Travelers visiting Merida next year are in for a treat as the popular vacation destination prepares to unveil a new tourist area that will closely resemble New York City’s famous Central Park in 2023. Work on the new Gran Parque La Plancha de Mérida began in September of this year, and officials say it will be ready by next year, but an opening date has not yet been provided. The park will be located in the same area as the recently announced Gastronomic Corridor project, which will start at the Historic Center and end at 43rd Street.
The park, in addition to having a beautiful green space to picnic, bring children to play, and enjoy nature, will also have a lot of amenities for both tourists and residents to enjoy. Four individual sections will make up the park, and the amenities, including the green space mentioned above, will be spread out between them. One section will have concessions and an outdoor gym, another will have children’s activities and a fountain, the third section will feature restaurants and a skate park, and the last will have a lake, games for children, and a 10,000-person capacity amphitheater, among other things.
The huge park will also include a pet park, bike paths, covered walkways, sport and recreational areas, a boardwalk, and restroom facilities. One of the best features of the park, though, is the tram that will take visitors back and forth between the park and the Maya Train station in Merida. The Maya Train is on schedule to be completed by next year and will take tourists throughout the entire Yucatan Peninsula, which means visitors will have another way to get from Cancun to Merida.
Merida is the capital city of the Mexican state of Yucatan, located on the Yucatán Peninsula. The state of Yucatan borders the State of Quintana Roo, which is where the popular vacation destination of Cancun is located. Merida is located about 189 miles from Cancun, which is about a four drive if you’re vacationing in Cancun and want to take a trip to visit this charming and historically significant Mexican city.
For those that want to actually vacation in Merida, it isn’t necessary to fly into Cancun International Airport because Merida has its own airport. But it may not be as convenient to use Merida’s airport because options for travel dates and originating airports will be limited. Although there are not nearly as many direct flights from U.S. and Canadian cities to Merida International Airport as there are to Cancun, though, there are still a few options available, with multiple flights each month.
Current Direct Flights From U.S. and Canadian Cities to Merida and Number of Flights This Month
Houston (IAH) – 31
Miami (MIA) – 31
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – 4
Toronto (YYZ) – 4
If you’re having trouble finding flights to Merida on dates that work for you there is the option of flying to Cancun and making the drive to Merida. There are currently 41 U.S. cities with direct flights to Cancun International Airport and 20 Canadian cities with direct flights to the 2nd busiest airport in Mexico. And there are hundreds of flights available every month, and even multiple flights per day from some cities.
Merida has grown in popularity as a vacation destination in recent years and has a lot to offer. Colonial heritage, Mayan culture, and now a beautiful new space to enjoy even more of this charming Mexican city, that is well worth visiting.