Mexico for Every Traveler

Families

Mexico is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel with children. Kids are welcome almost everywhere, including restaurants at 9 p.m., and strangers will fuss over your baby. Flights from the US are short, the time difference is small, and familiar food is never far away when a picky eater revolts.

Where to go with kids

Resorts with kids' clubs

Most large family resorts in Cancún, the Riviera Maya, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta run a kids' club, usually for ages 4 to 12, included in the rate, and some add teen lounges. Babysitting is extra and usually charged by the hour, often quoted in US dollars. Before you book, ask the minimum age for the club, whether toddlers can join with a parent, what the hours are, and whether pools have lifeguards.

Brands that market themselves to families include Dreams, Hyatt Ziva, Hard Rock, Moon Palace, Grand Velas and Club Med Cancún. Watch the opposite too: many Riviera Maya resorts are adults-only, including the Secrets, Breathless and Excellence brands, so filter carefully. Where to stay compares all-inclusives with regular hotels.

Theme parks and eco-parks

Grupo Xcaret runs the famous Riviera Maya parks: Xcaret (a full day of underground rivers, wildlife and an evening show), Xel-Há (snorkeling in a calm inlet) and Xplor (zip lines and amphibious vehicles). Prices are quoted in US dollars, children usually pay a reduced rate, and booking online ahead is cheaper than paying at the gate. Mexico City has Six Flags México and KidZania. Zip-line and adventure parks set minimum ages and heights, so check before you promise anything.

Health and sun

• The sun is far stronger than in most of the US. Pair sunscreen with rash guards and hats, and pick a biodegradable sunscreen; many cenotes and parks ban conventional ones.
• Diarrhea dehydrates small children fast. Pharmacies sell oral rehydration drinks (ask for suero oral). Use bottled or purified water for formula and toothbrushing.
• Bring insect repellent suited to your child's age; dengue is present in much of lowland Mexico.
• Taxis rarely have car seats, and many rental agencies have few. Bring your own seat or a travel booster, or book a transfer company that supplies one.
• Strollers struggle on cobblestones and broken sidewalks. A baby carrier is easier in colonial cities.

More in health.

Kids' documents

Every child flying to Mexico needs their own US passport book, including infants. Passport cards work for children only by land or sea. Children under 16 must apply in person, usually with both parents, and their passports are valid for five years.

The consent letter question confuses many parents. Mexico requires notarized written permission from the absent parent, or proof of sole custody, only for Mexican minors, and that includes dual US-Mexican citizens. A child born in Mexico, or with a Mexican parent, may be a Mexican citizen even without a Mexican passport. The State Department notes that Mexican authorities have stopped US citizen children from leaving without these papers.

Honeymoons and destination weddings

Where to honeymoon

December through April is dry almost everywhere. Hurricane season runs from June (mid-May on the Pacific) through November; September and October carry the most storm risk. Tell your hotel it is your honeymoon when you book; many add a small welcome or an upgrade if one is free.

Getting legally married in Mexico

Only a civil marriage performed by Mexico's civil registry, the Registro Civil, is legally valid in Mexico. A church wedding or a ceremony by a resort officiant has no legal effect on its own. Each of Mexico's 32 states sets its own procedures, so requirements in Quintana Roo differ from those in Baja California Sur or Jalisco. The US Embassy does not perform marriages.

Typical requirements, which your wedding planner or the local Registro Civil will confirm, include:

• Valid passports and proof of legal entry (your immigration record)
• Birth certificates with an apostille, translated into Spanish, often by a court-certified translator in Mexico
• If either of you was married before, the divorce decree or death certificate, also apostilled and translated; some states impose a waiting period after a divorce, as long as a year
• Medical certificates or blood tests done in Mexico shortly before the wedding, in states that require them; US results are often not accepted
• Witnesses, often two to four adults with valid ID
• Registry fees, plus a charge for the judge to come to a beach or resort
• In some places, a short premarital talk or course

Plan to arrive several business days before the ceremony to submit documents and do any tests in person. Same-sex couples can marry legally in every state.

A properly executed Mexican civil marriage is generally recognized in the US. To use it at home (for a name change, insurance or Social Security), you will need the Mexican marriage certificate apostilled by the state where you married, and a certified English translation.

1. Pick the state and town, then get that Registro Civil's current list of requirements through your planner or resort.
2. Order fresh certified birth certificates and get them apostilled by the Secretary of State of the state that issued them.
3. Have documents translated as the registry requires.
4. Book witnesses, the judge, and any medical tests for the days after you arrive.
5. After the wedding, order apostilled copies of the Mexican certificate and get them translated for US use.

The easier route: a symbolic ceremony

Most American couples skip the Mexican paperwork. They marry legally at a county clerk's office at home a few days before or after, then hold a symbolic ceremony in Mexico. That frees you to choose any officiant, any location and any wording, with no blood tests, apostilles or witnesses. Your guests will never know the difference.

For any destination wedding, budget for the resort's charges on outside photographers or vendors, check that every guest has a passport book well ahead, and book room blocks early for winter dates. Ask what the rain plan is, and for Caribbean weddings, what happens if sargassum covers the beach that week. Catholic weddings need paperwork from your home parish to the local diocese, which can take months.

LGBTQ+ travelers

Mexico is one of the most legally progressive countries in Latin America. The State Department notes there are no legal restrictions on same-sex relationships or events. Same-sex marriage has been legal in all 32 states since late 2022, the constitution prohibits discrimination based on sexual preference, and federal law since 2024 penalizes so-called conversion therapy. Many states let people change the gender on their Mexican documents.

Law and daily life are not always the same thing. Big cities and resort towns are openly welcoming, and same-sex couples rarely have trouble booking a room with one bed. Small towns and some regions are more conservative and Catholic, where public affection between men in particular can draw stares or comments. The State Department also notes occasional reports of violence against gay and lesbian people, and violence against trans women is a serious problem in Mexico.

Where to be careful

• Dating apps. The State Department warns that criminals in some countries use apps and meeting places to target people perceived as LGBTQI+ for robbery or extortion. Meet first in a busy public place, tell a friend where you are going, and do not invite strangers to your room.
• Drinks. Drink spiking happens in nightlife areas across Mexico. Watch your glass and leave with the people you came with.
• Rural areas and road trips. A welcoming resort does not tell you much about the next town. Read the room before holding hands in a village plaza.
• Trans and nonbinary travelers. US passport rules on gender markers changed in 2025 and have been the subject of court cases, so check the current policy at travel.state.gov before you apply or renew. Make sure the name on your ticket matches your passport exactly.

Travelers with disabilities

Mexican law prohibits discrimination based on disability, but the State Department notes it is not enforced consistently, and access varies hugely between big cities and everywhere else. Transport, hotels, sidewalks and intersections are often not accessible. Expect to plan more than you would at home, and to rely on people's willingness to help, which is usually generous.

The reality on the ground

• Sidewalks and streets. Colonial cities are the hardest. San Miguel, Guanajuato and Taxco are steep and paved with cobblestones; Guanajuato adds long stairways. Mérida's sidewalks are narrow with high curbs. Even in Mexico City, broken pavement, missing curb cuts and tree roots are common.
• Transport. Mexico City's Metrobús rapid-bus system has raised platforms for level boarding at most stations, which is far easier than the Metro, where many stations have only stairs. Most taxis are small sedans. In resort areas, private transfer companies offer vans with lifts or ramps; book them ahead. Long-distance buses generally have steps and no lifts.
• Air travel. Ask your airline for wheelchair assistance at booking. Some Mexican airports board from remote stands by stairs or a lift vehicle, so confirm how you will board. The US Air Carrier Access Act covers US airlines and foreign airlines on flights to and from the US.
• Power. Mexico uses the same plugs and similar voltage as the US, so wheelchair and scooter chargers and CPAP machines work without adapters.

Hotels and beaches

Newer resorts in Cancún, the Riviera Maya, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta have the best accessible rooms, sometimes with roll-in showers. "Accessible" can mean anything from a fully adapted room to two grab bars, so ask for photos and measurements of the bathroom and doorways. Big resorts sprawl, with steps between buildings; ask whether golf-cart shuttles run around the clock.

Several beach cities have added inclusive beaches (playas incluyentes) with mats running toward the water and amphibious wheelchairs (sillas anfibias) to borrow. Availability changes with storms and maintenance, so ask your hotel or the municipal tourism office which beaches have them during your stay.

Archaeological sites and museums

Big sites mean long distances on gravel, dirt and uneven stone. Chichén Itzá and Teotihuacán are mostly flat but very large, with little shade. Most major pyramids can no longer be climbed by anyone, so you miss less than you might think. Large museums in Mexico City generally have elevators and ramps. Read ruins for each site's layout.

Service dogs are welcome, but dogs entering Mexico now need a New World screwworm inspection certificate, and US airlines apply this to service dogs too. See pets.

Seniors

Mexico is popular with older Americans for good reason: it is close, affordable and warm, and the culture treats elders with respect. A few things deserve more attention once you are past 65.

Health and insurance

Medicare does not pay for care in Mexico, and most Mexican hospitals do not accept US insurance. Some Medigap plans include a limited foreign travel emergency benefit, so check yours, but buy travel medical insurance with evacuation coverage for any trip. Premiums rise with age and some policies cap the age they will cover, so compare early. Bring enough of every medication for the trip plus a week, in original containers. The State Department warns that counterfeit pills sold at small pharmacies in tourist areas may contain fentanyl, so fill any prescriptions at major pharmacy chains. See health.

Altitude and heat

Many of Mexico's best cities are high: Mexico City at 7,350 feet (2,240 m), San Cristóbal de las Casas around 7,200 feet (2,200 m), Guanajuato around 6,600 feet (2,000 m), San Miguel around 6,200 feet (1,900 m) and Oaxaca around 5,100 feet (1,550 m). If you have heart or lung conditions, ask your doctor before you go and take the first day slowly. On the other end, Mérida and the Yucatán are fiercely hot in April and May.

Pace and comfort

• Choose fewer bases and longer stays.
• Use first-class buses on long routes (lines such as ADO Platino and ETN have wide reclining seats and restrooms) or short domestic flights.
• Bring walking poles or a cane with a rubber tip for cobblestones, and shoes with good grip; polished stone floors get slick in rain.
• Avoid driving between cities after dark, as the State Department advises everyone.
• Mexico's senior discount card, INAPAM, is for residents, so as a tourist you will usually pay full price.

Scams aimed at families back home

The State Department flags fake-emergency scams: a call to relatives in the US claiming you have been arrested, hurt or kidnapped and need money wired immediately. Agree on a family code word before you go, and make sure your relatives know how to reach you and your hotel directly.

Thinking about wintering in Mexico or retiring there? Lake Chapala and Ajijic, San Miguel, Mérida and Puerto Vallarta have big communities of American retirees. Read long stays for residency, healthcare and the real cost of living.

Students and spring break

Cancún, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta fill with US college students every March. Most come home with nothing worse than a sunburn, but every year some end up in hospitals or jail cells. Mexican law applies to you, and the US Embassy cannot get you out of jail.

The laws that catch students

• Drinking age. It is 18, and bars will want ID. Drinking in the street and on public beaches is banned in many towns and can bring a fine or a night in a holding cell.
• Drugs. Possession and use are illegal, including marijuana, and sentences can be long. Medical marijuana cards from US states mean nothing in Mexico, and bringing any cannabis product in is a crime.
• Weapons. Firearms, ammunition, knives and brass knuckles are almost always illegal to carry. A single bullet in a backpack can mean arrest.
• Bringing alcohol home. US customs requires you to be 21 to bring alcohol into the US, regardless of Mexico's drinking age.

What actually hurts people

• Bad alcohol and spiked drinks. The State Department reports people becoming sick or blacking out after drinking unregulated alcohol, and criminals drugging drinks to rob or assault victims. Stick to sealed bottles and drinks you watch being made, and never leave a drink unattended.
• Sexual assault. The State Department notes rape and sexual assault have occurred in resort areas, especially at night or early morning. Go out with friends and leave with them.
• Fake pills. Counterfeit pills sold at small pharmacies near the border and in tourist areas can contain fentanyl. Do not buy prescription drugs "without a prescription" as a party favor.
• Water. Rip currents kill people on Mexican beaches every year. Do not swim drunk, at night, or when red or black flags are up.
• Money. Carry only what you need. Robbers sometimes force victims to withdraw cash, so use ATMs inside banks or malls in daylight.
• Rentals. Jet ski and scooter renters sometimes claim you damaged the vehicle and demand cash. Photograph everything before you ride, and rent through your hotel.

• Passport book, plus a photo of it on your phone
• Travel medical insurance (a hospital stay can cost thousands, paid up front)
• STEP enrollment and the US Embassy number saved
• A buddy system for every night out
• Your hotel's address written down, in case your phone dies

Studying in Mexico for a semester? You can study on tourist status for stays under 180 days; longer programs need a student visa from a Mexican consulate before you go.

Solo and women travelers

Traveling solo

Mexico is a very good solo destination. Hostels and small guesthouses in Mexico City, Oaxaca, San Cristóbal, Mérida, Puerto Escondido and Tulum make it easy to meet people, and walking tours, cooking classes and group day trips fill the gaps. First-class buses are comfortable and safe, and app rides take the guesswork out of taxis. Share your itinerary with someone at home, check in daily, and avoid remote areas alone, which the State Department also advises.

Women travelers

Most women travel in Mexico without serious problems, and many travel alone. The State Department notes that rape and sexual assault have occurred in some resort areas, especially at night or early in the morning, and suggests watching your drink, going out with a friend and not sharing personal details with strangers.

• Street comments. Catcalls (piropos) are common in some places. Ignoring them and walking on is the local norm.
• Transport. Use Uber, DiDi or a taxi from an official stand, sit in the back, and share your trip with a friend. On the Mexico City Metro, the front cars are set aside for women and children (look for the signs on the platform), and the Metrobús reserves the front section of each bus for women.
• Dress. Beach towns are as casual as anywhere in the US. In churches, cover your shoulders. In Indigenous villages in Chiapas and Oaxaca, more modest clothing is appreciated.
• If something happens. Call 911, and contact the US Embassy or nearest consulate, which can help victims of crime and domestic violence find medical care and report to police.

Black travelers

Many Black Americans travel and live in Mexico and describe warm welcomes, especially in big cities and resort areas. Mexico has its own Black history and population: in the 2020 census, about 2.5 million people, roughly 2 percent of the country, identified as Afro-Mexican or of African descent, and the constitution formally recognized Afro-Mexican peoples in 2019. Vicente Guerrero, Mexico's second president, was of African descent and abolished slavery in 1829.

What to expect

In smaller towns you may get curious stares, questions about your hair or requests for photos, which usually come from simple curiosity. People may describe you as moreno or morena, a common descriptor for darker skin. Colorism and anti-Black racism exist in Mexico, as in the US, and you may notice lighter-skinned people dominating advertising and TV.

Mexico's immigration enforcement focuses heavily on migrants headed for the US, and travelers of color, including some Black Americans, have reported being questioned more closely at airports, bus checkpoints and inland immigration stops. Keep your actual passport on you during long bus trips, carry your return ticket and hotel details, stay calm, and ask to contact the US Embassy if you are detained.

Afro-Mexican heritage

• Veracruz (Level 2): the port city's son jarocho music and evening danzón dancing in the main square show its Afro-Caribbean roots. The town of Yanga is named for Gaspar Yanga, an enslaved African who led a rebellion and won a free settlement in the early 1600s.
• The Costa Chica of Oaxaca: the coast west of Puerto Escondido toward Pinotepa Nacional has many Afro-Mexican communities. The stretch of Highway 200 from Pinotepa to the Guerrero border is off-limits to US government employees, and the Guerrero side of the coast is Level 4, so plan with a local guide and check the advisory. See Oaxaca coast.

Bring your preferred hair and skin products; specialty items are easiest to find in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

Food lovers

Mexican cuisine is on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage, and you can build an entire trip around eating. Each region cooks differently, so choose by what you want to taste.

Eat your big meal in the afternoon, when locals do, and look for the comida corrida, a fixed-price lunch of soup, main and drink. The busiest stall on the block is usually the safest and best. Food explains regional dishes, ordering and food safety, and drinks covers tequila, mezcal and distillery visits.

Art lovers

Mexico's art runs from Olmec heads to Frida Kahlo to one of the most dynamic contemporary scenes in the hemisphere. Many museums close on Mondays.

• Mexico City. Diego Rivera's murals at the Palacio Nacional, Orozco's at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes for Rivera, Siqueiros and Tamayo. The Frida Kahlo Museum and Rivera's Anahuacalli, contemporary art at Museo Jumex, the Tamayo and UNAM's MUAC, and galleries in Roma, Juárez and San Rafael. The Zona Maco art fair takes over the city each February. See Mexico City sights.
• Oaxaca. The Museo Textil de Oaxaca, the printmaking workshop IAGO founded by the artist Francisco Toledo, and the craft villages: black pottery in San Bartolo Coyotepec, carved and painted alebrijes in San Martín Tilcajete and Arrazola, and rugs in Teotitlán del Valle. See Oaxaca.
• Guadalajara. José Clemente Orozco's murals at the Hospicio Cabañas, a World Heritage site, plus ceramics and glass in Tlaquepaque and Tonalá. The International Book Fair (FIL) runs in late November and early December. See Guadalajara.
• San Miguel and Guanajuato. Galleries and the Fábrica La Aurora design center in San Miguel; the Festival Internacional Cervantino fills Guanajuato with theater and music every October; Rivera's birthplace museum. See San Miguel.
• Puebla. The Museo Amparo, the Museo Internacional del Barroco, and Talavera workshops that offer tours.
• Mérida. Fernando Castro Pacheco's murals in the Palacio de Gobierno and the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya.

Buying folk art? Read shopping for bargaining, shipping and what US customs allows.

Digital nomads and remote workers

Mexico shares US time zones, which makes it the easiest place outside the US to keep a normal workday. Mexico City (Roma, Condesa, Juárez), Guadalajara, Oaxaca, Mérida, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta and Puerto Escondido all have coworking spaces and large remote-worker communities.

• Internet. Fiber is common in cities. Before you book a rental, ask the host for a screenshot of a recent speed test. Keep an eSIM or local SIM as a backup for storms and outages. See staying connected.
• Immigration. Mexico has no dedicated digital nomad visa. Tourist status allows up to 180 days, but the immigration officer decides how many you get, and people who leave and re-enter repeatedly may be given fewer. The formal route for long stays is temporary residency, applied for at a Mexican consulate. Working for Mexican clients or employers requires work authorization.
• Taxes. You still owe US taxes on your income. Long stays can also raise Mexican tax questions.
• Neighbors. Rising rents in neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa led to protests against gentrification in 2025. Learn some Spanish, shop at local markets, pay fairly, and consider longer leases in less pressured neighborhoods.

All of this is covered in depth in long stays, including residency requirements, healthcare, banking and taxes.

Planning help

Every group above benefits from the basics in plan a trip, safety and health. If your trip has special requirements (a wheelchair-accessible itinerary, a multigenerational family reunion, a legal wedding), our trip planning service can handle the details.