When to visit each region of Mexico: a quick seasonal guide

Mexico doesn't have a single 'best season' — it depends on where you're headed. The central highlands (Guanajuato, Querétaro, San Miguel de Allende, Zacatecas) are at their most pleasant from October to April: sunny days, clear skies and cool nights you'll appreciate after walking all day.

Oaxaca and Puebla are year-round destinations, but they really shine in October and November, when festivities like Day of the Dead make markets and streets even more alive. If you're into mezcal, the jima season (the agave harvest) usually falls between the end of one year and the start of the next.

The coasts — Veracruz and Acapulco — change pace in the rainy season (June to October), with short but intense afternoon showers. Mornings are almost always clear, so an itinerary that starts early dodges most of the downpours.

Rule of thumb for a road trip across several regions: aim for the dry months (November to May) if you want total predictability, but don't rule out the rainy season — the landscapes are greener and the most popular spots have fewer tourists.