FAQs

Question

What should I pack?

Answer

Climate: The weather in San Miguel is beautiful and temperate year-round. In August, the days are mild and clear (73-83 degrees), with comfortable evenings and cool nights (50-60 degrees). There is some precipitation in summer, but typically shorter showers when they do occur. Bring layers for the evenings. Shoes: The streets of San Miguel de Allende are cobblestone, and while iconic they are not heel-friendly. We suggest that you bring comfortable shoes for exploring the city. The wedding venue will also be outside and have softer surfaces (grass, gravel). Elevation: Located on the central Mexican Plateau, San Miguel’s elevation is above 6200’ (higher than Denver), and the wedding venue is around 7200’. Be prepared if you are prone to altitude-related sickness and discomfort.

Question

How do I exchange money?

Answer

Most major U.S. credit cards are accepted by hotels, restaurants and vendors in San Miguel - just check to ensure your card of choice has no foreign transaction fee. But cash is also necessary as some places will not take cards. It is easiest to exchange money at the airport; however, the exchange rate is higher and there are additional fees. For that reason you may want to exchange for cash in town, there are several banks and ATMs at the Jardín in the city center. Be sure to notify your bank of your travel plans! Otherwise, your bank may put a security block on your card when you go to withdraw from an ATM. See further below for a more comprehensive narrative on money and ATM's.

Question

Is the water okay to drink?

Answer

Yes and no. You would likely be fine in most instances, but to be on the safe side we would recommend using bottled water over tap for drinking, brushing your teeth, etc. Many restaurants and hotels effectively filter the tap water and ice cubes, but it can only take one slipup to have an unwanted date with Montezuma. Especially be cautious if ordering from street vendors or the like. Medicine is safe and readily available, but you can bring your own stash of antacids, anti-diarrheals, and even antibiotics if you'd like.

Question

Are Childen Welcome?

Answer

Yes, children are very much welcome to come to all wedding functions.

Question

How is the language barrier?

Answer

In your travels you will encounter many people who speak English; however, many taxi drivers, street vendors etc. will not, especially outside of the Centro. But they also are used to English speakers and will find a way to communicate. Memorizing a few short phrases and words can go a long way - see our relevant section further below.

Question

Is visiting San Miguel safe?

Answer

Yes. San Miguel de Allende is a UNESCO world heritage site, and crime rates are comparable to American cities of similar size. It is a popular place to visit and retire for foreigners. As far as interior Mexican cities go, San Miguel is listed at or near the top for safety.

Question

Will my cell phone work in Mexico?

Answer

It depends on your carrier. Before your trip, check with your cell phone provider to see what the plan allowance is for both voice and data. It is common for US cell plans to work in Mexico, however many have either an added cost (say $5/day) and/or data limits. 3G and 4G is widespread, however if your plan has a data limit (500 mb per day for example) then you will want to use Wi-Fi as much as you can and only use data when needed. See our section further below for more info and data-saving tips we’ve found.

Question

What is the tipping etiquette?

Answer

Tipping taxi drivers/shuttle drivers is not necessary but very much appreciated, especially if they help carry bags. If staying in a house rental, a tip per room per day for the housekeeper is usually outlined, and fairly typical. Tipping (La Propina) for dining: 10% = Standard tip 15% = Great service 20% = Definitely an American

Question

Should I barter prices?

Answer

Bartering prices, if you are inclined to attempt, is typically acceptable for street/craft vendors and some taxi drivers. If you want a lower price, you probably shouldn't barter down more than 20-30%. E.g. if they say “Trescientos” (300 pesos) they very likely won’t go down to 200 MX$ but they may be fine with 250 MX$. Bartering can be easier if you are buying multiple items: instead of 500 MX$ for two 250 MX$ items say ‘¿Dos por Cuatrocientos?’ (Two for 400?). Please note that you should not barter prices for food, this is really just for vendors selling crafts or taxi drivers and they certainly can deny your barter.

Question

More Info on Money/ATM's

Answer

Credit Cards: When visiting Mexico, most places outside of small restaurants / street vendors will take credit cards (tarjetas). Especially Visa and Mastercard, and usually AMEX. Check with your credit card company to make sure you have no foreign transaction fees; some will charge you per purchase and you will absolutely want to avoid this. A credit card will be your easiest and best way to pay at most places in Mexico, though depending on your debit card/bank those can work as well and is worth checking before your travels. ATM's: Debit cards are also incredibly useful for withdrawing Pesos out of ATM’s for cash. When arriving in Mexico, if you prefer convenience you can do the airport money exchange, however they will hit you with a nice fee and a poor exchange rate. Typically finding an ATM (cajero automático) will be a better exchange rate. They typically have an English option, and depending on your bank you will have a withdrawal fee (Tip - if the ATM asks if you would like to use their exchange rate, decline this as your bank will have a better rate). BBVA, CitiBanamex (CitiBank), and Santander are bigger Mexican banks with commonly-found ATM’s. Exchange Rate: The Mexican Peso is currently almost exactly a 20 to 1 ratio to US Dollars, which makes for convenient math if you’re trying to determine value. The peso coins are 1, 2, 5, and 10 pesos (10 pesos = ~50¢ US) and the common peso bills come in 20 (~$1 USD), 50 (~$2.50), 100 (~$5), 200 (~$10) and 500 (~$25). Note that the $500 peso bill is considered a reasonably large amount, especially for street vendors and you may not be able to receive change for them (ask ‘¿Tiene cambio?’ - “do you have change?” to know for sure). Because of this we recommend paying your first purchase in cash so you have some change to use in smaller denominations.

Question

More Info on Cell Phones

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Phone Plans: Remember to check with your Cell Phone carrier prior to visiting to understand your phone service situation. Many AT&T and T-Mobile plans allow unlimited talk, text and data while traveling in Mexico, while Verizon typically has a daily roaming charge. But plans can vary so be sure to check with your provider. Country Codes: If you are in MX with a US phone plan, you will need to put country codes in when calling/texting people. For most phones it's typical to need “+1” before US numbers, and “+52” if you’re calling a Mexican number, and if a saved contact in your phone does not have the US "+1" by default you'll need to edit the number to go through. WhatsApp: WhatsApp is also widespread for texting/calling in Mexico, instead of Apple/Android Messages or SMS. It is not absolutely required but may be helpful to have in case some businesses only have a WhatsApp number listed. Data-Saving Tips Since some US phone plans have daily or monthly data limits in Mexico, here are some tips we've found to help you not run out of data: -Use secure Wi-Fi whenever possible. Most hotels, cafes and restaurants throughout SMA offer free, password-protected Wi-Fi. -Enable Wi-Fi calling in your phone settings -Download Google/Apple maps offline so they can be used without data -Uncheck your phone apps' "background data" settings to ensure apps don't upload data/use data accidentally (Facebook and Spotify are especially notorious offenders)

Question

Spanish Words/Phrases to Know:

Answer

Note: We recommend downloading Google Translate or another app of your choice that can interpret language on the fly or through the phone camera (technology is amazing!). General: Cuanto Cuesta (QUAN-toh QUAY-stah) - How much is it? ¿Se habla inglés? (SAY OB-lah In-GLAYS) - Do you speak English? Asking directions: ¿Disculpe, dónde está. . .? (Dis-COOL-pay, DOAN-day est-Ah. . .) - Excuse me, where is. . .? Ordering Food: Quiero. . . (Key-air-oh) - I want. . . Para mí sería. . . (Para ME sair-E-ah. . .) - I'll have. . . ¿La cuenta por favor? (La quain-ta por fah-vore) - The check please? Money: Tarjeta (Tar-HAY-tah) - credit card Efectivo (Eh-fec-TEE-voh) - cash Cambio (COM-bee-oh) - change Cajero automático (Cah-HAIR-oh auto-MAT-icoh) - ATM Street Vendors: ¿Tiene cambio? (TEE-ennay COM-bee-oh) - Do you have change? Que linda (KAY LEAN-dah) - Your item is pretty We would recommend memorizing numbers in Spanish to help with cash purchases. But if not, most vendors have a calculator that they will type out the price and show you how much the item costs.