How To Avoid Spring Break In Mexico

It’s not really what you’re going for with your kids, is it? Seven weeks of hell. Basically land-locked Bermuda with broken English and filthy toilets. So…you’re going to want to avoid Spring Break in Mexico like the plague it is.

Summer is around the corner and with it comes the yearly tradition of thousands of college students descending upon Cancun and other party hot spots. If you’re planning a trip to Mexico this year, we recommend steering clear of spring break—or at least avoid these hotels. The infographic above shows you the top 10 Spring break destinations in Mexico and the reasons why you should avoid them. Use it as a guide as you continue your journey to find a safe and cost-effective Spring break experience.

Mexico has long been the preferred destination for spring breakers. Only a few countries allow drinking in public and Mexico happens to be one of them. Mexico is also quite cheap and it’s easy to find a place that offers cheap drinking and beach activities. Spring breakers may treat their trip as a party but they don’t have time to go out, leaving them no option but staying at the hotel room most likely with nothing to do.

How To Avoid Spring Break In Mexico

You’re probably reading this because you just finished your first year of college. Or, at least that’s when I read this article and it still stuck with me. Either way, there are thousands of students who have plans to take on Spring Break in Cancun or Cabo. And for those who don’t know about Spring Break, it’s many students’ chance to go away for a week, have fun and enjoy some time off from the rigorous schedule of their studies.

Spring break is practically synonymous with Mexico, and this time of year, popular Caribbean destinations Cancun, Tulum, and Cozumel are super-saturated with coeds (and sunburned Americans who refuse to learn a couple words of Spanish). For a sophisticated escape from the cold, instead head to the country’s west coast, studded with safe and gorgeous destinations that offer a mix of luxury and authenticity. Check out these locales, perfect for the culturally adventurous traveler who still wants a stunningly beautiful vacation.

Zihua, as the locals call it, feels a bit untouched by time: Fishing boats pull into the bay at dawn to hawk their freshest catches, and the cheery historic downtown pulses with fruit sellers, taco stands, seafood restaurants, and bustling markets. Sea turtles and dolphins are frequently spotted along the mostly undeveloped coastline and, unlike the neighboring town of Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo isn’t packed with hulking hotels—just laid-back, sun-splashed properties sprinkled across the hills overlooking the Pacific. The (opens in new tab) (which opened last year) is the region’s only hotel directly on the beach, giving it major curb appeal. Its interiors are just as beautiful, spotlighting work by local artisans, including mosaic tiling, handwoven rugs, and stonework from native rocks.

This 130-mile swath of perfect Pacific coastline isn’t easy to get to; it’s a three-hour drive south of Puerto Vallarta on a windy road cut into the Jurassic-Park-esque jungle. (Of course, you can also show up via helicopter or yacht, if that’s your thing.) That means it’s a dream come true for tourists craving a boho-chic vibe sans crowds. Costalegre (which means “happy coast”) is largely unpopulated, with a few fishing villages, small towns, and estates dotting the cliffs, beaches, and bays. Consider renting a villa or condo at Careyes, a sprawling private compound with pristine coastline (whales, dolphins, and turtles are a common sight) and architecture that’ll make any design-lover drool, including colorful cliffside palaces that quite literally defined upscale Mexican-Pacific architecture: Its eccentric founder, Gian Franco Brignone, broke the mold on Mexican resort aesthetics when he built it in the ‘60s (think bold jewel tones, beautiful thatched roofs, open-air living rooms, and Moroccan-style finishes).

If you’re more of a city girl, consider booking a flight to Mexico’s second-largest city. Guadalajara is to Mexico City what San Francisco is to L.A. or Melbourne is to Sydney—it’s smaller (1.5 million people to Mexico City’s 8.9), but it’s bursting with energy and charm. Don’t miss the punchy political murals of famed Mexican artist José Clemente Orozco inside the Hospicio Cabañas (an orphanage-turned-art-museum) and the Palacio de Gobierno (the painting over the staircase will haunt your dreams). Also worth a visit: the delicious cafes known for their coffees and tasty breakfasts in the La Americana neighborhood, and the craft beer bars on main nightlife drag, Chapultepec. For a comfortable and arty-chic stay, book a room at (opens in new tab), in Guadalajara’s trendy Lafayette neighborhood. Its striking decor blends minimalism with Mexican flair, and its spa, pool, and cafe will make you happy to come home after a long day of exploring.

Lured to the Riviera Nayarit—a stretch of stunning beach towns just north of Puerto Vallarta—by a groundswell of high-end resorts, picture-perfect white-sand beaches, and jungle-covered mountains, celebrities have made this luxe resort town their vacation destination of late. So head there now, before it becomes the next Tulum. We’re obsessed with(opens in new tab) (where Kourtney Kardashian brought her boyfriend in 2018), a secluded 250-acre property with 12 villas (private plunge pools and ocean- or jungle-view included) and an open-air spa. If the nightly rate of $750 is out of your price range, consider popping in with a day pass: For 2,500 pesos (about $125), you get a daybed or lounge chair on the beach from noon to six, plus all-you-can-eat orders from the beachfront restaurant and unlimited drinks.

This funky little beach town in Riviera Nayarit is a bohemian dream: Picture yoga classes, outdoor cafes, hip boutiques, and surf schools on every corner, and a cobblestoned downtown flanked by buildings more colorful than a bag of Skittles. Book a palapa at the mural-strewn(opens in new tab), a boutique hotel built and run by three millennial sisters. The property is eco-friendly in the coolest ways: It runs on solar power, treats wastewater and uses it to irrigate the gardens, steers clear of all single-use plastic and Styrofoam, cleans with ecological supplies, and offers local, earth-friendly, totally biodegradable soap, shampoo, and lotion in reusable glass bottles. (The products are so pure, you could drink them! But you shouldn’t.) At Maraica, you’ll enjoy a breezy, thatch-roofed, beautifully minimalist room with a balcony overlooking the ocean (hammock included), plus free breakfast and a pool with a view.