NextTribe Discovery Call: Questions about this or any other trip? Click here to schedule a phone call with Jeannie Edmunds, COO of NextTribe.
That sums up the Mexican approach to mortality, and is a corollary to the NextTribe mantra: Age Boldly.
This is one reason our visit to San Miguel de Allende over the Day of the Dead festival is perfectly aligned with our vibe. This is our signature trip, which we’ve been hosting for nine years.
We build our own altar in the hotel courtyard and share the stories of who we’ve lost — then we go dance anyway, faces painted as catrinas, marching through a UNESCO World Heritage city that Condé Nast Traveler named the #1 destination on Earth. NextTribe founder Jeannie Ralston lived in San Miguel for four years, and her insider connections get us into homes, artisan studios, and a private charro ranch most visitors never see.
This isn’t a costume party. It’s grief and joy, side by side, exactly the way Mexico intends it.
~ Small groups-women 45+ ~ Solo travelers welcome
~ Led by a woman our age ~ Aging boldly since 2017
Every year our San Miguel Dia de los Muertos trip sells out so quickly that we created this deluxe option to welcome more travelers into this magical experience. With seven days instead of six, enhanced hotel amenities, exclusive experiences like a sculpting class at the city’s premier art gallery, and invitations to the most coveted Dia de los Muertos party in town, this is San Miguel at its most immersive.
~ We have easy, interest-free payment options.
~ NextTribe members receive a $100 discount on the trip (and any other NextTribe trip you take). Find out more here.
Please note that this is a sample itinerary. Accommodations and activities may change but we will always replace them with something of equal or better value.
These are real women. Real trips. Real friendships that started exactly like this.
★★★★★
"It was one of the best Next Tribe Trips in a wonderful location. The food, culture, people and honoring death as a part of life made this trip so very special. The women on the trip are the icing on the cake."
— Najwa K.
★★★★★
"This beautiful city came to life for the Dia de los Muertos celebration. The culture, the Mexican people, the fantastic food and places we visited combined to provide a truly unique experience. Best of all our leader and the wonderful women in our group came together to fill the days with fun and laughter and the true joy of connection. NextTribe travel provides exactly the kind soul nurturing enrichment I seek when I visit a new place."
— Maria W.
★★★★★
"The first trip I took with NextTribe was to see San Miguel. I was nervous because I’m not much of a group trip person, but it’s the best trip I’ve ever taken in my life, and I’ve taken a lot of trips. They set up so many experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own like going to artist studios, private homes, and a private movie screening."
--Lucie F.
This trip sells out every single year. We built the deluxe version so more women could join us — don't wait for this one to fill too.
Access most tourists never get.
Insider entry to shops, homes, and experiences opened up through Jeannie's decades of local connections.
The Catrina Parade.
Face painted, dressed up, marching through the city in pure, ecstatic celebration.
Our own altar.
A private, moving tribute to the people we've lost — cathartic in a way few trips ever attempt.
Beyond the city limits.
A private charro ranch experience and a soak at a luxurious hot spring spa.
The magic in the details.
Cobblestone streets, colonial buildings, and festive energy around every corner.
Which airport should I fly into?
Querétaro (QRO) is about an hour and 15 minutes from town, with service from United, Delta, American, and AeroMexico. León/Guanajuato (BJX) also works. Plan to land by 3pm at the latest so you don't miss the welcome dinner.
Is this trip emotionally heavy? I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about loss.
Building the altar and sharing memories is invited, never required. Many women find it cathartic, but other women simply listen. The tone throughout the week is far more celebratory than somber — that's the whole spirit of Día de los Muertos.
Do I need a costume for the Catrina Parade?
Face paint and festive dress are part of the fun, but nothing elaborate is required — we'll walk you through easy options once you've signed up.
Do I need a visa, and is travel insurance required?
US citizens don't need a visa, but your passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond the trip's end. NextTribe requires travel insurance for all international travelers — we partner with Wanderwell to make finding a plan simple.
What's the age range on this trip?
Every woman aboard is 45 or older. If you're wondering whether you'll "fit," you will.
What if the accommodations or activities listed change?
This is a sample itinerary. When it meets the real world, we sometimes have to pivot — but any change is always replaced with something of equal or greater value.
Jane is a Spanish‑speaking traveler and leadership coach/consultant who splits her time between Evanston, Illinois and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Her adventures span across Mexico, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and much of Europe, where she dives into culture, language, landscapes, and wildlife. Her personal journey includes raising two adventurous adult children—one who shares her love of language and Latin culture, and another who inherited her passion for animals and now owns a pet store. Bucket list trip: Ecuador and the Galápagos.
October 29 - November 5, 2026
Come explore, grow, embrace new friendships, and enjoy new experiences together with NextTribe.
Reserve Your Spot Today!
Questions? Our NextTribe travel expert will respond promptly.
Visit NextTribe.com to explore all our trips.
Depart your hometown for San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Upon arrival, transfers will be provided from Leon/Guanajuato Airport (BJX) or Querétaro (QRO) airport to San Miguel.
Spend the afternoon acclimating or stepping out for a quick bite. After a rooftop welcome drink this evening, we'll dine in one of the city’s best restaurants.
After breakfast (included daily), meet your private guide in the main square (jardín) for an informative, two-hour tour of the historic center. Your guide, one of the town's most noted historians and best-loved guides, grew up in San Miguel and will give you an insider's view of colonial Mexico just two decades ago.
Lunch together at the lovely rooftop restaurant La Posadita, with 180-degree views including the stone facade of the iconic Parroquia church. Relax with fresh guacamole and one of the best margaritas in town while soaking in the views.
Evening dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Visit the nearby town of Atotonilco to see the 250-year-old Santuario de Atotonilco—an over-the-top ornate church that's a dizzying visual cacophony. Nearly every inch of wall and ceiling space is filled with detailed Biblical scenes and passages, which is why the church is known as Mexico's Sistine Chapel and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
After the church, visit one of the best folk art galleries in Mexico, then continue to the fabulous hot springs surrounding San Miguel. This year, we're adding a visit to a private, luxurous hot spring spa that includes lunch and lots of relaxation. Book a massage if you'd like.
Today we’ll head off to a ranch owned by Emmie, a local friend of Jeannie Ralston's, who has prepared an unforgettable and unique experience—one that most visitors to San Miguel will never see. We don't want to spoil the surprise, but it involves lunch and a very Mexican, very San Miguel vibe, just 30 minutes out of town.
After returning to the hotel, enjoy free time before heading to sunset dinner at one of the best rooftop restaurants in the city.
In the morning, head out on a special tour to visit the artisans in the city who make the beautiful crafts we see all around.
When we return, create an altar in the hotel where everyone can place mementos and photos of lost loved ones. We'll gather before dinner so anyone who wishes can share about their loved ones—a beautiful and cathartic experience. We'll provide wine and snacks before heading to dinner.
Today the town comes alive with activity. A guide will take you through the streets to view shrines in private homes now open to visitors, in businesses and restaurants, and in Parque Juarez, where you'll find art installations specific to Day of the Dead.
Walk to the local cemetery to watch families decorate graves with favorite foods and possessions. Mariachi bands, solo guitarists, and child singers perform at grave sites. With thousands of flowers decorating hundreds of graves, the cemetery will leave an indelible impression.
This afternoon, have your faces painted and put on fancy dress for the Catrina parade—costumed, painted catrinas marching through the city, highlighting the playful Mexican nature as they laugh at death.
Spend the evening at the best Dia de los Muertos party in town, sponsored by the Rosewood Hotel. The night includes dinner, open bar and dancing with some of the city's swells.
Learn from a master sculptor at the city's best art gallery—La Fabrica Aurora. Remember, San Miguel became famous as a center for Americans to study art, so we'll be following in a grand tradition.
The afternoon is free to visit other sites and shops we hadn't had time for, or do something really chill like booking a massage at the hotel spa.
Dinner tonight at the most acclaimed restaurant in San Miguel.
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for homeward flights. Return transfers to León and Querétaro Airports are provided.
Please note: Itinerary subject to change. When an itinerary meets the real world, we often have to pivot slightly. If we have to make a change, the replacement will be of equal or greater value.
Please make sure your flight arrives in Mexico by 3 pm at the latest. It will take you a couple of hours (at least) to get to the hotel, and we don't want you to miss any part of this trip.
Please fly into Querétaro (QRO). Querétaro is about one hour, 15 minutes from town; United, Delta, American and AeroMexico Airlines service provide service to QRO. (You can also fly into Leon (BJX), but we recommend QRO because it's a bit closer and roads are better.)
We require all international travelers to purchase travel insurance. We strongly recommend trip protection insurance to protect your investment. (Scroll down for more details about insurance)
No visa is required for US Citizens to visit Mexico. Please make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of the trip.
You will be receiving periodic communications from us leading up to departure with other important details included. If you have any questions, you can contact our travel manager, Marcy, at travel@nexttribe.com
Inclusions
7 Nights Lodging
7 Dinners
6 Lunches
7 Breakfasts
Alcohol at meals and NextTribe activities
Round trip airport transfers
Ground Transportation for all activities
Exclusions
Roundtrip Airfare
Alcohol when you're out on your own
Lunch on free day, when not with the group
Travel Insurance
Gratuities
Gratuities to local guides, drivers, maids and hotel staff, alcohol, unless mentioned in itinerary, travel insurance, round trip airfare, passport and visa fees, personal items such as phone calls, laundry, baggage fees and items not expressly listed as included.
Next Tribe requires all international travelers to purchase travel insurance.
Travel insurance can be a helpful and valuable resource to pack! It can protect the investment of your trip and you while traveling.
We partner with Wanderwell, a Certified B Corporation travel insurance provider that makes it as simple as possible by not overwhelming you with options.
They offer just a few modern, benefit-packed trip protection plans that can cover the most common travel perils related to trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, travel Medical Expenses, baggage & personal effects, Emergency Medical Evacuation, and more.
Click Here to create quotes and purchase a plan through Wanderwell from our partner page.
If you prefer to talk to someone, please email support@gowanderwell.com. They will set up a phone call with you and can answer your questions.
For most of history, women past child-bearing years were basically put out to pasture. This was happening even in our mothers’ time. We call bullshit on that. We believe we are at a peak in so many ways and are devoted to helping women our age live the richest, most kick-ass lives possible.
We do that by informing, promoting and connecting women–through our magazine, through our member community and through the transformative experiences of travel.
So many travel choices…so little time. You could spend days and days trying to put together just the right combination of destination, activities, and price.
Or you could stop shopping and start traveling with us for something that feels like the greatest girlfriend trip ever–even if you come solo. We specialize in experiences that deeply connect you to other women–travelers and locals–and create life-lasting memories. Experiences you can’t get on your own. And do it all with flexible payment options.
This video will tell you if you’re a good fit for a NextTribe trip. We are proud that we’ve become known for how quickly and deeply our groups of women bond on our trips. One of our rules: No divas, please.
For more information, please contact our travel manager at travel@nexttribe.com