Road Trips in Mexico: The Best Routes

Thinking about taking a couple of roads journey in Mexico? There’s no higher solution to fall in love with a spot than heading on a street journey and driving the route your self.

If you’ve by no means been to Mexico earlier than, chances are you’ll be questioning if it’s protected to drive in Mexico. We spent six months touring throughout all of Mexico from Baja California to the Yucatán Peninsula and had a beautiful time on our journey!

It is way safer to journey in Mexico than most individuals count on, however there are some issues to bear in mind to have a protected and pleasurable time.

When it involves planning out your excellent Mexico street journey itinerary, we’ve got you coated! In this submit, we share among the greatest routes for street journeys in Mexico.

See additionally: Tips for Planning the Ultimate Trip to Mexico

Road journeys in Mexico: The greatest routes to discover

Baja California

The Baja California Peninsula spans 760 miles from Tijuana right down to Cabo San Lucas. Living in Southern California, I’ve traveled to Baja California on a number of events, together with spending a couple of weeks driving throughout your complete peninsula.

Baja California is a well-liked area to go to within the winter when the climate begins getting colder within the US and Canada.

There is plenty of floor to cowl in Baja California so I like to recommend setting apart two weeks if you happen to plan to drive your complete route. If you’re brief on time, focus your journey planning on sure areas like northern Baja or southern Baja.

See additionally: Where to Stop Along a California Coast Road Trip

Here are among the prime locations to go to at Baja California:

Valle De Guadalupe

Valle De Guadalupe is commonly known as the ‘Napa’ of Mexico. This area produces 90% of the wine bought in all of Mexico and is greatest recognized for upscale, boutique accommodations and wine-tasting.

See additionally: Guadalupe Canyon: A Hot Spring Oasis in Mexico

Ensenada

Ensenada is a well-liked getaway vacation spot for Southern California locals. This can be a stopover on the 3-day cruise from Long Beach that I’ve taken a number of occasions. Top sights in Ensenada embody the oceanfront La Bufadora, off-roading adventures, and native markets the place you may get wonderful offers on handcrafted items.

Todos Santos

Todos Santos is a hidden little gem that many individuals don’t find out about. In this small, however welcoming city guests can get pleasure from browsing, yoga retreats, galleries, and rest at laid-back boutique accommodations.

La Paz

La Paz was one among my favourite stops alongside our Baja California street journey. Here guests can spend the day lounging at Playa Balandra which is known for its blue, clear water.

Cabo San Lucas

While Cabo San Lucas has a status for being a ‘Party Town’, there may be a lot extra to this metropolis than nightclubs and bars! Cabo is dwelling to distinctive pure rock formations corresponding to The Arch of Cabo San Lucas, together with gorgeous white sand seashores and enjoyable out of doors adventures.

Read the full Baja California itinerary on FunLifeCrisis.com!

Yucatán Peninsula

For a relaxed Mexico street journey, begin with Cancún after which head south alongside the 200-mile shoreline towards Bacalar. The total Yucatán coast is so attractive that you just’re sure to have a good time!

Check out the ruins in Tulum, discover underground cenotes, and keep in top-rated accommodations alongside the way in which.

See additionally: Where to Stay in Tulum: Budget Beachfront Accommodation

Here are among the greatest places to go to on the Yucatán Peninsula:

Cancún

Cancún is likely one of the hottest trip locations in Mexico and the place to begin for these heading on street journeys within the Yucatán and Quintana Roo states. From Cancún, you may also hop on a ferry over to the tropical Isla Mujeres Island which is thought for world-class snorkeling and scuba diving.

See additionally: Cancun Historical Sights and Attractions

Playa Del Carmen

If you’ve bought time, I like to recommend stopping at Playa Del Carmen whereas driving between Cancún and Tulum. Playa Del Carmen is a relaxed coastal resort city that has a status for having world-class seashores and wonderful coral reefs full of colourful fish.

Tulum

When it involves Tulum, individuals both adore it or hate it. We spent a couple of days visiting Tulum on our Yucatan street journey and actually loved our time right here. But this metropolis is a bit commercialized so it’s not as genuine as visiting different locations in Mexico.

Tulum is greatest recognized for boutique accommodations, top-rated eating places, eclectic retailers, beachfront bars, and the historic Tulum Archaeological Zone.

See additionally: Reasons to Travel To Tulum, Mexico

Bacalar

Bacalar is a bit beneath the radar for worldwide guests, however it’s really one of the crucial attractive locations in Mexico. Bacalar shouldn’t be straightforward to achieve– it’s positioned close to the Belize border, about 2.5 hours south of Tulum. But if you may make it out right here, you can be amazed by Bacalar Lagoon which is thought for its mesmerizing turquoise hues.

Highway 307

Looking for a Mexico street journey route that’s a bit extra off the grid? Highway 307 is likely one of the most rugged however stunning routes in Mexico that’s recognized for gorgeous waterfalls, blue lakes, historic ruins, and turquoise rivers surrounded by a lush, dense jungle. The additional you’ll drive on this route, the extra you’ll fall in love with the pure surroundings right here!

Route 307 begins in San Cristobal de las Casas and travels down in the direction of Guatemala in a loop earlier than ending in Palenque. If you’re up for it, you possibly can even cross into Guatemala for a day or two earlier than persevering with your street journey by means of Mexico.

Here are among the prime locations to go to on the Highway 307:

Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montebello

This National Park is likely one of the most stunning sights in Southern Mexico that’s located on the border with Guatemala. Here you possibly can go to 59 lakes which might be recognized for his or her gorgeous, deep blue shade.

At this location, you possibly can go on mountain climbing trails that overlook colourful lakes or join a ship tour that may take you to distant islands on the middle of those lakes. There are a number of fundamental lakes that you may go to right here with various facilities and accessibility.

Yaxchilán

One of my favourite stops alongside route 307 was the Yaxchilán ruins which might be hidden deep within the jungle. You can solely go to these historic Mayan ruins by signing up for a guided river tour that may take you to this distant location – e book a tour right here.

This total journey will make you’re feeling such as you’re in an Indiana Jones film! During this tour, you’ll get to see crocodiles, howler monkeys, large lizards, and numerous hen species that reside within the jungle.

Agua Azul

The Agua Azul waterfall is likely one of the most attractive locations that you may go to in Mexico. This attraction consists of a surprising blue river, waterfalls, and swimming areas.

At this location, guests also can camp in a single day, seize meals at one of many many meals stalls and flick thru the memento stands. There are a number of breathtaking viewing platforms for having fun with views of this blue river and waterfalls.

Frequently requested questions on driving in Mexico

We hope this submit has impressed you to plan extra street journeys in Mexico! Mexico is really one of the crucial stunning international locations in North America and an unimaginable place to go to if you happen to get pleasure from distinctive out of doors adventures. Whether you’re in search of a seashore, jungle or mountain journey, Mexico has all of it!

Before you head out in your journey, listed here are a couple of incessantly requested questions on security and driving in Mexico.

Is it protected to journey by street in Mexico?

We spent 6 months touring in Mexico and for essentially the most half, we felt protected throughout our journey. We tried to keep away from massive cities and caught to seashore or jungle locations that have been extra laid again and rather a lot much less crowded.

Here are a couple of ideas for driving in Mexico:

• Don’t drive at evening. It is way safer to journey in the course of the day for a lot of causes. The roads in Mexico will not be within the biggest circumstances so driving at evening places you susceptible to hitting a pothole, topes (pace bumps), or getting caught within the sand (which occurred to us on a number of events).
• Keep a duplicate of your driver’s license, passport, automotive insurance coverage, and automotive registration saved on a cloud in case they get misplaced or stolen.
• Pay for toll roads as a substitute of taking the free roads. Yes, will probably be so price it! The toll roads are in a lot better form and are quicker than the free variations.
• Get native insurance coverage. It is required to have native Mexico insurance coverage if you happen to plan to drive there which you’ll be able to simply get on-line.

See additionally: Reasons to Plan a Vacation to Mexico

Is driving in Mexico tough?

While driving in Mexico shouldn’t be as harmful as chances are you’ll suppose, it’s nonetheless very tough, particularly if you happen to’re overlaying plenty of floor in a brief period of time.

The hardest half about driving in Mexico is that it is advisable continuously take note of the environment as a result of there may be all the time rather a lot occurring. Even if you happen to comply with all of the driving guidelines and legal guidelines, it doesn’t imply others will. It’s a little bit of a ‘wild west’ relating to driving so most worldwide guests really feel intimidated to drive there themselves.

While driving in Mexico, others will minimize you off, honk, and pace round you. You might want to be careful for bikes, bikers, youngsters working on the road, individuals crossing with out discover, animals, canines, cats, chickens… you identify it. Needless to say, driving in Mexico takes plenty of power so we all the time want to journey slowly and benefit from the drive whereas taking within the unimaginable street journeys in Mexico.