By Jamie Edwards, award-winning travel writer who’s visited 70+ countries on all 7 continents
“So let me get this straight,” my friend says over breakfast one morning at our local coffee shop. “You’re going to Mexico, but you aren’t going to the beach?” She pauses. “At all?”
“That’s right,” I reply, having had this exact conversation the day before. “There’s more to Mexico than beaches and burritos.” She looks at me as if I were speaking another language, and promptly changes the subject.
For many people, Mexico is synonymous with the beach, conjuring up images of fiery sunsets with margaritas in hand, or sandy, barefoot taco stands. But beyond its thousands of miles of shoreline lies a country just as compelling. Visiting places like Oaxaca, Puebla, or Mérida will convert even the most devoted beachgoers to travel further inland.
Think you know Mexico? Perhaps you only know one facet of this vibrant country to our south. Read along for a curated list of Mexican destinations that are—wait for it—not on the beach. Those that offer a perspective on Mexico not often found on the coast. Those defined by ancient ruins, archaeological sites, hidden cenotes, and a rich cultural history.
Non-Coastal Mexico—Where to Go Right Now
Once one gets past the mental hurdle that Mexico is solely for beach vacations, a new world of travel opens up. Mexico has always been a popular destination for family travel, honeymoons, and girls’ trips due to its accessibility, fantastic food, and hospitable culture. Those same characteristics hold true for many of its most remarkable cities, towns, and villages.
Prepare to be surprised as we explore non-coastal Mexico. Whether that be Michelin-starred restaurants in Oaxaca, refreshing, clear-water swimming holes in Mérida, or fine art in San Miguel de Allende. Mexico really does have it all.
Mexico City—The Museum Lover’s Trip
Mexico City, aka CDMX (Ciudad de México), is the oldest capital city in the Americas. Layered, energetic, creative, and built atop the former Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, the city is revealed through contrasts. Centuries-old cathedrals sit beside sleek cocktail bars. Street food vendors are found outside of Michelin-starred restaurants. And pre-Hispanic ruins hide within modern neighborhoods.
While it has everything a city lover could want, CDMX truly comes alive through its art. Art lovers could spend weeks here without exhausting the city’s museums and galleries.
The city’s museum scene begins with the incomparable National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park, widely considered one of the finest museums in the world. Massive stone Olmec heads, Aztec calendars, and intricately preserved Mayan artifacts tell the story of Mexico long before Spanish colonization.
In leafy Coyoacán, the Frida Kahlo Museum offers a rare glimpse into her life and art. The preserved home she shared with Diego Rivera contains original artwork, personal belongings, and the studio where she painted some of her most famous works. Nearby, travelers can also visit the lesser-known Leon Trotsky Museum, located in the house where the Russian revolutionary spent his final years in exile.
One of Mexico City’s most visually striking museums is Museo Anáhuacalli, Diego Rivera’s volcanic-stone masterpiece designed to house his vast collection of pre-Columbian art. Contemporary art lovers will want to make time for Museo Jumex and the neighboring Museo Soumaya, whose shimmering silver exterior has become one of the city’s most recognizable modern landmarks.
Beyond museums, Mexico City’s creative spirit spills into its neighborhoods. Roma Norte and Condesa are filled with independent galleries, bookstores, cafés, and art-forward hotels, while weekend markets showcase everything from vintage design to handmade ceramics. Even a simple walk through the city feels curated, whether you’re stumbling upon murals hidden down alleyways or wandering through tree-lined streets filled with Art Deco architecture.
Insider Tip: Skip the busy crowds in Roma Norte and spend an afternoon wandering the galleries, bookstores, and side streets of San Rafael, one of the city’s quietly emerging creative neighborhoods. Art lovers should also carve out time for Kurimanzutto and smaller contemporary galleries in San Miguel Chapultepec, where Mexico’s next generation of artists often debut new work.
Oaxaca—The Epicurean’s Trip
Oaxaca is a destination defined by its flavors. Considered one of the greatest food cities in Mexico, Oaxaca is where Indigenous culinary traditions meet contemporary epicurean creativity. In Oaxaca, Michelin-recognized restaurants coexist with bustling food markets and family-run kitchens that have been preparing the same recipes for generations.
Food lovers come for Oaxaca’s famous seven moles (sauces typically made from chiles, spices, nuts, seeds, and chocolate), smoky mezcal, wood-fired tlayudas (large crisp tortillas layered with beans, cheese, and meat), and memelas (thick hand-pressed masa cakes topped with salsa, beans, and cheese). But what makes Oaxaca especially compelling is the depth behind the cuisine. The city’s culinary traditions are heavily shaped by Indigenous Zapotec culture, heirloom corn varieties, and ancient cooking methods still widely practiced today.
Oaxaca’s restaurant scene has evolved into one of the most exciting in Latin America. Reservations at Criollo, from celebrated chef Enrique Olvera of Pujol fame, are highly sought after for ingredient-driven tasting menus. Casa Oaxaca is a longtime favorite for elevated regional cuisine served on a rooftop terrace overlooking Santo Domingo Church. Levadura de Olla has become known for spotlighting traditional recipes from Indigenous communities throughout the state of Oaxaca.
Still, some of Oaxaca’s best meals happen beyond traditional dining rooms. Markets like Mercado Benito Juárez and Mercado 20 de Noviembre overflow with stacks of dried chiles, hand-ground chocolate, grilled meats, and fresh tortillas cooked as you watch. The market’s famous pasillo de humo (smoke alley) is one of the city’s most memorable food experiences, where smoke from open grills drifts through narrow aisles lined with vendors cooking meats to order.
And then there’s the mezcal. Unlike tequila, which is produced primarily from blue agave, mezcal can be made from dozens of agave varieties, often using small-batch methods passed down through generations. Visits to local palenques (mezcal distilleries) outside the city offer travelers a chance to see the roasting pits, stone grinding wheels, and copper stills used in traditional mezcal production.
Insider Tip: Adventurous eaters may want to seek out chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), one of Oaxaca’s most iconic regional delicacies. Seasoned with garlic, lime, and chile, the smoky, salty insects are sold everywhere from markets to upscale restaurants. Mercado 20 de Noviembre is one of the best places to sample them for the first time, preferably paired with an ice-cold beer.
San Miguel de Allende—The Architecture Enthusiast’s Trip
San Miguel de Allende is a series of one stunning photo opportunity after another. Located in the central highlands of the state of Guanajuato, the city’s cobblestone streets wind past bougainvillea-draped courtyards, carved wooden doors, and centuries-old churches.
The city revolves around the majestic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, whose iconic pink neo-Gothic cathedral rises dramatically above the central plaza. Designed in the late 19th century, the church is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Mexico.
But San Miguel’s architectural appeal extends far beyond its famous skyline. The city is characterized by a rich blend of Baroque, neoclassical, and colonial Spanish architecture, much of it dating from the 16th through the 18th centuries. Boutique hotels, rooftop cocktail bars, galleries, and exceptional restaurants are discreetly tucked into restored colonial mansions, many of which preserve original stone walls and other structural details.
Architecture enthusiasts should make time for the Casa de Allende, an elegant former aristocratic home-turned-museum that offers insight into both the city’s history and the grandeur of colonial-era residential design. Nearby, the Templo de San Francisco stands out for its striking Churrigueresque Baroque facade, one of the finest examples of the style in central Mexico.
However, one of the best things to do in San Miguel’s greatest is simply to wander without an agenda. Nearly every turn reveals hidden details: interior courtyards concealed behind heavy wooden gates, rooftop terraces overlooking church spires, and fountains tucked into shaded plazas. At times, the city feels more like a movie set than a real place.
Insider Tip: Wake early and wander the streets around Parque Benito Juárez just after sunrise, when the city is quiet enough to hear church bells echo through the hills. Explore the side streets away from the Jardín Principal, where some of San Miguel’s most beautifully preserved spots are waiting to be discovered.
Mérida—The Culture Junkie’s Trip
Known as the gateway to the Yucatán Peninsula, Mérida offers travelers a more refined, culturally immersive side of Mexico. One where Mayan heritage, colonial history, music, food, and everyday life intersect. While many visitors pass through Mérida on their way to the coast, those who stop here quickly discover one of the country’s most culturally rich cities.
In Mérida, grand colonial mansions line the tree-shaded Paseo de Montejo, and horse-drawn carriages clip-clop through the historic center. Open-air plazas fill up at night, with musicians, dancers, and families lingering long after sunset. But beneath that beauty is a city with extraordinary cultural depth. Unlike many destinations where Indigenous history feels preserved for visitors, Mayan influence remains very much alive—found in the language, cuisine, traditions, and communities.
Mérida also serves as an ideal base for exploring some of Mexico’s most extraordinary archaeological sites. While Chichén Itzá often draws the largest crowds, many travelers find the nearby Uxmal even more captivating. Part of the UNESCO-listed Puuc Route, Uxmal is quieter and more atmospheric, with intricately carved facades rising from the jungle landscape.
Then there are the cenotes—natural limestone sinkholes filled with clear freshwater. Sacred to the ancient Mayans, cenotes once served both practical and ceremonial purposes. Today, they offer travelers a chance to cool off beneath jungle canopies after a day spent among the ruins.
Insider Tip: Skip the more heavily visited cenotes and head toward the lesser-known Homún region, where small family-run operators offer a quieter, more intimate experience. Pair a visit with a stop along the Puuc Route, where archaeological sites like Kabah and Sayil receive only a fraction of the visitors seen at Chichén Itzá.
Puebla—The History Buff’s Trip
Located just southeast of Mexico City, Puebla is one of Mexico’s most historically compelling cities. Its UNESCO-listed center is filled with ornate Baroque churches, Talavera-tiled facades, sprawling plazas, and centuries-old buildings that appear untouched by time.
Founded in 1531, Puebla quickly became one of the most important cities in colonial Mexico due to its strategic location between Veracruz and Mexico City. That wealth and influence are still visible today in the city’s grand architecture. The towering Puebla Cathedral dominates the skyline, while churches like Templo de Santo Domingo showcase elaborate interior craftsmanship.
Wander Puebla’s historic center, stopping into vibrant courtyards, centuries-old libraries, and museums housed inside former convents and mansions. Don’t miss the Biblioteca Palafoxiana, the first public library in the Americas, where thousands of antique books line its wooden shelves.
No historical visit to Puebla would be complete without venturing to nearby Cholula, home to the world’s largest pyramid (by volume). Much of the pyramid remains hidden beneath grassy hills. It’s topped by the iconic Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios church, with views stretching toward the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. Archaeological tunnels beneath the pyramid offer a fascinating glimpse into the site’s pre-Hispanic origins.
Insider Tip: Many travelers visit Cholula only long enough for a quick photo before returning to Puebla. Stay longer and explore the surrounding neighborhoods, where colorful side streets lead to independent cafés, artist studios, local markets, and laid-back rooftop bars frequented by university students rather than tourists.
San Cristóbal de las Casas—The Artisan Seeker’s Trip
Set high in the misty mountains of Chiapas, San Cristóbal de las Casas is one of Mexico’s best destinations for travelers drawn to art, craftsmanship, and living cultural traditions. Here, artistry is woven into daily life—quite literally.
Indigenous Tzotzil and Tzeltal communities have shaped the region’s creative identity for centuries, preserving intricate textile traditions, embroidery techniques, pottery, and weaving practices that continue to thrive today. Throughout San Cristóbal, artisan markets spill into cobblestone streets lined with ochre walls, while locally owned boutiques showcase naturally dyed wool textiles, amber jewelry, and embroidered pieces unlike anywhere else in Mexico.
But what makes San Cristóbal especially compelling for art lovers is the sense of connection between maker and place. Many of the region’s crafts are still produced entirely by hand using techniques passed down through generations. Watch weavers work traditional backstrap looms, observe natural dyeing methods using plants and insects native to the region, and meet the artists whose work reflects their history.
Insider Tip: Venture beyond the main artisan market into nearby villages like Zinacantán and San Juan Chamula, where small weaving cooperatives offer a more intimate look into traditional textile-making. Many artisans welcome visitors directly into their workshops, allowing travelers to see the weaving process firsthand.
¡Vamos, Mexico!
I catch up with my friend again—a few weeks after a week-long getaway to Oaxaca. She asks what I got up to there, and I describe my Michelin-starred meals on breezy rooftops, the street corner memelas topped with stringy Oaxacan cheese and juicy chorizo. I mention that I tried mezcal, and liked it, and that I tried fried grasshoppers, and didn’t.
Her curiosity is noticeably piqued. Mexico’s story extends far beyond the beach. From vibrant culinary capitals to colonial cities rich in art and history, there’s a destination here for every kind of traveler. The only question is which one you’ll explore first. CIRE is ready to help you get there. ¡Vamos!
Jamie Edwards is an avid traveler, travel writer, and photographer. After 25 years of living and traveling around the globe, she launched I am Lost and Found, her adventure/luxury travel website. Jamie’s goal is simple: to inspire travel.
CIRE Travel is a full-service travel agency headquartered in New York, NY, with offices in Kennebunkport, ME, Washington, DC, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, Los Angeles, CA, and Philadelphia, PA. Our expert corporate travel planners, honeymoon travel agents, and luxury travel planners support clients across the country and around the world.
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