Dry season on both coasts: calm seas, clear skies, and peak prices.Dry season on both coasts.Where to go
Sargassum often builds on the Caribbean side from spring into late summer.Sargassum season on the Caribbean.Today's reading
Hurricane season runs to 30 November. Quieter beaches, lower prices; watch the forecast.Hurricane season, to 30 November.When to go
Warm, shallow Gulf water, old ports like Veracruz and Campeche, and fishing villages where the menu is whatever came in that morning.
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia · CC BY-SA 4.0What to know
Four states along the Gulf of Mexico: Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco and Campeche. The water is warm and mostly shallow, and most visitors are Mexican families rather than international tour groups. Veracruz and Campeche are old port cities with plenty to do off the sand, while Tabasco's coast is more wetland than beach. Between about October and March, nortes (cold fronts from the north) bring wind and rough water.
Off the sand
In pictures
Photo: KABAYEK · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: AlejandroLinaresGarcia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
The numbers
Before you go
The Gulf of Mexico region has around 179 beaches spread across 5 states.
The best time to visit the Gulf of Mexico is generally October–March, when the weather is most reliable for beach and outdoor activities.
The Gulf of Mexico is known for Veracruz, Campeche, Progreso, and Celestún.
Popular activities on the Gulf of Mexico include historical walking tours, deep sea fishing, birdwatching, river tours, and coffee plantation visits.
Gulf of Mexico, Mexico
Major airports in Veracruz and Tampico. Highway 180 runs along the entire Gulf coast connecting all major cities.
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