7MostUnderratedMexicoFamilyVacationsbyCynthicaJ.Drake September5,2018

Everyyear,MexicanbeachandresorttownssuchasCancun,CozumelandLosCabosfloodwithtouristseagertosoakupsunshineandrelaxation.Meanwhile,severalareasofinteriorMexicoandless-traveledcoastalregionsgorelativelyundiscoveredbythosetouristthrongs,thoughtheystillhaveplentytooffertointrepidfamilytravelersseekingauthenticculturalexperiences,tastycuisineandagreatvacationvalue.Here,themostunderratedMexicofamilyvacationdestinationstoaddtoyourbucketlist.

1.MexicoCityMexico’scapitalcityhasdefinitelybeengainingtractionamongU.S.visitorsforthepastcoupleofyears.Evenso,MexicoCityisaplacethatstillmightnotbeonyourfamilyradar.Butitshouldbe,giventheeye-poppingamountofactivitiesyoucanchoose—allofwhichareeducationallyenrichinginadditiontobeingjustplainfun.Forstarters,thenumberofmuseumsalonecouldeasilyeatupasizableamountofyouritinerary:theNationalMuseumofAnthropology,theMuseoSoumaya,severalartmuseums(includingFridaKahlo’shouse),andevenanAntiqueToyMuseum.

TakeadaytriptoTeotihuacanandwearyourkidsoutclimbingallthesteps.Ifyourkidslikeanimals,headtoFarmTioPepetoexperiencehands-onfarmlife,milkingcows,ridinghorsesandtendinganimals.KidZania,anext-leveldress-upandpretendattraction,alsogetsravereviewsamongparents.Andifyou’resportsfans—ormaybeevenifyou’renot—takeinasoccer(futbol)gametoseewhatallthefussisabout.

RecommendedResort:TheSt.RegisMexicoCity

2.OaxacaThesouthernMexicostateofOaxacaoffersanexcellentoff-the-beatenpathitineraryforfamilies.Oaxaca’scitycenteroffersplentyofattractions,aswell—asimplestrollthroughthewalkablecitywillyieldplentyofinterestingsitesandquestionsfromyourkids,fromthecolorfulmercado(withbasketsofdriedgrasshoppers)tothebrightlypaintedbuildings.There’sastunninglibraryjustforkids,BibliotecaInfantil.Daytripoptionsincludepre-ColumbiansiteMonteAlbanandHierveelAgua,naturalmineralspringswithrockformationsthatresembleawaterfallfrozenintime.And,funfact,thetowninwhichDisney’s“Coco”takesplacewasinspiredbyOaxaca!Ifyou’relookingforabeachvacation,checkoutVivoResortsandResidencesinPuertoEscondido,offeringarelaxingtripthatyoucanalsofillwitheducationalandculturalexperiences.Theresortoffersoceanandmountainviews,plusakids’clubwithplannedactivitiesthroughouttheday.Youcantakedaytripstosurfortourthelagoonorgowhalewatching.Therearealsoturtlereleaseprogramsoffered,whichguestsareinvitedtoobserverightonthebeachattheresort.

RecommendedResort:VivoResorts

3.TodosSantosTodosSantos,locatedontheBajaCaliforniaPeninsula,isgeneratingalotofbuzzamongtravelersseekingamorelaid-back,quietalternativetorowdy,touristyMexicocoastalhotspots.

ThisareaisknownforitssurfspotssuchasLasPalmasandCerritosbeaches;justbecarefulwiththeocean’sriptides.CheckoutTodosSantosEcoAdventuresforexcursionsthatwillgetyouandyourkidsupclosetowhalesandsealions.

GenevieveStolz,whowritestheblogIt’saNecessity,currentlylivesinTodosSantoswithherhusbandandtwodaughters.Oneofherfavoritethingstodowithherkidsisgoona“paletatour”oftown,samplingthebestfrozentreatsonastick.Sherecommendsseveralkid-friendlyrestaurantsinherblog.Stolzalsorecommendscheckingoutsomeoftheturtlereleaseprogramsavailableforkids’participationrunbylocalconservationorganizations.

RecommendedResort:LosColibrisCasitas

4.SanMigueldeAllendeLocatedincentralMexicointhestateofGuanajuato,SanMigueldeAllendeattractsalotofattentionduringitsrenownedDayoftheDeadfestivalinearlyNovember.Butitoffersplentyforfamilieswholoveart,music,food,historyandcultureyear-round.“ThecityofSanMiguelischarmingandsafe,”saysAmySztupovszky,whoishelpingtoplantheFamilyAdventureSummitinSanMigueldeAllendein2018.

“You’llwalkthroughcolorfulstreetsfulloffloweringtreesanduniquearchitecture,oftentothesoundofmariachibandsplayingwhilegiantmojiganga(giantpuppets)dancetothemusic.”

Familiesenjoywalkingthroughthecentro,nibblingonchurrosconchocolate,visitingthecity’siconicPinkChurch,swimminginnearbyhotspringsorvisitingtheruinsatCanadadelaVirgen.BesuretocheckoutMuseolaEsquina,atoymuseumthat’sinterestingenoughtoenticeolderkids,too.

RecommendedResort:RosewoodSanMigueldeAllende

5.ZihuatanejoCalled“Zihua”forshort,thisPacificcoastalresorttowninthestateofGuerrero,withviewsoftheSierraMadreMountainsandthePacificOcean,istailormadeforfamilies,andjustabitmoreunder-the-radarthannearbyIxtapa.Walktheboardwalk,PaseodePescador,toperusethefreshcatchoftheday,gohorsebackriding,orspendyourtimefindingjusttherightbeachsiderestaurant.

Ifyou’reinterestedinstayinginIxtapa(whichisstillless“spring-breaky”thanotherMexicancoastaltowns),oneofthebestfamilyfriendlyall-inclusiveresorts,ClubMedIxtapaPacific,offersanonsitekids’clubandLaSirena,akids-onlyrestaurant.Familiescanplaytennis,gosailingorpracticearchery,oreventakeaturnonthetrapeze—lessonsareoffereddaily,andbabysittingserviceisavailablefordatenight.

OtherfamilyfriendlyresortoptionsincludeAzulIxtapaandBarceloIxtapaBeach.Elsewhereintheregion,youcanbookexcursionstorideATVsorswimwithdolphinsatthearea’saquarium,Delfiniti.

RecommendedResort:ClubMedIxtapaPacific

6.RincondeGuayabitosAquaintfishingvillageinNayarit,RincondeGuayabitosoffersaquieteralternativetonearbyPuertoVallarta.Itsnametranslatesto“corneroflittleguavatrees,”andthoughit’sslowlycomingonmoretravelers’radars,thetown’scharmandfamily-friendlyatmospherestillendures.Thebeachisthemainattraction,andyou’llfindseveraloptionsforresorts,hotelsandrentalsonornearthesandandsurf.

Duringtheday,beachvendorsmaytemptyouwithcoconutdrinks,grilledfishorshrimponastick—freshlycaughtandprepared.Thetownhasseveralmercados(markets)offeringfreshproduceandfoods,aswellaslocallymadehandicraftsandclothing.

OneofthemostpopularactivitiesinGuayabitosistheTianguisopen-airmarkets,whichareheldweeklyduringthewinter,andfeaturehundredsoflocallymadeitems,includingjewelry,linens,Oaxacanrugsandindigenousartwork.Visitorscanalsoparticipateintheturtlereleasesduringnestingseason.

RecommendedResort:LasCabanasdelCapitan

7.IslaHolboxThisarealookslikeaclippednailonthefingertipoftheYucatanPeninsulanorthofCancun,andtogettoit,you’lltakeaferryfromthetownofChiquila.TulumandotherdestinationsinYucatanarefillingwithtouristsseekingMayanhistoricalsites,whichyoucanseeinthenumerousruinseasilyaccessiblethroughoutthearea,aswellascenotes,naturalpoolsthatarerefreshingandbeautiful.

ButdespitethetrendyreputationofTulum,Holboxoffersalaidbackfamily-friendlyvibe.Whattodoonceyougethere—relaxonthebeachandlookforiguanas.

Rentabicycleandexplorethequainttownanditscolorfulmurals.BookyourfamilyforawhalesharkswimmingexcursionwhentheymigratetotheareabetweenMayandNovember.

RecommendedResort:HotelPuertoHolbox