“Is it safe to travel to Mexico.” It’s a question that is one of the top searched travel categories on google and is a regularly asked question among American travelers. We love so many parts of Mexico, as it is a very vast and beautiful place with so much to see. Therefore, we wanted to put together a list for the safest places to travel to in Mexico so that you can head out and join the other 28 million Americans that safely travel there each year.
With all of this being said, being in Mexico is just like being anywhere else in the world, including the states, in that bad things can happen even in the safest places. Common sense and being alert and aware are always advised no matter where you are. For example, don’t wander the streets in the dark (especially if you’ve been drinking,) leave your valuables at home, and don’t flash around money or expensive items.
First up on the list is Mexico City! One of our favorite places and somewhere that we’re running two trips to next year. (If you’d rather travel in a group, check out our group itineraries for an extra safe and stress free way to travel!) Despite a longstanding reputation as a dangerous city to visit, Mexico City is conspicuously absent from the State Department’s warning, and for good reason; the downtown core in particular is considered quite safe, and the city has numerous attractions for visitors — including street art, colorful markets and more than 150 museums. We recommend Roma or Condesa neighborhoods.
Puebla, once considered a nice day trip from Mexico City (it’s two hours away by car), is emerging as a primary destination in its own right. After all, it’s not a small village; Puebla is Mexico’s fourth-largest city, with some of the country’s best examples of Spanish colonial architecture. Additionally, at 7,200 feet above sea level, Puebla never gets too hot, and it’s considered one of the safest places in Mexico.
San Miguel de Allende is one of the safest places in Mexico, that’s why it is so popular with the expats. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is almost right in the middle of Mexico and is filled with cobblestone streets, Spanish colonial churches and plenty of great restaurants. The nearby Sanctuary of Atotonilco, less than 10 miles away, is also a World Heritage Site and an important site for local Mexicans and tourists alike.
As Playa del Carmen has been the site of some troubling violence of late, the coastal town of Tulum to the south may be a safer alternative at present. It is also less touristy than other resort towns on the Yucatan Peninsula, offering well-preserved ruins of the former Mayan city walls and other historic structures right in town. Tulum also has an influx of new delicious restaurants and cute bars that line the streets to offer fresh food straight from the ocean.
A surf town in Baja California Sur, Todos Santos has world-class waves and lots of natural beauty and it’s just far enough north of touristy Cabo to avoid the crowds. Todos Santos is slowly being discovered, but its stone streets and uncrowded beaches have a lot of travelers adding it to their lists.
If you’re interested in travel to Mexico, either with a group or on your own, reach out to fun@legittrips.com!