Hip, happening, artistic Guanajuato

Guanajuato is another World Heritage site and is a photographer’s paradise. This city is cosmopolitan and offers a full variety of restaurants, entertainment, fabulous scenery and culture. Guanajuato teems with vitality, history and the influence from the students of the University. Every turn of the corner offers you a photographic opportunity and is a goldmine for sketching or watercolor topics. Pricing for lodging and food is available in all ranges and transport to, from and around the city is easy. Lots of free theater and concerts.

Four Books on Mexico, One Low Price

Cons - Guanajuato is also located in the highlands of Mexico and can be cold in the mornings and evenings. Altitude may pose a problem and streets are steep and winding.

A model on Isla Holbox posing for photo shoot

Isla Holbox is a paradise island in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, north of Cancun. Twenty-six miles long and almost a mile wide, this tropical island is vulnerable to destruction by hurricanes. It is now part of the Yum Balam Biosphere Reserve. Activities including fishing, swimming with the whale sharks, visiting the bioluminescence areas at night, and kiteboarding. It has become quite a tourist area in recent times with the young and young families, and the island offers many hotels and restaurants. No cars are allowed on the island, and at this time the roads are not paved.

Cons - The island is expensive and it takes a bit of work to get there. The easiest way is to fly from Cancun to the small airport on the island. Because this island appeals to the young tourist and loud music pours from most every beach bar, a priority is to find a hotel room where one can get a good night's sleep. Tours and instruction classes are also costly, but this island is worth a visit.

As Mexican as you can get, Jerez, Mexico

Some say Jerez is the most Mexican town in all of Mexico, and is an hour away from Zacatecas. This easy-to-navigate town has lots of shops, and offers clean, simple living that is family oriented and traditional. Everyone seems friendly in that small-town-sort-of-way and locals are eager to make conversation and engage with strangers. Streets are walkable and not steep like either Zacatecas or Guanajuato, with shops and grocery stores easily accessible on foot or by bus.

Cons - There are no great ruins, no international cuisine and if small town charm doesn't do it for you, you will be bored within minutes. There are cultural events, theater and music, but there isn't a heavy emphasis on this side of life.

Sunset in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico

Mazatlan is a resort beach city on the Pacific coast in Mexico's state of Sinaloa. Known for its deep sea fishing, it's also a lively, romantic town with good food and a beautiful historical district. Hotels in the older section of Mazatlan are more affordable than the newer section of modern buildings and restaurants.

Cons - It's a touristy place, after all, so it can be crowded and noisy. Not to mention the high humidity that beach locations inevitably have. And of course one has all the trinkets and vendors here that high tourist-trafficked areas offer, which can be annoying to some.

Tropical and historic Merida

Many people love Merida which is located on the Yucatan Penninsula. It has the region's best museums, and is only 22 miles to the Gulf of Mexico Coast. There are lots of affordable places to eat and thriving markets. If you want to see the pyramids of Chichen Itza, you can come and go in one day if you would like. The Maya ruins of Tulum are reachable in a day but seeing them is not a day trip. There is gorgeous Colonial architecture, sweet barrio churches, wide boulevards and a very active main Plaza with mimes, shops and entertainment. Upscale hotels, restaurants and outdoor cafes can entertain you for hours.

Expats who live here enjoy the historical culture and social activities. Merida also boasts of many regional hospitals and medical centers offering full services for the city, the whole Yucatan Peninsula and for neighboring states.

Cons - Hot and congested with belching traffic, Merida is a city of almost a million inhabitants and has humid, tropical climate.

Mexico City walking street

International, historical, wondrous, modern Mexico City. Museums, restaurants, walking streets and more. You won't be bored here!

Cons - The metropolitan area of Mexico City has a population of 21.2 million people, making this city the most populous metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere. As with other large cities such as Paris, New York City, Miami, Toronto  - these locations have their own particular problems: Traffic, crime, emotionally distanced people and high prices.

Downtown Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico

A Fine Colonial City in Central Mexico, Morelia has international restaurants, rooftop bars and cafes, one of the most beautiful Cathedrals in the nation, and an alleyway made specifically for romance! Engrave your lover's name and yours on the lock and seal your love forever!

Cons - Many people love large cities so what is one man's trash is another man's treasure. Again, you'll have the expected challenges that large cities bring, but it's a clean city and you won't be bored.