Mazatlán was recently recognized by three heavy hitters — Forbes, American Express Travel and Live and Invest Overseas — as the place for North Americans to vacation, retire or invest.
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| Courtesy photo Mazatlan Tourism |
I visited Mazatlán, Mexico, not long ago and ran into quite a few people from the US and Canada. Some were vacationing, while others were expats who had moved to the lovely beach-side city. It got me thinking, with the amount of money being poured into the infrastructure of the already comfortable, historic town, Mazatlán might just be the place for me to spend my retirement years. I surely enjoyed vacationing in the “Pearl of the Pacific” over the last two decades and I easily envisioned myself living there as I roamed the colorful historic district.
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| Mazatlan or New Orleans? Authentic architecture in the historic district. |
Top 10 List of Best Places to Retire Abroad
After returning, I did a little research and found a Forbes article entitled, “The Surprising Top 10 List of Best Places to Retire Abroad,” that features high praise for Mazatlán from both ‘Live and Invest Overseas’ and ‘International Living’ authorities. The insider list was surprising to me as it named four places that I have visited: Lisbon; Portugal’s Algarve Region; Valletta, Malta; and Mazatlán. Even more unexpected was that Mazatlán placed third on the Forbes top ten list, behind the Algarve Region and Valletta.
1. Portugal’s Algarve Region*
2. Valletta, Malta*
3. Mazatlán, Mexico*
4. Abruzzo, Italy
5. Saint-Chinian, France
6. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
7. Lisbon, Portugal*
8. Budapest, Hungary
9. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
10. George Town, Malaysia
* Been there, would like to go back.
Home to more than twelve miles of golden shoreline, Mazatlán offers idyllic year-round tropical weather, first-class amenities and infrastructure, and an active lifestyle for older adults who embrace a “young at heart” mindset.
Many expats embrace living like a local, enjoying the laid-back living and city life surrounding the Historic District’s Plaza Machado, which offers magnificent sidewalk cafes, up-and-coming gastronomy, local arts and crafts, and a diverse theater culture.
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| Ángela Peralta Theater |
Forbes reported,
Known for its North American expat community, this Pacific coast beach resort has, according to Live and Invest Overseas, “a little bit of everything” — 20 miles of beaches, world-class fishing, historical attractions, delicious street food and an international airport. Climate? Tropical, with a wet season and a dry season.
Mazatlán, a city in transformation
Earlier I mentioned a large amount of money being poured into Mazatlán. I didn’t reveal how much. The amount is approximately 2,085,000,000 Mexican Pesos, or 111.5 million US Dollars. I saw evidence of many new amenities and improvements and especially enjoyed:
- the renovated Malecón (they’re adding new bike paths to this longest boardwalk in the world,)
The Malecon (Boardwalk) where locals meet and visitors stand in awe - a restored Centro Histórico that preserves the French, Italian and German architectural roots of the fascinating and Instagrammable historic center,
- the refreshed Ángela Peralta Theater and Cultural Center, the gathering spot for the renown opera and theater culture,
- the renewal of the tallest, working natural lighthouse in the world and
- the creation of new parks and city centers for both families and visitors to enjoy.
Empty Nesters Flocking to Mazatlán
“Mazatlán is enjoying a renaissance, and many are returning here to savor a burgeoning culture scene rich with the arts,” said Rafael Lizárraga Favela, Undersecretary of Tourism for the State of Sinaloa. “Whether you are an empty-nest couple looking to slow your pace of life, or a prior snowbird visitor looking to make a permanent change to our incredible year-round tropical climate, you can find value and a quality of life here in our colonial city on the beach that includes luxury living, endless activities, and a booming culinary scene,” he added. I later wrote an article for Adventures of Empty Nessters” blog entitled, “Empty Nesters Flocking to Mazatlán.”
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| Translation headphones provide by Fiesta Amigos |
I was honored to hear the tourism official speak at a gathering of the 23rd annual Fiesta Amigos, a unified city effort to educate and celebrate Mazatlán’s tourism partners from the U.S. and Canada.
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| Mazatlan’s International Convention Center |
The Fiesta Amigos was held at the beautiful and modern International Convention Center, which showcased the state-of-the-art multi-use facilities that businesses, conferences and meeting organizations utilize year-round.
American Express Travel ranks Mazatlán one of hottest destinations
My research also uncovered that American Express Travel ranked Mazatlán one of the hottest worldwide destinations last fall, and Live and Invest Overseas called Mazatlán’s historic city center ‘The Ideal Second Home.’ Maybe I’ll just have to start shopping Mazatlán real estate.
For more information about Mazatlán, visit www.GoMazatlan.com.
About Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a Mexican resort town along the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1571, its Historic District, 19th-century landmarks include the performance hall Teatro Ángela Peralta and the towering Immaculate Conception Basilica. Sandy beaches line its four mile-long malecón (boardwalk), the newly developed Nuevo Mazatlán area where two marinas and two professional golf courses sit, and the modern district of Zona Dorada which is known for nightlife and hotels to suit any budget. Old villages with unique charm such as El Quelite, Concordia, Copala and El Rosario surround Mazatlán, and guided tours are available from all hotels. Direct air service is available to Mazatlán from most U.S. and Canada markets.
Arizona travel writer Stacey Wittig was hosted for her stay in Mazatlán, and although that does not affect her opinions, she believes in full disclosure.
In addition, this blog, UNSTOPPABLE Stacey Travel, contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, she will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help reduce the ever-increasing costs of keeping this travel blog active. Thanks for reading.
