As the year ends, a question we get repeatedly asked by our travel planning clients is, “Where should I travel to Mexico for New Year’s Eve?”
Our answer? If you like being around amazing people who love to party, have a slew of superstitions and traditions and love fireworks, then we respond that there are many options! Say “Feliz Año Nuevo” (pronounced “Fay-lease Anne-yoh Nway-voh”) by putting Mexico at the top of your New Year’s plans.
Where To Travel In Mexico For New Year’s Eve
While there are many spots across Mexico to celebrate New Year’s, some—like Playa del Carmen–will be packed with rowdy tourists. Here are five locations to celebrate the New Year.
To Party In The Streets: Guadalajara
As one of the biggest cities in Mexico, Guadalajara comes alive with colorful lights and firework displays. Whether you head to the city center, the hip Colonia Americana neighborhood, or the charming pueblo of Tlaquepaque, there is something for everyone here. Welcoming the year by eating iconic local food, taking a sip of tequila, and a swing at the piñata to dig into local pastimes.
To Soak Up The Sun: Los Cabos
Are white-sand beaches and crystal blue waves more your style? Los Cabos is the destination for you. Besides five-star resorts and tons of fun outdoor activities, from water sports to horseback riding, Los Cabos also has a quaint historic town and art district of San Jose del Cabo and the hippy enclave of Todos Santos.
If you want to toast the New Year in style, head to La Botica. You’ll find a secret Prohibition-style speakeasy with swanky decor and apothecary-themed cocktails.
For The Biggest Party Around: Mexico City
As the capital of Mexico, CDMX (or Ciudad de México) throws a major party during New Year’s. While there are parties and events across the city, one of the most iconic spots to go is the Plaza de la Constitución (aka El Zócalo).
Set in the middle of the historic center with the country’s top government buildings, this enormous Plaza becomes ground zero for celebrations. Like Times Square in New York, crowds gather among the decorations and festive lighting and fireworks.
For Parades: Oaxaca City
This colorful little town is so delightful that you must add it to your travel list. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Oaxaca City is bursting with history and stories of the past.
When visiting Oaxaca City, trying all the classic local foods, including mole and sipping on mezcal in downtown mezcalerías, is a must. Pop into Mezcaleria in Situ, where the staff will teach you everything there is to know about this smoky spirit.
For An Artsy Take: San Miguel de Allende
Once a sleepy colonial town, San Miguel de Allende has exploded as a vibrant, artsy community. The charming cobblestone streets, farm-to-table movement, and baroque architecture create an intoxicating mix. Not to mention, the luxury hotels in San Miguel de Allende are among the best in Mexico!
You’ll want to explore San Miguel on foot, so pack your walking shoes and set off. After working up an appetite, head over to Cenaduria la Alborada. A local favorite, this restaurant serves mouth-watering pozoles on a lovely little terrace.
For R&R With Wine: Valle de Guadalupe
Want to clock in the New Year in a lowkey fashion? Then head to Valle de Guadalupe, the heart of Mexican wine country. Spend your day wine tasting, eating at some of the country’s top restaurants, day-tripping to Ensenada, or simply relaxing at one of the area’s numerous boutique hotels.
Oh, and did we mention that it’s just 100 miles from San Diego so that you can drive there in less than two hours? Yup, it’s the perfect getaway for Southern Californians!
How do they celebrate New Year’s Eve in Mexico?
But let’s talk about Mexican New Year’s traditions, what makes Mexico a unique destination, and where to travel for a holiday.
When we discussed how Christmas is celebrated in Mexico, we shared that the holiday season runs from early December until King’s Day or Día de Reyes on January 6th. And New Year’s Day is a national holiday during those festivities.
Like much of the world, there is a mix of public and private parties and events. The celebration in Mexico often kicks off with a late-night dinner starting around 11 PM on December 31st and going into the wee hours on January 1st.
While there is no one set menu, some foods are linked to superstitions (see below). Also, some foods make it onto almost every table, like bacalao or salt cod with olives and tomatoes, various tamales, lentil soup, festive drinks like a hot fruit punch known as ponche and an eggnog-like sip known as rompope, and buñuelos.
Celebrations might spill out onto the street as the evening progresses, while others ring in the New Year with their friends at private parties or in public plazas.
Six Mexican New Year Traditions
Mexico has many traditions for New Year’s. While a few are universal— like a countdown to midnight and toasting with bubbly, others are specific to Mexico.
Some of these traditions (like packing a suitcase) are becoming less common, while others (like eating grapes) tend to be widely observed.
Eat 12 Grapes
Originating in Spain, this tradition involves eating 12 grapes in 12 seconds. Each grape is said to represent a month of the year, and you get one wish for each month.
Your wishes will come true if you finish all the grapes in 12 seconds. And, if you have a sour grape, it’s said to mean you’ll have a lousy month. Our advice: eat seedless grapes, and you’ll be set no matter what you believe!
Choose Your Underwear Carefully
Before you toss on your New Year’s Eve outfit, make sure you carefully select your underwear. Choose red underwear for love and passion, yellow for prosperity and happiness, green for wealth and well-being, and white for hope and peace. Some say you can use candles instead of underwear and burn the colors for your desired things.
Pack A Suitcase
Pack your luggage and stroll around the block to ensure safe travels all year. Or take the easier way and circle an empty suitcase in the middle of your living room.
Don’t Forget The Lentils
Lentils are also thought to bring prosperity in the coming year. Some eat lentil soup before or after midnight, others leave them on their doorstep, and others still carry them all night.
Say Adios To Bad Vibes
People clean their houses on New Year’s Eve to remove negativity from the past year.
Bonus tip: while sweeping out the bad stuff, drop a few coins on the ground and sweep them into your house or a shoe. This action ensures that money will flow in the new year. Finally, fireworks are lit at midnight to frighten evil spirits from “El Año Viejo” away and welcome good luck.
Smash A Buñuelo
Oaxaca has a tradition of eating crispy fritters called buñuelos (a traditional Mexican dessert, FYI), drizzled with sweet syrup and served on a ceramic dish. After eating the sweet treat, people wish to break the dish by smashing it to represent breaking with the past.
Mexican Recipes To Cook Now
Not heading to Mexico quite yet? Cook up these Mexican recipes that are favorites of our readers to help stoke your wanderlust:
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Puerto Escondido Luxury Hotels
Many of our Oaxaca bound travelers like to do a little surf and turf by balancing their time in Oaxaca City with time on the Oaxacan Coast. Check out our list of the top Puerto Escondido luxury hotels if you plan to do the same!
Have Us Plan Your Trip To Mexico
Want to take the stress out of planning a New Year’s vacation away? Our Mexico travel planning service is the easiest way to arrange your holiday. We’ll take care of the hard stuff, so all you have to do is relax and enjoy the mezcal!
Photo Credit: Mexico City fireworks by Marti Bug Catcher; Ponche by carlosrojas20; grapes photo by Larisa Blinova; photo of wine tasting in Valle de Guadalupe by Joanne Pio; all other photos by Salt & Wind Travel
