Travelers seeking a sun-soaked vacation in Mexico tend to have a select few beach destinations to choose from.
Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos are the leading beach vacations, yet there are so many other beaches to check out.
Whether it’s tranquil towns like Loreto, underrated resort towns or digital nomad hubs like Puerto Escondido, Mexico is the place to be for an incredible beach trip.
For a variety of reasons, one Mexican beach city has lost its luster over the years but still remains a household name.
Vacationers may often choose the most popular beaches, but 2024 is the year to give this, dare we say iconic, beach destination another chance.
What Happened To Acapulco?
Let’s go back in time for a moment.
Before the 5-star ritzy resorts of Los Cabos and all the sleepy beach towns turned popular getaways, there was the magnificent resort town of Acapulco.
Globally renowned as the place to be, Acapulco became Mexico’s shining star for years.
The state of Guerrero’s most recognizable beach town to this day has spiraled in popularity.
Since the days of being mentioned in Frank Sinatra songs, when the rich and famous would set their sights on Acapulco as their destination of choice, crime has been a huge factor for the entire state.
Today, the U.S. State Department has Guerrero listed as ‘Do Not Travel’ with references to violent crime and unpredictable checkpoints by armed personnel.
The advisory goes as far as to say government employees are forbidden from visiting tourist areas, including Acapulco.
As crazy as it sounds, some may remember viral videos of violent attacks on jet skis at beach resorts in recent years, which certainly didn’t help Acapulco’s reputation.
The good news is that Acapulco is ready to turn the page and is dedicated to making the necessary changes to become a major player in tourism once again.
Acapulco Is Ready For A Resurgence
Acapulco may not want to call it a comeback since they’ve been here for years, but they’re certainly ready for a hard reset.
The beautiful beach city has declared 2024 to be the stepping stone into a historic resurgence for tourism.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day”, as they say, but Acapulco is a step ahead as the city isn’t starting from scratch.
Sure, progression takes time, and this will certainly not be an overnight transition to becoming a place tourists deem safe.
Only time will tell if the U.S. State Dept. lowers their advisory level for the region, but Acapulco is putting in effort to increase security measures for tourists.
Mexico thrives on tourism, and one key factor is ensuring tourists not only feel safe but making sure they make it back home unscathed.
Acapulco is investing heavily in security by bringing in more National Guard troops with construction of 12 new barracks underway.
The National Guard will have a heavy focus on touristy areas, along with overseeing public transportation.
Beach Resorts Are Back
Not only has crime become a deterrent for travelers with much safer destinations in other parts of Mexico, but also a disastrous hurricane destroying hotel grounds.
Hurricane Otis ravaged southern Guerrero in 2023, causing serious damage to many beach resorts.
Reports indicate Acapulco’s accommodations are nearly halfway back to were they were before with 7,000 rooms open for vacationers right now.
There were approximately 19,000 before the hurricane wreaked havoc, but Acapulco is focused on taking baby steps to make a major comeback.
One of the best parts of Acapulco is staying at beachfront hotels, wrapping around the famous Acapulco Bay, and stretching further down the scenic coastline.
With premium prices for some of the more popular Mexican vacation hotspots, one way to entice travelers to vacation here is the much lower resort prices.
The 5-star Hotel Las Brisas Acapulco is in the low $100s for many dates through spring, with many others below the $100 mark.
American Airlines is the only U.S. airline that flies to Acapulco offering connectivity through Dallas, otherwise travelers will have to connect in Mexico until more flights are added.
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