Meagan Drillinger is more than just a great journalist. She’s also a great friend and one of my favorite people to travel with. Since we’re both travel writers and cover Mexico on a regular basis, we’ve found ourselves on many press trips together. We both love Mexico. So there’s no one better to commiserate with about our inability to travel right now.
Since 2009, Meagan has been writing full-time for travel and lifestyle outlets, including Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Thrillist, Men’s Health, and Travel Weekly. She operates an amazing blog, Drillinjourneys, as well as a retreat company for women, Vaera Journeys. It’s no wonder she’s so busy we see each other in Mexico more than we do in New York City, where we both live (although she spends several months in Mexico every winter, damn her). Here, Meagan shares some of the things she likes best about Mexico.
I believe you had some Mexico travel experiences as a kid. What first attracted you to Mexico as a destination once you were an adult?
It’s funny – I didn’t pick Mexico as my “beat.” It was given to me by another writer who had too much on his plate. One day I wasn’t covering Mexico and the next day I was. But I will say that from the very first time I visited Mexico for work as an adult, I knew that fate had stepped in and I was meant to have this part of the world in my life full-time. I fell in love with the landscape and the history, the food and the culture. Every day in Mexico was another mind-blowing learning opportunity. Did you know they have a Grand Canyon that’s deeper than hours? Or 5,800 miles of coastline? They speak more than 60 recognized languages there, as well. Mexico is an enigma. It’s seductive. I was drawn to Mexico because it allowed me to be another version of myself, and I really wanted to get to know that version.
When was your last trip to Mexico?
The last time I was in Mexico was this past winter — January/February 2020. I had planned to stay through March but at the last minute decided to visit Colombia. I go to Mexico every winter for three to five months to escape the chill in New York and to explore new parts of the country. This time I was based in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca.
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Now that we’re all temporarily grounded, what do you miss most about Mexico?
Everything. I miss the weather. I miss going to the beach every day. I miss walking up to the corner and ordering four tacos and paying less than $4. Ultimately I miss the lifestyle, and how so much of life is about being outside.
What’s your favorite Mexican food?
Ohh that’s a hard question! Tacos are the easy answer, but that encompasses so much! Tacos al pastor, tacos de pescado, tacos de camaron, tacos de birria… But let’s see…I miss the seafood very much. I love ceviche and tiradito, freshly caught fish grilled on the beach… I also miss Mexican breakfasts like enfrijoladas, huevos divorciados, machaca con huevo.
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What three places in Mexico would you most like to visit once we’re able to travel again?
There are places in Mexico I could visit over and over and never grow tired of. For repeats, I’d love to get back to Puerto Vallarta (which was the first town that made me fall in love with Mexico), Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, and Oaxaca City. And then there are the parts of Mexico I haven’t visited yet. My shortlist has Copper Canyon, the state of San Luis Potosi, and Guanajuato.
What are your main travel tips and advice for a first-time visitor to Mexico?
There is so much more to Mexico than Cancun and Los Cabos (though both are certainly a lot of fun). There is so much more to Mexico than beaches (although the beaches are spectacular). Most people I speak with about Mexico are surprised at how much the country really has to offer and how different it is everywhere you go. Remember Mexico has some of the highest mountains in North America, and some of the deepest canyons. It has ruins that are thousands of years old, phenomenal streetfood, modern art museums, and, yes, it has undeveloped beaches that are still shrouded in wild jungle. My best advice is to not lock yourself away in an all-inclusive resort. The pleasure of Mexico is hitting the pavement, finding a hole-in-the-wall cantina, eating fresh mango from the vendor on the beach, hiking a trail to nowhere. The adventure and excitement you’re chasing in far-flung destinations can actually be found less than a five-hour flight away.
COVER PHOTO: Meagan at Laguna de Manialtepec in Oaxaca. Photo by J Elizabeth Photography.