Mexico Stories

In Queretaro, a rich and colorful past and present

By Christopher Reynolds — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:03:15 -0800

There are plenty of reasons to visit Querétaro, but it's the instability and conflict and violence that finally won me over. The instability of 1810, that is. The conflict of 1848. The violence of 1867. All set amid 18th century colonial architecture, surrounded these days by commerce and...

Planning your trip to Queretaro

By Christopher Reynolds — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:03:16 -0800

THE BEST WAY TO QUERÉTARO From LAX, Continental and Mexicana offer connecting service (change of planes) to Querétaro. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $320. TELEPHONES To call the numbers below from the U.S., first dial 011 (the international dialing code), then 52 (the ...

Traveling in Mexico despite drug violence, H1N1 flu

By Christopher Reynolds — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:33:18 -0800

Mexico's drug war is entering its fourth year. Its H1N1 flu outbreak began with dozens of deaths and global headlines last spring. This leaves travelers with at least two reasons to study up before booking that Mexico trip. But it doesn't necessarily mean staying home. Mexico's drug-war dea...

Mexico's family-friendly hot spots

By Amanda Jones — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:33:17 -0800

With news of drug-related violence and H1N1 flu in the headlines, tourism to Mexico has plummeted. But the truth is the violence is largely regional and the swine flu is no longer confined to here. Many places in Mexico are inexpensive, kid-friendly and sunny. Here are some of my family's recent ...

Planning your trip to Riviera Maya

By Jennifer Olvera — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:33:18 -0800

THE BEST WAY From LAX, Mexicana and Alaska airlines offer nonstop service to Cancún. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $278. TELEPHONES To call the numbers below from the U.S., dial 011 (the international dialing code), followed by 52 (Mexico's country code), plus the two to three-...

Roaming the Riviera Maya

By Jennifer Olvera — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:33:17 -0800

Waiting to board, I saw passengers wearing socks with flip-flops. Someone asked, poker-faced, whether Mexico was a state in the U.S. When applause broke out upon landing, it was all I could do to disembark. These are my fellow countrymen? I cringed, skulking to my (clearly marked) cab. Igno...

Big spring break group? Try renting a house!

By Traci Carl — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:33:14 -0800

My cousin booked an amazing wedding at the adventure resort Costa Azul, in the tiny Mexican village of San Francisco about a half hour north of Puerto Vallarta. The town was perfect: Cobblestone streets, a beach known for its surfing, turtle releases at sunset. There was only one catch: Cos...

Planning your trip to Pozos, Mexico

By Christopher Reynolds — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:03:17 -0800

If you go THE BEST WAY TO POZOS From LAX, connecting service to Querétaro is offered on Continental and Mexicana. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $538. Taxi rides between Querétaro and Pozos cost about $40. TELEPHONES From the U.S. dial 011 (the international dia...

Mineral de Pozos: A Mexican ghost town lives on as an artist colony

By Christopher Reynolds — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:03:16 -0800

I arrived in eerie, old Mineral de Pozos in the middle of a half-sunny afternoon, with cotton-candy cloud shadows creeping all over the adobe rubble, the reclaimed ruins, the cactus thickets and the little-trod cobblestone streets. Never heard of the place, a hotel clerk had said in Spanish...

5 favorite vacation spots in Mexico

By Reed Johnson — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:03:15 -0800

It's understandable why Americans these days are thinking twice about venturing south of the border. A wave of gruesome violence, much of it related to drug trafficking, has swept Mexico in the last two years, leaving thousands dead. Popular tourist venues haven't gone unscathed. Last summer,...