Arriving at Acapulco Juan N. Alvarez International Airport in Acapulco puts regional highlights within easy reach. Acapulco is the original Mexican beach resort, a huge bay ringed by hills where Hollywood stars partied in the 1950s and where cliff divers still leap from La Quebrada every night. The city is rebuilding its glamour after Hurricane Otis in 2023, and the bay, the sunsets, and the warm Pacific water are as beautiful as ever.

Standout experiences around Acapulco: - Watch the clavadistas dive more than 100 feet from the cliffs of La Quebrada - Explore the star-shaped Fort of San Diego and its museum on the Pacific trade route - Swim at the small, calm beaches of Caleta and Caletilla in the old town - Take a glass-bottom boat to Isla La Roqueta for snorkeling - Order pescado a la talla, butterflied fish grilled in red chile, in the beach shacks of Barra Vieja - Watch the sunset over the lagoon at Pie de la Cuesta, famous for its huge waves - Join a Thursday pozole lunch, a Guerrero tradition that stretches into the evening - Cruise the bay at night to see the city lights climb the hills

Acapulco sits in the state of Guerrero, with the quiet lagoon village of Pie de la Cuesta about 30 minutes northwest and the seafood strip of Barra Vieja about 45 minutes southeast. Chilpancingo, the state capital, is about 90 minutes inland through the mountains. Pozole verde, green with pumpkin seeds and herbs, is served with sliced avocado and a shot of mezcal, and Thursday is the day to find it. Catch a sunset from the bay and you will understand why this city has been drawing visitors for generations.