After more than a year being stuck in Ajijic (not that Ajijic is a place one feels stuck), I took a vacation in May 2021. This was my first-ever Mexican road trip.

(To be fair, I did get away for a long weekend in Mazamitla in April 2021, but that doesn’t count. This road trip was a genuine travel experience, with all the ups and downs that entails.)

My goal was to visit as many Pueblos Mágicos as I could on a trip where I would also spend several nights in the city of Zacatecas. And I made it to ten different “Magical towns.” Not every town was as magical as I might have hoped. But many were full of charm, with pleasant parks and gardens and beautiful architecture. And the drive in between took me through some stunning scenic vistas. I hope to do more road trips so I can see more of Mexico in the years ahead.

Photo Albums

Blog Posts

Logo of the Pueblos Mágicos program Pueblos Mágicos: A road trip (5/2/2021) - Mexico has 132 Pueblos Mágicos.I haven’t traveled since February 2020.We’re in the middle of a global pandemic that makes international travel complicated.I love a good road trip.I’m fully vaccinated against Covid-19.May is the hottest month of the year at Lake… more…
Zacatecas Panoramic View My Pueblos Mágicos Road Trip: Stops and Stays (5/9/2021) - I’m looking forward to my upcoming road trip, and I’m trying to learn a little about the places I’m going, my stops and stays, before I leave. I’m happy to share some of my research with my friends and family… more…
Templo de Calvario, Lagos de Moreno Lagos de Moreno and the Mesa That Wasn’t (5/17/2021) - The first stop on my first Mexican road trip was Lagos de Moreno. I arrived yesterday (Sunday) around 1:00, and my Airbnb wasn’t ready yet, so I went for a walk until I could get in. By about 1:30 I… more…
Church in Pinos, Zacatecas Road Trip: Pinos and the Privada (5/18/2021) - Today’s road trip agenda: a visit to Pinos and arrival in Zacatecas, where I am spending the next five nights. I left Lagos de Moreno this morning around 9:30 after a very disappointing breakfast. The place had a sign out… more…
View of Zacatecas from Cerro de la Bufa Road Trip: Zacatecas and Guadalupe (5/20/2021) - I believe I left off having just arrived in Zacatecas and gotten settled in my Airbnb at the end of the privada. Now, after a day and morning, I can report on what I’ve seen and done so far. My… more…
A view from Sierra de Órganos National Park Road Trip: Sombrerete and More (5/22/2021) - When I was planning my trip, I wasn’t sure I’d make it to Sombrerete. It’s a two-hour drive from Zacatecas, and I thought I might prefer to spend my time seeing sights in the city. But I made the trip… more…
Templo de Belén, Asientos, Aguascalientes Road Trip Continued: Asientos and San José de Gracia (5/23/2021) - I’m now in my hotel room in San José de Gracia, after leaving Zacatecas this morning and spending a good part of the day in Asientos. Before leaving Zacatecas, I enjoyed a final breakfast at Acropolis, the same place I… more…
Aguascalientes Cathedral Road Trip Day 9: Aguascalientes and Calvillo (5/24/2021) - I was happy to leave San José de Gracia this morning, and decided to stop in the state capital of Aguascalientes on my way to Calvillo. Where I am now. Sitting in front of a fan in my Airbnb because… more…
Me and Taco in front of the Nochistlán sign and the aqueduct Road trip: Calvillo to Nochistlán to Teúl to Home (5/26/2021) - I’m home now, but I last left off in Calvillo, so I have to fill in the last two days in Nochistlán and Teúl. There’s a lot to unpack here, including beautiful scenery, a town that exceeded expectations, and one… more…
View of the road out the windshield My Road Trip: A Retrospective on Pueblos Mágicos and More (6/7/2021) - I’ve been home two weeks from my first road trip in Mexico. It was magical in many ways, and whatever the opposite of “magical” is, some of the time it was that. Here are some random thoughts about road-tripping in… more…