15 Low Key Family Vacation Spots in Mexico You Never Knew Existed
Mexico is an amazing country with great people, good food, outstanding tourist locations and beautiful scenery all round.
It is a great location for family vacations which everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime.
Mexico has a rich culture which is very unique and extraordinary. There are so many places one can visit when in Mexico that are not that expensive and are still a great experience for the people who visit.
There is a wide range of low key family vacation spots in Mexico where one can be exposed to the beauty of the country together with their family.
The vacation spots range from places with beautiful scenery to relaxation spots. So, here are 15 low-key vacation spots in Mexico.
15 Low Key Family Vacation Spots in Mexico.
1. Merida
Merida is the beautiful capital city of the Mexican state, Yucatan. It is the largest city in South Eastern Mexico.
The city was founded in 1542 and it has a rich Mayan and Spanish heritage and is filled with beautiful aspects of the Mayan culture which makes it a great tourist location.
Some of the places you can visit in the city include the Municipal palace, San Ildefonse cathedral (Merida cathedral), Canton palace, the Glorieta de la Paz, the Great Museum of Maya and the monument to the Fatherland.
The city was built in a unique way and it has interesting architecture such as the Merida cathedral which was constructed from some of the stone from an ancient Maya temple.
Some of the buildings in the city date as far back as the 16th century.
The city is also considered one of the safest cities in Mexico. So, what better place to go with your family including little children than Merida. It is a very beautiful and safe vacation spot for the family.
2. Los Cabos
Los Cabos is a municipality in southern Mexico. This is also an amazing vacation spot in Mexico for the whole family. Los Cabos is filled with serenity but also adventure.
It has beautiful beaches and a rich culture where modernity meets ancient and rustic. Some of the great things that happen in the city include an Art walk hosted by the San Jose del Cabo Art district which happens every Thursday between the months of November and June.
There is also a film festival every November where the Mexican, American and Canadian film industries come together.
Then, there are the beaches. They are so many to choose from such as the Hacienda beach, las Viudas beach, Medano Casa Dorada beach, Medano Villa del Palmar beach amongst several others. So many activities can happen on a beach.
They have beautiful clear waters that are great for swimming, surfing, kayaking, a picnic with your family and so much more.
3. Puebla
Puebla is a state in Mexico with 217 municipalities located in South east Mexico. Some of the beautiful places to go to in the state include Puebla City which is known for its beautiful architecture, culinary history and pottery.
The origin of the state of Puebla lies in the city which was founded in 1531 to secure the trade route between Mexico City and the port of Velacruz.
There are so many things to experience in Puebla such as the festival of ‘Cinco de mayo’ (literally translated into the ‘fifth of May’) which happens to celebrate Mexico’s victory over the second French empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
The festival has parades, music, dancing, and battle reenactments among many other fun activities. The city especially Huaqueschula town also celebrates the day of the dead where altars (ofrendas) are set up for the departed with their favourite food and beverages and stories are shared among their loved ones and also their graves are visited.
They also have the Carnival which is a Western Christian festive season that happens before lent. The city celebrates Carnival which involves public parades, street parties, amongst many others. Costumes and masks are made and worn by the attendees of carnival.
It represents a period of indulgence where people do the things one would not be able to do during lent which are then done excessively during carnival. It is a fun experience for the family.
4. Puerto Vallarta
This is a town in Mexico located in Jalisco state on Mexico’s pacific coast. It is known for its beaches and water sports. It is also in proximity of the Sierra Madre Mountain range.
It is a great family vacation spot. It has beautiful beaches where the entire family can do activities together such as windsurfing, swimming.
There is also an option of wandering through the Sierra Madre Mountain range on a horse or bike and zip lining. There is also sky diving and parasailing.
You also get to see and even cross the world’s longest suspension bridge (El Jorullo). So, in my opinion, it is a good place in Mexico to go with the family.
5. Puerto Morelos
This is a port town on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan peninsula. It is one of the eleven municipalities of the Mexican state, Quintana Roo.
The town is known for its beaches, the national reef park and its beautiful caves. There are so many activities one can do in Puerto Morelos together with the family such as snorkeling, jungle tour, bird watching, zip lining, swimming.
These are all fun activities that can be enjoyed as a family. The night life is also fun for the adults when the kids have gone to bed for the night. A great family vacation spot indeed.
6. The copper canyon, chihuahua
The copper canyon (Barranca del Cobre) is found in northern Mexico in the state of Chihuahua. It is a series of massive canyons in the Sierra Madre mountains which were formed by six rivers that merge into the Rio Fuerte and empty into the Gulf of California.
It is a great place for hiking. The name ‘copper canyon’ is derived from the copper-green hue of the canyon walls.
The canyon is nearly 30 million years old and it reaches the depths of over 1400 meters in certain places. The canyon is home to the Tarahumara people (or Raramuri in their language) who are the fastest long-distance runners in the world. It is a very large and breathtaking.
However, some parts of it are inaccessible. But it is still one of the amazing low-key vacation spots in Mexico to go to with family for hiking and to also meet the Raramuri people which is a great experience.
7. Cancun
This is a beautiful city in South east Mexico on the north east coast of the Yucatan peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.
Cancun is a great city because it has the beaches and also the old and beautiful architecture so you get both sides of the coin.
Some of the places one can visit in Cancun besides the resorts and beaches include the Maya archeological sites, the El Ceviche fountain, and the Yamil Lu’um (Temple of the scorpion) ruins among others.
It is widely known for its beaches and resorts so it is a great place for a relaxing vacation with family. It also has a buzzing night life which is a fun vacation activity for the adults when the kids have gone to sleep for the night.
So, Cancun is a beautiful city and a great low-key vacation spot for family.
8. Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in Mexico found along the pacific shoreline in the state of Sinaloa. It is a beautiful city with a rich culture and a lively art community.
The city has various galleries and it also has a theatre (Angela Peralta) and museums (the Museo del Arte and Mazatlán’s art museum) which have exhibits from both local and international artists. So, for art enthusiasts, this is the place to be.
It is a great family vacation spot because everyone likes art, I hope. It also gives one the opportunity to visit the multiple, islands off the coast of Mazatlán.
It is a great experience for the family.
9. Santiago de Querétaro
This is a city in central Mexico and is the largest city in the Mexican state of Queretaro. The city has an enormous aqueduct consisting of seventy-four arches each twenty meters wide with a total extension of 1,280 meters.
It was built by Marquis Juan Antonio de Urrutia y Arana between 1726 and 1738 at the request of the nuns of the Santa Clara convent to bring water to the residents of the city from La Canada. The aqueduct is the top tourist attraction of Santiago de Queretaro.
There is also the festival of Santiago de Queretaro which is an annual Arts and cultural event that takes place in the city for eight days during the Holy week.
The festival has so many activities like the parade, numerous performances, exhibitions of art and crafts, culinary events and many others. This is a great vacation spot for the family.
10. Michoacan de Ocampo
This is a state in western Mexico simply referred to as Michoacan. The state has so many family vacation spots to choose from because of its diversity.
For those with the time and money, you can choose to visit the entire state and not particular towns in it.
Anyway, in Michoacan, there are various regions such as the Morelia region which is known for its cultural and artistic heritage and its colonial architecture.
The region also has over 400 thermal springs some of which have been turned into recreational areas and parks like Reino de Atzimba, El Ejido and others which are great for the family.
It also has the Lazaro Cardensa region which has numerous beaches and has the largest port in México. The beaches are great for surfing.
Another region ij the area is the Patzcuaro region which has Lake Patzcuaro that is surrounded by mountains and forests.
The people here are so cultured and they celebrate numerous festivals such as the Senor del Rescate (the Lord of the Rescue) and the Night of the dead. Patzcuaro also has museums a family can visit.
The Zamora region is known for its crafts and embroidery and the Zitacuro region is known for its conifer forests, old mining towns and archeological sites.
Michoacan is a place filled with so ant beautiful things that is great for family vacation. You can choose one region or all for an amazing family vacation.
11. Las Pozas near the village of Xilita, San Luis Potosi
Las Pozas literally translates into ‘the pools’. It is a gorgeous group of structures created by Edward James between 1949 and 1984.
They are over 610 meters above sea level in a sub-tropical rain forest I the Sierra Gorda mountains of Mexico.
The structures include more than 80 acres of natural waterfalls and pools interlaced with towering surrealist sculptures in concrete.
The structures are named; The House on Three Floors Which Will in Fact Have Five or Four or Six, The House with a Roof like a Whale and The Staircase to Heaven.
There are many trails throughout the Garden site and they are composed of bridges, steps, ramps and narrow walkways.
It is such a beautiful place and it would be a perfect vacation spot for family. It is in a rural area and for those who do not like cities with too much traffic of people, this is the place to go to. It is serene and beautiful.
12. Bernal, Queretaro
Bernal is a village in the Mexican state of Queretaro. The name ‘Bernal” comes from Basque Vernal which means the place of stones and boulders.
The village was founded in 1642. Bernal is known for the monolith of massive rock, the Pena de Bernal which is the third highest in the world.
It is a beautiful place with nice and welcoming people. You get to scour the streets and meet people and also enjoy the view of the Pena de Bernal with your family. It would be a peaceful vacation for everyone involved.
13. Huatulco
Huatulco is a resort region in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It has beautiful white Pacific coast beaches. The region is made up of 9 bays such as Tango Lunda Bay and Santa Cruz Bay. Huatulco is where the foothills of Sierra Madre mountains meet the Pacific Ocean.
As the introduction suggests, the region of Huatulco is made up of so many resorts that are all family friendly. With this one, it is about relaxation which is a great vacation I would say.
There are so many activities one can do on the beaches such as snorkeling, scuba diving, sailboat excursions etc. which are great family activities.
14. San Miguel de Allende
This is a city in Mexico‘s central highlands in the state of Guanajuato. It was formally established in 1555.
It is known for its Spanish architecture, exciting Arts scene and cultural festivities. It is a great place to visit with family.
Some of the interesting tourist spots include the San Miguel de Allende historic museum, Immaculda Concepcion Temple, San Miguel de Allende cathedral, and many others.
It is filled with a lot of Spanish colonial history which can be seen in the architecture and culture of the town.
Most of the buildings are used for commercial purposes though and are not kept as tourist centers. It is however still a good place to visit with your family.
15. Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico)
I know most people think that cities in the world are all the same. But the truth is, they aren’t. Aside from the similar new buildings being constructed that are universal, everything else is different. From the culture, to the food, to the people.
So, Mexico City also earned its place on the list. Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico and also the largest one.
It is located in the valley of Mexico within the high Mexican central plateau. The city is also the oldest in the Americas.
It has various tourist attractions that are great for the family scene such as the Museo Nacional de Anthropologia (the National Anthropology Museum), the Museo Nacional de Arte (national museum of Art), the Monument of revolution, La Mexicana Park in Santa Fe, Angel of independence and so many others.
Final Thoughts
So those are what I believe are 15 low key family vacation spots in Mexico which are unique but still beautiful locations individually with specific things that would draw tourists.
The country as a whole has breathtaking architecture, beautiful lakes and coasts, rich culture, amazing people, extraordinary gardens, interesting mountains and bridges, a gorgeous aqueduct and of course the beautiful Copper canyon.
You can never go wrong with Mexico no matter what you choose for your family. There are so many other beautiful places to visit and be part of a different culture.
They have Carnival, Art festivals, the Night or Day of the dead and so many other celebrations one can be a part of.
