the access is free (unlike most Mayan ruins in the Yucatan), the entrance is kinda hidden between two buildings. Look on Google Maps and you’ll find it no problem – promise!

Since I had just spent ample time at Chichen Itza and Ek Balam, I just checked out Kinich Kak Moo pretty quickly from its base. In all honesty, I was a bit ruined out, haha. My friends decided to climb up all 10 levels, and said the views from the top were absolutely spectacular – 360° views of Izamal and the surrounding jungle!

Note that the steps are pretty uneven and steep, so be extra careful climbing up and then back down. You’ll want proper footwear and lots of drinking water.

Psst – I wouldn’t visit Izamal for its ruins alone (I found them not as impressive as some others), but if you’re already in town, definitely check it out!

Try sweet corn ice cream

Okay, so there’s sweet corn helado (ice cream) all over this part of Mexico, but Izamal is the place to try it! Why? Because it’s yellow and the town is yellow! Maybe it’s a cliche and all, but c’mon, any excuse for ice cream, right?! A scoop of sweet corn (way better than it sounds) was the perfect pick-me-up after exploring for a bit in the hot sun.

I got a scoop from Paleteria y Neveria Gaby, located right in the center of town a few minutes from the convent.

Take a horse and carriage ride

While you can easily walk around the tiny town of Izamal, taking a horse and carriage ride, known as a caleza in Izamal, is way more fun! An activity in and of itself! 

Carriage drivers will take you around the main city center, past the ruins, and into the more traditional part of town with small craft shops and local homes. You’ll get a great overview of the town, which could be especially handy if you’re visiting in the heat of summer. 

You’ll find these calesas lined up along the square waiting for customers. You don’t need to book a tour in advance, but just know the drivers don’t speak much English. The horses looked well-cared for which I was especially thankful for, and they wore the cutest little hats! The carriages did look a bit worn, but I loved how they were cheerfully decorated with fake flowers.  

Photograph the Yellow Buildings 

The main reason I wanted to visit Izamal was to photograph the cheery yellow buildings. Any photographer’s ultimate dream! Have you seen the photos? 

Every single house, shop, and church – practically all the walls and buildings in town – are painted the happiest shade of golden yellow. While I loved taking photos of the main sites (convent, ruins, and decked-out horse and carriages), I especially loved wandering down the cobblestoned side streets finding hidden corners to photograph!

I recommend wearing a white or yellow dress to really compliment the colors of the town. My white dress was perfect against the picturesque yellow-painted buildings of Izamal!

Shop for some Handicrafts

Like other parts of Mexico, you’ll find a whole bunch of handicrafts in Izamal. Many of the shops have very high-end, handmade items – not the cheapy souvenirs you’ll find all over Tulum and Cancun. I was honestly really impressed with the selection; I was expecting kitschy things that break in a matter of minutes. Not here!

A few spots to find these quality pieces:

• Hecho a Mano: At first glance, this shop looks tiny, but there’s actually a whole bunch of stuff in here! This little shop sells high quality souvenirs at very reasonable prices, and there’s really something for everyone! The owner of Hecho a Mano has a few shops scattered around Mexico, and he collects high quality hand made artifacts from southern Mexico and even Guatemala and then distributes them to his stores.

• Taller Maya Izamal: Taller Maya houses a selection of the best handmade artisanal pieces, including pottery and figurines. Looking for high-quality hammocks? Come here! The hammocks are AMAZING and I totally wish I had room in my house to hang one (or a few) up! If you’re interested and have time, check out the museum in the back of the store – “Los Grandes Maestros” (Master Artisans of Mexico) where you can learn all about how these stunning products are made.

Check out the Izamal Municipal Market

I LOVE Mexican markets, and the Izamal Municipal Market is no exception! It’s a typical small-town Mexican market with a huge mix of street food, clothes, trinkets, and so much more. You can literally buy anything and everything you want or need here! Markets are so exciting to me – you’ll never know what you’ll find.

What you won’t find are tourists, so go on and order a few salbutes and some cochinita pibil and sit amongst the locals. And since it’s located right across the street from the famous Convent of San Antonio, you can easily visit before/after!

Letters of Izamal

Like in all towns in the Yucatan Peninsula (and elsewhere in Mexico), you’ll find a set of large colorful letters depicting the town’s name. Of course, this one will be Izamal! I was surprised to find that the letters were in fact a rainbow of colors, and not simply yellow like I had originally thought. 

You can find the letters right in the center of town in the main plaza, 5 de Mayo Park. Great for a photo opp with the side of the convent as the background of the letters!

Have Lunch at Restaurante Kinich Izamal

Taking a day trip from Merida to Izamal? You’re bound to get hungry at some point! Head on over to Restaurante Kinich Izamal for lunch – it’s the most well-known restaurant in town for a reason (and open almost 30 years)! 

Expect to find traditional homestyle Yucatan cooking, like super fresh handmade tortillas (the ladies make them right in front of you!), juicy cochinita pibil panuchos and salbutes, and chaya empanadas. Don’t miss the flan de queso de bola! Damn, I’m getting hungry just thinking about all this Yucatecan food. Plus, the atmosphere looks super fun. 

Note that not much English is spoken here (Izamal is a small town afterall), so brush up on your Spanish (at least learn a few key phrases). Since I was visiting on a tour and we had already eaten lunch, I didn’t get to try this spot! But my guide said this is the spot to go.

Relax at 5 de Mayo Park

This is the park directly in front of the convent, so you’re bound to be around here anyways! I found the square to be relatively clean and quaint, with some push carts and stalls selling some famous Yucatan specialities (like marquesitas, raspados, and machados – you NEED to try a few). I had not one, not two, not three, but four marquesitas during my time in the Yucatan peninsula – whoops! I regret nothing!

It’s not a huge park by any means but nice to go for a short stroll. This is where you’ll find the horse and carriages surrounding the perimeters of the park.

Hope this helps you plan a great day trip from Merida to Izamal! Are you visiting the yellow city of Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula anytime soon?!

The post A Charming Day Trip from Mérida to Izamal, Yucatan: Mexico’s Magical Yellow City appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Tulum is your true boho chic escape – full of trendy restaurants, lush jungles, beachside yoga, coral reefs, and poppin beach clubs. It’s way more touristy and expensive than other parts of Mexico, but the gorgeous turquoise beaches, seaside Mayan ruins, and crystal clear cenotes are reason enough to visit.

Add in all the instagram worthy art, swanky hotels, and amazing vegan food, as well as the sustainable and eco friendly practices – it’s got that perfect laid-back jungle beach town vibe.

You’ll find loads of hippies, millennials, and spiritual types here, some basing themselves in Tulum for months at a time. What can I say – I kinda wish I was one of them; who wouldn’t wanna wake up by the beach everyday in a town filled with gorgeous bohemian designs?

Tulum is a place I started constantly hearing about maybe 5-8 years ago or so. It’s been on my radar for oh so long – this trendy destination has gotten exceptionally popular the last few years and I’ve been dying to visit for a while. 

So when I randomly found myself with an extra few days in the Yucatan Peninsula (after exploring Merida, Chichen Itza, Izamal, Los Coloradas, Valladolid, and Bacalar), I decided it was finally time to check out Tulum! And that I did!

Before we get into this Tulum itinerary, I’ve got lots of additional (important) info to dish out first!

Important Logistics for Your Tulum Itinerary

Where is Tulum?

Tulum is located on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo. It’s about 2 hours south of Cancun and 1 hour south of Playa del Carmen. 

In my opinion, one of the biggest draws of Tulum is its location. It’s smack dab in the middle of oh so much! Meaning there’s tons of day trip opportunities and a great place to include on your Yucatan road trip itinerary!

But remember — Mexico is a HUGE country! Tulum is on the opposite coast of popular spots like Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita, and the up-and-coming tiny town of San Pancho, and nowhere near Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, or Oaxaca (although those are all worthy of their own Mexico trip). You’ll wanna save spots like Los Cabos, La Paz, and Todos Santos for another Mexico trip as well, since they’re far away from Tulum.

How to Get to Tulum 

Thankfully, getting to Tulum is pretty easy. If you’re not already in the area, expect to fly into Cancun first. Then make your way to Tulum, by car, private transport, or bus! Lots more info below. 

Flights to Cancun International Airport

First off, you’ll need to get yourself to Cancun. The closest major international airport to Tulum is Cancun International Airport (airport code CUN), located about an hour and a half north of Tulum. 

Do note that there’s no airport in Tulum itself, although I heard rumors that construction for an airport in Tulum is starting soon and is set to be completed in 2023. Who knows, fingers crossed! That’d take a lot of stress (and crowds) away from the Cancun airport, thankfully! 

There are tons of daily non-stop flights to Cancun from most major cities in the United States, as well as Canada and even Europe, too! For reference, I flew from San Francisco to Cancun in just under 6 hours nonstop.

Getting from Cancun Airport to Tulum

Once you’ve landed in Cancun, you’ll then need to get yourself over to Tulum of course! It’s not terribly far and thankfully a whole bunch of options. 

Drive from Cancun: If you’re renting a car for this Tulum itinerary, you can easily drive from the airport. It’s a pretty straightforward drive down the Cancun – Chetumal/México 307 (a major highway) and takes about an hour and a half or so. You’ll pass Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, and Akumal on the way. If you’ve got the time, make a few stops!

Taking the ADO Bus: The most economical way to get from the Cancun Airport to Tulum is to take the ADO Airport bus. I used the ADO buses all around Yucatan and Quintana Roo, and found them super comfortable, safe, and easy! They run continuously throughout the day and late into the night.

You can either buy a ticket on arrival (at the ADO counter at the airport after exiting baggage claim) or beforehand on the ADO website (what I did and recommend – the buses fill up surprisingly fast!). Expect to pay about 385 pesos (~$20USD) each way. If you’re staying in town you can most likely walk to your accommodation from the ADO bus station, but you’ll need to take a taxi if your hotel is closer to the beach.

Pre-Booking a Private Transfer: By far the easiest way to get from Cancun to Tulum is by private transfer. While these will be more expensive than taking the bus, you won’t need to worry about anything! Most drivers are bilingual, will have cold water waiting for you in the car, have top-notch AC, will work around your flight schedule, and you’ll get dropped off right at your hotel.

Cost of transfers depends on how many people you’re traveling with – typically between $30 and $60 per person one way. Consider booking a roundtrip transfer to save time and hassles later on! Pre-book your private transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum here.

Hiring a Taxi: Taxis are plentiful at the Cancun airport. Unlike the ability to book a private transfer ahead of time in English, you’ll need to negotiate a rate to get from Cancun to Tulum if you prefer to take a taxi. Expect prices to be around $100USD (~2000 pesos) one way. Know that taxis typically only take cash, so plan to take enough out at an ATM at the airport before hauling a taxi.

But really, it’s way more economical to take the bus or arrange a private transfer beforehand. Honestly, I can’t think of even one pro to taking a taxi – they’re wildly overpriced and you risk paying even more by getting charged high tourist prices. Especially if you don’t speak much Spanish. 

How to Get Around Tulum

There are two main parts of Tulum – Tulum Town (pueblo!) and the Hotel Zone (playa!). And they’re further than most people initially realize, connected by only one street – Avenida Cobá.

Rental Car: Yes, you can rent a car and get around Tulum that way, but I honestly don’t recommend it. The streets are busy, there’s tons of traffic, and parking can be a nightmare. I only recommend renting a car if you’re including a lot of day trips on your Tulum itinerary and aren’t taking organized tours.

Biking around Tulum: By far the easiest (and most popular) way to get around Tulum is by bike. Many hotels (in both town and on the beach) offer complimentary bikes to their guests, and there’s plenty of bike rentals available on the street should you need them.  Expect to pay about 150-200 pesos per day ($7-10USD). 

There’s even a designated bike lane in Tulum Town that runs the entire length of the main street. You can also rent a scooter if you’ve got experience riding one, meaning you can weave through the traffic in the Hotel Zone quite easily!

Taking a Taxi: Expect taxis in Tulum to be wildly overpriced – they’ve all got fixed rates printed neatly on a laminated paper they’ll flash in your face when you’re astonished at how much they quote you. 

However, ALWAYS attempt to negotiate – I found some drivers wouldn’t budge on their rates at all, so I simply walked a few minutes in the direction I wanted to go, found another driver, and asked their rates. 

Eventually I was able to confirm a price I was happy enough about. Fixed rates are about 200 pesos (~$10USD) from town to the ruins (I paid 100!), 400ish (~$20USD) from the ruins to the middle of the beach road (I paid 250!), and about 6-700 ($30-35USD) from the beach road back to Tulum Town (I paid 400!). Always confirm the fare before getting into the cab so there’s no unexpected surprises once you arrive. 

There’ll be lots of stop-and-go traffic (especially on the weekend) along the beach road – it took me almost 20 minutes to go 3km in a taxi. Unfortunately, unlike other spots in Mexico (like Merida and Mexico City) ride shares don’t exist in Tulum so you’ll need to rely solely on taxis if you don’t have a bike or rental car.

Riding Colectivos: Colectivos are shared vans that primarily locals use. They’re cheap but super busy. If I was staying in Tulum for more than a few days I would have definitely figured out the colectivo bus system (pickup spots can be tricky – ask your hotel where to catch them). 

If you wanna use them, look out for the white vans with destinations on their windshields. There’s plenty in town on Avenida Tulum.

Walking in Tulum: I clocked in over 20k steps each day I was in Tulum – great for working off all those tacos and smoothie bowls! You can easily walk around Tulum Pueblo – it’s not huge by any means and there’s only one main street (Avenida Tulum) with plenty of smaller side streets. 

However, walking the beach road is a whole other story – there’s little to no sidewalks so I found myself walking alongside cars and bikers. I decided to walk on the beach itself instead, which was of course much more scenic and enjoyable!

How Long to Spend in Tulum

So here’s the thing → You can see most of Tulum’s main tourist sights and even have plenty of time at the beach with only 2 days in the area. That’s how long I spent!

However, most Tulum itineraries recommend you spend at least 5 days in the area. And some even 10! While I get you may be tempted to stay in the same area if you’ve got this much time for ease of traveling, I HIGHLY recommend getting out of Tulum and experiencing a more authentic side of Mexico. Yes, Tulum is fun and all, but trust me – it doesn’t come close to the “real” Mexico.

There’s plenty of nearby cities, towns, and even islands to explore in both Yucatán and Quintana Roo, including Merida (3 ½ hours away), Valladolid (1 ½ hours away), Isla Holbox (3 hours away), and even Bacalar (2 ½ hours away). I’ll get into this a bit more as the Tulum itinerary progresses!

If you have your heart set on visiting Tulum for a week or longer, add a few day trips into your Tulum itinerary. There’s so many great spots nearby! 

When to Visit Tulum

Is there ever a bad time to visit the beach in Mexico? Unfortunately yes… keep on reading!

High Season: December to April

High season is crowded for a reason – temps are perfect (between the high 60s and low 80s), with only a slight chance of rain, and lots of sunshine with cool breezes on the coast. However, January through March sees the highest crowds and most expensive hotel rates of the year.

For reference, I visited Tulum in late December and had pretty perfect weather. It was a balmy 85F most of the time, with some rain showers that quickly passed by. 

Low Season: July to October

Hurricane season starts in June, although the bulk of the storms don’t typically arrive until July or later. Expect lots of rain as well seaweed on the beaches. This is peak sargasso (seaweed season), which can leave the beaches unswimmable and not super picturesque. Plus, many restaurants, hotels, and shops close for a few weeks during low season.

If you don’t want your trip to be impacted by potentially stormy weather, I’d choose another time of year for your Tulum itinerary. June through August is typically the hottest time of year in Tulum, with crazy high temps in the 90s. Too hot and sticky for me anyways!

Shoulder Seasons: May – June, November

The hurricanes haven’t arrived yet but the temps are heating up. You can normally find some excellent hotel deals if you’re willing to chance the weather! 

Where to Stay in Tulum

When deciding where to stay during your 3 days in Tulum (or longer), you’ve essentially got two main options: Tulum Town or the Hotel Zone. No matter where you stay, make sure you book in advance, especially if you’re visiting in the high season (December to April). Also note that some hotels are adults-only; something to keep in mind if you’re traveling with children!

There’s pros and cons to both the town and beach of course:

Tulum Pueblo (also called El Centro and Tulum Town)

• Much better restaurants 
• More nightlife (nightclubs and bars)
• Accommodations are less expensive (better for budget travelers)
• Can walk everywhere
• Access to everything you need — banks, pharmacies, convenience stores, etc 

I stayed in Tulum Town and am so glad I did – it’s commonly known that the food is much better in town (as opposed to at the beach clubs) so I was able to walk to different restaurants every night for dinner. 

I also went to a few fun bars, namely Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar (for the best mojitos in town, fresh sugar cane stick included) and La Guarida (a cool space with tons of different rooms to hang out in).

A few popular and highly-rated hotels in Tulum Town are:

• Hotel Bardo: minimalist loft-style rooms with outdoor showers, private jungle gardens, and private pools
• Coco Hacienda Tulum: affordable luxury right in the middle of the city center, with lush green jungle vibes and two pools with pops of color throughout
• Layla Tulum: super instagrammable with it’s Moroccan-inspired rooftop pool and beds suspended with rope from the ceiling
• Live Tulum: great if you want an apartment-like hotel, since rooms have kitchens, some even with large fridges and an oven

Hotel Zone/Playa

• Wake up at the beach!
• Way more expensive 
• Need to bike or take taxis to access all the beach clubs and restaurants
• Not much nightlife 

Sun worshippers, if you’re looking for more of a true beach vacation, you’ll enjoy staying around here. Just remember food and accommodation will be much pricier.

In Tulum, you won’t find many large-scale resorts on the beach (like you will in nearby Cancun). Instead, these hotels are big on sustainability and preserving the natural beauty of the area. Expect them to be on the smaller side, some with only a few rooms, which makes the entire experience much more intimate and private.

The Hotel Zone is essentially made up of three areas along a stretch of 6 miles or so – north, middle, and south. North Beach is closest to the ruins, middle is centrally located, and South Beach is more secluded and typically less crowded. 

Check out these highly-rated hotels near the beach:

• Mezzanine: consistently rated one of the best hotels in Tulum, with its private plunge pools, chemex coffee makers, and relaxing hammock area
• Habitas: Wake up to the sound of waves and jungle views. Being completely plastic-free, this hotel is big on reducing and limiting waste which I can fully support.
• Be Tulum: Adults-only and ultra-chic, this hotel has a boho aesthetic throughout its property. On your honeymoon? Check out the Jungle House – it’s epic.
• NEST Tulum: boutique hotel right on the beach perfect for couples looking for some privacy – the private villa even comes with its own butler and chef!
• La Valise Tulum: luxury jungle-themed beachfront bungalows filled with Mexican art and culture, with an amazing infinity pool and impressive bathtubs

What to Pack for Tulum

When packing for your trip, you wanna make sure you’ve got all the right clothing and gear for everything you’ve planned for your Tulum itinerary. Think about the activities you’ll be doing (swimming in cenotes, snorkeling in the ocean, exploring Mayan ruins, heading out for fancy dinners, going to nightclubs, etc) and prepare for those!

People dress very casually in Tulum. At times, I even felt a bit overdressed in my long skirts and dresses. Think jean shorts, crop tops, workout gear, and loose, flowy cotton dresses. You’ll also wanna pack a few bathing suits, beach cover-ups, bug spray, and comfy/flat sandals. 

Here’s a few other necessities:

• Polarized sunglasses (better for blocking out the harsh UV rays)
• Beach bag and/or backpack: make sure it’s large enough to fit a beach towel or two!
• Hat/s: The sun is strong here! I love taking a wide-brimmed sun hat for the beach and a fun trucker hat when taking long walks.
• If your Tulum itinerary includes a bunch of snorkeling and you wanna stay super safe (and super sanitary), bring along your own mask and snorkel.
• A waterproof kindle or other e-reader for reading at the beach (I’d be worried a physical book may accidentally get wet!)
• Your hotel may give you towels, but we love traveling with a sand-free beach mat
• Reusable water bottle: better for the environment and a must for wandering around town!
• Reef-safe sunscreen: Regular sunscreen is strictly prohibited while swimming in coral reefs and protected areas, as well as cenotes. In order to help preserve the reefs and natural wildlife, pack some reef-safe sunscreen for use during your trip. We love ThinkSport (make sure the bottles are less than 3.4 ounces if you’re bringing them in your carryon)! Don’t forget about SPF lip balm as well!
• Aloe Vera Gel: always have some handy in case you get a sunburn; aloe will give the burn some much-needed relief
• Water shoes or waterproof sandals: Planning to visit a few cenotes? The natural landscape of cenotes can be very rocky and slippery so water shoes or waterproof sandals will definitely be needed to protect your feet.
• Portable battery charger: Charge your phone on the go and never run out of battery
• Noise-canceling headphones: Great for both the plane and the beach! I’m obsessed with my AirPods and Noah loves his Bose Quiet Comforts.

Is Tulum Worth the Hype?

Yes and no. It really depends on what you’re looking for! I like Tulum’s vibe way better than nearby Cancún and Playa del Carmen, but it’s far from my favorite place in Mexico. 

I honestly kinda feel like everyone romanticizes Tulum (kinda like they do Hawaii). Tulum’s definitely got its own fair share of problems like any major tourist destination does — drug-related gang activity, corrupt police, lots of plastic pollution, and OVER-TOURISM (and over-development) to name a few.

The area is getting more and more popular, meaning it’s even less authentic and even more expensive than it used to be. Sure, it’s still super fun, but like I noted before, I’d opt to only stay a few days and then explore other areas of the Yucatan Peninsula. If crowds and parties aren’t your scene, head south to Bacalar instead (it’s way more chill and less touristy and OMG the water).

Other Important FAQs for your Tulum Itinerary 

Local Currency

Like the rest of Mexico, the local currency in Tulum is the Mexican Peso. I highly advise you to take out some pesos at an ATM at the Cancun Airport upon arrival (as you’ll get the best conversion rate using an ATM and never at a currency exchange kiosk). 

You’ll always wanna have some pesos on you for smaller restaurants, taxi rides, shops, and street vendors. While plenty of restaurants take credit cards, not all do. Be sure to ask beforehand, and understand that many add an annoying 5% upcharge for credit card use.

Psst – USD is accepted at most places, but the exchange rate will be abysmal. I always recommend paying in pesos and NEVER in USD if you can avoid it. There’s ATMs all over Tulum Town, so finding an ATM should never be a problem.

I used quite a few ATMs in Tulum but note they all charge a hefty fee. I recommend you get a no-fee ATM card if you don’t already have one (we’ve been using Charles Schwab for years and haven’t paid a pesky fee in forever).

At the time of writing (January 2023), the peso is equivalent to 5 cents USD (or 1 USD = ~20 Mexican pesos). I found it easy-ish to convert in my head by thinking of 100 pesos = roughly $5USD (or 200 pesos = ~$10USD). It takes a bit of practice but after a day or two you’ll be able to do the conversion super quickly in your head.

Tipping: Tipping is standard practice in Tulum, anywhere from 10-20% of the bill depending on the level of service. Be careful when paying as some restaurants automatically add tip onto the bill (which you can choose to pay or not).

Expenses: Tulum is expensive, there’s no way around it. Hotels are expensive, food is expensive, taxis are expensive, and even the souvenir shops (with the same goods you’ll find all over Mexico) are expensive. Even hostel dorm beds tend to be overpriced. 

Depending where you’re coming from, expect to pay higher or similar prices for food and drink. For example, smoothie bowls were roughly 200 pesos ($10USD), a plate of 3 fish tacos in the hotel zone cost me roughly 350 pesos ($18USD), and specialty coffees were about 85 pesos ($4-5USD). 

If you wanna save on costs, stay in Tulum Town, rent bikes or take collectivos, and take the ADO bus to and from the Cancún airport. 

Language

I heard more English in Tulum than I have in all my time in Mexico combined. That’s not to say everyone speaks perfect English — plenty of taxi drivers, restaurant staff, and everyday locals speak primarily Spanish and have limited English. 

Knowing Spanish (or at least learning some key phrases) will help you on your trip to Tulum.

A few helpful phrases to start you off:

• Hola = Hello
• Adios = Goodbye
• Buenos dias = Good morning
• Buenas tardes = Good afternoon 
• Buenas noches = Good night
• Cuanto cuesta? = How much does it cost?
• Cómo te llamas? = What is your name?
• Me llamo… = My name is…
• Soy de… = I am from…
• Cerveza = Beer
• Margarita = Margarita
• La cuenta, por favor? = The check, please?
• Gracias = Thank you
• Para llevar = take away

Safety in Tulum

I know, I know. Mexico gets a bad rep. But I can assure you I felt completely safe during my few days in Tulum. Use precautions like you would elsewhere in the world – like keeping expensive jewelry/watches at home, hiding electronics, being extra careful and observant at banks and ATMs, and knowing your alcohol limit. 

With that being said, the police in Mexico are corrupt, and Tulum is no exception. A guy I met said even the police hustled money out of him a few days prior. Use precautions and always trust your gut — if this happens to you, pay up and get on with your day (your life is worth more than a few bucks).

Stick to Bottled Water in Tulum: Like the rest of Mexico, you cannot drink the tap water in Tulum (brushing your teeth is fine). You’ll find bottled water everywhere you go, and it’s important to stay hydrated in the heat. I found restaurants to always use filtered water in their aguas frescas (flavored waters that are oh so delicious), and asked about ice when I wasn’t sure (which was always made with filtered water as well).

Other Things to Know

Tulum is a Pueblo Magico: There’s a reason Tulum’s been designated as a Pueblo mágico (Magic Town) by the Mexican government (just like Todos Santos, Teotihuacán, Izamal, Valladolid, Sayulita, Bacalar, San Miguel de Allende – wow, I’ve been to quite a few of them!). Those Mayan ruins right by the sea really are quite spectacular, as are the white, sandy beaches.

Flushing toilet paper: And last but not least, it’s advised not to flush toilet paper in Tulum since the septic tanks can’t really handle it. I forgot a few times and nothing happened, but try and be mindful of this. 

So without further ado, let’s get to it – the ultimate Tulum itinerary coming right up!

4+ Days in Tulum Itinerary 

Tulum Itinerary Day 1: Arrive and Explore Tulum Pueblo 

You’re most likely flying into Cancun and then making your way to Tulum on your first day in Mexico, so take this day to acclimate yourself to the area a bit. I recommend exploring Tulum Pueblo for a few hours or so. You can easily get around on foot or bike if your hotel has them (I wouldn’t bother renting them just for town though, it’s pretty small).

Tulum Pueblo, unlike the swanky chic beach area, feels way more authentic, and you’re reminded that you’re in an actual, living Mexican town. There’s cheap taco joints serving al pastor on plastic plates, colorful street graffiti painted by the locals, and lots of cute street dogs. It’s a great mix of affordable eats and trendy hotspots. 

You’ll see locals going about their everyday lives, shop owners practically begging you to look at their mass-produced souvenirs for sale, and tourists on their bikes strolling the town. It’s a small bustling town (albeit kinda gritty) that can be thoroughly explored in a matter of a few hours.

While there aren’t tons of things to do in town itself, here’s a few:

Street art: Not many know this (since Tulum is overshadowed by so many other artistic aspects), but there’s a whole bunch of colorful street art and murals in Tulum Pueblo. 

These pieces by local artists are all over town, albeit kinda hard to find. You need to really seek them out to find the pieces – they’re fairly hidden from view on the backstreets of Avenida Tulum. 

And you never know what you’ll find – popular pieces include the giant sea turtles, Mayan women cooking together, and a deep-sea diver kiss.

Local food tour: Foodies rejoice! If you want to savor some authentic Mexican specialties (where the locals go) and skip the touristy hot spots, this Tulum food tour is for you. Expect to try tacos de guisado, fresh fruit juices, tamales, mole, and more. 

You’ll also learn about the city’s culture and history, so it’s a great introduction to the area. This downtown Tulum food tour is actually with the same company as the food tour I joined in Merida, so I can vouch it was a great time with some really great food. 

Boutique and Souvenir Shopping: You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to shopping in Tulum town. Every few feet there’ll be either another small boutique or souvenir shop filled with items you won’t find at home. While many sell similar things, there’s still plenty of gems to be found. 

Think handmade hammocks, fedora hats, colorful sugar skulls, intricate woven art dreamcatchers, hand stitched table runners, unique jewelry, and intricately beaded artwork. Go check out the Tulum Bazaar, a shopping mall of sorts with a wide range of shops and vendors, including souvenir shops with gift items to handcrafted pottery and artwork. 

Do note that if you’re visiting other places in the Yucatan Peninsula, you’ll find prices to be exceptionally higher in Tulum. I bought a hat in Valladolid from a flea market in the main square for 200 pesos, and found almost the exact same hat in Tulum for 750 pesos (in a boutique no less so no bargaining there).

Where to Eat in Tulum Pueblo

• Matcha Mama: Easily Tulum’s most Insta-famous açai bowl spot now with four locations – a few scattered around the beach and one in town. The location here in town is typically way less crowded and there’ll hardly be a line! It’s pink and chic and all kinds of tropical goodness. While I thoroughly enjoyed my smoothie bowl, I wasn’t impressed with their lack of sustainability (why can’t they use reusable bowls instead of paper containers)? 

• Raw Love: This trendy raw vegan restaurant will really change your mind about vegan food if you had any prior doubts about it. Expect to find lots of salads, raw soups, acai smoothie bowls, and fruit bowls on the menu. I’m completely obsessed with the chocolate dream bowl – absolutely delicious and made with dates and cocoa nibs – with no added sugar!  There’s two locations to choose from – Raw Love Town and Raw Love Playa. I visited Raw Love Town and wish I could eat there every single damn day.

• Humo: One step inside Humo and you’ll feel like you got transported right to the jungle, complete with a domed bamboo structure and lots of comfy pillows. Don’t miss the grilled octopus and a few cocktails. Lots of authentic and original blended flavors of Mexico!

• Burrito Amor: I completely get the hype of Burrito Amor. My pollo burrito was one of the best burritos I’ve ever had in my life (and I eat a lot of burritos living in San Francisco!). I love how they’re wrapped in banana leaves – so sustainable! They’ve even got vegan burritos if you don’t eat meat.

• Antojitos La Chiapaneca: Unfortunately this spot was on vacation for my entire stay in Tulum, but I’ve heard the tacos are cheap and delicious!

• La Reyna de Michoacan: Hot day? Have a paleta, a Mexican popsicle. There’s tons of flavors to pick one, with maracuya (passionfruit) always being my favorite!

• Taqueria Honorio: Another famous taco spot in Tulum Pueblo. They open crazy early (at 6am) so you can even have tacos for breakfast!

Night: Explore Tulum’s Nightlife

After some delicious dinner in town (I highly recommend either Burrito Amor or Humo), it’s time to experience some of Tulum’s famous nightlife! 

And don’t worry, the pueblo’s got something for everyone. There’s both laid back, eclectic yet affordable bars as well as night clubs where you can dance until the wee hours of the night. 

Have a low-key night at Batey’s Mojito and Guarapo Bar, with some of the best mojitos in town (they put fresh sugar cane sticks into all their drinks), and/or listen to some live music at La Guarida. Santino Bar (locals love to dance to reggae here!), Nana Rooftop Bar (the best artisanal Mezcal cocktails around), and Caribe Swing are other popular spots to hang out.

If you’re looking to party all night, you’ll be glad to know Tulum’s got some epic nightclubs. People travel from all around the world to experience Tulum’s hottest music events – all super loud with beats from talented DJs. My hotel was actually right next to the new Animal Club, so I heard music all… night… long. Until 4am. Something to keep in mind when deciding where to stay, haha.

Tulum Itinerary Day 2: Mayan Ruins and Beach Time

Morning: Tulum Ruins 

Time to start officially exploring! The Tulum Ruins are considered by many as the most beautiful of the Mayan Ruin sites around Cancun, and it’s true. The ruins overlook the stunning turquoise water and white sandy beaches – such a sight to see. The archeological ruins of Tulum are one of the best-preserved coastal Mayan sites in not only the Yucatan, but all of Mexico. 

Easily the #1 thing to add to any Tulum itinerary. Don’t miss it!

Because of this, Tulum is also one of the most popular ruins to visit, meaning you’ll want to get there super early and plan to explore on your own or with a private guide. Don’t join a group tour – you’ll get stuck in a group of 20 some odd sweaty and sticky people (it gets pretty humid over here depending on the time of year). 

I visited the Tulum Ruins on my first visit to Quintana Roo as well, and the ruins and views were just as impressive the second time around.

A few tips for visiting these impressive Tulum Ruins:

• Buy your tickets at the entrance, not beforehand in the parking lot. Entrance tickets should cost about 85 pesos (~4.50USD).

• Go with a private guide, but skip the public tours. You can find a private guide at the entrance of the archaeological site for a few hundred pesos.

• Go EARLY. The ruins are by far the most popular site to see in Tulum, and it gets crowded. While the site is pretty large, everyone is fighting for the same views, so you’ll be glad you beat the crowds (and heat as well). I walked in around 9:30am, fully expecting it to be crazy packed and was pleasantly surprised with the lack of massive crowds. Once I was ready to leave about an hour and a half later, there were infinitely more people around. 

• Skip a visit on Sundays – since entrance is free on Sundays for Mexican citizens and residents, it’s insanely packed.

• Don’t miss El Castillo (the Castle) – it’s Tulum’s main pyramid and the most impressive in my opinion.

• You cannot climb any of the structures anymore. This is a thing of the past. If you want to climb some ruins, head over to Ek Balam near Valladolid, Izamal near Merida, or Coba, northwest of Tulum.

• Take in the sea views – this is where I took my best photos, with the ruins on the cliff overlooking the bright blue water. Absolutely spectacular. Keep on walking past the throngs of people and you’ll find some quieter paths right along the water.

• Look out for the sun-tanning iguanas – they’re all over the old stone structures but hard to find since they crawl in and out of them so fast. And blend in quite well!

• You can only head down to the beach at certain times of year. When I was visiting in late December it was turtle-breeding season, so tourists were not allowed to climb down to the beach.

• Exit towards the beach (don’t walk back to the entrance) and then hang out at Playa Paraiso. More info next!

Psst – if you’re really into immersive art, you should also check out Tulum Mystika Immersive, not far from the ruins. It’s a one-of-a-kind mystical sensory experience that helps you connect with Mayan cosmology, nature, and music – exactly what Tulum is all about! Plus, I can only imagine how cool the photos would be! Kinda reminds me a tad of the TeamLab experience I had in Tokyo, Japan!

Afternoon/Night: Lunch, Beach, and Hotel Zone

Once you’re done exploring the ruins, it’s time for the beach! Spend the rest of the day hitting up a beach club (or two), stuffing your face with some fish tacos, and walking/biking down the Hotel Zone street. 

Unlike Tulum Pueblo, you’ll need a bike (or taxi) to get around easily. The road is long – at 10km (6miles), so think about your transportation ahead of time. I didn’t realize how expensive taxis would be, so didn’t make it down to the southern side of the road/beach. 

If you’re walking (like I was), you probably won’t wanna walk the entire road – it’s 10km long! I ended up taking a taxi from the northern part of the beach (close to Playa Paraiso) to the middle area near Coco Tulum, and walked a bit from there.

A few things not to miss in the Hotel Zone:

Fish tacos for lunch: Villa Pescadores has some of the best fish tacos in all of Tulum, and it’s the perfect spot for lunch after visiting the ruins. 

I found a bunch of the restaurants (and restaurant staff) in the hotel zone to be unnecessarily pretentious and overpriced. Some with minimums of $75-100 per person for a meal. Kinda ridiculous if you ask me. Psst — the restaurants in Tulum Pueblo (El Centro) are way more laidback with better food overall. 

Hang at the beach! You’re in the hotel zone, of course you need to spend some time at the beach! Thankfully, Tulum’s got a whole bunch. You’ll find beach bars and beach beds available for rent all along the beach (many with a minimum spend, so ask ahead of time).

• Playa Ruinas: Right near the Tulum ruins, which you can sometimes only access depending on safety of the wooden steps leading down to the beach as well as turtle nesting/breeding season. It was closed when I went. No facilities here, but that just keeps it unspoiled. 

• Playa Paraiso: I swear, I’ve never felt softer sand than here at Playa Paraiso. I loved kicking my sandals off and just walking on the shore for what felt like miles and miles. The beachfront is wide and there’s lots of sand and snorkeling boats here.

• Las Palmas: This beach is typically less crowded and more private compared to popular Playa Paraiso. 

Boat and Snorkel Trips: While walking on the beach, especially near popular Playa Paraiso, plenty of locals will ask if you want to take a snorkeling tour to the nearby Mesoamerican coral reef in Tulum. You’ll see the empty boats right on the shore! 

Spontaneous snorkel session anyone?! Boats then travel north and you get to see the ruins from a different perspective – right from the water! Want your own private tour instead? Book this tour right here in advance. 

Hit up some instagrammable spots in Tulum: The whole area is insta-famous, and the beach is no exception. 

A few of the most popular photos are Follow That Dream Sign, Matcha Mama, Ven a la Luz at Ahau Tulum Beach (which is now controlled and costs 60 pesos to see/photograph), and the swings at Coco Beach Tulum (although hard to get a photo without any others in it unless you go early).

Tulum Itinerary Day 3: Cenote Hopping

Next up on your Tulum itinerary – cenote hopping!

Everyone always talks about the mesmerizing waters of cenotes, but what exactly are they? 

Cenotes (pronounced suh-NO-tay) are natural freshwater swimming holes; essentially, sinkholes filled with groundwater (connected to much larger bodies of water deep under the surface). Some are even part of massive cave systems, full of stalagmites and stalactites. Pretty fascinating, right?

They’re an iconic feature of the Yucatan peninsula, meaning you’ve got to add a few to your Tulum itinerary! Cenotes are located all around Quintana Roo (there’s said to be upwards of 7,000 cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula alone), so you’ve got your pick.

Psst: I’m sure you’ve seen your fair share of cenote photos plastered all over IG and Pinterest. They’re pretty epic if you ask me.

Here’s a few of the most popular and closest cenotes to Tulum:

• Big Cenote
• Cenote Escondido
• Gran Cenote
• Cenote Zacil-Ha 
• Cenote AkTun Ha

Cenote Suytun, one of the most photographed cenotes in the Yucatan, is about an hour and a half away from Tulum. I went when I visited Valladolid (as it’s only 15 minutes away), but think it’s worth the drive from Tulum if you really want the photo. It’s pretty epic if you ask me. Most people don’t swim (as the cenote is pretty shallow) and just come for the photo, haha. 

If you rented a car for your Tulum itinerary, you can easily get to the cenotes by driving. However, if you didn’t, there’s a few tours you can take instead, thankfully!

Here’s a few recommended tours from Tulum that bring you to a few cenotes:

• Visiting Secluded Cenotes by Bike: Journey through the high forest on the outskirts of Tulum and discover a variety of caves, caverns, and cenotes that are hidden underneath the jungle of the Yucatan. Explore, swim, and snorkel in three secluded cenotes by bike, far from the crowds.

• Four Cenote Adventure plus Lunch: Visit four incredible cenotes in the middle of the pristine jungle beyond Tulum. Enjoy swimming, canoeing, zip-lines, and even jungle trekking before heading to a Mayan village to try some exquisite traditional Mayan cuisine. Yum!

• Snorkeling & Underground Cenotes Half-Day Tour: Explore a 600m cave until you arrive at an area where the ceiling of the cave has collapsed and natural light shines through. Learn about the different geological formations that characterize the Yucatan. Get ready – this adventure requires a flashlight (included in the tour). Lots of colorful fish and possibly even a few dolphins await!

• Scuba Diving in Cenotes: Discover the magical underwater world of Mexico’s world famous cenotes by scuba. Take a 30-minute scuba diving course before plunging into these beautiful natural swimming pools surrounded by mangroves. A great first scuba experience!

Tulum Itinerary Days 4 and Beyond: Day Trips!

After a full 3 days in Tulum proper, it’s time to get outta the area! There’s a whole bunch of wonderful day trips you can take from Tulum – deciding where to go is the hardest part. 

While Tulum is worthy in and of itself as a destination, there’s tons to do right outside its borders. Think (more) ancient ruins, quaint colorful towns, island adventures, and even a lagoon that rivals the Maldives (yes, it’s true).

So add a few of these day trips to your Tulum itinerary! You won’t regret it.

Psst – interested in a few of these day trips? You’ll probably wanna extend your Tulum itinerary to at least a week or so! My favorites are Bacalar and Chichen Itza/Valladolid! 

Day Trip Option #1: Cozumel

Located roughly 2 ½  hours away from Tulum (drive to Playa del Carmen then take the ferry over), the island of Cozumel is a great option for a day trip. Cozumel is a small island known for its beautiful beaches and incredible coral reefs, so it’s a great place to spend the day relaxing at a beach club, partaking in a snorkeling tour, or simply strolling through the colorful downtown area. There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular day trips from Tulum!

Everyone’s favorite beach on Cozumel is Playa Palancar, which is on the island’s southwestern tip.  It’s a stunningly calm beach and offers some great beach clubs and amenities. Plus, it rarely gets hit with seaweed that can sometimes be present on other beaches in Riviera Maya. 

While here, don’t miss a glass bottom boat snorkeling trip and/or a catamaran tour to Cozumel’s El Cielo Beach and Palancar Reef. Renting a convertible buggy and exploring the island is a fun way to spend a day as well!

Day Trip Option #2: Chichen Itza and Valladolid 

If this is your first time to the Yucatan Peninsula, you need to get yourself over to Chichen Itza. It’s the most well known ruin in all of Mexico and one of my favorite day trips from Tulum. 

This area was a large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people, and is still visited by approximately 2 MILLION people every year. Kinda wild, right?

The Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichen-Itza (known as “El Castillo”), is listed as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World! I highly recommend joining a guided tour as the history of the Mayan civilization is oh so interesting and there’s lots of it. Unfortunately, climbing the ruins at Chichen Itza isn’t allowed anymore (and hasn’t been since 2006).

Thankfully, getting from Tulum to Chichen Itza is super easy on a guided tour (like this one!) as it’s only a little over 2 hours away. Many tours also visit Valladolid, a cute colonial city with vibrant colonial architecture, as well as a nearby cenote, so you can really see a whole lot in just one day.

This Tulum to Chichen Itza tour even has tequila tasting as well (plus visits to Valladolid, lunch, and a cenote), and it’s super reasonable!

Day Trip Option #3: Sian Ka’an

If you’ve never traveled to this area, you may have never heard of Sian Ka’an. What is it?! A biosphere reserve renowned for its natural beauty and diverse wildlife (home to thousands of species of flora and fauna) – it’s even a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Guided tours from Tulum are pretty pricey (starting at ~$100USD) but worth it for the transportation alone (it’s pretty tricky to get here on some questionable roads).

Most tours include time wandering the ancient ruins of Muyil (with a variety of birds, plants, and animals – maybe even monkeys), gazing out at the unblemished jungle (it’s absolutely remarkable!), taking a boat ride through the trading canals of the ancient Maya civilization, and floating back down through the canals between mangroves. An epic, adventurous day! 

Read reviews and book your guided tour to Sian Kaan today!

Day Trip Option #4: Bacalar

Bacalar is actually right by the Belize border, but only a 2 ½ drive from Tulum! The main draw of Bacalar is its location right on Lake Bacalar, also called the Lagoon of Seven Colors due to its spectacular blue and turquoise hues. And that it is! There’s a reason it’s known as the “Maldives of Mexico”! 

People say Bacalar will be the next Tulum – so get there now before it loses its authenticity and untouched charm. I spent 3 nights in Bacalar, but you can easily see its highlights in a very long day from Tulum. But however long you stay (as a day trip from Tulum or a few days like me), definitely take a sailing trip on Lake Bacalar. The color of the water in the lagoon is unreal – I wish I could float in those waters all day, everyday.

This sailing trip goes to all the main highlights of the lake – including Pirate Canal and Bird Island. Plus lots of seasonal fruit, perfect when out on the water.

Read Next: A Massive Guide to Bacalar (The Maldives of Mexico)

Day Trip Option #5: Playa del Carmen

Located roughly halfway between Cancun and Tulum (an hour away from each) is Playa del Carmen, one of the most visited beach destinations in the world.  And for a reason – have you seen the sparkly blue waters?

You can spend your day at a beach club downtown (Mamitas Beach Club, Kool Beach Club, and Encanto Beach Club are good ones), book a parasailing tour, and even swim with whale sharks during whale shark season (between June and September)!

It’s got tons of unpretentious charm and a laid-back beachy carefree vibe. Don’t miss a stroll down Fifth Avenue (“La Quinta Avenida” in Spanish), the most popular pedestrian-only street in Playa del Carmen with countless restaurants, souvenir stands, shops, and nightlife.

Day Trip Option #6: Coba Ruins

With its pyramid shaped temples with views over the surrounding jungle and only an hour away from Tulum, Coba is one of the best day trips from Tulum. Especially since it’s completely different from other archeological sites. 

First of all, Coba is located in the middle of the jungle (helloooo jungle vibes), and most importantly, you can still climb the main pyramid (Nohoch Mul), which just so happens to be the highest in all of the Yucatan Peninsula.

If you’re looking to visit both Chichen Itza and Coba, this guided tour from Tulum takes you to both on the same day! Perfect for those looking to hit up a few Mayan ruins!

Are you visiting Quintana Roo soon?! Hope this (very) comprehensive Tulum itinerary helps you plan your trip!

The post The Best Tulum Itinerary: Mexico’s Popular Boho Chic Beach Town appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Another year has flown by! And boy did I pack this one in with tons and tons of travel (I traveled for roughly ⅓ of the year). No wonder why I’m so utterly exhausted! After 2 years of the world feeling mostly off-limits and difficult to access, I took advantage of this new found freedom. 

I finally visited a new country (Colombia!), a few old favorites (Portugal!, Italy!), and got in my groove of solo travel again. I visited my parents in their new home in North Carolina, watched my sister get married in NY, and spent a few weeks in Europe with my husband on his sabbatical. Fewer canceled trips, actual hugs with my friends and family, and tons more time living life sans mask. 

Looking back, it was a great year, and I’m so grateful for all the experiences 2022 brought me.

This is my TENTH year in review post on this blog, and it’s wild to me that I’ve been documenting my life and travels online for that long. I LOVE looking back at my life so these very personal and reflective posts are so special to my heart. 

→ Interested in seeing what I got up to in years past? Here are all my year in review posts: 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021

2022 by the Numbers

• Countries Traveled To: 8 (USA, Mexico x2, Colombia, Italy, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Canada)
• States Visited: 7 (California, Arizona, New York, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Nevada x2)
• Days On The Road: 124
• Days Traveling Solo: 29
• Beds Slept In: too many to count, haha
• Flights Taken: 38 
• Books Read: 39
• Duolingo Streak: 226 days

After taking a huge hit financially from my blog the last few years (travel was at a halt because of Covid), income levels are finally rising again and 2022 was my most profitable year yet! Pretty damn proud of myself for not giving up and never losing hope despite all the struggles in 2020 and 2021. A Passion and A Passport is my side-hustle baby, and there’s no way I’d give it up even after a few stressful years. 

Let’s go — my 2022 year in review, coming right up!

January

We spent New Years Day at our favorite place in our area – Pacifica! I love to start off the year on a high note, so we took Kona on a short hike in the sunshine (boy do I love living in CA) and got in our steps.

The new year started off kinda rocky – I got a false positive Covid test so had to quarantine at home for 5 days. Not the worst thing in the world since I got to work from home for a week, but definitely unexpected (I had zero symptoms) and kinda stressful. 

It wasn’t all bad – I did a bunch of puzzles, perfected a Levain cookie recipe (OMG super droolworthy), and spent tons of time cuddling Kona, the perfect WFH companion.

ARIZONA 

As soon as my quarantine requirements were up, we flew to Phoenix for a long weekend. Why?! For Noah to run his second marathon in just two months, and guess what – he PR’ed – again! Always so motivated by his determination (although nothing will ever get me to want to run for enjoyment…). 

We also met up with a few cousins of mine who I hadn’t seen in forever, thoroughly explored the ASU campus (I swear, we walked around it tons), loved Papago Park and hiked to “the hole in the rock”, explored downtown Tempe and Old Town Scottsdale, and saw a whole bunch of fun murals!

It was a short weekend, but definitely nice to be in hot and sunny weather in January!

That very same weekend, my sister, Ali, and her bf Kevin got engaged in North Carolina! So special and exciting for them! So thrilled my sister found her person.

MEXICO CITY 

I make it my business to travel on my birthday every year, so when we found a great deal on flights, I knew we’d be heading back to CDMX for my 35th birthday! We loved this city last time we visited (back in 2018), so couldn’t wait to return (and of course eat all the things, because that’s what you do in Mexico City, haha). And that we did – we ate at 3 of the best restaurants in the city: Quintonil, Pujol, and our new favorite Sud 777.

Besides all the eating, we also went on a few Luis Barragán architecture tours — I was blown away; the houses he designed are absolutely spectacular and oh so unique and mesmerizing. Tons of color and impressive architectural elements.

We revisited a few CDMX favorites, like Casa Azul, Parque Espana, and churros at El Moro, and checked out a few new-to-us spots, like the stunning Palacio Postal, the super instagrammable Casa Olympia for drinks, and wandering the leafy streets of San Angel. 

But my favorite thing we did all week? Waking up before dawn to float above the pyramids in a hot air balloon at sunrise on my birthday! We lucked out with the most perfect weather and saw Teotithuacan from above – such a magical morning and a birthday experience I’ll remember forever. 

Plus, we somehow got upgraded to first class on the way back home to San Francisco! No complaints there!

February

HOME

We had a few weeks of GLORIOUS 70 degree weather, so I tried to really soak it all up! Still completely in awe of where I live, and feel so, so, grateful for year-round sun and beach time. 

We went hiking at Devil’s Slide (one of my favorite easy trails in Pacifica), walked atop the cliffs at Point Pillar Bluffs in Half Moon Bay, saw a spectacular sunset at Fort Funston (along with dozens of cute pups), and even went tide pooling at Mavericks! Still cannot believe just how many tiny hermit crabs, sea anemone, and starfish I found! So fun!

I also spent an afternoon hiking above Gray Whale Cove and then frolicking on the beach afterwards. We got soaked in the waves but it was so worth it. Totally felt like a little kid — I was so giddy! Find all my favorite hikes in Half Moon Bay here!

NEW YORK

Next up – a long weekend of celebrations in NY! My sister’s engagement, brother-in-law’s birthday, their dating anniversary, and my birthday!

The weekend was filled with lots of movie nights and singalongs cuddling in the snuggle room, and spending a day out east in Greenport, listening to live music and watching dancing dogs at a brewery, sipping some sparkling rose at a gorgeous winery, and eating the smallest lobster roll known to man (true story, haha).

I got to see a lot of family/friends including my hysterical 97-year old grandma – love that little lady so much! Later on in the month Ali asked me to be her maid of honor (of course I said yes!).

The rest of February was a blur as we were navigating through some family things and trying to help as much as we could. <3

March

HOME

We saw Harry Potter on Broadway (which was great but unfortunately way too long), and visited my SIL and niece/nephew in Nevada City for a weekend (got to spend time with my in-laws too).

The horrific war between Ukraine and Russia caused gas prices to rise to over $6(!!!) in parts of the Bay – definitely not a good time for a long road trip!

MONTEREY AND CARMEL 

We snuck in a little beachy weekend trip to Monterey and Carmel, which we always forget is only 1 ½ hours south of us! We did a short coastal walk to Calla Lily Valley (something that’s been on my California bucket list for years), watched Kona play in the sand at Garrapata Beach, I hiked around Point Lobos and saw the most stunning turquoise waters and even a few cute harbor seals, walked around the storybook village of Carmel-By-The-Sea (my favorite!), and enjoyed a few pastries from the best cafes. 

I also randomly discovered the super-decked out Butterfly House (whoa!), and we took a super-long walk in Pacific Grove on the waterfront. To say we love this little area is a huge understatement… OH! We also had such a fun night at the coastal-chic Inn at Spanish Bay (along the 17 Mile Drive), watching the sunset while listening to the bagpiper and sipping drinks!

We absolutely love this area and I can see us making plenty of day trips here as the year continues (especially to see the pink ice plants bloom in summer!)

COLOMBIA  

And then we were off to Colombia – our first big adventure of 2022 and first new country in almost 3 years!

Besides spending SO much time in airports (our flight from Medellin to Cartagena was delayed 25 hours, yes TWENTY FIVE hours, and then we spent a 7-hour layover at the airport in Panama), we thoroughly enjoyed Colombia. Such a diverse and misunderstood country.

Medellin 

First stop in Colombia – Medellin! We checked out so many hip coffee bars while wandering around the trendy neighborhood of El Poblado, tried a crazy amount of exotic fruits on a market tour (ohhh we both loved lulos and granadillas and uchuvas), and had delicious rooftop cocktails complete with views of the whole city. 

Learning about the history and transformation of the Comuna 13 neighborhood was super powerful, and I’m glad we got to dive deep into the complex history. Of course we used the iconic escalators of the neighborhood, checked out the trippy Casa Neon, and took photos with all the fun murals in the area.

Guatape 

Ohhh – I loved this colorful little town so much! It kinda reminded me a tad of Guanajuato and Bacalar mixed into one (ok fine, just a little bit…). Guatape’s got its own unique charm, and we spent our two days there taking long walks along the lake and wandering the town so many times (finding new houses to photograph every few steps)! 

We trekked up the Guatape Rock (El Penol) for insane views of the lakes, and then got stuck in a wild Colombian thunderstorm on the way down! The steps were completely flooded and of course we got soaked… when in Colombia! Finding the empanada lady everyone raves about was another highlight (yes, more food!).

Cartagena 

Our last few days of our Colombia itinerary were spent in Cartagena – a port city I’d recently heard so much about. I don’t think we were prepared for the intense heat and humidity, and we ended up utterly exhausted from dripping all weekend but we loved the colonial city of Cartagena. 

So much charm on the cobblestone streets, and you betcha I took loads of photos of the colorful houses and doors draped with the prettiest pink bougainvillea.

We spent a morning at the fort, checked out the street art in Getsemani, sipped rooftop cocktails at sunset, relaxed at our gorgeous hotel pools, walked the city walls, and overall reveled in laid-back Caribbean life. I would totally come back here for a week or so. 

Cartagena surprised me with its foodie scene – we had a few too many latte frios, limonada de cocos, and pisco sours, indulged in cheesy street arepas and pandebonos, ate way too much exotic fruit, and had our best two meals of the trip at Carmen Cartagena and Alma (in the stunning Casa San Agustin). I even wrote an entire post on my favorite restaurants in Cartagena!

April

Once we got back from our whirlwind of a trip to Colombia, we had a few relaxing weekends full of Indian buffets, rotating sushi meals, and playing mini golf at Urban Putt (never heard of it? Be sure to check out my post on hidden gems in San Francisco).

We spent a lot of April planning our big summer Europe trip, with me constantly changing destinations and finally making a decision on where we’d go (spoiler — we spent the summer basking in the sun in Italy and the French Riviera with a mini side trip to Amsterdam).

NASHVILLE 

After canceling our trip to Nashville last September (Covid cases were spiking like crazy), I was so excited to finally make it to Tennessee – a brand new state for me! 

We went to Nashville for Noah to run the half marathon, and surprise, surprise, he PRed again – 1:55! 

Went to allll the murals so I could create my Nashville photo spots post (my fav were the candy hearts), stayed at the most instagrammable hotel in all of Nashville — the Graduate, decorated with all things Dolly Parton, and of course ate a whole lot of hot chicken, biscuits, grits, and even hush puppies (with the best meal of our trip at Husk; run, don’t walk).

Our Nashville itinerary included checking out the Country Music Hall of Fame (fun to learn about the evolution of country music), exploring a bunch of trendy neighborhoods, and listening to lots of live music at Tootsies and other spots on South Broadway.

One main highlight – seeing a few friends we hadn’t seen since before the pandemic (heyaaa Jay and Carol)! Plus, back at home, Kona went SWIMMING (those videos our friend sent us were a true 2022 highlight for us!).

May

May ended up being a semi-quiet month for us. We drove up to Nevada City again and spent the weekend with my favorite niece and nephew, baking, playing at the park, and hanging out. 

LAS VEGAS for Lovers and Friends Fest 

After falling in love with Usher’s residency back in August 2021, we somehow scored tickets to the highly anticipated Lovers and Friends Fest. Which meant, back to Vegas we went for our very first festival! The entire show was a total 90s throwback, and I loved every second of it (besides almost passing out from the intense heat and lack of available water…). 

There was a surprise guest appearance by Snoop Dog, and great performances by tons of my favorite artists (including Neyo, TLC, Frankie J, Juvenile, Mario, 112, Pretty Ricky, The Dream, etc). Ohhhh my high school years… 

But the end was a completely different story – there was a wild and super scary stampede (talks of a gunshot). I literally almost got trampled. Thank god Noah picked me up and we ran for our lives, then walked a few miles down Las Vegas Boulevard back to our hotel. Meaning we never got to see Usher after all , but we were too hyped on adrenaline and nerves to fully process the events at the time. A truly horrifying moment.

Besides the festival, we splashed around at our first ever Vegas pool party! So much fun in the cabana with a semi-private pool for Em’s 40th! We also had fresh pasta in Eataly, a delicious dinner at Best Friend, and drinks at Chandelier Bar (like always, haha). 

Other foodie stand outs were the insane cake shake, spiked dole whip at the Cosmo pool, Secret Pizza, and Eggslut (we can’t NOT go). Thankfully we burned off some of our indulgences by walking/dancing over 25 miles over the course of the 2 days (that’s ~62k steps in 2 days!).

COVID 

Covid finally caught up to us in May, after TWO years of avoiding it! Noah tested positive and felt like shit, most likely getting it from either the festival or wild pool party in Vegas. Could’ve predicted that! I somehow didn’t get it from him…!

Unfortunately we had to cancel a whole bunch of fun weekend plans, including a dinner experience we had booked FOUR months earlier. Ugh, go away Covid! I made pierogi that weekend (which took freaking 6 hours), watched a whole bunch of trashy TV, and got to work on a few blog posts. He thankfully started feeling better a few days later and tested negative (!!!) shortly after. 

And then Monkeypox became a thing and we had our first case in California — WTF. And the school shooting in Texas. And the baby formula shortage. Ugh!

SONOMA 

We finished up the month with a little day trip up north to Sonoma, and I totally forgot how much I love it up here! Pretending we were in Tuscany for the day, sipping our wines looking out at the views was the perfect way to welcome summer.

June

HOME

Lots of celebrations at home this month! We started with a delicious steak dinner at Mastro’s in SF for Noah’s birthday and then celebrated our TEN year anniversary with a fancy dinner at RH a week later. 

But the best news?! The requirement for negative Covid tests to return back to the US went away!!! Just in time for our big summer trip. I also hit 5 million impressions on Mediavine, which was such a victory after my traffic took a complete nose dive in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID.

But there was some seriously depressing news as well. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade; just proving once again how much our country is moving backwards. What a horrific day for women’s rights. Seriously America, WTF?!

WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 

As soon as my school year was over, I finally made it to North Carolina where my parents moved last year! We hung out at the pool, walked in the lazy river, explored downtown Wilmington, got famous ice cream at Kilwins, walked along the waterfront, and saw carnivorous plants in the wild (which I found utterly fascinating).

We took day trips to SouthPort (the cutest town where tons of cheesy romances were filmed) and New Bern (home of Pepsi Cola and the Tyron Palace). It was so nice to relax a bit and spend lots of quality time with my parents and see their new home (I freaking love it and am so glad they’re having the best time in retirement). Such a great move for them.

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

I drove down to Charleston for a few days with my parents, a city I’ve been wanting to check out for so long! Before Charleston, we stopped in Myrtle Beach on the way, and checked out the colorful Broadway on the Beach and strolled on the beach boardwalk for a bit. 

It was absolutely sweltering in the South, but worth it for the Charleston charm.

Besides literally dripping in the scorching heat and getting stung by a massive bee, we had a great time. We indulged in shrimp and grits, biscuits, sweet tea, and other Lowcountry favorites. We explored all the typical Charleston favorites, like the Battery at sunset, the Pineapple fountain, Charleston City Market, and walked down King Street and all the pretty little alleyways.

We saw tons of gorgeous homes in the South Broad neighborhood (including of course Rainbow Row and all the pretty doors on Tradd Street). We learned about the enslaved Gullah people at The Boone Plantation, and admired all the Spanish moss on famous oak avenue.  We took a harbor boat tour to escape the heat, and saw Fort Sumter from afar. I wrote an entire post on our weekend in Charleston – it’s such a charming little city and I can’t wait to go back!

It was so sad saying goodbye to my parents — so grateful for the full week of uninterrupted quality time with them! 

VENICE 

Finally, after planning for months and months, we were off on our 3-week European adventure! And our first stop? Venice!

We didn’t particularly fall in love with Venice, but still had a great time (despite Noah’s bag getting lost on the way and ending up in GHANA!). Highlights included indulging in take away boxed pasta, authentic Italian pizza in bed, and creamy gelato overlooking the canals. We wandered around such charming (yet busy) streets and alleyways, walked up the Campanile Tower for amazing views over Venice, and admired all the Italian architecture and views.

But my favorite part of Venice – heading over to Burano for a morning, which I fell head over heels for the second we arrived! It looked like we stepped into a rainbow of color, with every single house painted so bright and cheery! I was in heaven! Touristy but such a locals spot as well. Highly recommend wandering around for a morning/afternoon.

July 

CINQUE TERRE

Next up on our European rendezvous – Cinque Terre! We had the most amazing 3 days in Cinque Terre, watching the sunset all 4 nights and eating as much trofie al pesto as we could get our hands on (plus spritz’s and lemon sodas and local wine and allll the gelatos).

We watched sunset on the rocks with a pizza picnic in Riomaggiore, learned how to make authentic pesto in Manarola, hiked to spectacular viewpoints in Vernazza, wandered tiny Corniglia with focaccia in hand, and spent a day at the beach under iconic umbrellas in Monterosso. Each town was so colorful and similar yet different in their own way.

I saw all 5 towns from the water on a local’s boat (hello Palao!), and swam in the crystal clear Mediterranean water. Times like this I cannot believe life is real. 

I desperately loved these tiny towns on the Italian coastline, and miss our time there so badly! Minus all the hills and stairs — got almost 20k steps every day!

One of the best parts?! Noah got his bag back — after going all the way to Venice and back for the day! Quite the 15 hour journey/adventure, but well worth it! I had myself a solo day!

PROVENCE 

We then made our way over to France, with Noah’s bag in tow (thankfully)! We explored so many charming villages and tiny alleyways, including L’isle-Sur-La-Sorgue, Moustiers, Roussillon, Gordes, Valensole, Fontaine de Vaucluse, Aix-en-Provence, and Saignon. Market days were insane! The countryside wasn’t our favorite, but I think that’s because we’re just coastal people!

Highlights included running through the lavender fields (at both sunrise and sunset) — we were visiting at peak bloom, how could we not?! Bucket list check! 

Renting a paddle boat at Verdon Gorge was another favorite – I swear the scene was straight outta a movie (and the water looked just like Gatorade!). Another bucket list check!

We finally made our way to the coast, spending time in Marseilles and Cassis, including a day out on the water checking out the limestone cliffs of the Calanques, admiring all the fancy yachts, and seeing the riviera from above via insane viewpoints. 

FRENCH RIVIERA 

To say we LOVED our time in the Côte d’Azur is a massive understatement. We split our time in Cannes and Nice, taking lots of day trips from each. Our days were filled with bougie lunches at beach clubs, renting umbrellas for afternoon swims, exploring the old town of Cannes, popping over to Antibes for a solo morning, and spending a day on a private boat ride with friends and getting pizza and mojitos delivered by boat! Such a unique experience.

In Nice, we took the train over to Menton (to eat all the lemon things), Monaco (where we checked out the F1 racetrack and iconic casino), Villefrance-Sur-Mer (my favorite little seaside town to date!), and Villa Ephrussi (with its pink ornate building and gorgeous gardens). We also walked tons along the water, explored the main squares, and got tons and tons of gelato and spritz! The best few days.

AMSTERDAM 

Amsterdam was our last official stop on our European summer! Our original flight from Nice got canceled so we ended up with an extra half day in Amsterdam, which was a nice surprise. 

We spent a full day and a half eating pancakes, takeaway frites, loaded baked potatoes, stroopwafels, cheese samples, famous chocolate cookies (seriously rivaling our favorite in NYC), and an authentic Dutch dinner. We wandered around the picturesque canals and admired all the architecture, relaxed at the Damrak, smelled the tulips at the flower market, and took an impromptu canal ride. 

But my favorite afternoon in Amsterdam? Visiting the Anne Frank House, and stepping foot in the secret annex where the Frank family hid out during the war (honestly one of the most impactful experiences of my life to date). Highly recommend adding a visit to your Amsterdam itinerary, even if you’ve only got a day or so!

LISBON 

After 4 days at home, yes FOUR, (and watching two good friends get married – heya Bella and Grant!), I flew back to Europe to start my 2-week solo trip to Portugal! First stop — Lisbon!

Throughout my few days in Lisbon, I snacked on about a dozen egg tarts at various pastelerias, took photos on the insta-famous pink street, burned off all those pastries walking uphill to all the miradouros, and wandered around the charming neighborhoods of Alfama and Barrio Alto.  

I spent an entire day feeding my gluttonous self — with a trendy breakfast, pasteis de nata baking class, fudgy chocolate cake (the best!), and a food and wine tour! 

I took a day trip to beachy Cascais (with a stop at the LX factory and in Belem beforehand), and fulfilled all my fairytale dreams during a long day trip to Sintra, exploring Peña Palace (twice), Quinta de Regalia, Montserrat Palace, and Sintra Town. Finally get what all the fuss is about!

August

PORTO

It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with Porto. All of 10 minutes to be exact. Didn’t hurt that I was staying in the cutest apartment, and stumbled upon the prettiest viewpoint (hardly mentioned anywhere!) on my first afternoon. I loved the city and its local vibe, maybe even more so than Lisbon, shh!

During my 3 days in Porto, I learned all about Port on a wine and cave tour (tawny was my clear favorite), stumbled upon a whole bunch of viewpoints, watched the sunset every night across the river, checked out as many beautiful blue tiles in Porto as I possibly could, indulged in a famous Porto hot dog and francesinha, wandered the city on a photo walk with a local photographer, and just wandered the tiny streets. 

I also managed to finally make it over to Costa Nova and Aveiro — two spots that have been on my Portugal bucket list for quite some time! I wandered around town, stopping at every single colorful striped house (haha), trying some local treats, and of course taking a boat ride on the famous Aveiro river. So much fun!

ALGARVE

I swear, I had the best few days of my life down by the beaches in southern Portugal. I could not believe all the views — each one more amazing than the last! Easily one of the most scenic landscapes I’ve seen in my life… missing southern Portugal already!

One of my favorite days was hiking along the coast (on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail), admiring all the wild rock formations from above and ending the day with sunset petiscos overlooking the gorgeous Marinha de Praia.

I spent another day wandering a different section of the coast, checking out all the beaches on the Lagos Peninsula and treating myself to a fancy meal of grilled octopus with a sunset view.

I spent my Algarve mornings on speedboats and catamarans, exploring both Ponta de Piedade and Benagil Cave, hanging at the beaches searching for seashells, and eating as much seafood as I could.

I also loved my afternoon in Albufeira — wandering the picturesque beaches, exploring the whitewashed Old Town, all while taking tons of photos of course. Being by the beach and on Portuguese boats for almost a straight week was so up my alley.

HOME

Back to work it was… summer break was over! I started another school year literally the day after I landed home from Portugal. It was kinda hectic and I was downright exhausted, but I pushed through! 

We then celebrated a few birthdays — had a 30th bday outdoor movie night for a friend which was so fun, and drove over to Nevada City to celebrate my niece turning 6 the day after! We also saw Thomas Rhett in concert, a show that was canceled in (the non-existent) Summer 2020.

September

SANTA BARBARA

We always love heading down the coast, so we decided to spend Labor Day Weekend in Santa Barbara! First, we made a quick pit stop in Solvang, the cutest little Dutch town (although it was way too hot to actually enjoy it).

Once in Santa Barbara, we spent the weekend on busy State Street, indulging in $10 coffee drinks (delish), tiki drinks in the Funk Zone, and so much good food (tried a whole bunch of new-to-us restaurants, like Secret Bao and Flor de Maiz). We walked along the beaches, watched sunsets from the pier, and ate delicious tri-tip sandwiches off the side of the road at Cold Spring Tavern. 

Major highlight of the weekend was spontaneously seeing two of our good friends who we hadn’t seen in almost a year! We love ya Lena and Bassam + co! And staying at the oldest and most beautiful Motel 6 in the country; no joke, it kinda felt like a cute boutique hotel.

Besides the scorching hot weather (it was in the 100s almost the whole time…), we had such a great weekend. As we always do in SB! We even ran into Andy Buckley (from the office!) at the Kimpton!

NEW YORK

Time for some bridal festivities – Ali’s Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party in NY! After planning for months (and months), we finally got to celebrate my sister for the weekend! And what a huge success it was!

First up — the bachelorette party! We had a delicious boozy brunch with a perfect view of the water, indulging in so much good food and taking tons of fun pics. An afternoon pampering ourselves at Sojo Spa was next (!!!). I couldn’t believe how huge the place was — 4 levels of saunas, hot tubs, foot massages, ice rooms, a freaking sand pit, and even an infinity pool overlooking the Manhattan skyline! 

We stayed in our robes the entire day (what a dream!), sipped on berry smoothies, and hopped around between all the saunas and pools. What a perfect day of relaxation and celebrating my sister with such a great group of girls! I swear, my sister has the bestest of friends.

Next day was the bridal shower — full of fun shower games, a delicious buffet meal, and the most adorable custom sugar cookies around! It was so nice to see tons of family and meet a whole bunch of my sister’s friends! Next stop, the wedding in December!

HOME

While at home, we saw Dave Matthews Band in concert (such a good show), spent a day in Sonoma wine tasting with new friends at MaCrostie Vineyards (oh so gorgeous!), and I got into Mediavine Pro, which means I get to keep more of my ad revenue!

October

Beginning of the month was pretty low-key, which was a-okay by me after such a busy summer and start to fall. I saw Moulin Rouge on Broadway – so fun and one of the best shows I’ve seen so far!

We went all out and attempted to do as many fall things as we could! Went apple picking in Morgan Hill, took fun photos at the pumpkin patches, ate warm apple pie and sipped on fresh cider, spent a day at Great America on the roller coasters (for their festive fall event), and hung out with friends at Oktoberfest!

I also signed up with an online coach/trainer, and am so proud of myself for getting my butt in gear and finally working on my health/nutrition. After gaining a few Covid pounds, I definitely didn’t feel like my best self so decided it was finally time to take action. Almost back to my pre-Covid weight after a few short months → so proud of myself!

Also – Noah accepted and started a new job at an amazing company — such a great opportunity for him and I’m thrilled he’s so ecstatic about it!

LAS VEGAS for USHER! 

After the catastrophe of Lovers and Friends back in May, I knew we needed to go back to Vegas to see Usher again (just like we did last year!). While we both admit his show was infinitely times better the first time around, it’s never not fun seeing Usher in Vegas.

We spent the weekend checking out new fancy cocktail bars, eating at our fave foodie spots (if you haven’t had stone crabs at Joes, go now), and spending time with one of our fave friends we hadn’t seen in a while! We also re-explored a bunch of hotels on the strip we hadn’t been to in forever, and I got some cute pics for my Las Vegas photo spots post! Coming soon!

HOPE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Continuing our season of fall fun, we drove over to Hope Valley with hopes of seeing all the fall colors famous in this area! There ended up being a snowstorm a week prior, meaning all the gorgeous aspens at the hotel were gone, but we still had an amazing time staying at the woodsy chic Wylder Hotel. 

We literally stayed in a real-life log cabin, wood-burning fire stove and all (which was an experience in and of itself to light). So chill and relaxing and just so fun hanging in the log cabin with Kona – he did so great and was such a great little adventure buddy!

Although we visited at the very tail end of fall foliage, we managed to find some pretty yellow aspens closer to Tahoe, and went on a bunch of chilly walks by the lake and through the trees. 

November

Again, our November was pretty chill, exploring closer to home and taking some time to relax. One weekend we went down to the redwoods in Los Gatos and checked out all the fall colors, while we ventured over to Santa Cruz another weekend for a gorgeous (yet very windy) coastal hike (which honestly kinda reminded me of the Algarve in Portugal!). We also snuck into SF for a day, and then both got our Covid bi-valent boosters a few days later which we were especially happy about!

BANFF NATIONAL PARK 

After visiting Banff THREE times (even once in winter), it was time to finally show Noah around! And lemme just say — Banff in November was all kinda magical. We walked on a frozen Lake Louise, roasted marshmallows over the fire with views of the mountains, and had high tea with a perfect view of the frozen lake and glacier. A true winter wonderland!

It was so fun finally staying at all the hotels I’ve gawked at for years (Fairmont Lake Louise, Fairmont Banff Springs, and Emerald Lake Lodge). We watched a gorgeous sunset with the mountain peaks reflecting in the one wet spot of Emerald Lake → one of our favorite experiences of the trip. 

We took the gondola up for spectacular views of all the mountain peaks, and had a delicious lunch at Sky Bistro. On our last day we checked out the Banff Christmas markets, hung out at the outdoor hot tub, and of course indulged in a beavertail, 3-course fondue dinner, and lots of hot chocolate/hot cider!

We relaxed SO much, which is not like us at all. We spent time reading by the fire in our cabin, eating dessert in bed, sipping Christmas blend tea, and eating our tiny finger sandwiches while watching the fluffiest snow fall with views of the mountains. So peaceful and relaxing.  

To say we lucked out with the weather is a massive understatement — lots of blue skies and then fresh SNOW (and thankfully made it safely out of a wild snowstorm back to Calgary). Such a great winter trip, and I hope we can revisit sometime in the future together.

December

Before an exceptionally busy December, we saw Adam Sandler live at the CHASE Center in SF and it was one of the most hilarious shows we’ve ever seen. Always forget how much I enjoy seeing my favorite people on stage! 

ALI AND KEVIN’S WEDDING WEEKEND!

We headed back to NY for an extended long weekend – this time for my sister’s wedding! I swear, she was the most stunning bride.

The bridal party started getting ready at 5am in the bridal suite, and despite the early wake up call, we all had a blast getting our hair and makeup done and busting out in random dance parties. We’ve got the photos to prove it!

Ali and Kevin planned such a gorgeous wedding, complete with fried Oreos, a mini Hank statue on the wedding cake, and the sweetest, most heartwarming ceremony. And thankfully, despite all my nerves, I totally crushed my maid of honor speech!

Overall, such an amazing weekend spending so much quality time with my family (immediate and extended) at both the wedding and before/after. <3 And plus, we got upgraded to DeltaOne on our flight home which was a nice surprise after a weekend of non stop partying!

MEXICO

Just 4 days after getting home from NY, I was off to Mexico for winter break! Like most solo trips these days, it always takes a lot of effort and motivation for me to get on that plane. But once I get there and get back into my groove, I end up having the best time. That’s EXACTLY what happened with Mexico.

I fell in love with the Yucatan Peninsula, and I ended up staying for a full 2 weeks instead of only 1, haha! I packed in a whole bunch of epic spots, including Merida, Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Izamal, Rio Lagartos, Bacalar, and Tulum! Busy but somehow kinda relaxing too!

Merida 

Merida was my first stop on my solo trip around the Yucatan Peninsula. And I loved it – spent my days wandering the colorful streets around Plaza Grande and the chic Paseo Montejo, tried my first (but not last) marquesita, and stayed at an all-pink hotel (and obviously took way too many photos of it).

I indulged in authentic market foods (like cochinita pibil salbutes and carnita tacos) from stands I would have never found myself on a Mérida local food tour (plus agua frescas, sweet corn helado, and so much al pastor). 

Joining a cenote tour last minute was one of the most magical mornings of my life. Floating in the middle of the turquoise Cenote, looking up at the sky, with only the other 2 people on my tour plus our guide, is something I’ll never forget. Most cenotes are crazy crowded, so when it was just us, that made the experience all that more special. Plus the lunch we shared in a local Mayan’s house alongside her family was spectacular, and I can easily say her salbutes were the best I had all trip. 

Valladolid 

After a low-key few days in Merida, I headed over to Valladolid where I did oh so much! I learned all about the Mayans at both Chichen Itza and Ek Balam (both super impressive and wildly different experiences), gawked at flamingos and crocodiles during our boat ride on Rio Lagartos, marveled at the all-pink lake at Las Coloradas, cooled off at yet another cenote, and explored the yellow town of Izamal. Despite crazy long days, I met the best people and had the best time. <3

In Valladolid itself, I spent lots of time in the main square, going shopping, people-watching, and loving the churros rellenos. I ended my time in Valladolid with a visit to Instagram-worthy Cenote Suytun, another bucket list check for me! 

Bacalar 

Bacalar is a place I had never even heard of until I was in Valladolid, haha. And my trip down to Bacalar was super spontaneous. My flight home from Cancun was canceled, so instead of dealing with the holiday airline messes, I decided to extend my stay in Mexico for a week (could be way worse, right?).

It was my first time showing up to a place having done very minimal research — which was all kinds of exhilarating, stressful, and fun. I took the long 5-hour bus ride down to Bacalar and met up with a friend I recently met in Valladolid; we had such a great time together and can’t wait to meet up elsewhere in the world in 2023!

Bacalar was hardly touristy and despite some unexpected rain, we loved the tiny town. The main highlights were heading out on a boat to see the 7 colors of the lagoon (ain’t called the Maldives of Mexico for nothing!), floating down Los Rapidos (too much fun), spending an afternoon relaxing at a beach club, and surprisingly having so much good food. Highly recommend heading down to Bacalar if you’re interested in experiencing a lesser-known, yet just as beautiful part of Mexico. 

Tulum 

I ended my extra-long stay in Mexico with a trip to Tulum, a place I’d been wanting to explore for a while despite the wild over-tourism.

I spent my last two days in Mexico exploring Tulum Pueblo, relaxing at the beach with some fish tacos, wandering around the Tulum Ruins, walking up and down the hotel strip, and staring at that turquoise blue sea for far too long on crazy long beach walks.

Despite staying next to a nightclub that blasted music until 4am and dealing with overpriced taxis, it was way better than I expected (although definitely overrated and overpriced). Would I go back? Not anytime soon, but regardless, it was a great end to my unexpected 2 weeks in Mexico!

I got home from Mexico at 9pm on New Year’s Eve… just in time to kiss my husband at midnight! While we didn’t have much time to ring in the new year, we celebrated with some champagne, peanut butter cheesecake, and couch snuggles with Kona. Didn’t wanna miss saying goodbye to 2022 without my little family by my side. <3

Phew – that’s my 2022! Happy New Year, and here’s to a productive, fun-filled 2023!

The post 2022 Year in Review: The Year Life Kinda Got Back to Normal appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

Mexico City is an instagrammers paradise. There’s something to photograph around every corner, whether it be Frida Khalo’s Blue House, photo worthy cafes, or sky-high viewpoints. I could spend weeks just wandering around, camera in tow, and still not run outta Mexico City instagram spots to take photos of.

Even if you only have time for 3 days in Mexico City, I promise you can check a lot of these off your list — if you plan it right of course (or just follow my itinerary, wink wink).

Looking for more instagrammable photo spots in other cities? I’ve got quite a few photo guides! Check them out!

• 50+ Instagram Spots in San Francisco
• 45 Photo Worthy Spots in San Diego
• 30+ Oahu Photo Spots for Your IG Feed
• 40+ Murals in Austin, Texas (Plus Tons of Street Art)
• 30 Most Instagrammable Photo Spots in London

So whip out that camera (I’ve been using just my phone lately!), grab a few friends, and get ready to find the best Mexico City instagram spots.

Read Next: The Perfect 3-Day Mexico City Itinerary (so you can bang out a bunch of these CDMX photo spots super fast!)

Iconic Mexico City Instagram Spots

1. La Casa Azul (The Blue House or Frida Kahlo Museum)

I so admire Frida Khalo – she’s the most renowned Latin American artist in the world! And any spot literally called The Blue House sounds super photogenic to me. Here at The Blue House in the Coyoacan neighborhood of Mexico City, you’ll be immersed in all things Frida! And it’s easily one of the best Mexico City instagram spots, of course!

A visit to La Casa Azul is a MUST on any Mexico City itinerary. This is where Frida Khalo lived most of her life, ultimately passing away in 1954. Not only can you see the exact paints she used for all her iconic paintings, her wheelchair, and learn all about her fascinating life, but the whole space is absolutely beautiful. After you check out her house and studio, spend some time in the outdoor courtyard – it’s full of leafy green plants and even more color (mostly blue, hence the name).

Psst: Book a timed ticket in advance. Or else you risk the chance of waiting on an exceptionally long line or not being able to visit at all. Also, you’ll need to buy a photo pass for ~$1 USD. This pass will enable you to take photos inside the home, the museum, and around the gardens. And trust me, staff absolutely check for the photo pass when they see people taking photos. So pick one up on your way in!

2. Zocalo Architecture

The Zocalo, less commonly known as Plaza de la Constitución, is full of interesting architecture in downtown Mexico City. The plaza is surrounded by plenty of historical and culturally important buildings, including the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Supreme Court of Justice. 

I loved all the wooden elements and quirky design details. The giant Mexican flag in the center is hard to miss. Try and get a photo of the hot pink cabs and buses – they really contrast the Baroque architecture!

3. Castillo de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle)

A castle in CDMX? Yup, believe it or not! A real-life 18th century palace lives right here (and it’s the only one on the North American continent)! Why shouldn’t you go explore the home of the Mexican President (well, up until 1939 anyways)? 

The black and white contrasting tiles (both inside and out) as well as the impressive stained glass windows make the photos so lavish and opulent! I totally wish I was wearing a long gown to really live out the princess vibes.

Don’t miss out on the gardens as well – they’re way more manicured than Golden Gate Park in San Francisco! And plus, the castle’s located on top of Chapultepec Hill so you know there’ll be good views from up here. 

Psst – the castle (and entire park) is closed on Mondays, so plan your Mexico City itinerary with this in mind!

4. Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral)

Before leaving the Zocalo, check out the largest and oldest cathedral in all of Latin America – Catedral Metropolitana! It’s one of the city’s oldest and most iconic buildings, and it’s absolutely free to visit (both the outside and interior). With all the gold details throughout, intricate wooden markings, and grand cathedral doors, you really shouldn’t miss it! 

Plus, it’s a true architectural masterpiece of CDMX (being a wacky combination of Baroque, Neoclassical, and Gothic architecture), making it one of the best photo spots in Mexico City!

5. Casa Luis Barragan

Now this is where instagram dreams really come to life. As soon as I heard about legendary contemporary architect Luis Barragan, I knew I needed to visit his house. He’s not only one of the most celebrated architects in CDMX, but one of Mexico’s most important artists. 

He’s famous for his bold, minimalist style, and his emphasis on color, light, shadow, and texture. What better way to immerse yourself than visiting his own home and studio yourself?! 

The entire space is filled with soft natural light, neutral tones contrasting with the bold patterns, and lots of natural, wooden elements. But the iconic outdoor courtyard – filled with pinks and oranges and green leafy vines cascading over the wall – was my favorite part of the house to photograph. I’m a sucker for a hot pink wall (like the one on Melrose Ave in Los Angeles), what can I say?! 

You can only visit via a guided tour, so make sure to book your ticket literally as soon as they become available (a few Tuesdays beforehand). It’s not uncommon for the tickets to sell out within minutes of opening! I was literally glued to my computer the second tickets were released!

Do note only cell phone photos are allowed – no photoshoots with DSLRs or mirrorless cameras allowed. Walk around the neighborhood for a bit before/after – we found some super colorful homes nearby (for some bonus Mexico City instagram spots of course)!

6. Teotihuacan

Willing to venture an hour outside the city? You’ll be greeted with one of the most instagrammable spots in Mexico City, er, right outside of it! Teotihuacan was the largest pre-Aztec civilization in its time, and the ~2000 year old pyramids were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. Told you they’re epic! 

While the complex is quite large, the two main highlights are the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. Plan to climb up at least one! I recommend taking photos from different angles – at the bottom of the pyramids, up close and personal with the materials, and from further away (really showing how they dominate the landscape). 

My favorite? Photos after climbing up looking out into the valley landscape or towards the other pyramid! Wear a fedora hat for max effect (they sell them all over Teotihuacan in case you want to buy one directly from Mexico). 

Tourist Tip: Teotihuacan gets crowded! Plan to arrive by early morning to get photos without tons of photobombers. Or just hang around after your hot air balloon ride above Teotihuacan (that’s what we did on our most recent trip)! You’ll be there before most people even arrive!

7. Neighborhoods of Roma Norte and La Condesa

Roma Norte and La Condesa are easily my two favorite Mexico City neighborhoods for wandering and getting (slightly) lost. No shortage of photo ops here! And thankfully you can easily explore both in the same morning/afternoon as they’re located right next to each other. 

Every street is lined with hip cocktail bars, lush green spaces (especially Amsterdam Avenue in La Condesa), hipster coffee spots, trendy boutiques, and gorgeous colonial buildings. Both neighborhoods are trendy and chic, with creative details on every corner. 

Expect to find cool new bars and cafes popping up every month, and tons of highly-rated restaurants (don’t miss the trendy and colorful Mercado Roma in Roma Norte)!

8. Anthropology Museum

If you go to one museum in Mexico City, make it the Anthropology Museum. Here you’ll find the world’s largest collection of ancient Mexican art! And the architecture – swoon! I think I had fun photographing the architecture here almost as much as I enjoyed the actual museum. 

Don’t miss the giant column fountain in the courtyard (known as el paraguas – the umbrella); it’s a great photo spot in Mexico City if you don’t mind getting a little wet!

Other Places to Take Pictures in Mexico City

9. Mexico Mi Amor

I’m sure you’ve seen this one all over IG and floating around Pinterest. The neon sign is located in the ritzy neighborhood of Polanco on the building of Tane (an upscale jewelry store), and is one of my favorite Mexico City photo spots – I mean, just look at it. 

The cacti, pink wall, and ‘Mexico Mi Amor’ sign all compliment each other so well. Definitely worth a quick stop on Masaryk Street.

10. Xochimilco Canals

There’s nothing better than taking a ride at Xochimilco, a charming little waterway area that’s full of colorful boats, mariachi bands, and people drinking traditional mezcal cocktails and pulque. It’s basically like a party on a boat floating in the middle of Mexico, and it’s absolutely wild (in the best way possible). 

The Xochimilco canals are kinda like a mix of the Venice Canals in Italy and the Floating Markets in Thailand, but with more color and Mexican pizazz. Floating down the canals is such a good time, especially if you’re with some friends. And the colorful boats, called “trajineras” are painted such bright colors you won’t be able to resist taking a few photos. 

Expect to pay about 500 pesos per hour (~$25USD), which is a great value split between a few people. Easily one of the most colorful Mexico City instagram spots, and the most fun!

11. Palacio Postal (Correo Mayor)

Yup, I’m taking you to a post office, but not just any old post office. I promise Palacio Postal will be the most beautiful post office you’ve ever been to. 

As soon as I walked in, I was instantly floored by its beauty – the entire building really is a piece of art! It’s a wild mix of architectural styles, with Gothic Revival, Spanish Rococo, Venetian, and even Art Deco elements. There’s wrought iron, polished brass, intricate staircases, and the coolest glass ceiling in the back. And better yet, it’s absolutely free; you just walk right in!

The building can get quite busy at times, so you’ll wanna visit when it opens to get your shot. Or just wait for a clearing like we did. The post office is located in the historic center of Mexico City near the Palacio de Bellas Artes, so you can knock out a few Mexico City instagram spots in one afternoon.

12. Hot Air Balloon above Teotihuacan

Pure magic above the pyramids. Not only is this one of the best photo spots in Mexico City, but a big bucket list check as well! We had the most perfect morning without a cloud in the sky floating above the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacan. 

And going on the morning of my 35th birthday made it all that more special, despite the 4am wake-up call, but ya know, I’ll do almost anything for a good Mexico City instagram spot.

I could have drifted away in that balloon above the ruins for HOURS. It was so, so magical (not to sound like a total cliche or anything…). We flew over the Teotihuacan Valley, including the two major pyramids – Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon, and then landed with a champagne toast!  

You’ll wanna wear warm clothing as it’s pretty chilly that early in the morning, especially before the sun comes up! And honestly, it’s such good value (way cheaper than the other hot air balloon rides we’ve done in Napa Valley and Scottsdale, Arizona). I promise you, flying in a hot air balloon isn’t scary at all, you’ll see!

13. Casa de los Azulejos “The House of Tiles”

I’m sure you’ve seen or heard of this place before – it’s one of the most popular instagrammable places in Mexico City! And it makes total sense because three sides are completely covered with the most charming HAND PAINTED blue and white tiles. Yes, they’re all hand painted, and if you look closely, you’ll notice all the irregularities. 

The House of Tiles kinda reminds me of those gorgeous tiled buildings all over Porto and Lisbon in Portugal! What most people don’t realize is it’s actually an 18th-century Baroque palace! Right in the heart of CDMX! Definitely walk all the way around with your camera in hand, and get some close-up photos of the hand-painted tiles. 

We’ve only taken photos of the outside, but if you’re hungry from all the fun, there’s a highly-rated restaurant inside! A true architectural gem.

14. View From the Observation Deck of Torre Latinoamericana

Looking for sky-high views of CDMX? Head to the observation deck at Torre Latinoamericana, a 44-story skyscraper in the historic city center. It’s the tallest building in Centro Historico, and one of the city’s most notable landmarks. The building looks a tiny bit like the Empire State Building in New York City – do you see the resemblance? 

I admit we’ve never been up there (on my list for next time!), but I’ve heard the views are absolutely ridiculous – on a clear day of course. You can see for miles and miles and get great views of the Palacio de Bellas Artes (right across the street). 

I’ve seen photos and the view is especially beautiful at sunset (I suggest coming right before sunset so you can see the view during the day and then once the sun goes down). My own little photo hack.

And fun fact – the tower’s survived many earthquakes! 

Looking for a workout? Climb the extra six flights of stairs to go to the very top, and you’ll see the city from an even higher point of view. You can either choose to visit the restaurant and pay for an overpriced watery drink (albeit less than a ticket to the top), or pay a bit more and use the elevator to go all the way to the actual observation deck. Your choice!

15. Coyoacan Neighborhood

Once you’re done photographing Frida Khalo’s house (Casa Azul), don’t leave the area just yet. The entire Coyoacan Neighborhood is too charming to miss! The main plaza, Jardin Hidalgo, is filled with cobblestone, leafy green plants, and plenty of benches for people-watching. You’ll see vendors selling balloons, toys, and traditional sweet treats. The Coyoacan Market is nearby (which is where Frida shopped herself… how wild!!!). 

And whatever you do, if you need a little pick-me-up between photo shoots, grab a cold moka from Cafe El Jarocho – I swear you’ll love it…. There’s a reason it’s been open for almost 70 years. The aguacate ice cream from nearby ice cream shops isn’t half bad either.

Secret Photo Spots in Mexico City

16. Palacio de Bellas Artes from Above

The Palacio de Bellas Artes is arguably the most beautiful building in all of CDMX, a regal white Art Nouveau structure with its iconic yellow domed roof. It’s a cultural center that’s home to a lot of performances, exhibits, and more. Inside you’ll find elements of Art Deco style and it’s totally worth popping your head into as well, even if you’re not attending a show. 

But if you wanna get that iconic view of the roof from above, you’ll need to head to the Sears building across the street. Yes – the department store (I’m not joking)! Head up to the cafe on the 8th floor, Finca Don Porfirio, order a drink (there’s not much food here so eat beforehand), and enjoy the view/snap away! You can get a perfectly symmetrical photo of the palace here, making it one of the best Mexico City Instagram spots!

17. Biblioteca Vasconcelos

For the book lovers out there, there are few places in the world more awesome (or instagrammable) than Biblioteca Vasconcelos. The geometric, colored stacks of this bright and modern library are filled with books on books on books. It looks like something out of a sci-fi novel or a contemporary art museum, and I can totally see it in a futuristic city like Tokyo. 

Unfortunately I haven’t made it here just yet – the first time we visited CDMX I didn’t even know it existed, and on our most recent visit, it’d been closed for a while. Double check it’s currently open before you waste an Uber ride – the front is nothing special.

18. Mercado de San Juan

I love photographing foodie markets – they’re filled with so much excitement and color. And this one’s no different. I’d consider Mercado de San Juan a local market, and we saw plenty of locals buying their produce and meat here for the week. 

You’ll also find plenty of dead insects to snack on if that’s your thing, or just wanna try them! Do note we saw some blood and (tons of) raw meat, so if you’re prone to get a little queasy, maybe skip the market.

19. Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela

If this isn’t Mexico City’s largest traditional style Mexican market, I don’t know what is. Heck, there’s over 200 stalls covering 16 THOUSAND square meters. 

Trust me when I say you’ll wanna bring along a suitcase to buy it all – there’s hammocks, Mexican robes, mirrors, art, hand blown glass work, Talavera pottery, and so much more. But photos don’t take up any room so that’s what I typically do (after buying so much on my recent trip to Los Cabos and Sayulita, whoops). Well worth a quick peek when you’re walking to the Zocalo downtown area. 

20. Casa Gilardi

Oh my goodness. SO. MUCH. COLOR. I was blown away by all the details and just overall coolness of the house. A technicolor swimming pool with a perfectly placed light beam. YES! A completely yellow-hued room with stained glass windows. YES! A pink and punchy outdoor roof terrace (which I was completely obsessed with and promise you will be too). YES! Like, can this be my house?! 

If you’re looking for the best Mexico City instagram spots, you NEED to visit Casa Gilardi – it was easily one of the highlights of my last trip. 

You’ll need to make a reservation in advance (a few weeks to a few months before visiting), but I promise you the wait is worth it. Just like at Casa Estudio Luis Barragan, expect to pay an additional 500 pesos (~$25USD) to take photos. But since there are so many epic photo spots in Mexico City right here in this one house, I think the cost is worth it and then some. 

Plus, you’re helping support the family that lives in the house (yes, people live here full time – we even heard them through the walls, haha). Our tour guide was the son of the man who commissioned Barragan to build it, so you get a first-hand account of everything Casa Gilardi! 

21. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo House-Studio Museum

Everyone’s heard of Frida Khalo’s popular Casa Azul, but what about the lesser-known Frida & Diego studio in San Angel? 

With the attractive cacti fence out front, spiral staircase, and rooftop terrace views, it’s easily one of the most instagrammable places in Mexico City. What many people don’t realize is that the museum is actually two houses connected by a bridge, which you can walk on to get to the other. Frida lived in the blue house – makes sense! 

The pair lived in this home on and off for years together, before Frida ultimately moved back into Casa Azul after their divorce. 

Psst – the museum is free to enter on Sundays (but you can easily take a photo of the popular blue building without paying an entrance fee anytime).

22. Charming Streets of San Angel

After you’re done photographing Museo Casa Estudio, go for a wander around the streets of San Angel. I swear it’s one of the most photogenic neighborhoods in the entire city, and you’ll get so many sweet shots for your Mexico City instagram feed. 

Vines completely taking over homes, interesting door knockers, and tons of bougainvillea. The neighborhood is peaceful and picturesque, with narrow cobblestone streets, colorful historic mansions, and plenty of charming corners. 

Plus, it’s largely residential, so you won’t see many tourists around! Just make sure to be super respectful – these are people’s homes you’re taking photos of!

23. Morisco Kiosk

If you like colorful structures, Kiosco Morisco is a fascinating place to visit. At first glance, it’s a large, gazebo-like structure that’s a reddish color from afar. 

Upon closer inspection, though, you can see the intricate detail that went into this unique work of art and architecture in the center of the city.

24. Soumaya Museum

Modern architecture at its best – inside and out! Just look at the shiny silver-skinned building covered in 16,000 hexagonal mirrors! Whoa! I don’t even know what shape it is! An elongated oval? Maybe a rotated rhomboid? Hmm…. we’ll never know! 

Soumaya is one of the most iconic museums in Mexico City, with the world’s largest collection of pre-Hispanic and colonial era coins. Head up the walkway past the 5th floor – here you’ll find a vast Rodin collection (the largest outside of France)! Even if you aren’t in the mood to check out each piece of art, the museum is completely FREE to enter, so may as well have a quick peek around.

Parks and Nature

25. Jardín Centenario (Coyoacan)

Since you’ll already be in Coyoacán to photograph Frida’s house, stay a little while and walk over to Jardin Centenario! It’s one of the most manicured parks I’ve ever seen in my life – just look at that greenery. I couldn’t believe how perfectly cut every single hedge was. Super pleasant and peaceful; we felt like we were in a private oasis in the middle of the big city! 

We loved sitting on a shady bench underneath the trees, drinking our moka frios, and just watching the world go by. Don’t miss the huge famous coyote fountain in the middle of the park and church of San Juan Bautista. Coyoacán translates to “Land of the Coyotes” so that coyote fountain makes a lot more sense now, doesn’t it?

26. Parque Mexico and Parque Espana

These two sister parks are right across the street from each other, and are two of our favorite parks in the entire city. Considering Mexico City’s full of green spaces, that says a lot! Why am I so infatuated with them? 

Well, for starters, the dozens and dozens and dozens of dogs!!! So many!!! And they’re all so cute! Definitely spend some time watching the dogs play in the dog park (and of course taking a few cute photos of them). You may even see a dog walker with 5, 6, or even 7 dogs at once – it’s not uncommon here! And then go for a wander in the leafy green peaceful paradise! Thankfully it’s well shaded so you can spend a while here without worrying too much about the strong sun.

27. Chapultepec Park

Chapultepec Park is one of the largest urban city parks in the Western Hemisphere, encompassing more than 1,600 acres! Meaning it’s almost double the size of Central Park in New York City – whoa! It’s nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of other parts of the city, that’s for sure. You’ll see tons of street vendors selling everything from elote, cotton candy, and plenty and plenty of potato chips and other colorful snacks. 

Rent a paddle boat on the lake, go shopping in the open-air stalls, check out a few museums (the park is full of them, including the super popular Anthropology Museum), visit the castle (!!!), and admire the many sculptures and monuments. If you’re looking for a cheesy photo op, take a photo with the black and pink CDMX sign right near the lake. There’s always something going on here – whether it be street performances or cheeky swans in the lake.

Instagrammable Hotels in Mexico City

28. Hotel Carlota

I have to be honest – I booked this hotel because of the pool alone. I mean, just look at it! It’s completely glass on one side – just imagine the photo possibilities! Talk about urban chic! I found the rooms to be kinda underwhelming and super minimalistic, but again, the pool more than made up for it. 

If you’re not spending the night, you can eat at the hotel restaurant (I promise those maiz hotcakes were legendary) and easily take a few photos with the pool if you ask nicely. The sitting area in the back of the hotel (past the pool) would also make for some fun photos as well.

29. Sofitel Mexico City Reforma

While the entire hotel is a stunner (we are talking about the Sofitel brand here…), the indoor pool is the real reason to book a night stay. Sleek, modern, and chic, with soothing living green walls (real plants!) and classic art-deco elements. Just imagine relaxing in the hot tub admiring the Mexico City skyline from the 38th floor, and with floor-to-ceiling windows to boot!

There’s also a steam room which I totally took advantage of. Day passes are available but they’re pretty pricey, so do it up and just spend the night! We got lucky with a corner room on the 34th floor with sky-high city views right over the Angel of Independence monument! 

30. Hotel Camino Real Polanco

Camino Real is truly an instagrammers paradise. The main draw is the eye-catching, ultra-modern architectural pink cutouts in the front, but take a walk around the property for more Mexico City photo spots. Unfortunately it was under construction when I visited, but you can typically take a photo in front of this iconic spot!

You’ll find a unique outdoor fountain that seems to slosh every which way, a striking blue courtyard, and plenty of indoor murals. It’s super swanky and a must-visit when in the upscale Polanco area. 

31. Gran Hotel Ciudad de México

Two words. Art-deco architecture. Gran Hotel isn’t your average hotel – the stunning stained glass ceiling makes for one of the best photo spots in Mexico City! And it’s one of the four largest Tiffany-style stained glass windows in the world! 

Besides the colorful, light filled ceiling, you’ll also find geometric railings, velvet details, and even a stunning panoramic terrace overlooking the city. Unfortunately the hotel is only open for hotel guests at the moment (meaning we couldn’t see the grand ceiling), but hopefully that all changes soon! 

Instagrammable Cafes and Restaurants

32. Cafebrería El Péndulo

One part café, one part bookstore! Easily one of the best Mexico City instagram spots for library lovers – I mean the interiors are just gorgeous! There’s a few of these cafes around the city, filled with balconies with curvy green handrails, living plants on the shelves, literally floor-to-ceiling books, and one location with a palm tree that’s as high as the building itself (San Angel)! Absolutely wild! 

Come in for a quick wander/photo, or stay a while and admire the books with a coffee in hand. Most definitely the coolest bookstore chain in Mexico City.

33. Casa Olympia

As soon as you walk in, you’ll instantly see why this restaurant/bar makes it on this list of the best Mexico City photo spots. It’s literally an instagram feed waiting to happen. Plush orange chairs. Punchy, citrus wallpaper. Eclectic leafy greens. A hot pink couch with the most beautiful round windows. The whole space is an absolute dream. And I’m only describing half of it!

The carajillo with the macaron is super extra and what this swanky restaurant is known for, or try the Olympia Spritz and watch it change colors right in front of your eyes. If you’re hungry for something more than a liquid lunch, the Mediterranean classics are fresh and flavorful. One of the best Mexico City instagram spots for foodies like me!

Psst: The restaurant is kinda hidden – we thought we were dropped off at the wrong location! You’ll need to check-in with the hostess outside, and then you’ll be walked into Casa Olympia!

34. Buttery

We stumbled upon this cute cafe in Polanco while walking to Tane, and I instantly fell in love with their cute branding (gets me every time)! So of course we had to get something… everything looked absolutely delicious – choosing what to get was one of the hardest decisions I made all day! I ultimately decided on the chocolate banana scone, and yes it was the perfect choice.

35. Ojo de Agua

I first visited the location in La Condesa on my original trip to Mexico City, and have since visited the Polanco spot! I can confirm they’re both just as instagrammable as the last! 

From the wooden boxes filled with fresh fruit to the hanging egg chairs, I can see lots of instagram photos happening from Ojo de Agua! And plus, the food is pretty photogenic too – just look at the avocado toast!

36. Churreria El Moro

Okay, if you’re visiting Mexico City for at least 3 days, you need to get churros at El Moro at least once a day, haha. You can literally watch the staff pipe and fry the churros right in front of you. There’s plenty of locations around the city (they’re popping up left and right) and each one is super instagrammable. The white and blue tiles are iconic to the brand, and make for the cutest photos. 

And since you’re here anyways you need to try the churros – for photo props of course (wink, wink). Get an order of 4 churros and some hot chocolate to dip them into (there’s 8 kinds of hot chocolate but we like the Espanol the best). The consuelos (mini ice cream sandwiches with coiled churros on each end) are also delicious. Not only are the churros the best in the city (see for yourself), but you’ll get super cute photos out of it. Two for one, right?

37. Cityzen

Head up to the 38th floor of the Sofitel Reforma Mexico City for sky high views with a cocktail in hand! I admit that the food was a bit underwhelming and I wasn’t a fan of the guacamole… (in Mexico I expect all guac to be super fresh). 

With that being said, I highly recommend coming here for drinks though! Make sure to request a table outside – the views overlooking the city are mesmerizing. You’ll probably want to make a reservation since this place gets busy (especially at sunset) – ask for an outdoor table (the one in the corner has the best views).

38. Corazón de Maguey

Hungry? Come to Corazon de Maguey overlooking the main square in the Coyoacan district. Not only does the menu feature traditional Oaxacan cuisine, but the bright colors of the space make for great photos! This is a list of the best photo spots in Mexico City afterall! 

We were here for breakfast, but I heard the mole is top-notch and there’s a great drink menu with plenty of mezcal (my husband ordered a refill of his drink if that’s saying anything). Be sure to head upstairs to the bar area – the boldness is really something. Psst – if you’re seated on the outside patio like we were, use the restroom upstairs and you’ll see the colorful bar and bright table area!

39. Tomasa Concha

I’m a sucker for cute branding, so as soon as I saw this spot in La Condesa I knew I had to go (and include it on my list of Mexico City instagram spots). Pink tiles. Handpainted terracota mugs. A super bright and airy space. 

And some of the yummiest conchas (traditional Mexican sweet bread rolls) in the neighborhood! We tried a chocolate concha and a few minis, and couldn’t have been more satisfied. The staff was so generous and welcoming as well.

40. Panaderia Rosetta

Mexico City is known for its pan dulce (sweet breads), and Panaderia Rosetta is one of the best places to try a few! It’s a super popular place, but we didn’t have to wait terribly long for our coconut banana cocoa cookie and latte. 

The guava pastry, cardamom roll, and ricotta cocoa roll are some of the best pastries I’ve ever had. And plus, the cinnamon rolls and blueberry focaccia are just too pretty not to photograph! Try the beet and pineapple juice – I loved it!

41. La Gruta

Lunch inside of a cave?! Don’t mind if I do! After visiting Teotihuacan, walk over to La Gruta – the restaurant is literally 5 minutes away and in a CAVE, so you can’t miss it! 

Yup, that’s right, you can stuff your face with incredibly delicious traditional Mexican food while sitting in a volcanic cave. Pretty cool, huh? Get the molcajete and a few tacos – it was the perfect amount of food with so much variety.

Also, if that doesn’t convince you enough, both Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera have eaten here, along with Queen Elizabeth II! You may wanna make a reservation to ensure you get a table since this spot gets popular! 

So there ya have it – all my favorite Mexico City instagram spots! Which ones are you adding to your Mexico City itinerary?!

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San Pancho is tranquil and relaxing, quiet and quaint. It’s everything you want in a tiny Mexican beach town. There’s enough to keep busy for a few days, but not so much that you feel like you’re missing out. It’s the kinda place you may never wanna leave – and I totally get it! 

We had to peel ourselves away from this quaint Mexican town!

I bet you haven’t heard much about San Pancho. We hadn’t either until visiting! We tend to love unpretentious little towns not many people have heard of. Kinda like when we visited Borrego Springs on our Southern California desert road trip, and Todos Santos as a side trip to Los Cabos.

When planning our trip to Jalisco and Nayarit, we had an extra 2 nights to spend somewhere. So I found an eco hotel in San Pancho, and decided we’d head there before Sayulita. I had heard it was kinda like the Sayulita of the past (before it got overrun with tourists and expats), but I didn’t know much else. 

I admit, as we made the turn into town after heading over from bustling Puerto Vallarta, I was worried I had made the wrong choice booking 2 nights here. The streets seemed relatively dead, I didn’t see many shops/restaurants, and upon first glance it looked kinda rundown. But as soon as we checked into our (gorgeous) hotel and took a short walk, I’m glad that all my initial doubts quickly faded away. I can promise you a visit to San Pancho is well worth the effort!

Overview of San Pancho

San Pancho is the Sayulita of 15 years ago. It’s unassuming and unpretentious, with an eclectic community full of artists, expats, locals, and tourists. It’s way more down to Earth and even considered the “cultural capital” of Riviera Nayarit. 

We woke up to roosters every morning, felt like we had sections of the beach to ourselves, and it was relatively quiet at night. Way quieter than in nearby Sayulita which had music blasting until the wee hours of the night.

Unlike Sayulita, San Pancho remains relatively unknown – it really is Riviera Nayarit’s best kept secret. This quaint surfer town is definitely a special place, with a laid back vibe and a strong sense of community (with virtually no crime).

The town is technically called San Francisco (no, not the same San Francisco in California of course!), but everyone calls it San Pancho. We sure had fun telling people we were from San Francisco when asked, haha. It’s literally the San Francisco you’ve never heard of! 

Psst → If small towns aren’t your thing and you’re looking for more nightlife, you may enjoy visiting Sayulita instead.

The People of San Pancho

It was the people of San Pancho that really made our trip. Looking back now, I see why we had such a great time. Everyone was so friendly, helpful, warm, and generous. And I don’t say that lightly. The vibe just felt different – in the best way possible. Everyone knew each other, stopping on the street to say hi and catch up. I think I could see myself living here, at least for a little while.

We met the owner of Su Pancha Madre (a sope truck on the outskirts of town) who invited us to his International Sope Festival that night (the first ever), expats in Casa Gourmet who gave us tons of local recommendations, and locals on the beach who graciously let us play with their dogs. Even the woman outside Limbo making fresh tortillas – who I dubbed the “Tortilla Lady” – treated us to warm tortillas with cheese and wide smiles every time we walked past. 

San Pancho Trip Planning Logistics

Where is San Pancho 

San Pancho is located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico in the state of Nayarit. It’s about 30 miles north of Puerto Vallarta and only 15 minutes north of nearby Sayulita, so you can totally combine the three towns for an amazing trip!

It’s tucked away, surrounded by mountains and lush jungle. And thankfully it’s not hard to get to, conveniently located near major cities and the Puerto Vallarta airport.

Psst – when you type San Pancho into Google Maps, the name automatically changes to San Francisco. Don’t be alarmed! As noted before, San Francisco is the actual name of the town; everyone just calls it San Pancho.

How to Get to San Pancho

Coming from the states? You’ll first need to fly into Puerto Vallarta (to Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport, airport code PVR), and then head an hour or so north to the small town of San Pancho.   

PVR is an international airport with plenty of nonstop and connecting flights, so you won’t have a hard time finding flights. We were pleasantly surprised that our flight from San Francisco to Puerto Vallarta was less than 4 hours! I fully expected it to be way longer for some reason. Here’s a small sampling of the flight times to give you a general idea of how long your flight may be. 

• From Mexico City (MEX): ~1 ½ hours non stop
• From Dallas (DFW): ~2 ½ hours non stop 
• From Los Angeles (LAX): ~3 hours non stop
• From San Francisco (SFO): ~4 hours non stop
• From New York City (JFK): ~6 hours non stop
• From Miami (MIA): ~7 hours (connecting)

Already in Nayarit or Jalisco? A lot of people visit San Pancho, Nayarit after visiting Puerto Vallarta and/or Sayulita (that’s what we did!). We took a taxi from Puerto Vallarta for about 800 pesos ($~40USD), although we could have gotten a better deal bargaining on the street most likely (we had our hotel in the Romantic Zone in PV call a taxi for us). 

Expect the ride from Puerto Vallarta to San Pancho to be roughly 60 minutes. From Sayulita it’ll be much less expensive at around 300 pesos (~$15USD, and only a 15 minute ride.

How to Get From the Airport to San Pancho

If San Pancho’s your first stop, once you reach the Puerto Vallarta airport, you’ve got a few choices on how to get to San Pancho itself. 

1. Uber: Technically, Uber drivers aren’t allowed inside Puerto Vallarta airport (or within San Pancho itself). But don’t fret – you can easily use Uber just outside the airport to head to San Pancho. You’ll just need to walk across the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the highway (taking you away from airport grounds) first. 

Don’t worry, it’s really easy to find – just look for a large orange bridge after walking outside of the arrivals hall. You’ll need to obviously bring all your luggage with you across the pedestrian bridge, so be prepared (thankfully there’s a ramp up). 

Expect an Uber to cost 500 to 700 pesos (~$25 to $35USD), depending on the time of day and how busy it is.

2. Taxi: Taxis are everywhere at the airport – you’ll have no problem finding one. There are essentially two types of taxis you can get from the airport. 

The first are authorized taxis allowed to pick up passengers directly from the airport grounds. While they are definitely the most convenient option, they’re more expensive at 1200-1500 pesos (~$60 to $75USD) due to the airport tax. Simply arrange a taxi from one of the taxi booths right at the airport after you exit customs if you don’t mind the expense.

However, to save the most money on a taxi, cross the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the highway. Here you’ll find street taxis, which are typically 800-1000 pesos (~$40 to $50USD). Always bargain and agree upon a price before getting into the taxi – it’s common here in Mexico to haggle! And make sure you have enough pesos as they don’t take credit cards.

3. Public bus: If you’re looking to save some money, take the public bus from the airport to San Pancho! Just like Uber, you’ll need to cross the pedestrian bridge described above. Once you’re across the highway, look for the green and white “Compostela” buses (make sure the bus says “San Pancho” in the windshield as not all of them go to San Pancho!). 

The buses come every 20 minutes or so, and only cost around 50 pesos (~2.50USD). Can’t beat that! But since this is a public bus there’s no room for luggage – meaning if you have a lot of stuff this might not be the best option for you!

4. Rental Car: If you’re planning on checking out the surrounding beach towns, you may wanna rent a car (Uber is difficult in many of the smaller towns, including San Pancho, Sayulita, Punta Mita, etc). 

I typically rent cars ahead of time, but if you’re visiting in the lower, rainy season (summer), you may be able to find a good deal directly at the airport at the last minute. Personally, I wouldn’t rent a car as we saw plenty of traffic jams on the one-way cobblestoned streets, and I imagine parking is a bit of a nightmare.

5. Day Trip from Puerto Vallarta: If you’re tight on time and basing yourself in PV, you can easily take a guided day trip to San Pancho from Puerto Vallarta! Now, I HIGHLY recommend more than a day tour, but better than nothing, right?! 

The tour also stops in Sayulita, so you’ll get to see both beach towns on the same day trip!

How to Get Around San Pancho

Walk! The town is super, super tiny with a main street and some small streets off of it.

If you went up and down each individual street it would probably take less than 20 minutes! 

And plus, the streets are cobblestone, there’s little to no parking, and plenty of dogs wandering in the street. I wouldn’t wanna drive over here, that’s for sure! And there’s honestly no reason to. You will see some super cute old buggies — I couldn’t resist not photographing them all!

San Pancho is even smaller than Sayulita, so there’s no need for a taxi, golf cart, or uber unless you’re visiting a nearby town.

When to Visit San Pancho

HIGH SEASON: WINTER (LATE-OCTOBER TO MAY)

Winter is the high season in San Pancho, with sunny days and low humidity. The air temps are warm and comfortable (high 70’s, low 80’s) but never scorching. There’s hardly any rain between November and May, and the nights are cool enough to wander around and sleep comfortably without AC.

If you’re visiting from December to March, you may get lucky and see humpback whales breaching from the beach! This is prime whale-watching season – we saw at least a dozen on our trip to the Marietas Islands. So special. If this is high on your bucket list, you’ll definitely wanna sign up for a whale watching tour!

Unlike Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta, I wouldn’t worry about crowds. We visited over Christmas break (one of the busiest times of year to travel) and felt like we had parts of the beach to ourselves at times. So nice and quiet after a few days in buzzy Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita. 

In terms of weather when we visited (late December), it was absolutely perfect, with hardly any clouds and so much sun! The air felt hot but not disgustingly sticky, and there was very minimal humidity. It did get a bit chilly at night, but nothing that a light sweater couldn’t fix (around 65°F once the sun went down).

LOW SEASON: SUMMER (JUNE TO MID-OCTOBER)

Summer is the low season in San Pancho, with high humidity, high (high) heat, and tropical rainstorms at night. This is the rainy season, with the wettest days of the year happening in June. And yes, don’t worry, you can still enjoy all the best things to do in San Pancho in the rainy season as it hardly ever rains all day. 

So if you’re looking for cheaper hotel rates and still plenty of sunshine, a visit to San Pancho in the low season is a great option! 

With that being said, if you’re not a fan of constantly sweating in high humidity and heat, choose a different time to visit. There’s a reason the locals flee San Pacho and travel during this time of year (the weather is almost unbearable for them).

Do note that most of San Pancho (including some hotels and restaurants) close for renovations during this time as it’s just simply too hot and there’s too much rain.

Additional Tips When Visiting San Pancho

Is English Spoken? Yes – but that doesn’t mean everyone is fluent nor should you expect them to be. While English is widely spoken in town, locals will greatly appreciate it if you use a bit of Spanish (or at least try!). So download Duolingo and practice the basics before you go! After a few days in Mexico I guarantee you’ll pick up on a few common words anyways. 

Local Currency: Like the rest of Mexico, the local currency in San Pancho is the Mexican Peso. I highly advise you to take out some pesos at an ATM at the Puerto Vallarta airport upon landing (as you’ll get the best conversion rate using an ATM and never at a currency exchange kiosk). 

Don’t expect all restaurants and shops in San Pancho to take credit cards, so always be prepared. In addition, you’ll want some cash for tips (see below), at small handicraft shops, and road-side taco stands, as well as for any taxis you may be taking. 

At the time of writing (January 2022), the peso is equivalent to 5 cents USD (or 1 USD = ~20 Mexican pesos). I found it easy-ish to convert in my head by thinking of 100 pesos = roughly $5USD (or 200 pesos = ~$10USD). It takes a bit of practice but after a day or two you’ll be able to do the conversion super quickly in your head.

ATMs: I had read online that there were no ATMs in the town of San Pancho, so we took out a fair amount of cash beforehand in Puerto Vallarta. I’m happy to report that the town now has a few ATM machines, so I wouldn’t recommend taking out more than you need for a day or two. 

Hate paying those pesky ATM fees? I feel you – those are the worst and really add up over time. Look into a no-fee debit card before your trip. We’ve been using Charles Schwab for years and haven’t paid a pesky fee in forever.

Tipping in San Pancho: Tipping is not expected, but always greatly appreciated as Mexican salaries are very low. Common practice is 10-20% for wait staff, although we typically gave closer to 20% for most meals, considering it was almost Christmas and all. 

How Long to Stay in San Pancho: We stayed in San Pancho for 2 nights and 2 ½ days, and felt it was the perfect amount of time. Note that we also stayed in Sayulita for 3 nights and Puerto Vallarta for 4, so if you’re planning to base yourself in San Pancho, I’d stay a few extra nights so you can see more of the area!

Health and Safety in Nayarit

Health: YOU CANNOT DRINK THE TAP WATER IN MEXICO, and yes, this includes San Pancho. But don’t worry, you’ll easily find bottles of purified water in all restaurants and markets. And rest assured, all ice is made from purified water. Our hotel had bottles of water for us everyday, and we thankfully didn’t get sick from any fresh veggies or fruit we ate.

In terms of food, when ordering from street vendors, ensure it’s fully cooked and hasn’t been sitting out for too long (if foods not selling this is a good indication it’s been there a while). We had no problems with any drinks or food in San Pancho, and felt everything was of great quality.

Safety: We felt exceptionally safe in San Pancho. The town holds no history of crime or violence, and there’s a charming community-like feeling. Everyone we met was super friendly and helpful.  

Regardless, it doesn’t hurt to use precautions like you would elsewhere in the world – like keeping expensive jewelry/watches at home, hiding electronics, being extra careful and observant at banks and ATMs, and knowing your alcohol limit. Better safe than sorry!

Dogs in San Pancho

I swear almost everyone has a dog in San Pancho, and 85% of them are off-leash (I don’t recall seeing any homeless pups thankfully). With that being said, we were pleasantly surprised by how clean the streets and sidewalks were, but always watch where you’re stepping just in case! 

On another note, San Pancho may not be for you if you’re scared or get nervous/anxious around off-leash dogs. Many of the dogs we saw were quite big, and kinda just wandered near their owner, although occasionally wandered up to other people. If you know me you know I’m mildly obsessed with any and all dogs, so I welcomed this, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re not a dog lover.

Wifi and Cell Reception in San Pancho

To put things simply, the internet is pretty mediocre here in San Pancho. Even the wifi at our hotel hardly worked in our room and we only got (spotty) service in the main lobby. In addition, it’s not uncommon for the internet and cell reception to completely drop off for the day. 

We ran into one lady who was supposed to be meeting a date in San Pancho shortly and unfortunately they were unable to communicate!

With that being said, if you rely on the outside world, this may not be the place for you. But if you’re looking for a little peace and quiet, San Pancho will be a welcomed escape!

Where to Stay in San Pancho

The town is super small, with one main street and a bunch of smaller streets branching off it. With that being said, there’s no bad location to stay in San Pancho. 

You won’t find any major hotel chains here, and small boutique hotels are the majority of accommodation (which I loved, because boutique hotels are my favorite). 

• Agua de Luna: This is where we stayed and I’d definitely recommend it! The hotel is one of the newer ones in San Pancho, with a bohemian-chic Mexican contemporary design, leafy pool, and hot tubs on the roof. Our room was super spacious with a cute little outdoor patio.

• Palmar Hotel Tropical: We almost booked this place as the overall vibe seemed similar to Agua de Luna, but didn’t feel like changing our reservation (haha). Palmar is a calm and serene spot, with a minimalistic and boho-chic design. There’s also on-site yoga and massages right next door if that’s what you’re looking for.

• Marii Hotel Boutique: I mean, the rooms border a jungle garden with a pool. What could be better? Even if you don’t stay here, consider this spot for lunch! I heard it’s great!

• Hotel Casa San Pancho: Looking for something a bit more homey, rustic, and colorful? Check out Hotel Casa San Pancho – there’s touches of Balinese design and a heated saltwater pool.  

Do note there are quite a few thatched-roof bungalow-type places located right along the beach, which at first glance looked pretty cool when I was researching. After reading lots and lots of reviews (that’s what I do), none of them appealed to me. I was really bummed because I wanted to live out my jungle fantasy in San Pancho! 

If anyone’s been to any jungly, palapa-style accommodations they loved, please let me know!

What to Pack for San Pancho

No one dresses up much here in San Pancho; it’s got more of a hippy, boho vibe. Plan to wear loose-fitting, flowy clothes, and it can’t hurt to wear your bathing suit underneath for the beach! 

Definitely bring along a cute bathing suit coverup or two (I have this one and this one and love both!), as well as some comfy sandals for the pool, beach, and walking around town! 

Other miscellaneous items you’ll wanna bring along:

• Polarized sunglasses (better for blocking out the harsh UV rays)
• Beach bag and/or backpack: make sure it’s large enough to fit a beach towel or two!
• Hat/s: The sun is strong here! I love taking a wide-brimmed sun hat for the beach and a fun trucker hat when hiking.
• A waterproof kindle or other e-reader for reading at the beach and hotel pool (I’d be worried a physical book may accidentally get wet!)
• Your hotel may give you towels, but we love traveling with a sand-free beach mat
• Reusable water bottle: better for the environment and a must at the beach! 
• Reef Safe sunscreen (always apply when you’ll be in the ocean water, as other sunscreen is harmful to marine life): We love ThinkSport (make sure the bottles are less than 3.4 ounces if you’re bringing them in your carryon)! Don’t forget about SPF lip balm as well!
• Aloe Vera Gel: always have some handy in case you get a sunburn; aloe will give the burn some much-needed relief
• Dramamine: This will help with motion sickness if you’re planning to do a snorkeling or boat tour (the waves can get rough depending on the day!).
• Bug spray will come in handy during San Pancho’s humid months (June to September), and calamine lotion/hydrocortisone cream is good to have on hand for when you undoubtedly get bitten
• Underwater camera: All my underwater photography tips and gear here. I’d check out an underwater phone case, too.
• Portable battery charger: Charge your phone on the go and never run out of battery! I always need to borrow my friends so I’ve finally made it a habit to start bringing my own.
• Noise-cancelling headphones: Great for both the plane and the beach! I’m obsessed with my AirPods and Noah loves his Bose Quiet Comforts.
• Tote bag: If you’re planning on doing some shopping in San Pancho, bring your own fold-up tote bag! I love this collapsible reusable tote bag (hardly takes up any room in your suitcase and it’s so lightweight)
• Some meds for an upset stomach/antidiarrheal medicine (just in case you accidentally drink the water or something doesn’t agree with you – bound to happen, just be prepared)

Best Things to do in San Pancho

San Pancho is the kind of place where you can do a whole lot or absolutely nothing at all, and still be completely satisfied. And after a busy few days in Puerto Vallarta, it was nice to have some downtime without feeling like we were ultimately missing out on must-do activities.

Here’s all the best things to do in San Pancho – from my favorite markets and shops to stunning sunsets on the beach and everything in between.

1. Be a beach bum at Playa San Pancho

This is an obvious choice! One of the best things to do in San Pancho, and ultimately, why so many come here, is the beach! And why?! Well, Playa San Pancho is absolutely gorgeous. Imagine pristine golden sand framed by lush jungle foliage, tons of space to spread out, and some of the most spectacular sunsets you’ve ever seen (more on that later). Plus tons of dogs frolicking freely in the sand!

And thankfully, because of community beach clean-ups, the beach is relatively clean.

Unlike the main beaches in Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita, we found Playa San Pancho to be hardly crowded! Even when we visited during Christmas week (one of the busiest times to visit Riviera Nayarit). Yes there were definitely people enjoying the water and tanning on the sand, but we had a lot of space to ourselves at the beach.

Don’t miss grabbing some chips and guac and margaritas at the beach bars lining the sand – we went to both La Perla and Las Palmas and loved our drinks. Do note non-customers will need to pay a small fee (~10 pesos) in order to use the restrooms.

Local Tip: If you’re visiting from December through March, keep your eyes peeled on the horizon! You may be lucky enough to see a humpback whale in the ocean!

2. Go Surfing – or just watch the pros

San Pancho is not the place to learn how to surf – the waves are just too wild (meaning the breaks are faster and shorter). But if you’re a more advanced surfer and looking to rent a board, walk to the left of the beach and you’ll see plenty of spots for rentals right on the sand.

Not ready to paddle out? I feel you – I guarantee you I’d fall smack right off the board. Watch instead! I always have a great time watching experienced surfers riding the waves, and I did a fair share of that here in San Pancho (just like I did in other surf towns like San Clemente and the North Shore of Oahu). To say I was super impressed with their skills is a massive understatement. 

Psst – beginner surfers should head to nearby Sayulita as the waves are much better suited for those just learning how. 

3. Watch the Stunning Sunsets

Ohhh the sunset – easily one of my favorite things to do in San Pancho every night! Unlike the main beach in Sayulita (where the sun sets behind the mountains and cliffs), due to the position of Playa San Pancho, there’s an unmissable sunset every single night on the beach. Right over the crashing waves.

I swear, the sunsets are legendary here. And there’s kinda like an unofficial sunset party here every night. I watched the sun go down with dozens of others, and even the locals clapped once the sun dipped below the horizon. Make sure to plan your other activities around sunset – and stay at the beach 20 minutes afterwards to really watch the sky explode with color.

If you’re spending a few nights here, buy a day pass to La Patrona Beach Club – I heard the sunsets are absolutely lovely over there as well.

4. Wander around town

While the town of San Pancho is super tiny, it’s worth a quick walk around the quaint cobblestone streets. And to prove how tiny it is, you can literally walk from the highway (Hwy 200) to Playa San Pancho in under 15 minutes. 

You’ll find lots of restaurants, coffee shops, and local boutiques along the main street, Calle Tercer Mundo. Walk all the way down and you’ll actually end up straight at the beach!

Unlike other Mexican beach towns, you’ll be walking directly past locals homes as you stroll around off the main street, so be sure to be extra courteous and friendly.

5. Release Baby Sea Turtles

San Pancho is home to one of the largest turtle conservation projects in Riviera Nayarit, The Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde. I was SO excited when I read turtle releases happen here, but unfortunately the last release happened a few weeks prior to our visit. 

With that being said, the public sea turtle releases happen between June/July and November/December (depending on the nests). So if this matches up with your timeframe, don’t miss the chance to help release the little babies! I promise, watching them scurry down the sand into the water at sunset is something you’ll never, ever forget.

You can even volunteer for a month if that’s something that interests you. What a dream! 

We were lucky enough to participate last year in Todos Santos, and it was such a magical experience. One of the most rewarding things to do in San Pancho for animal lovers! I can’t stress enough how magical of an experience this was – the hatchlings you help release are literally born that day! Find more info here.

6. Practice Yoga

Yoga is a way of life here in San Pancho, so why not join in the fun?! I swear, you’ll see tons (and tons) of yogis wandering the town – some of them even barefoot! Ouch, haha!

The most popular yoga studio in San Pancho is El Estar Yoga and Healing Center (where we got our massages!). And it’s gorgeous – classes are held under a palapa and the whole space is just so tranquil. The studio offers different classes every day of the week, so either pop over or check their Facebook page for the monthly calendar. They also offer plenty of massages and meditation practices!

Other studios offer multi-day yoga retreats a few times a year, as well as outside wellness companies using San Pancho as a base for their own wellness and yoga retreats! It’s kinda the perfect place for it, so I get it!

7. Get a Massage 

We got massages at El Estar Yoga right next to Palmar Tropical Hotel. And lemme tell you – after a few days of running around Nayarit, it felt so nice to soothe my aching muscles. Because lounging by the pool and sipping cocktails is hard work, wink wink.

You’ll need to sign up in advance (we made a same-day reservation that morning), and pay a deposit to hold your spot (just FYI). So bring your pesos!

8. Go shopping

Despite San Pancho’s small size, there’s plenty of shopping opportunities over here. Yes, you can stock up on all your favorite Mexican goodies in town, at the beach, and right outside the beach! You’ll probably need to pick up a tote bag or two to bring everything home.

And if you’re looking for even more textiles and handmade, local products, you’ll find those are the San Pancho Tuesday Market – more on that below!

Note that some shops in San Pancho close mid-day for a quick snooze. They usually reopen around 5ish or so, so you can browse/shop on your way to dinner!

In Town: A quick walk around town and you’ll find lots of jewelry, paintings, ceramic work, and more. San Pancho is home to lots of artists and artisans, and I loved browsing the local shops.

Beach Plaza: These are less traditional stores, and more like stalls right on the beach plaza (malecon). If you’re walking to the beach from Calle Tercer Mundo (the main road in San Pancho), you won’t miss them. Here you’ll find handmade jewelry, handwoven hats, and more.

But the stars of the show are definitely the meticulously beaded designs by the Huichol Indians. They display their traditional colorful, beaded bracelets and hand woven baskets, and they are GORGEOUS. I highly suggest buying a piece or two.

Beach Vendors: Hanging on the beach? The beach vendors will undoubtedly find you (whether you like it or not). They carry woven Mexican tote bags, silver jewelry, hats, and among other things. Some very beautiful pieces, but not guaranteed to be made in the area.

If you don’t want to be bothered, simply say “No Gracias” and they’ll be on their way. There’s definitely way less of them than in nearby Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta, I can promise you that.

9. Shop at the Tuesday Market

I’m a sucker for local artisan markets – especially ones in Mexico (I recently loved the markets in San Miguel de Allende and San Jose del Cabo). I always find way too much I want to buy, whoops! 

Here in San Pancho, you’ll find the Mercado Artesanal Tuesday Market, taking place during high season on Tuesdays from 10am-2pm, hence the name! It’s one of the best things to do in San Pancho – only on a Tuesday obviously! Find the Tuesday Market right near the main street in the Plaza Principal of San Pancho

Local vendors sell their beautifully woven textiles, handicrafts, healthy foods, and organic produce. And there’s typically live music and always a great local scene!

And you most definitely won’t go hungry – there’s plenty of stands selling Colombian arepas, blue-corn quesadillas, empanadas, and other delicious snacks. Don’t miss some fresh fruit juice as well – I can’t go back to regular old OJ at home now (I need it fresh!).

10. Hang at La Patrona Beach Club

Ready for the best kept secret in San Pancho? It’s La Patrona Beach Club! Imagine sipping handcrafted cocktails in the infinity pool overlooking the beach and then eating in a towering open-air palapa with more great views at sunset. Now that’s my kinda afternoon. 

The space is absolutely stunning – the architecture was even internationally awarded for an amazing design! I’m super bummed we missed out on this (it’s easily one of the best things to do in San Pancho)! I think we were just too blissed out and chill to even remember that it was high on my list of places to check out. Next time!

And one of the best parts – kids under 13 aren’t allowed (#sorrynotsorry!).

It’s truly one of those luxury meets nature kinda places, and you won’t wanna leave. Although you totally should to ensure you check out all the other great things to do in San Pancho.

Buy a day pass and find out more info about La Patrona Beach Club here! The bar lounge is THE place to be at sunset (meaning it may very well get crowded).

Psst – it’s also sometimes referred to as Tierra Tropical Beach Club, but don’t worry, they’re the exact same place.

11. Try the restaurants

One of the best things to do in San Pacho – eat! Yes, you read that correctly! Despite being so small, San Pancho is a foodie’s paradise. We were completely surprised by how much great food there was. 

There’s a lot of authentic Mexican food here (think tacos al pastor in the street) as well as some international cuisine (like Argentine-style steak and even Asian fusion). The area is known for fresh fish and seafood, so be sure to order some during your time in San Pancho. 

I’ve compiled a list of all the spots we enjoyed a bit further down. Don’t miss Barracuda and Limbo – our two fave spots in town. 

And if you see the woman outside Limbo making fresh tortillas, befriend her! She’s super friendly and such a sweet woman – she may even gift you a warm tortilla. I saw her multiple times and she’s one of my fondest memories of our time in San Pancho. It’s the little things, right?  

12. Go riding at the polo club

Yes, San Pancho has their very own riding and polo club! Who would’ve thought?! Kinda unique to a tiny beach town on the coast of Mexico, right? 

If you’ve never even been on a horse, no worries! You’ll still find the perfect riding experience. I mean, the surroundings couldn’t be better – imagine riding around lush vegetation with beautiful views of the Sierra Madre mountains in the distance. Sounds like the perfect ride to me! 

And if you’re already a pro, there’s dressage and jump lessons, or you can even learn how to play Polo (or just watch a match if that’s more your style). Find out more information about La Patrona Polo & Equestrian Club here.

13. Visit the community center

Entreamigos, the community center in San Pancho, is a 501(c)3 non profit organization (and has been working since 2006!). The main focus of Entreamigos is on education (they’ve built a beautiful little library for the kids), the environment (including beach clean-ups and tree planting projects), and the San Pancho community as a whole. 

The name literally means “between friends”, so it makes sense that a lot of their outreach is for community action.

Stop in for a quick visit to see what the organization is all about! And if you can’t get over there to volunteer yourself, you can support their important work by donating! 

Day Trips from San Pancho (Even more things to do in San Pancho!)

If you’re spending more than 2 days in San Pancho, I highly recommend taking a day trip or two! The ones listed below are the most common, but know you can also go to Bucerias, Punta Mita, and Yelapa!

14. Sayulita

The beach town of Sayulita is less than 15 minutes away, so there’s no reason not to take a short taxi ride over! It’s colorful, laidback and bohemian, with lots of chill, beachy surfer vibes. There’s impressive street performers, gentle surf breaks, and beach bars to hang at while watching the sunset. And plenty and plenty of yummy restaurants (don’t miss a chocolate dipped banana from ChocoBanana).

Read Next → The Complete Guide to Sayulita: 25+ Best Things to Do!

15. Puerto Vallarta

I’m sure you’ve heard of Puerto Vallarta – it’s where you flew into after all! I highly recommend spending more than a day in PV, but if that’s all the time you have, you can really see a lot in just a few hours! 

Take a long walk along the malecon, hit up the (overly-crowded) beach and see the famous sculpture on the pier, try all the street food (mmm that esquina with cheese), wander around the Romantic Zone, check out the Isla Cuale Flea Market, and watch the sunset with a drink in hand. You can also hike up to Mirador Cerro de La Cruz for some spectacular views!

16. Marietas Islands

One of the best things to do in the Riviera Nayarit is a visit to the Marietas Islands, a group of small, uninhabited islands off the coast. As soon as we bought tickets to Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita, I instantly booked a tour to the Marietas Islands (Islas Marietas). That instagrammable hidden beach was high on my Mexico bucket list! And it didn’t disappoint!

Don’t miss the famous hidden beach (which you need to swim through a cave to reach), whale watching – we saw at least a dozen humpback whales (in season), and snorkeling with all the tropical fish. There’s also blue footed boobies here which I was especially excited about!

We took this EXACT tour and I can promise you we made it to the hidden beach! Here’s another with the possibility of the hidden beach if that first one’s already sold out. You’ll need to make your way to the Puerto Vallarta marina for pickup, but it’s really not that far, I promise.

If the hidden beach tours are already sold out (bummer), check out this snorkeling and beach tour of Marietas Islands instead! The water really is iridescent! And if you’re a diver, even better – there’s an option for certified divers as well!

17. Whale Watching

Visiting in the winter months between December and April? You’re in luck! Whale watching is one of the best things to do in San Pancho! Due to its location, San Pancho (and the surrounding areas) are a prime spot for incredible whale watching – humpback whales are commonly seen along the Nayarit coast. 

Imagine seeing a humpback whale breach – what an incredible sight! But for the best viewing (and to get up close), you really need to book a whale watching tour! 

Suggested San Pancho Itinerary

The great thing about San Pancho is that you don’t really need to show up with a planned itinerary. It’s one of those places you can wake up and decide what you wanna do that day (unless you wanna head to the hidden beach of the Marieta Islands – you gotta book that in advance for sure). 

We had no set plan when we arrived in San Pancho, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Kinda felt like laid-back island life! Here’s a rough example of what we did:

• Day 1: check into hotel, quick stroll on Calle Tercer Mundo, stop for date shakes at Casa Gourmet, margaritas/mojitos and chips/guac at La Perla, *turtle release (from May to December), watch the sunset on the beach, dinner at Limbo
• Day 2: breakfast at Marias, hang at hotel pool and hot tub, lunch at Su Pancha Madre, massages at El Estar Yoga, relax at the beach/watch the surfers, check out handicrafts on the malecon near beach, sunset drinks at Las Palmas, dinner at Barracuda
• Day 3: sleep in, wander around town/check out shops, sip an agua de cacao from Mexicolate, long walk on the beach, head to Sayulita

See, nothing too strenuous. You can do as much or as little as you’d like. Just whatever you do, don’t miss the sunsets here!

Where to Eat and Drink in San Pancho

• Restaurante Limbo: The cocktails are inventive. The seafood is fresh. The ambiance is upscale boho-chic. And there’s typically live music at dinner. Sounds pretty perfect to me!
• Barracuda: Tuna tostadas. Enough said. But really though, everything on the menu looked delicious. Just don’t miss a tuna tostada or two! Noah had the marlin tostada as well and he enjoyed both.

• Cafe Gourmet: The best bread, pastries, and date shakes in town. I stopped here every day for a chocolate banana date shake, and it was just what the doctor ordered.
• Su Pancha Madre: Do NOT miss this spot – they make the most delicious gourmet sopes ever. We were actually invited to the first annual International Sope Festival by the owner himself which took place when we were in town, and it was such a fun event/experience!
• La Perla: We came here for drinks on the beach one night for sunset, and it was the perfect end to our day.
• Mexicolate: While there’s lots of sweet treats here, don’t leave without trying the agua de cacao. It’s like sipping a chilled hot chocolate that’s not as sweet. Pure perfection.
• The Dough Joe: I was originally intrigued by their cute branding, so of course had to go. The shop is filled with lemon poppyseed muffins, over-the-top donuts, and blueberry pancakes stacked high.
• Amar Y Ya: The cutest coffee shop right next to our hotel (Agua de Luna). My husband grabbed a mocha every morning, and I always ended up drinking half of it – whoops.
• Bistro Organico: A plant and seafood based restaurant with a completely organic menu (hey, it’s in the name right?). We unfortunately missed this spot but I heard great things about it.
• Maria Bonita Restaurante: Come here for breakfast one morning (I can confirm the breakfast chilaquiles are delicious). The outside patio in the back is so cute!
• Taqueria Los Arbolitos: It’s taco time in San Panchos! Delicious, inexpensive, and great salsas. What else could you want? Probably the cheapest meal you’ll have in Mexico.

• Kokonati Coffee: Another great option for a healthy and delicious breakfast with organic ingredients. Plus, it’s only a block from the beach, the wifis great, and it’s super dog friendly. Try the chicken mole and beef and potato empanadas – mmm…. And they have the most wonderful pastries too!
• Local hole-in-the-walls: We asked the hotel manager where he’d recommend grabbing chilaquiles for breakfast one morning, and he gave us directions to his favorite place (which was like 2 blocks away). Unfortunately we never caught the name of the place, but I recommend asking some locals and you’re bound to discover some unknown (but delicious) local spots.

Hope this helps you plan the best trip ever to San Pancho! Which of these things to do in San Pancho will you be adding to your itinerary? Any questions? Ask below in the comments!

The post The Ultimate Guide to San Pancho: The Hidden Gem of Nayarit, Mexico appeared first on A Passion and A Passport.

When I first saw photos of Sayulita a few years back, I instantly knew it’d be a place I loved. And I definitely wasn’t wrong – this small fishing village really stole our hearts! We fell in love with this little Mexican town almost as soon as we arrived! I kinda expected the town to be a little sleepy, but I was pleasantly surprised with all the many things to do in Sayulita!

Sayulita is colorful, laidback and bohemian, with lots of chill, beachy surfer vibes. It’s vibrant, warm, and authentic, and a world away from the bustling Mexico City or crazy Los Cabos – it’s really a place of its own.

The town reminded us of Gili Air (off the coast of Bali in Indonesia) and Todos Santos (another Pueblo Magico in Mexico), both spots we absolutely adore. It’s got tons of culture, a thriving hipster-surfer scene, and is trendy and very happening. Plus, the town’s surrounded by lush green forest. Honestly, what’s not to love?!