San Luis Potosi Mexico Travel

San Luis Potosi Mexico Travel

San Luis Potosi Mexico Travel

best time to visit san luis potosi

San Luis Potosi mexico GUIDE CONTENTS

When to Visit | Location | Huasteca Potosina | Getting There | Things to Do | Tours | Safety Tips | FAQ

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

San Luis Potosi Mexico: At a Glance

▶︎ BOOK NOW! The best way to visit La Huasteca Potosina Mexico is on an organized, group tour, because this region of the country is quite rural. If not, you’ll need a rental car and at least basic Spanish to safely get around.

Beauty, nature and culture abounds in San Luis Potosi, one of the most unique states in Mexico.

Though not as well known as some other Mexico travel destinations, those in the know flock to San Luis Potosi state to escape the crowds, visit the Xilitla Surrealist Gardens, and swim in the Huasteca Potosina waterfalls and pools.

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

What’s the best time to visit San Luis Potosi Mexico?

San Luis Potosi and all Central Mexico has what is known as the Eternal Spring climate. This means you can expect mild springtime temperatures all year, and it’s never super hot or super cold.

The best time to visit San Luis Potosi Mexico is from October to March, during the dry season. The rainy season is from April to September, and it can rain quite a bit.

What’s the best time to visit Huasteca Potosina?

It depends — If you want to see the waterfalls in all their glory, you need to visit during the rainy season in summer. This is the hottest, most humid time of year, but the crowds are smaller and the waterfalls their most beautiful.

For the best weather, visit during the San Luis Potosi Mexico dry season, from October to March.

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

San Luis Potosi Mexico: Know before you go

  • ✈️ Airport: San Luis Potosi International Airport (code: SLP)⏰ Time Zone: Central Daylight Time (GMT-5)
  • 💰 Currency: Mexican Peso
  • 🗣 Language: Spanish, though English is common, and you may even hear some indigenous languages
  • 🎫 Mexico Visa: The vast majority of travelers do not need a visa for San Luis Potosi — this includes Americans, Canadians, Japanese and most Europeans. Head here to see if you need a Mexico travel visa.
  • 🔌 Electricity Socket: You’ll mostly find Type A (two-prong) and Type B (three-prong) — the same as used in the United States. For visitors from other countries, you’ll need this universal travel adaptor.
  • 📲 Mexico SIM Card: Wondering, Do I need a SIM card for Mexico? The answer is yes, every traveler will want a one for the reasons explained in this article all about the best Mexico SIM cards.
  • 🚙 Car Rentals: The Mexico rental car process can be a bit daunting, and many people are apprehensive to drive in a foreign country. I get it! Check out this guide to Renting a Car in Mexico for info on the process.
San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

Where is San Luis Potosi Mexico located?

San Luis Potosi state is located in Central Mexico, about five hours north of Mexico City. It is mostly off the beaten path for international tourism, though the gorgeous Huasteca Potosina is fast becoming one of the top Mexico travel destinations, thanks to gorgeous photos on social media and videos on YouTube.

San Luis Potosi Mexico map

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

What is La Huasteca Potosina?

The Huasteca Potosina (pronounced wass-teck-uh poe-toe-see-nah) is a region, not an actual place — which is why many get confused when trying to plan their Huasteca trip.

It is part of a larger region called Las Huastecas, named after the prehispanic civilization from this area — the Huastec people (also called Huastecos, Huaxtec, Wastek, or Téenek).

The Huasteca Region spans seven states in Mexico: San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Puebla, Hidalgo, Queretaro and Guanajuato. In total, the Huasteca size is about 815 miles (1,300 km). The easiest way to visit is on a Huasteca Potosina multi-day tour.

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

What’s the best airport for San Luis Potosi Mexico?

There’s one main airport in the state, San Luis Potosi International Airport (code: SLP), located in the capital city.

You likely won’t find direct flights to San Luis Potosi, so many will fly into Mexico City International Airport (code: MEX). From here, you can rent a car and drive to San Luis Potosi, or take a bus.

What’s the best way to get to Huasteca Potosina?

The best way to visit is on this organized La Huasteca Potosina tour, as this region of the country is quite rural.

If not, you’ll need a rental car, and know at least basic Spanish to be able to safely get around. You can also go on your own with a rental car, and you’ll want to rent a hotel in Ciudad Valles, Mexico, the best place to stay for Huasteca Potosina Mexico.

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

Best places to visit in San Luis Potosi Mexico

Many visitors opt to stay in Ciudad Valles, the most central location for traveling to La Huasteca Potosina. Further north, you’ll find the capital city, San Luis Potosi City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is among the lesser-visited Mexico travel destinations, but a beautiful city not too far from the Mexico ghost town of Real de Catorce.

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

Best things to do in San Luis Potosi Mexico

There is a seemingly endless amount of things to do in San Luis Potosi Mexico, one of the best places to visit in Mexico. The majority of them are in or near La Huasteca Potosina, the main tourism hub, but for those who venture off the beaten path, there’s even more to San Luis Potosi.

Click on any image below to learn more

San Luis Potosi Mexico travel guide

Best San Luis Potosi tours

Tours in San Luis Potosi are a great way to see the main cities and their surrounding areas — and unless you’re planning to rent a car in San Luis Potosi, this is the best way to get around because transportation fees add up quickly.

🚙💨 Note: If you do want to have a car in San Luis Potosi, make sure to check out this guide to Renting a Car in Mexico.

San Luis Potosi mexico travel guide

Is San Luis Potosi safe for travelers?

According to experts, you are statistically quite safe while visiting San Luis Potosi, and though it’s rather off the beaten path, San Luis Potosi consistently ranks as one of the safer states in Mexico.

Millions of Americans go to Mexico on vacation every year, so if we play the numbers game, the number of incidents is very small… When I’m asked if Mexico is a safe place to go travel on vacation, my response is yes.

—Carlos Barron, FBI Veteran (source: Forbes)

That’s not to say bad things don’t happen in San Luis Potosi Mexico; they do. As with traveling anywhere, follow general travel safety like not walking home alone at night, watching your alcohol consumption and staying aware of yourself and surroundings.

For an added safety measure, pack these travel safety items, dress in a way so your Mexico outfits blend in with the locals, and buy a Mexico SIM card.

What’s the best travel insurance for Mexico?

This is a question I get a lot as a Mexico travel writer and Mexico expat. To determine which Mexico travel insurance is best for you, consider factors like the policy’s total cost, your deductible, the coverage you need, your medical benefits, etc.

🏆 In general, I only ever recommend three companies to purchase Mexico travel insurance from:

San Luis Potosi Mexico: Frequently Asked Questions

Can you drink the water in Mexico?

No — Unfiltered Mexico tap water is not safe for human consumption. However, you will need to keep drinking water and to stay extra hydrated, as Mexico is quite close to the Equator. In fact, dehydration is one of the most common ways people get sick in Mexico.

So what can you do?

  1. If you’re renting a home with a kitchen, you can boil the water before drinking it.
  2. You can keep buying bottled water — Though this gets expensive, and is horrible for the planet!
  3. Use the Water-To-Go Filterable Bottle. This refillable bottle not only keeps you hydrated, but also filters your water so you don’t get sick in Mexico, and is good for the planet ♻️ Get 15% OFF with code SOLO15!

The Water-To-Go Bottle has a built-in, three-stage filtration system that removes 99.9999% of all water-borne contaminants. These include bacteria, microplastics, viruses, heavy metals, chemicals and more. I personally own one, as you can drink Mexico water from any source (even the tap), and be completely safe.

San Luis Potosi mexico travel guide

What’s the San Luis Potosi weather like?

San Luis Potosi state, located in Central Mexico, has what is called the Eternal Spring climate. This means you can expect mild springtime temperatures all year, and it’s never super hot or super cold.

The San Luis Potosi rainy season lasts from about April to September, and it can rain quite a bit, so try to visit from October to March, during the dry season.

☀️ San Luis Potosi weather

☀️ What’s the Huasteca Potosina Weather like?

It’s about the same as the rest of the state, but if you want to see the Huasteca waterfalls in all their glory, you need to visit during the rainy season in summer. This is the hottest, most humid time of year, but the crowds are smaller and the waterfalls their most beautiful.

San Luis Potosi mexico travel guide

Is San Luis Potosi Mexico expensive?

No — Your money will stretch quite far in San Luis Potosi state. It is one of the more budget-friendly or even cheap Mexico travel destinations. Even if you’re visiting the top destinations in San Luis Potosi, La Huasteca Potosina and Xilitla secret garden, you can still travel to San Luis Potosi for cheap.

Is San Luis Potosi worth visiting?

Yes — San Luis Potosi is a unique Mexico destination that many types of travelers will love. Nature enthusiasts will adore traveling to the Huasteca Potosina to swim in the pools and waterfalls.

History buffs might want to visit northern San Luis Potosi state, to see the Real de Catorce ghost town and San Luis Potosi City, a Mexico UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How many days do I need in San Luis Potosi Mexico?

To see the Huasteca Potosina, you’ll want 3-5 full days so you can see all the Cave of Swallows, best waterfalls and things to do in Huasteca Potosina.

If you also want to visit Real de Catorce and San Luis Potosi City, you’ll need another three full days. To see all the best sites in San Luis Potosi Mexico, you’ll need 7-10 full days.

This post was last modified on November 24, 2024 1:35 pm