Road Trips in Mexico: The Best Routes

Interested by taking a number of roads journey in Mexico? There’s no higher method to fall in love with a spot than heading on a street journey and driving the route your self.

Should you’ve by no means been to Mexico earlier than, you could be questioning if it’s secure 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’s a lot safer to journey in Mexico than most individuals count on, however there are some issues to bear in mind to have a secure and pleasant time.

Relating to planning out your good Mexico street journey itinerary, we now have you coated! On this publish, we share a number of the greatest routes for street journeys in Mexico.

See additionally: Tips for Planning the Ultimate Trip to Mexico

Highway journeys in Mexico: The very best routes to discover

Baja California

The Baja California Peninsula spans 760 miles from Tijuana all the way down to Cabo San Lucas. Residing in Southern California, I’ve traveled to Baja California on a number of events, together with spending a number of weeks driving throughout your entire 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’s lots of floor to cowl in Baja California so I like to recommend setting apart two weeks in the event you plan to drive your entire route. Should 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

Listed here are a number of 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 offered in all of Mexico and is greatest identified for upscale, boutique lodges 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. That is additionally a stopover on the 3-day cruise from Lengthy Seaside that I’ve taken a number of instances. Prime sights in Ensenada embrace the oceanfront La Bufadora, off-roading adventures, and native markets the place you will get wonderful offers on handcrafted items.

Todos Santos

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

La Paz

La Paz was certainly one of my favourite stops alongside our Baja California street journey. Right here guests can spend the day lounging at Playa Balandra which is legendary for its blue, clear water.

Cabo San Lucas

Whereas Cabo San Lucas has a popularity for being a ‘Get together City’, there’s a lot extra to this metropolis than nightclubs and bars! Cabo is house to distinctive pure rock formations akin to The Arch of Cabo San Lucas, together with beautiful white sand seashores and enjoyable outside adventures.

Learn 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. Your complete Yucatán coast is so attractive that you just’re certain to have a good time!

Try the ruins in Tulum, discover underground cenotes, and keep in top-rated lodges alongside the best way.

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

Listed here are a number of the greatest areas to go to on the Yucatán Peninsula:

Cancún

Cancún is among the hottest trip locations in Mexico and the start line for these heading on street journeys within the Yucatán and Quintana Roo states. From Cancún, you can even hop on a ferry over to the tropical Isla Mujeres Island which is understood for world-class snorkeling and scuba diving.

See additionally: Cancun Historical Sights and Attractions

Playa Del Carmen

Should 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 popularity for having world-class seashores and wonderful coral reefs full of colourful fish.

Tulum

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

Tulum is greatest identified for boutique lodges, top-rated eating places, eclectic outlets, beachfront bars, and the historic Tulum Archaeological Zone.

See additionally: Reasons to Travel To Tulum, Mexico

Bacalar

Bacalar is a bit below the radar for worldwide guests, however it’s actually one of the crucial attractive locations in Mexico. Bacalar will not be simple to succeed in– it’s positioned close to the Belize border, about 2.5 hours south of Tulum. But when you can also make it out right here, you can be amazed by Bacalar Lagoon which is understood for its mesmerizing turquoise hues.

Freeway 307

On the lookout for a Mexico street journey route that’s a bit extra off the grid? Freeway 307 is among the most rugged however stunning routes in Mexico that’s identified for beautiful 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. Should you’re up for it, you may even cross into Guatemala for a day or two earlier than persevering with your street journey by Mexico.

Listed here are a number of the prime locations to go to on the Freeway 307:

Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montebello

This Nationwide Park is among the most stunning sights in Southern Mexico that’s located on the border with Guatemala. Right here you may go to 59 lakes which might be identified for his or her beautiful, deep blue coloration.

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

Yaxchilán

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

This whole journey will make you are feeling such as you’re in an Indiana Jones film! Throughout this tour, you’ll get to see crocodiles, howler monkeys, big lizards, and varied fowl species that reside within the jungle.

Agua Azul

The Agua Azul waterfall is among the most attractive locations you can go to in Mexico. This attraction consists of a shocking 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.

Continuously requested questions on driving in Mexico

We hope this publish has impressed you to plan extra street journeys in Mexico! Mexico is really one of the crucial stunning nations in North America and an unimaginable place to go to in the event you get pleasure from distinctive outside adventures. Whether or not you’re on the lookout for a seashore, jungle or mountain journey, Mexico has all of it!

Earlier than you head out in your journey, listed here are a number of regularly requested questions on security and driving in Mexico.

Is it secure to journey by street in Mexico?

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

Listed here are a number of ideas for driving in Mexico:

• Don’t drive at evening. It’s a lot safer to journey through the day for a lot of causes. The roads in Mexico should not within the best 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).
• Make a copy 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. Sure, it is going to be so value it! The toll roads are in significantly better form and are sooner than the free variations.
• Get native insurance coverage. It’s required to have native Mexico insurance coverage in the event you plan to drive there which you’ll simply get on-line.

See additionally: Reasons to Plan a Vacation to Mexico

Is driving in Mexico tough?

Whereas driving in Mexico will not be as harmful as you could suppose, it’s nonetheless very tough, particularly in the event you’re protecting lots of floor in a brief period of time.

The toughest half about driving in Mexico is that it is advisable continuously take note of the environment as a result of there’s all the time rather a lot occurring. Even in the event you 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’ on the subject of driving so most worldwide guests really feel intimidated to drive there themselves.

Whereas driving in Mexico, others will reduce you off, honk, and pace round you. You’ll need to be careful for bikes, bikers, children operating on the road, folks crossing with out discover, animals, canine, cats, chickens… you title it. Evidently, driving in Mexico takes lots of vitality so we all the time want to journey slowly and benefit from the drive whereas taking within the unimaginable street journeys in Mexico.