Why Mexico Should Dominate Your Travel List — You Won’t Believe These Reasons

Wondering, Why visit Mexico?!

It’s a fair question — and this article has 5 reasons to visit Mexico that make a great case for this amazing country… including why it’s the obvious and best choice for U.S. travelers!

Whether this is a Mexico weekend getaway, a spontaneous or last-minute trip to Mexico, or a month-long road trip, you’ll see why all travelers need some Mexico in their lives. If you’re looking for colorful colonial cities, amazing Mexican beaches, or even just tacos (it’s a valid reason 🌮), Mexico is the place.

Ready to find out the Top 5 reasons why Mexico is a popular tourist destination, why Mexico is worth visiting… and in general, why Mexico is great?! Let’s get to it!

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1. Mexico Is A Short Flight Away

Now, I know those picturesque places on Instagram, like the Maldives, are gorgeous eye candy. However, do you know how far away the Maldives Islands are?! I’m going to tell you…

Depending on where you’re coming from in the U.S., you’re looking at about 24 hours of air time, which doesn’t include how much time you’re sitting bored in an airport during your layover. For many people in the U.S., some part of Mexico is just a 1-2 hour direct flight away.

Best Mexico travel destinations near the U.S.

west coast of mexico (Baja)

If you’re in California or on the West Coast of the U.S., you’ll want to check out Baja California, including the beautiful beaches and natural areas around La Paz, the iconic Cabo San Lucas Arch, Mexico Wine Country in Valle de Guadalupe. The Baja California Peninsula is also a great place for a Baja road trip.

central mexico

For people living in the Central United States, you’re just north of Central Mexico, where most big cities are. This is great because you’ll likely find direct and cheap Mexico flights into Mexico City or Guadalajara International Airports.

Central Mexico is one of the country’s most culturally rich areas, with amazing big cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara, historic smaller cities like San Miguel de Allende and Taxco, and beautiful beaches on the Pacific Coast, like Puerto Vallarta and Ixtapa.

east COAST OF MEXICO (Yucatan)

Those on the East Coast of the U.S., are just north of the Yucatan Peninsula. This part of Mexico is home to the most popular beach town in Mexico, Cancun, but also places like Playa del Carmen, Instagram-worthy Tulum, and amazing colonial cities like Merida and Valladolid.

2. There is NO Mexico Visa Required

The answer is no. U.S. passport holders do not need a visa to travel to Mexico. Mexico is phasing out the traditional paper FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) tourist arrival cards that visitors, including Americans, used to receive upon entering the country.

Many airports and other ports of entry no longer issue paper forms. Instead, immigration officials often stamp your passport directly, marking the number of days you’re allowed to stay in Mexico.

⭐️This stamp serves the same purpose as the old FMM card.

However, this change is being implemented gradually, so you might still receive a paper FMM form in some locations. If you do receive a paper form, it’s essential to keep it safe, as you’ll need to present it when exiting the country.

If you do not receive the paper form, the stamp in your passport will be your proof of entry and stay duration.

3. You “Make” Money Exchanging Dollars to Pesos

When you convert dollars to pesos, the exchange rate is still very much in your favor. As of August 2024, the exchange is $1 to 19.44 pesos. While this fluctuates, you can generally plan for an exchange rate of around 19:1.

WHAT DO ALL THESE NUMBERS MEAN?

In perspective, the current exchange rate to European currency is $1 to €0.83 (euros/most of Europe) and $1 to £0.76 (pounds/UK). While you don’t exactly “make” money by exchanging dollars for pesos, you certainly “lose” money when converting dollars to euros or British pounds.

Essentially, you “gain” more spending power in Mexico simply by exchanging dollars for pesos.

Is Mexico expensive?

Prices will, of course, vary, with cities like Mexico City and big-name destinations, like Tulum and Cabo San Lucas, being more pricey than smaller pueblos and off-the-beaten-path Mexico destinations. On average, however, you can expect nearly everything to cost about 30-50% less than it would cost in the U.S.

4. There are Sooo Many Mexico Travel Destinations

Do you know how the East Coast and West Coast of the U.S. could almost be different countries entirely? Or how visiting New Orleans and visiting Wyoming are two very different U.S. travel experiences, Mexico is just like that.

Mexico is a huge country — the 14th largest on Earth — and it almost feels like a few countries are wrapped up in this one.

Whether you’re looking for beaches in Mexico, historic colonial cities, or even unique places to visit in Mexico you’ve probably never heard of, you can find it all.

What if I don’t like the place I traveled to?

For those who have never been to Mexico, you might pick a travel destination you’ve heard of, or maybe somewhere recommended by a friend—but what if you don’t resonate with that place?

Easy! You can leave one part of Mexico for another and feel like you’ve changed countries. If you’re someone who will be packing light for Mexico or are backpacking Mexico, that only makes inter-country travel that much easier.

Travel Plan B and your Exit Strategy

Mexico, being a big country, gives a lot of opportunities for convenient Plan B travel!

A Mexico Plan B, or Exit Strategy, is convenient because you’re staying in Mexico and retaining all of the previously mentioned perks: no visa needed, short flight time, and great exchange rate.

For example, if you picked Mexico City as your travel destination, and it was the wrong choice for you, there are many Mexico City day trips you can take to find another nearby destination you could even relocate to.

Inexpensive bus travel and cheap Mexico flights

In general, Mexico inter-country travel is inexpensive. Besides renting a car in Mexico, inter-country flight travel is inexpensive, and bus travel is even less so.

If you’re in a big city, like Mexico City or Guadalajara, you can often book a $50USD flight to one of Mexico’s 100 or so other airports, or $20USD bus ride to most other parts of the country.

Some of Mexico’s low-cost national carriers include AeroMexico, Volaris and VivaAerobus, which you can book online.

For busses, the country’s largest companies are ADO, Primera Plus and ETN. The ADO bus offers the most luxury or first-class seating options, which cost a bit more than the regular class buses, but are worth the added cost for their big, comfy recliner seats, electric outlets at all seats, AC, and more.

5. Your Phone (Likely*) Works in Mexico

Most of the large cell phone companies in the U.S. offer free Mexico and Canada service with contract service plans. Since these are the two most visited countries for Americans, this makes sense.

Of course, this will depend on your cell company and your plan, so double-check with them. However, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon usually offer complimentary Mexico service to their customers who have contracts.

If your company offers cell service in Mexico, great! Uninterrupted phone service means you’ll have your existing data plan, so you can check Google Maps off-WiFi and call an Uber from anywhere.

You’ll have your same number, and you’ll basically use your phone the same way you would in the U.S.

…but what if you don’t have cell service in Mexico?

Request your carrier turn international service on

If you don’t want to buy a SIM Card, the next best option is to call your carrier and request international service be turned on. You’ll want to double check that the rates are reasonable, as some carriers charge a lot for this convenience.

If you’re OK with the rates, simply let them know your travel dates, and they will activate the service for you. This is the most convenient option, but it costs more than buying a SIM card, which is why most people opt for the SIM.