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Mexico seems to surge in popularity year by year and season by season. There’s just no stopping travelers from flocking to the country’s pristine beaches and phenomenal cities.
Summer tends to see one of the biggest surges, especially for the country’s incredible beach destinations.
Now that the chaos of Spring Break has passed, summer is next in line.
We’ve rounded up the 7 cheapest Mexico destinations for a summer getaway, and here is a hint – it’s definitely not Cabo!
Between 3 amazing cultural cities and 4 awesome beach spots, travelers have some tough decisions to make the most of their travel budget.
To find Mexico’s cheapest summer destinations, we focused on places with affordable hotels, easy transportation, and plenty of budget-friendly activities.
We included a mix of popular beach spots and lesser-known cultural cities to offer travelers diverse and exciting options without breaking the bank.
Let’s start with Mexico’s most affordable cultural cities:
Mexico City
They say bigger isn’t always better, but it just may be in terms of savings. One of the biggest countries in the world is also one of Mexico’s most accessible.
Factoring in how cheap it is to get around by metro, you can stretch your travel budget and spend more on experiences over scammy taxis and surging Ubers.
This action-packed city never ceases to amaze travelers, and that’s why it’s continuously one of Mexico’s most visited destinations.
It’s not hard to find a cheap, cozy Airbnb and or incredible value in name-brand hotels, like the Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel under $100 per night.
Guanajuato
San Miguel de Allende may be the trendiest city in the state of Guanajuato, but the city of the same name is where travelers will feel the most savings.
Easy to reach, and even easier to walk if you don’t mind some hills, this timeless city with jaw-dropping architecture and mouth-watering food makes for an unforgettable cheap getaway.
Some streets are more reminiscent of Europe than one might think of real Mexico. From cheap attractions, such as the Museum of The Mummies, to lavish boutique hotels next to all the action, like Hotel San Diego with double digit nightly rates, this historic sunny city is budget-friendly all around.
Merida
Merida’s claim to fame is the ‘safest’ city in Mexico, and the statistics back it up.
And as trendy as this city has become, it’s still not as mainstream as it probably should be.
One extra motivator for travelers to give this beautiful city a chance may be how cheap it is to stay here this summer.
While not technically a beach city, it’s close enough to spend time perusing historic cobbled streets and end up along the coast at some point during your trip.
However, central Merida is best for budget travelers with insane rates for boutique hotels as low as the $20’s per night with perhaps the best option being the highly touted Hotel Boutique La Misión de Fray Diego for just $71.
Sun, sand, and savings:
Puerto Vallarta
Surprise, surprise. There are indeed some of the most sought-after destinations that are still affordable for vacationers this summer.
While Los Cabos and Cancun don’t make the cut for savings, as fun as they are to visit, Puerto Vallarta isn’t a bad fallback option when it comes to incredible beach resorts at affordable prices.
Given the plethora of flight options and the conveniently located airport, this only adds to the draw of such an incredible place to take a trip.
Not to mention easy access to the trendy Riviera Nayarit with even more amazing beaches to visit. Stays here are much cheaper than expected, with boutique hotels as low as the $50’s and beachside resorts such as the beachside Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center at $150.
Mazatlan
Mazatlan was one of the most popular places to witness the solar eclipse.
Since those shenanigans are behind us now, surging flight and hotel prices have died down, making it a great time to plan a trip to Sinaloa’s most treasured destination.
This underrated sunny beach city has become increasingly popular to make their base, and if it’s good enough to stay long-term, it’s definitely worth a weeklong vacation.
Mazatlan many beachfront hotels to choose from without breaking the bank, including familiar names like Riu, DoubleTree and heck, even Holiday Inn has a beachfront resort.
All of these are in the $100’s per night or you can choose a boutique hotel or Airbnb for even cheaper.
Bacalar
One of the most eye-popping destinations in Mexico is none other than the small, yet stunning, town of Bacalar, home to world-famous lagoons that truly seem out of this world.
This bucket-list destination has become much easier to reach with new flights to Tulum, and sorry Tulum, you’re just too expensive right now to make this list!
Travelers can stay in this, spend the day in paradise exploring cenotes and majestic blue waters, and rest their heads at night at very affordable hotels ranging from boutique hotels like Villa Balu Hotel Boutique under $50 or more upscale from $75 to $300.
Acapulco
Acapulco?! Yes, Acapulco. You may be thinking, “isn’t it dangerous?”. Well, that all depends if you believe this iconic resort city is keeping true to their word of making a historic comeback.
In an attempt to clean up their act and lure in vacationers again, the city has taken the right steps to do just that.
It may be a long time before the city sniffs visitor numbers anything close to other popular beaches, but travelers should take advantage of the insanely affordable waterfront hotels right now, regardless.
This summer, those in need to live their best life along sunny beaches can stay in Acapulco for anywhere from $50 per night to $200, from the top-rated Monyoli Hotel & Boutique to the Hotel Princess Mundo Imperial beachfront resort.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.