Houston, Texas to Queretaro, Mexico from $289

🌍 About Queretaro, Mexico

Most people don't expect Querétaro to be wine country, but it's Mexico's second-largest wine region after Baja, with vineyards (and a surprising amount of sparkling wine) an easy day trip into the high-desert valley around Ezequiel Montes. The city itself is anchored by Los Arcos, a 74-arch sandstone aqueduct from the 1730s that still runs over a kilometre across town and gets lit up at night. For food, order enchiladas queretanas — tortillas fried in a dried-chili sauce with onion and cheese — and head to the La Cruz market rather than a restaurant for them. Sitting high on the central plateau, it's warm and dry most of the year; come March to May for the best mix of warm days and thinner crowds, and pack a layer for chilly November-to-January evenings.