Tuxpan is a city of 85,000 people (2010) in Veracruz on the banks of the Tuxpan River, which reaches the Gulf of Mexico 11 km (6.8 mi) downstream. Being the nearest port to Mexico City, Tuxpan is an important commercial link for Mexican imports and exports.
Understand
There is a big PEMEX terminal hereː imagine that behind you while you're sipping on a beer at the beach. And a thermoelectric plant at the north end. But Tuxpan is also known as part of the Costa Emeralda, the Veracruzan Emerald Coast. Just put your blinders on and all should be okay.
In the 1870s, a small colony of some hundreds of former Confederate (Southern U.S.) officers, soldiers and diplomats was established. Tuxpan was also the port of departure for the yacht Granma that was used to transport Fidel Castro, his brother Raúl, Che Guevara and other fighters of the Cuban Revolution from Mexico to Cuba in 1956 for the purpose of overthrowing the regime of Fulgencio Batista. A small museum near the river has photographs and other related memorabilia.
Get in
Tuxpans is 191 km south of Tampico, 60 km north of Poza Rica and 320 km from Mexico City.
Get around
See
- Parque Reforma, 20.95352°, -97.40684°. With fountains, occasional events, snack vendors and intriguing municipal buildings around, it's not a bad little town square. And you can walk over to the Pantepec River path a block south for a pleasant view there. 2020-10-22
- Museo De La Amistad Cuba - México, Álvaro Obregón 1, Santiago de la Peña (across the Pantepec River from Tuxpan), 20.94851°, -97.41261°, +52 783 834 0597. Tu-F 09ː00-17ː00, Sa Su 09ː00-14ː00, closed M. Here is a curiosity on ties between these two Latin American countries. Through writings, paintings, sculptures, and other items, one stands to learn a lot about the relations over the years through this museum. 2020-10-22
Do
- Tuxpan Beach (Tuxpan Playa), 20.9855°, -97.3159°. Ahh, surf and sand and offshore oil tankers. 2020-10-22
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
- Hotel Playa Azul Tuxpan, Carretara a la Termoeléctrica Km. 2.5 Ejido, 20.98726°, -97.31768°, +52 783 136 3875. Beach hotel. Pet-friendly. 2020-10-22
- Hotel Río Paraiso, Carr. Tuxpan, Carr a la Barra Nte Kilómetro 7, 20.95774°, -97.34324°, +52 783 837 0292. This hotel has a pool with a walkway over it; moreover, you can watch behemoth oil tanker and other marine traffic on the river all day to your heart's content. 2020-10-22
- Holiday Inn Express Tuxpan, Km. 6.5 Carretera A la Barra S/N Col. la Calzada Col, 20.95846°, -97.34102°, +52 783 102 3800. Another river resort, good if you like a modern, concrete bunker feel. Free breakfast. 2020-10-22
- Crowne Plaza Tuxpan, 20.95789°, -97.34233°. 2020-10-22
- Hotel Reforma, Av Benito Juárez 25 (right in town, a couple blocks east of the zocalo), 20.95265°, -97.40460°. This hotel has a nice colonial feel. Restaurant/bar. 2020-10-22