Guatemala’s close proximity to U.S. shores and easy access by air (just 2.5 hours from Houston or Miami; 5 hours from New York) makes it a great candidate for an international weekend getaway.
View of Antigua from Cerro de la Cruz. Photo © Al Argueta.
Plan this day to be a Friday or Saturday. There are nonstop flights from New York/Newark on Saturdays (and now also Friday nights, in season). Most other gateway cities have multiple flights daily.
Arrive in Guatemala City around noon. Grab a shuttle van or taxi to La Antigua and check into your hotel. Take the afternoon to explore the cobblestone streets and a museum or two, do some shopping, and get a bite to eat in one of the excellent restaurants. Grab drinks or dinner from Café Sky or Lava Terrace Bar and watch the sun set behind the volcanoes.
Grab an early breakfast and then hike up to the Cerro de la Cruz for a wonderful view of the city with Agua Volcano in the background. Alternatively (between December and February), head out early to go whale-watching on the Pacific Coast (one hour away). Have lunch and an afternoon round of golf at La Reunión Antigua Golf Resort and spend the night there. From your suite, enjoy views of Agua and Pacaya Volcanoes over your private plunge pool.
La Antigua Guatemala
Transfer to Guatemala City and its international airport. Depending on the time of departure, you may be able to visit one or several of the museums near the airport: the Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología and the Museo Popol Vuh and Museo Ixchel (next door to each other). Allow some extra time at the airport for some duty-free shopping before you fly out.
Excerpted from the Fifth Edition of Moon Guatemala.
