Heading to Mexico in 2025, but Cancun, Tulum, and the like don’t exactly float your boat?
Maybe delving a little deeper into Mexican culture and experiencing real life outside the confines of an all-inclusive resort is what you’ve been craving:
One of Mexico’s trendiest destinations for 2025, the Gulf state of Tamaulipas offers just that, with endless miles of golden sands lapped by azure seas, vast nature preserves, and, of course, its fair share of historic towns that look almost frozen in time.
In 2024, Tamaulipas experienced record growth, having hosted 14 million tourists overall, and it’s time we look into some of the main reasons why:
Gorgeous Sandy Beaches
The state may not have Quintana Roo’s or Baja California’s well-established luxury hotel scene, but it’s home to Ciudad Madero, a laid-back coastal city that promises a more authentic Mexican beach experience:
Less gringos, more domestic visitors, and lower prices.
It is best known for its long, wide Playa Miramar, a postcard-ready beach on the Gulf of Mexico, responsible for drawing in over 3.1 of Tamaulipas’ 14 million tourists in 2024:
Lined with boutique hotels and restaurants, it brought the state US$102 million in revenue alone.
Not far from a bustling Playa Miramar, Laguna del Carpintero is a peaceful alternative and an inland lagoon where you can go paddle boarding and birdwatching, while Playa Costa Azul is an equally popular swimming spot with smaller crowds, running for a whopping 37 miles.
Historic Towns Galore
Other than beaches, Tamaulipas boasts a high concentration of colonial-era gems that have largely preserved their Old World charm:
Think a bustling Tampico, a historic port city dominated by a twin-towered cathedral, where tourism is up by over 160%.
One of Mexico’s best-loved Magical Towns––a distinction bestowed upon historically significant settlements by the Ministry of Tourism––the picture-perfect Tula is also trending with tourists, having welcomed 639,000 of them, up 83%.
Laying claim to Tamaulipas’ Dunas Doradas (Golden Dunes), Altamira is the third fastest-rising destination in Tamaulipas (346,000 visitors), followed by the vibrant border city of Matamoros (296,000), commonly visited by Texans for its Mercado Juarez.
A State Packed With Natural Wonders
The nature of Tamaulipas isn’t characterized exclusively by its sandy coastline and deserted beaches:
Biosfera El Cielo is an ecological haven for a variety of wildlife and exotic plant species, and it’s a UNESCO-protected camping and hiking hotspot.
Some of the main activities in the area include rafting down Tampaon River’s Class III rapids, (for $115), exploring the Ciudad Valles countryside, with stops in a traditional hacienda and natural pools ($63.73), and visiting the landmark Tamil waterfall on a wooden canoe ($71.63).
If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can spend a whole day hiking the whole extent of the biosphere, and it is 15.8 miles out and back, starting from the Gómez Farías settlement:
Overall, this will take you 9 hours to complete.
How Safe Is Tamaulipas To Visit?
It’s time we address the elephant in the room:
Tamaulipas is officially considered by U.S. authorities a no-go zone for Americans due to an elevated risk of crime and kidnapping throughout the state, as seen on the official Mexico Travel Advisory.
While it’s true the state isn’t as safe as tourist-favorite Quintana Roo, foreigners continue visiting for its charming towns and natural wonders, and most of them get by just fine by being sensible, and this includes not road-tripping in backroads and gang-dominated territory.
If you’re visiting Tamaulipas in spite of the warning, we strongly encourage you to stick to the tourist-designated areas, and when planning a multi-destination trip around the state, give preference to reputable tour providers as opposed to driving by yourself.
Not all parts of the state are critical, with U.S. authorities mentioning Altamira, Ciudad Madero, and Tampico as much safer due to their ‘greater’ law enforcement capacity while advising against all unnecessary travel to the border region from Reynosa to Nuevo Laredo.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
