Travel Mexico: Road Trip Stories, Favourite Places & Dog Travel Tips
Mexico has been part of my life for longer than I can remember.
The first time I went, I was about five or six years old. My family travelled to Manzanillo. I barely remember the trip itself, but a few random childhood memories stuck: stepping on a bee, getting my hair braided on the beach, and singing resort songs like the one from Ottawan that goes: “Hands up! Baby, hands up! Give me your hearts… give me, give me your hearts…”.
After that, I didn’t set foot in Mexico again for many years.
Until 2010, when my dad moved there.
Visiting Ajijic and Lake Chapala
My father settled in Ajijic, near Lake Chapala, close to Guadalajara.
Did you know this is the biggest lake in the country? Ajijic is also known to have stable weather with warm days and cooler nights all year. This makes it a very popular destination for retirees from Canada and the US. Prices are also cheaper there than by the coast. And simpler rules for property ownership.
If you are looking into buying a property in Mexico, I highly suggest reading about the fideicomiso rule in Mexico.
I visited him for the first time with my best friend, and the experience completely changed how I saw Mexico. Instead of an all-inclusive resort, I discovered everyday life: local markets, small neighbourhood restaurants, Spanish conversations everywhere.
I returned in 2012, and we took a road trip together back to Manzanillo, the place I had visited as a child. It felt like closing a small circle.
Mexico’s coastal cities change a lot. Tourism rises and falls depending on natural disasters, politics, and trends. My dad used to say that Acapulco was once the most famous destination in the country. Then things shifted, and Puerto Vallarta became the new hotspot on the West Coast.
In Mexico, destinations are always evolving.
Spring Break in Cancun (2012)
Later that same year, I organized another trip with a friend. Spring break in Cancun.
It was exactly what you would expect from Cancun in 2012: crowded clubs, loud music, and absolute chaos. Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa played that year; there were club nights every evening, and yes… even the infamous contest nights.
I’m genuinely happy I experienced that at 19 years old. But let’s just say it’s not something I feel the need to repeat now.
If you’re considering spring break in Mexico or a party place to visit in Cancun, I’d highly recommend the Grand Oasis Cancun resort.
Puerto Vallarta and Watching a City Boom
Eventually, my dad moved to Puerto Vallarta, and I visited him many times between 2014 and 2021.
During those years, I watched the city transform. Tourism exploded, new neighbourhoods appeared, and the entire region became one of Mexico’s most popular coastal destinations.
Around that time, I also observed nearby towns undergoing changes.
Places like Sayulita and San Pancho were still relatively quiet back then. Today they are far more expensive and crowded, especially with international visitors.
But Mexico always has another place waiting around the corner.
My First Big Mexico Road Trip (2021)
In 2021, for personal reasons I might talk about someday, I returned to Mexico with Karma.
That trip became something much bigger than I had expected.
I flew to Guatemala, travelled north by bus through Chiapas, and eventually reached Oaxaca.
You can read my Guatemala story, recommendations, and itinerary here.
That’s where I had a realization.
If I wanted to explore Mexico properly, I needed a vehicle. So I bought a van.
You can read the full story on how I bought a van in Mexico on a tourist visa in the related post below.
Crossing Mexico by Road
That van took me across huge parts of the country.
I explored Oaxaca State, one of the most culturally rich regions in Mexico, and spent time in Oaxaca City, which remains one of my favourite cities in the country.
From there I continued east toward the Yucatán Peninsula, passing through Campeche and the surrounding states. Cenote paradise.That part of the trip also included my worst police propina experience (bribe) of the entire journey.
Then I turned inland again.
I hiked volcanoes in Puebla, wandered through Hidalgo, crossed Jalisco, visited San Luis Potosí, and eventually drove north toward Monterrey, surrounded by some of the most impressive mountains in Mexico. The Monterrey region is a rock climber’s paradise.
At one point, I even drove through a remote desert highway in the middle of the night. Let’s just say it made for a memorable encounter with national security.
Eventually, I drove the van all the way back to Canada.
People may worry too much about the border crossing. Worries are valid, but trust that will work fine. I suggest my best US/Mexico border crossing in my USA Road Trip post (below).
Returning to Mexico (2024–2025)
Mexico still wasn’t finished with me.
During another long road trip in 2024–2025, I crossed the country again, visiting friends along the way and returning to some familiar places.
I made one more stop in Monterrey, drove the spectacular mountain roads of Durango, and spent a couple of weeks exploring Mazatlán and Isla de la Piedra in Sinaloa.
Then I took the ferry across the Sea of Cortez to Baja California.
I ended up spending the entire winter there before finally driving back to Canada once again.
My Favourite Places in Mexico
After so many trips across the country, a few places stand out the most to me:
- San Cristóbal de las Casas
- Oaxaca City
- Puerto Escondido
- San Pancho (north of Sayulita)
- Puebla State
- Bacalar
- Holbox
- Monterrey
- Baja California Sur
Each region feels completely different, which is part of what makes Mexico so fascinating.
The Culture and Spirit of Mexico
One of the main reasons I keep returning to Mexico is the people.
Mexicans are some of the friendliest people I’ve met anywhere in the world.
Outside of the main tourist hubs, the country can also be incredibly affordable. Small towns, local markets, and family restaurants often cost only a fraction of what you would pay in North America.
Mexico is also deeply cultural and spiritual.
You’ll see it in the traditions, the celebrations, and everyday life.
Festivals that are taking place everywhere in the country and that you should experience at least once in your life:
These are powerful reminders of how important history and community remain in Mexican culture.
In the mountains near San Cristóbal de las Casas, you can even witness traditional Mayan spiritual rituals, sometimes involving chickens inside churches.
It’s intense, fascinating, and very real.
A Few Mexican Spanish Expressions
Mexican Spanish also has its own flavour.
A few expressions you’ll hear constantly:
Güero
Often used to describe a blond or light-skinned foreigner.
Propina
Normally means a tip… but sometimes it can also refer to an unofficial payment requested by police or cartels.
Güey
A very common slang word between friends, similar to saying “dude”.
Qué chido
A popular expression meaning “how cool”.
Travelling in Mexico with a Dog
Mexico can be surprisingly manageable when travelling with a dog. Even in a shopping mall.
Many Airbnbs and guesthouses (even hostels) accept pets, and locals are generally comfortable around animals.
Like any southern American, they keep their dog on their rooftop of in their property as a security guard alarm more than a pet who’s also a family member, and we let them jump on ours sofas and beds like we do in Canada or the US.
Stray and beach dogs are lovely.
The main challenges are transportation and heat.
Karma was here: YES, many times.
Dog-friendly? Generally, it is, yes. Long-distance buses usually require dogs to travel in a carrier in the luggage compartment, which is why travelling by car or camper can make things much easier. If you have a small dog, it’s also more doable.
Mexico, Mexico, Mexico
Mexico is a country of colours and contrasts. This country is vibrant, chaotic, spiritual, joyful, and sometimes complicated. But never boring.
There is beauty in the landscapes, energy in the cities, and music in the streets.
It’s a country full of colour, history, and celebration.
And no matter how many times I travel there, it always feels like there is more to discover.
To all my Mexican friends, and to you, Mexico, I’ll be back pronto! <3
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