Why 2025 Is the Year of the Road Trip in Mexico — and the Best New Routes Around the Country

My love affair with Mexico began on wheels. I was 9 years old, wide-eyed and glued to the window of an overnight bus, watching the world transform as my family descended the mountains from Mexico City to the sun-baked beaches of Zihuatanejo. Years later, on my own solo four-month backpacking trip across the country, I'd find myself clutching the armrest during a death-defying, 10-hour drive along the serpentine roads between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido. There was also the seemingly endless (and visually repetitive) drive from the party beaches of Playa del Carmen to the dreamy swath of blues in Bacalar and Mahahual. And then there were the nameless dirt roads, tackled on the back of a motorcycle, which led to hidden beaches, sleepy villages, and friendships I share to this day. Mexico was built for road trips. In 2025, it's never been easier to embark on one.

This year, Mexico saw a trifecta of game-changing infrastructure projects, opening up new highways and routes that redefine how travelers experience this vast, kaleidoscopic country. Whether you're chasing historic small towns, jungle escapes, or those magical beaches, these new developments will transform the way you journey through Mexico.

Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta: A Coastal Corridor Reimagined

For years, the drive from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta demanded patience and fortitude — five hours of winding roads through the Sierra Madre mountain range. This year, a new highway cuts that time in half, delivering travelers to the Pacific in just two and a half hours. The route threads through iconic stops like Tequila, where the namesake spirit is the patron saint, and the Riviera Nayarit, a coastline dotted with beach towns like the now-iconic Sayulita and lesser-known jewels like San Pancho and Lo de Marcos.

This isn't just a road; it's a super-highway. But along the way, you'll get to experience so much more of Mexico than you would by simply flying from point A to point B. Stop for a tour of a family-run agave distillery, snack on tacos al pastor in a Pueblo Mágico (Magic Town), and end the day with sandy feet and an explosive sunset overlooking the Pacific.

Related: 10 Places in Mexico Where the Locals Love to Go

Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido: From Mountains to the Sea

What was once an arduous (and, frankly, terrifying) 10-hour journey has become a breezy three-hour drive, thanks to the new highway connecting Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. The route winds through lush valleys and jagged peaks before spilling out onto the stunning coastline of the Costa Oaxaqueña.

Oaxaca City, with its cobblestone streets, color-splashed colonial homes, and world-famous mole, is a destination in its own right. But the ability to reach Puerto Escondido — known for its rolling barrel waves, expansive beaches, and barefoot bohemian vibes — makes the state even more irresistible. Along the way, stop in the misty mountain village of San José del Pacífico for a completely different kind of Mexico aesthetic: pine forests, cozy cabins, and the thick scent of copal filling the air.

As you empty out onto the coastline, Puerto Escondido is just the beginning. The Costa Oaxaqueña is a string of other beachy pearls, like the spiritually infused Zipolite and the yoga studio and acai bowl allure of Mazunte. Further north, surfers are called to the bare bones (but rustically beautiful) Chacahua, located at the tip of Lagunas de Chacahua National Park.

Tulum Airport: The New Gateway to the Yucatan

Tulum's much-anticipated airport opened at the end of 2023, transforming how travelers can access southern Quintana Roo. What was once a multi-hour trek from Cancun is now a straightforward trip, unlocking destinations that were previously meant only for those in the know.

Now, travelers can make the trip to the cenote-filled Laguna de Bacalar and the sun-bleached beaches of Mahahual in less than two hours. Venture further off the path and back in time to Tulum 20 years ago in Punta Allen. Beyond the beaches, foray deep into the jungle to experience lesser-known Mayan cities like Kohunlich and Dzibanché.

A Word on Responsible Travel

For road-trippers, the joy lies not just in the destination, but in the journey, too — the roadside taco stands, the impromptu stops at a market, the way the scenery morphs around every bend. Mexico is a place to savor slowly, but with these new routes, the country invites you to experience it with much more ease.

As convenient as these new developments are, they come with a responsibility. Easier access inevitably brings higher visitor volumes, and overtourism is already rearing its head across Mexico. Places once difficult to reach — pristine beaches, tranquil lagoons, and untouched archaeological sites — are magical because they've remained undisturbed. But that magic is fragile.

When planning your road trip, approach each destination with respect. Stick to marked paths, support local businesses, and minimize your environmental footprint. Remember that just because a place is now easier to reach doesn't make it a free-for-all. The beauty of Mexico lies in its authenticity, and preserving that requires mindfulness from every traveler. Explore, but do so with care, as these places have so much to offer.

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