Despite months of bad publicity for Mexico, Minnesotans still choose theYucatan Peninsula as their favorite vacation spot.  According to a recent Minnesota Travel Trends Survey released by Travel Leaders, the number one international destination booked by local agents is Cancun, Mexico; with Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen rounding out the top ten.

As a booking agent, I’m asked nearly every day if Mexico is a safe vacation option. My answer is always the same: just as there are places you wouldn’t vacation in the US, there are places you should avoid in Mexico as well. I would never recommend visiting a border town; although my relatives who cross the border in Arizona frequently for inexpensive dental work, would disagree with me. However, I wouldn’t hesitate traveling to an all inclusive in theYucatan, even by myself or with my two small boys.

On an 8^th grade school trip, I visited WashingtonD.C. without my parents.  According to the New York Times, the murder rate in D.C. in 2008 was 31.4 people per 100,000.  In comparison, the Yucatan’s murder rate was 2 per 100,000, comparable to that of Montana and Wyoming. I felt completely safe in Washington D.C. and I still feel confident recommending it as a family vacation destination; but for a beautiful beach vacation with adventure and cultural experiences as well, the value of theYucatan is difficult to rival.