Mexico When To Go

Mexico’s lush jungles, gleaming beaches, and textured highlands entice visitors year-round. Winters tend to be mild, while summers vary from warm to excruciatingly hot, as temperatures soar to upwards of 42˚C (108˚F). High-altitude regions, such as the Valley of Mexico and the Oaxaca Valley, remain temperate year-round. During the rainy season (May-Sept.), the south receives an average of 2-3hr. of rain every afternoon. The best time to hit the beach is during the dry season (Oct.-Apr.), when afternoons are sunny, evenings balmy, and nights relatively mosquito-free.

The peak tourist season (high season) encompasses December, Semana Santa (the week before Easter), and mid-summer. In March and the early part of April—the traditional US spring break—resort towns like Cancún, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlán fill with boozing college students. Central Mexico sees the most tourist traffic during July and August, when throngs of students studying abroad hit the books and the trendy cafes. If you travel to Mexico during any of these times, expect to pay slightly higher prices at hotels and restaurants.

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.