Sunburn and Semana Santa: Essential Things to Do in Mexico in April

Essential Things to Do in Mexico in April Without Looking Like a Clueless Tourist

Navigating Mexico in April requires the strategic planning of a military operation combined with the flexibility of a yoga retreat. The rewards, however, are worth the effort – especially if you can avoid the cardinal sin of showing up to a solemn religious procession wearing nothing but a neon swimsuit and a sunburn that makes you look like a walking traffic cone.

Semana Santa Celebrations: Religious Theater Meets Family Vacation

Holy Week (April 10-16, 2023) transforms certain Mexican towns into open-air theatrical productions that make Broadway look understated. In Taxco, black-hooded penitents march through silver-mining streets carrying thorned branches, while San Miguel de Allende features elaborate processions with statues of saints carried on flower-covered platforms. Meanwhile, coastal towns like Puerto Vallarta maintain religious observances but with a distinctly more festive atmosphere – think prayers in the morning, beach parties by afternoon.

For photography opportunities that won’t get your camera confiscated by offended locals, position yourself early at procession routes (usually starting around 10am) and ask permission before shooting close-ups of participants. Stand-out vantage points include the steps of Taxco’s Santa Prisca church or the Parroquia rooftop restaurants in San Miguel. Just remember that unlike many tourist attractions, these processions aren’t staged for visitors – they represent genuine faith practices dating back centuries.

The most surprising element of Semana Santa might be how previously sleepy towns suddenly burst at the seams with visitors. Patzcuaro, with its lakeside setting and indigenous traditions, sees its population triple during Holy Week. Book accommodations months in advance or witness this phenomenon from just outside the epicenter – staying in Quiroga, for instance, while making day trips into Patzcuaro.

Beach Destinations Without the Summer Swelter

April bestows upon Mexican beaches that rare combination of warm water and bearable air temperatures. Puerto Vallarta averages a comfortable 80F with humidity levels that won’t turn your beach hair into a science experiment. The Pacific waters hover around 75F – warm enough for extended swimming without requiring polar bear credentials.

The Caribbean side tells a different story. While Cancun and Tulum enjoy similar air temperatures, April marks the beginning of the annual sargassum seaweed invasion on many Yucatán beaches. This brown, smelly visitor tends to favor the stretch from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, while Cancun’s hotel zone and Isla Mujeres often escape the worst of it thanks to different current patterns.

For fewer crowds and pristine conditions, consider Huatulco’s series of bays on the Oaxacan coast, where development restrictions have preserved both the environment and the exclusivity. Here, $150 buys a hotel room that would cost $400 in Los Cabos, and the snorkeling visibility in April reaches up to 30 feet before summer rains reduce it to a murky game of “is that a fish or a plastic bag?”

Festival Hopping Beyond Holy Week

While Semana Santa dominates the cultural calendar, April 30th brings Children’s Day celebrations that transform public spaces into sugar-fueled carnivals. Mexico takes this holiday seriously – imagine Halloween’s excitement without the spooky elements, where parks and schools host events featuring everything from traditional piñatas to video game tournaments.

Food festivals emerge from winter hibernation in April, including Morelia’s Mezcal Festival (typically third weekend) where $25 buys a tasting passport to sample dozens of artisanal varieties that make tequila seem as sophisticated as a college keg party. In Mexico City, the seasonal transition brings the Festival de Flores y Jardines to Chapultepec Park, where landscape artists create elaborate displays that would make your neighbor’s garden gnome collection hang its tiny heads in shame.

For cultural immersion without religious overtones, the Festival Cultural de Mayo begins its preliminary events in late April in Guadalajara. This marks a perfect opportunity to experience Mexico’s second-largest city while international music, theater, and dance performers converge before the main tourist season drives prices upward like a space shuttle launch.

Outdoor Adventures in Weather That Won’t Kill You

April represents the last chance to witness the gray whale migration in Baja California before these magnificent creatures return north. Early April offers final opportunities for whale watching tours from Baja towns like Loreto, where $65 gets you a three-hour excursion with near-guaranteed sightings – compared to $150+ for similar experiences in California with lower success rates.

The colonial highlands present ideal hiking conditions with temperatures in the pleasant 70-75F range. The trails around Guanajuato’s mountainous periphery offer panoramic views of this UNESCO World Heritage site without the summer heat that turns similar hikes into endurance events. A local guide costs around $25 per person and prevents the embarrassing scenario of accidentally trespassing on private property while trying to photograph a scenic viewpoint.

Archaeological sites become bearable again in April after winter crowds disperse and before summer heat makes climbing Mayan pyramids feel like a scene from an adventure movie where the floor is actually lava. Palenque’s jungle setting in Chiapas maintains comfortable temperatures around 80F with morning visits (8-11am) offering the best combination of light for photography and energy levels for climbing. The lesser-visited ruins of Ek Balam near Valladolid provide an uncrowded alternative to Chichen Itza, with the added benefit of still being open for climbing – a practice increasingly restricted at more famous sites.

Accommodation Strategies for April’s Split Personality

April’s lodging landscape divides sharply between Holy Week and the rest of the month. During Semana Santa, prices jump 30-50% nationwide, with beach destinations and colonial towns seeing the steepest increases. Budget travelers can still find hostels or basic hotels in the $50-75 range, while mid-range accommodations typically run $100-150 per night. Luxury seekers should expect to part with $250-350 for properties that might cost $150-250 just one week later.

The strategic approach involves either embracing Holy Week fully (booking months in advance) or scheduling around it. The weeks immediately following Easter see prices drop dramatically as domestic tourists return to work and school, creating a sweet spot of good weather and reduced rates. In San Miguel de Allende, for instance, boutique hotels that command $300/night during Holy Week drop to $180-200 by mid-April, while still offering perfect weather conditions.

Vacation rentals through platforms like Airbnb often represent better value during high-demand periods, particularly for families or groups. A three-bedroom apartment in Mexico City’s Roma Norte neighborhood might run $150/night compared to $350+ for equivalent hotel space, with the added benefit of kitchen facilities to save on restaurant costs. Just confirm the unit has air conditioning – a feature often omitted in temperate zones like Mexico City but increasingly necessary during April’s warming trend.

Culinary Opportunities That Outshine Americanized Mexican Food

Semana Santa brings specific culinary traditions worth seeking out. Coastal areas prepare pescado a la veracruzana (fish in a tomato-olive-caper sauce that puts American tartar sauce to shame), while central regions serve chiles rellenos (stuffed peppers in tomato broth) and capirotada (a bread pudding that makes more sense once you taste it than when someone describes it). These dishes appear in restaurants and homes specifically during this period, making April a unique culinary window.

Market dining represents the best value proposition in any month. Food stalls in markets like Oaxaca’s Mercado 20 de Noviembre or Mexico City’s Mercado de San Juan offer spectacular meals for $5-10 that would cost triple in tourist restaurants. Look for the stands with the longest lines of locals – they’re not standing there because they enjoy queuing, but because decades of experience have taught them where to find the perfect memela or flawless seafood tostada.

Cooking classes flourish in April as fresh spring ingredients become available. In Oaxaca, a half-day market tour and cooking class runs $75-95 per person and typically includes learning to make three dishes plus salsas and tortillas. The experience provides both immediate satisfaction and a practical souvenir in the form of skills that will impress dinner guests back home far more than another refrigerator magnet or questionable piece of airport art.

Practical Matters: Transportation, Safety, and Not Looking Like You Just Fell Off the Tourist Bus

Transportation during Holy Week requires advance planning worthy of a NASA mission. Domestic flights between major destinations can double in price, while long-distance buses (generally excellent in Mexico) often sell out days in advance. The ADO bus line offers first-class and luxury options with reclining seats and services that make American bus companies look like covered wagons in comparison. Book these at least a week ahead during April or risk finding yourself stranded.

Rental cars provide flexibility but come with April-specific challenges. Major agencies charge around $35-50/day for basic vehicles, but Holy Week can see these rates jump to $75-100 with limited availability. The bigger issue involves traffic – popular routes like the highway between Mexico City and Acapulco can transform into parking lots during peak Holy Week travel days. Check with locals before attempting road trips during this period.

Safety considerations remain consistent with other months, though April’s pleasant weather means more evening activities become practical. The standard precautions apply: use official taxis or rideshare services after dark, keep valuables secured, and maintain awareness in crowded festival situations where pickpocketing opportunities abound. The biggest April-specific risk might be sunburn – the combination of moderate temperatures with strong UV exposure creates perfect conditions for visitors to underestimate sun protection needs.

Packing for April requires planning for temperature variations rather than extremes. Coastal areas remain warm enough for summer clothing day and night, while highland regions can see evening temperatures drop into the 50s. The essential items include sunscreen (SPF 50+ for the UV-innocent), a light jacket for evening colonial town strolls, and at least one respectful outfit suitable for church visits during Holy Week – covered shoulders for all and long pants for men make a meaningful gesture toward local sensibilities.