December is two months in one. The first two and a half weeks give you dry, sunny high-season weather at shoulder-season prices, plus the Guadalupe celebrations on December 12. From about December 19, Christmas and New Year's bring the highest prices of the year, full resorts and sold-out buses.
If you are planning a holiday trip now, at the end of October, you are already late for the best rooms: book this week. If your dates are flexible, the first half of the month is one of the best-value windows of the whole dry season.
Weather by region
December is dry nearly everywhere. The coasts are warm, and the highlands have sunny days and cold nights. Averages are long-term normals; see when to go for the full year.
| Place | Average high | Average low | Days with rain | What it feels like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancún and the Riviera Maya | 84°F (29°C) | About 71°F (22°C) | About 8 | Breezy and warm, short showers, a few windy cold-front days |
| Puerto Vallarta | 85°F (29°C) | 64°F (18°C) | About 2 | Sunny and dry, light sweater after dark |
| Los Cabos | 81°F (27°C) | 57°F (14°C) | About 1 | Clear and mild, cool evenings, brisk Pacific water |
| Mexico City | 70°F (21°C) | 44°F (7°C) | About 1 | Bright, dry days, cold mornings and nights |
| Oaxaca City | 78°F (26°C) | 52°F (11°C) | About 1 | Warm sun, cold snaps into the 40s°F at night |
Coasts
On the Caribbean, December to February is norte season: cold fronts that bring a day or two of wind, choppy seas and evenings around 65°F (18°C), sometimes closing the port to small boats. The rest of the time it is sunny, with water near 79°F (26°C). The Pacific coast from Puerto Vallarta to Huatulco is about as reliable as beach weather gets. In Los Cabos the Pacific cools to about 72°F (22°C), bracing for a swim.
Highlands
Mexico City, Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende have their coldest nights of the year, often in the 40s°F (5–9°C) and in San Miguel sometimes the 30s°F. San Cristóbal de las Casas can touch freezing, and snow is possible on the Copper Canyon rim. Many small hotels have no heating, so ask for a heater or extra blankets when you book.
What's on in December 2026
Dates were current in late October 2026. The full year is on the festivals calendar.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1–12 | Pilgrimages and nightly processions build toward the Guadalupe feast | Nationwide; Puerto Vallarta's downtown church is a big one |
| From about Dec 8 | Humpback whale-watching season opens | Banderas Bay (Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit) |
| Night of Dec 11–12 | Las Mañanitas sung to the Virgin at midnight | Basílica de Guadalupe, Mexico City |
| Sat, Dec 12 | Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe | Every town, above all the Basílica |
| From about Dec 15 | Whale seasons open in Los Cabos, the Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio lagoons, and the Oaxaca coast | Baja California Sur, Puerto Escondido, Huatulco, Mazunte |
| Dec 16–24 | Las Posadas, nine nights of Christmas processions and parties | Nationwide |
| Fri, Dec 18 | Feast of the Virgen de la Soledad, the city's patron | Oaxaca City |
| Wed, Dec 23 | Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) | Zócalo, Oaxaca City |
| Thu–Fri, Dec 24–25 | Nochebuena (Christmas Eve, the main celebration) and Christmas Day | Nationwide |
| Mon, Dec 28 | Día de los Santos Inocentes, Mexico's April Fools' Day | Nationwide |
| Thu, Dec 31 | New Year's Eve: twelve grapes at midnight, fireworks | Nationwide; resort gala dinners |
December 12 and the Basilica
The feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe is the biggest religious event in Mexico. Pilgrims arrive at the Basílica de Guadalupe in northern Mexico City for days beforehand, many on foot or by bicycle from distant states, some on their knees for the last stretch. In 2025 the borough reported about 12.8 million visitors over the celebrations, a record. At midnight on December 11–12, crowds sing Las Mañanitas to the Virgin.
- For a calmer visit, go a few days before or after. On December 11–12 the area around the Basilica is overwhelming, with security checkpoints and closed streets.
- Getting there: the Metro (La Villa–Basílica station) or an app ride. Carry little and keep your phone in a front pocket.
- Everywhere else: towns hold their own processions, Masses, dances and fireworks. In Puerto Vallarta, groups parade to the crown-topped church downtown nightly through the first twelve days of the month.
- Closures: banks close December 12, which falls on a Saturday in 2026, so it barely matters this year.
Watch out
Through early December, groups of pilgrims walk and cycle along highways, often at night with little lighting, especially on the roads into Mexico City. Slow down, and do not drive between cities after dark, which the State Department advises against everywhere in Mexico. See Driving.
Posadas, radishes and Christmas
From December 16 to 24, posadas re-enact Mary and Joseph's search for shelter: neighbors walk with candles, sing at a door until they are "let in," then share ponche (hot fruit punch), tamales and a piñata. Offices, hotels and families throw posada parties all month, and visitors are often welcome at public ones in town plazas.
In Oaxaca, the Noche de Rábanos on Wednesday, December 23, fills the Zócalo with scenes carved from giant radishes, a contest more than a century old. Lines are long by evening, so go in the afternoon. Book Oaxaca hotels for that week now. See Oaxaca.
The main family celebration is Nochebuena, Christmas Eve, with a late dinner (salt cod, romeritos, turkey or pork) and midnight Mass. Christmas Day itself is quiet. New Year's Eve brings fireworks and the custom of eating twelve grapes at midnight, one per wish. More on the festivals page.
What's closed on December 25 and January 1
Christmas Day (Friday, December 25) and New Year's Day (Friday, January 1, 2027) are official holidays. Expect:
- Closed: banks, government offices (including immigration offices), many small shops and family-run restaurants. Markets are thin or shut.
- Short hours: many businesses close early on the afternoons of December 24 and 31. Some museums and archaeological sites close or shorten hours on the holidays themselves, so check each one before you go.
- Open as usual: ATMs, card payments, hotels, resort restaurants, airports, most buses, convenience stores and pharmacies.
Mexican schools break from about the third week of December to the first week of January, and many Mexicans visit family in other cities. Mexico City empties out and becomes pleasantly quiet over Christmas, while beaches and colonial towns fill. Withdraw cash before the long weekends, since ATMs in small towns can run dry. See Money.
Different from home
The big night is December 24. Restaurants that open on Christmas Eve often serve a set holiday dinner at a higher price, and many resorts charge extra for a Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve gala dinner. Ask whether it is included before you book.
Whales and monarchs
December opens Mexico's winter wildlife season, though early in the month the animals are still arriving. Dates below are the official windows for 2025–26; the government sets new ones each fall, and they are usually similar.
| Wildlife | Where | Season opens | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humpback whales | Banderas Bay (Puerto Vallarta) | December 8 | January–February |
| Humpback whales | Los Cabos | December 15 | January–March |
| Gray whales | Ojo de Liebre (Guerrero Negro), San Ignacio | December 15 | February to mid-March |
| Gray whales | Magdalena Bay | January 1 | February to mid-March |
| Humpback whales | Puerto Escondido, Huatulco, Mazunte | December 15 | January–February |
| Monarch butterflies | State of Mexico and Michoacán sanctuaries | Mid- to late November | Late December to February |
A late-December whale trip in Puerto Vallarta or Cabo usually finds humpbacks, but the gray whale lagoons are still filling up. Book with a boat that shows its federal permit. In Puerto Vallarta, three-hour trips at one large operator start around US$69, quoted in dollars. See Outdoors and Los Cabos.
The monarchs had a better winter last year: in 2025–26 the colonies covered 2.93 hectares (about 7 acres), up 64%, according to Mexico's environment ministry and WWF. Go to the State of Mexico sanctuaries, such as Piedra Herrada near Valle de Bravo, about 2.5 hours from Mexico City and rated Level 2. The Michoacán sanctuaries (El Rosario, Sierra Chincua) are in a Level 4 state, and parts of the reserve are off-limits to US government employees. Entry has run about MX$80–150 (about $4–8) per adult in recent seasons.
Crowds, prices and when to book
| Dates | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Dec 1–11 | High-season weather, shoulder prices, easy reservations. Among the best-value weeks of the year. |
| Dec 12–18 | Still reasonable at the beach; Mexico City busy around the Basilica. |
| Dec 19–Jan 3 | Peak: the highest rates of the year at beach resorts, San Miguel and Oaxaca. Buses and domestic flights sell out. |
Many US school breaks run from about December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027, overlapping with Mexican vacations. Some resorts in Cancún, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta set minimum stays over the holidays.
Booking timeline from today (late October)
- This week: flights and hotels for December 19 to January 3. The best-located rooms in beach towns, Oaxaca and San Miguel are going fast.
- By mid-November: whale-watching trips for the holidays, Oaxaca cooking classes, and any Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve dinner reservations.
- Two to three weeks ahead: timed tickets for Mexico City's Frida Kahlo Museum, which often sells out weeks ahead. See Mexico City sights.
- Before you fly home: pay Quintana Roo's Visitax, about MX$290 (about $16) per person in 2026, at visitax.gob.mx, or Baja California Sur's visitor fee, MX$488 (about $27). See Entry.
Save money
Shift by a week or two. A trip from December 5 to 12 usually costs far less than the same week from December 19, and flying home on January 5 or later avoids the priciest return dates, January 2 and 3. Flights on Christmas Day and New Year's Day themselves are often cheaper too. See Flights and Plan your trip.
Where to go this month, and where to skip
Cancún and the Riviera Maya
Clear water, little sargassum and the most nonstops from the US. Expect a few windy days. See Cancún and Cancún vs Tulum.
Puerto Vallarta
Reliable sun, the Guadalupe processions and humpbacks from about December 8. See Puerto Vallarta.
Los Cabos
Dry, mild and whale season from mid-month. The priciest holiday destination in Mexico.
Oaxaca
The Soledad feast, posadas and the Night of the Radishes. Cold nights; book the week of December 23 now.
Mexico City
Guadalupe on December 12, then a calm, half-empty city over Christmas. See Mexico City.
Mérida and the Yucatán
Pleasant heat for ruins and cenotes, and a gentler price spike than the Caribbean resorts. See Ruins.
Think twice
- The Michoacán monarch sanctuaries: Level 4. Use the State of Mexico side.
- Copper Canyon: freezing nights and possible snow on the rim, and Chihuahua is Level 3 with the canyon off-limits to US government employees. See Copper Canyon.
- A last-minute Christmas trip to Tulum or Los Cabos: what is left is expensive. Mérida, Puerto Vallarta or a Mexico City and Oaxaca combination usually has more room.
Every state's advisory level is on the Safety page; check the live advisory before you fly.
What to pack
- A real warm layer (down jacket or fleece) and warm sleepwear for unheated highland rooms.
- A windbreaker for norte days on the Caribbean and evening boat trips.
- Seasickness tablets if you are going whale-watching.
- One dressier outfit if your resort holds a gala dinner.
- Small peso bills for posada vendors, tips and markets.
More on the packing list.
A sample week: Oaxaca at Christmas, December 19–25
- Day 1
Saturday, Dec 19 · Arrive
Fly into Oaxaca, settle into the Centro and walk the Zócalo, already full of Christmas stalls.
- Day 2
Sunday, Dec 20 · Monte Albán
Go early to the Zapotec hilltop city before the sun gets strong, then mole for lunch in town.
- Day 3
Monday, Dec 21 · Valley villages
The Tule tree, rugs in Teotitlán del Valle and the ruins of Mitla.
- Day 4
Tuesday, Dec 22 · Market and cooking class
A morning market walk and cooking class, then a mezcal tasting.
- Day 5
Wednesday, Dec 23 · Night of the Radishes
See the carvings in the Zócalo in the afternoon, before the evening lines.
- Day 6
Thursday, Dec 24 · Nochebuena
Watch a posada in the evening, then a reserved Christmas Eve dinner.
- Day 7
Friday, Dec 25 · Quiet day
Many shops are shut. Fly home or on to the coast, where the whale season has opened. See Oaxaca coast.
Getting around this month
- Holiday transport: ADO and other long-distance buses can sell out around December 18–24 and December 30–January 2. Buy tickets on ado.com.mx as soon as your dates are set.
- Airports: winter Saturdays are the busiest days at Cancún and Los Cabos. Allow about three hours before an international departure.
- Boats and ferries: a norte can cancel snorkel trips and small boats for a day or two. Keep your island day flexible. See Islands.
- Time zones: Mexico has no daylight saving time outside the border, so in December Cancún matches New York, Mexico City matches Chicago and Los Cabos matches Denver.
- New nonstops: winter schedules add seasonal flights to the beaches from many US cities. See Flights.
Bottom line
Go in the first half of December for the best combination of weather and price of the whole winter. Go over the holidays if you love a festive atmosphere and have booked, or are ready to pay, the year's top rates.
Pick another month if you want the gray whales at their peak (February and March), or if you are price-sensitive and your dates are fixed to December 19–January 3. Compare with Mexico in November, when prices are lower and the weather nearly as good, and Mexico in January, when prices drop after the first week. For the full year, see when to go.
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