15

If walkable and restaurants are the highest priorities on your list (i.e. outweigh beach and heat) then consider Oaxaca. It's beautiful, quaint, and full of fantastic restaurants of varying levels of gourmet. They'll also be more used to English-speaking visitors. You can easily access the beach at Puerto Escondido, several hours away. Good luck!

16

Forget Mexico. Visit Miami Beach.

17

Wow - I'm surprised my "attitude" inspired so many misplaced reactions.

To be sure, I have an attitude. A big one. But my problem is not with the Mexicans; it's with the behavior of American tourists traveling abroad. Particularly the spring break crowd. I generally get along fine with the natives when I travel, but frequently feel ashamed of my country when surrounded by American tourists, and prefer to avoid that. My challenge is that this is directly at odds with my preference for a place that is used to accommodating English speakers just starting to learn Spanish.

The comments about expecting restaurants in NYC to have translated menus were just plain silly, TravelAnneLM. I don't "expect" translated menus in Mexico - I merely said that because SO FAR I only speak a few words of Spanish, there's something to be said for going to a place that has enough tourist business that the locals are used to dealing with English speakers. I said my intention was to hire a Spanish tutor while there in the very same sentence, so your criticism is really out in left field.

Nice is nice although I prefer Cannes, but both are too cold this time of year. It's nice to hear that the advice never to hail a cab in DF (that was from last year, btw) was outdated, but frankly I still felt a bit unsafe there. In hindsight, had we stayed in Polanco we would have been able to walk to plenty of great restaurants, and only would have needed to deal with taxis on rare occasion. We made the mistake of staying in a part of the city where almost nothing was walking distance and had to rely on taxis for everything. It was a real hassle.

I'm surprised nobody commented on Cabo. I can't figure out whether "younger crowd" (the reputation it seems to have vs. PV and Acapulco) means spring breakers, or people in their 30s and 40s. From a little bit of web surfing, the restaurants looked a lot more promising than what we encountered in PV, but hard to tell whether those were typical or exceptions to the rule.

xxxPat

18

"I generally get along fine with the natives when I travel, but frequently feel ashamed of my country when surrounded by American tourists ... " (@17)

I suspect the feeling is mutual, and not just from other "American tourists" but the reaction you generate from "the natives" as well.

And I'm getting the vibe that THIS may be the appropriate message of the day.

LW

19

Cabo does not have the wireless capacity you demand
Cabo does not have particularly warm weather.
Cabo does not have a plethora of gourmet restaurants
Cabo does not have menus translated into English unless they are American chain restaurants, and there are enough of those to fill cruise ships multiple times daily.

I concur with the above. San Diego or Ft. Lauderdale are perfect for you.

20

What I think is most revealing about the OP is that he/she preferred Polanco most of all the neighbourhoods in Mexico City. It seems that the types of restaurants the OP is seeking are those of a Polanco style of fancy. There's nothing wrong with this; it is his/her taste. Perhaps those making suggestions should be thinking along these lines. Outside of Mexico City, where can the OP find some place like Polanco but meeting the other criteria (e.g. weather, crowds)? In my limited experience, I have not come across anything like Polanco outside of DF. It is for this reason that some might be suggesting to stay in the US.

I apologize if I have misinterpreted your tastes, OP.

21

Cabo is kind of awful, unless you like all inclusive resorts and not much else. BUT, about 1.5 hours north by bar is La Paz - this might meet your needs, though the gourmet restaurant scene is lacking (there are a few though). Warm, sunny, tourist infrastructure but definitely still a Mexican town. Lovely beaches.

Or what about Oaxaca City. Warmer than northern highland towns, VERY good food - but no beach.

22

What surprises me is that so many people actually took the time to respond to such nonsense in a serious manner......

Is this person for real? (I might have known someone like that in the distant past).. and if so, why oh why are they on the TT forum?

Natives.....

23

It it was me, I'd pick Huatulco.
Actually, I'd likely stay at Puerto Angel, Mazunte or even Zipolite. All on the beach, good food but not gourmet.
A trip into Huatulco, say once a week would likely satisfy your more "seasoned" tastes.
Check out www.tomzap.com
Enjoy your winter, I'm envious!

24

SMA

25

My sincere thanks go out to the many thoughtful people who have offered sincere advice. I hadn't previously considered Oaxaca City, but have started to give it a closer look. Downside there is distance - I forgot to mention that I do have to make frequent trips back to the USA for business (only a few days at a time), so the much longer flight time to Oaxaca is an obstacle, but not a deal killer.

Sounds like Cabo isn't a good choice - thanks for that insight.

I'll resist the temptation to directly engage the minority here who insist upon interpreting my desire to travel to a part of Mexico offering more upscale dining options than are available in other parts of the country as justification to lodge personal attacks against my character. You guys make yourselves awfully easy to ignore...

The person who observed that Polanco was the part of DF that I enjoyed was spot on - that's exactly what I'm looking for, although I'd prefer to find it outside of DF, in a place with warmer weather. Why anyone would find it offensive that I know what I'm looking for or that it happens to be a little more upscale than what's typically found in other Mexican tourist destinations is beyond me, frankly.

xxxPat

Edited by: xxxpat

26

Hi

I suggest you to consider Ajijic, Jalisco. Next to the Chapala lake and around 1 hr from Guadalajara (40 min from Miguel Hidalgo International Airport)
There is a lot of nice very good restaurants, it is very nice and quiet and there is a permanent community of US and Canadian citizens because of the really nice weather so you will also find services in English.
If you need services you are 1 hr away from Guadalajara, which has all services.
The town is small and quiet and you won't need to drive most the times.

Regards

27

Polanco - that's exactly what I'm looking for, although I'd prefer to find it outside of DF, in a place with warmer weather.

In that case, it's Polanco or nothing... there's nothing close besides other ritzy nabes in Guad and Monterrey. PV comes close though, and your idea of that being for seniors is pretty far off the mark.

When it comes down to it though, TT isn't the best place to get upscale information... these are a more hardscrabble folk, ya know, hoi polloi, salt of the earth types. It seems like the Fodors forum would be richer pastures.

Careful flashing that name around BTW, folks might get the... wrong idea!

28

OP. There is a direct flight from Oaxaca to Houston. Not cheap - but if someone else is paying the fare.....

I spent 6 weeks last winter in Oaxaca and I have friends that go there for 3 to 6 months every year. They are all over 65 - but very nice people anyway. They actually know how to go out and have a good time, as surprising as that may be.

So, I'd vote Oaxaca too, but drop your age-ist attitude!

29

I still don't think Mexico has what OP is looking for. Maybe Merida, but still off the mark.