Mexico

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• If it's your first trip to Mexico, and you love cities, we usually recommend at least three or four days to explore Mexico City. Keep in mind that not only is it a huge city, it is also extremely rich and filled with amazing food, culture, art, architecture, and history.

• Most of CDMX's higher-end luxury hotels are in the elegant Polanco area and nearby. On the other hand, most of the small, stylish boutique hotels are clustered around Roma Norte and Condesa, two of the city's most fun and trendy neighborhoods. In a city that is so large, and also often suffers from traffic jams, where you stay is pretty important — though regardless of where your base is, you will have a chance to explore various parts of the city.

• If you love Mexican cuisine, it is worth making your way to Puebla and, above all, Oaxaca. Puebla is just a couple of hours drive from Mexico City, which is easy with a private driver. However, perhaps the most essential culinary destination (along with Mexico City) is Oaxaca. It is a very short flight over the mountains from Mexico City to Oaxaca, or, if you stopped in Puebla, a few hours' drive beyond.

• We are not advocates of trying to "do" a city as quickly as possible. Collectively, as a team, we have spent months living in Oaxaca, and especially if it's your first visit, you'll want to spend at least three or four days here, to begin to get a taste for the city and its beautiful rural surroundings.

• What to eat? Worry not. Some people might think we're crazy about food, but if you've read this far you're probably on the same page. We'll arm you with wide-ranging culinary info, from top-end gems worth splurging on, to holes-in-the-wall and street food stalls you'll never forget.

• Mexico is relatively easy for travelers and you don't need a full-time private guide. Most of our travelers enjoy some guided time, and plenty of free time. As for tours: no boring stuff. Each private tour in your itinerary will be customized for you, whether you want to eat, check out cool boutiques, visit museums and galleries, or explore design and architecture.

• San Miguel de Allende, very popular with tourists, is extremely pretty but simultaneously suffers from a bit of a touristy feel. Because of just how popular it is with tourists from (for example) the US and Europe, it's virtually possible to enjoy a stay here without ever needing to speak Spanish. For some people, this may be considered a "pro," while for others it's a sign that perhaps nearby Guanajuato would make for a more intriguing destination.

• Baja California may be a little out of the way depending on your other plans, but is worth a trip in its own right. If you're lucky enough to be traveling from Southern California, consider starting with a food tour in Tijuana before immersing yourself in the incredible Valle de Guadalupe (and nearby Ensenada). The Valle is dotted with hundreds of small wineries, with gorgeous landscapes and some fantastic architecture. Perhaps above all, it's home to some of Mexico's best food. And if you're in this part of the country, it's an easy flight south to the tip of Baja, where you'll find Cabo and the lesser-visited but stunning and relaxing Todos Santos.

• Speaking of Cabo and Todos Santos, while Baja Sur has beautiful scenery, for a more tropical vibe consider Mexico's Pacific Coast or the Yucatan Peninsula and Riviera Maya.

• Overtourism (and what many consider unsustainable development) has affected many of Mexico's best-known beach destinations, including big-name resorts like Cancun, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, and Playa del Carmen — as well as places like Isla Mujeres, Sayulita, Puerto Escondido, and, yes, Tulum.

• Even in well-known areas it's possible to have a sublime experience if you splurge on a secluded escape (there are some amazing accommodations). Or, to avoid crowds, we can also recommend lesser-known areas, where you'll find fewer tourists and a more laid-back atmosphere. This is possible up and down the vast Pacific Coast, and around the Yucatan Peninsula.

• If you're in the Yucatan and would like to experience the hustle and bustle of a Mexican city, without taking a detour to CDMX, pay a visit to Merida. Merida is the largest city in the Yucatan Peninsula, and while it has everything we love about a cosmopolitan city — a lively local market, great museums, top-notch restaurants — there are still areas that are surprisingly quaint. You can easily spend hours wandering cobblestone streets lined with vibrant pastel-colored buildings — and don't be surprised when you stumble upon a large open plaza with beautiful Spanish architecture. Merida also serves as a great jumping-off point for a visit to Uxmal, a Mayan archaeological site with stunning ruins and a fraction of the tourists of Chichen Itza.