10 Best Places to Celebrate Christmas in Mexico

Christmastime in Oaxaca is downright magical. Named a World Heritage Site for its unique Spanish colonial architecture, the city only gets more charming with the holiday decorations and festivities.

Join the locals in the Zócalo town square on Christmas Eve to witness Las Calendas, a spirited parade of bands, dancers, and paper mâché giants. Oaxaca is also known for a delightful tradition called La Noche de Rábanos, in which contestants sculpt intricate scenes from radishes to compete for a 30,000 pesos prize. Past radish masterpieces include nativity scenes, mythical creatures, and a replication of The Last Supper.

Picturesque San Miguel de Allende offers historic charm, modern comforts, and folk tradition. The town has drawn artists and writers for decades and boasts hosting Frida Kahlo’s famous salons. Popular with American ex-pats, there are ample hotels and nightclubs, plus restaurants and cafes serving vegan menus.

San Miguel has a little extra sparkle throughout December when poinsettia plants and shining silver stars line the cobblestone streets. Stroll around the town center to see the Cathedral and its Christmas tree all aglow and hear mariachi bands playing in the Jardin Allende. Stop in front of the Cathedral to shop for handmade holiday flower wreaths in purple, red, and green.

Head to Puerto Vallarta if your ideal way to spend Christmas is relaxing on golden sand. One of Mexico’s most popular beach destinations, the city has 40 miles of coastline peppered with luxury resorts. Foodies will enjoy digging into the international dining scene, and families will find activities like snorkeling and swimming with dolphins.

From your spot on the beach, you’ll have views of the Bay of Banderas as it stretches into the Pacific. With some luck, you may see leaping humpback whales. Performing artists and musicians frequent the Malecon Boardwalk, a waterfront promenade with art galleries and restaurants.

The little town of Tlalpujahua has a big reputation for 1 thing: Christmas tree ornaments. The delicate hand-painted, hand-blown glass baubles come in every shape and design imaginable and hang on holiday trees in the Sistine Chapel and the White House. After the collapse of Tlalpujahua’s gold mining industry, a local who had learned to make Christmas ornaments in a Chicago factory returned to his hometown to start the business that would bring the town back to life.

Each year around 400,000 people visit the town to eat tamales, sip warm Christmas punch, and shop for ornaments. Exploring the town, you’ll wander through a German-style Christmas village and see artists at work in their workshops.

The Chiapas Highlands are the heartland of Mexico’s Indigenous Maya culture, and the hilltop city of San Cristóbal de las Casas sits in its center. Christmas customs in the region are a blend of Catholic and Indigenous traditions. Many are unique to the Highlands, such as the pilgrimage to find and deliver the Niluyarilu flower to the Catedral de San Cristóbal before December 25. In the plaza in front of the marvelous yellow cathedral, you’ll find a market selling Mayan weavings and handicrafts.

The Highlands also offer spectacular natural landscapes. The region is characterized by great forested mountains, a deep central valley, and a number of rivers and waterfalls.

In recent years Tulum has turned into a trendy spot for young vacationers. Surrounded by jungle and bordering the Caribbean, this touristy town offers beachfront yoga and chic restaurants as well as easy 1-day forays into nature. Hire a guide to take you exploring through Sian Ka’an, an enormous biosphere reserve home to an incredible array of animals and 330 bird species.

Tulum is also home to one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Mexico, the ruins of an ancient Mayan city. The site is perched atop cliffs that tower over the beach, offering a spectacular view of the sea.

Cabo San Lucas is a slice of paradise at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. It’s nearly always sunny in this arid city of desert and beaches. Aquatic activities abound, with surfing, parasailing, and whale watching being especially popular. December is a great time to spot whales, as humpbacks pass through here on their way to the Gulf of California.

Get ready to join the party, as most beachfront hotels and resorts organize Christmas festivities featuring live music and Mexican holiday cuisine. And don’t miss your chance to have tacos baja and a margarita on the beach.

The vibrant, eclectic Mexico City offers rich culinary traditions and an incredible number of museums. There’s plenty of space in the city around the holidays, as many residents have returned home to their families, and Christmas is celebrated with grand displays and bustling markets. Take a walk down the poinsettia-filled Reform Avenue to see the city’s elaborate nativity scenes.

Zócalo, the city’s main square, is the center of the action. The city sets up a large outdoor skating rink and vendors sell sweet buñuelos and colorful piñatas. Just off the square, the Templo Mayor Museum has a mesmerizing collection of Aztec relics. Head to the south of the city for the unmissable Frida Kahlo Museum, located in the artist’s former home.

If what you really need this Christmas is somewhere to relax and unwind, Cancun’s got you covered. This popular spot on the Yucatán Peninsula is world-famous for its perfect beaches and clear Caribbean waters. The nightlife is as alive as ever around the holidays, when resorts host beach parties where you can dance late into the night.

To break up your relaxation with a little education, take a day trip to the awe-inspiring Chichén Itzá, a 2-hour drive from the coast.

Chihuahua City may not be an obvious choice for your Mexican Christmas, but this small northern city is historically significant and off the tourist radar. The city’s most notable attraction is the Museo Histórico de la Revolución, where visitors learn about the Mexican Revolution in the former home of Pancho Villa himself.

This is cowboy country, situated among mountains and desert in the north of Mexico, and at the city’s Mercado del Centro you’ll find vaquero boots for sale. In the early evenings, head to the Plaza de Armas. Strung with lights for the holidays, the lively plaza is where locals gather each evening to relax, chat, and dance.