Mexicali Mayor Norma Bustamante announced a city-run program called “My Holy Week Vacations in Mexicali,” offering free and low-cost family activities at parks, a zoo, and an ecopark during the Easter holiday break. The program runs April 4 and 5 and targets residents staying in the capital city during Semana Santa.
Bustamante presented the initiative alongside the Mexicali Tourism and Conventions Committee. The goal is to give families affordable entertainment options close to home during a period when many Mexican households face higher expenses from school vacations.
Where to Go and What It Costs
Three main venues anchor the program. El Bosque Zoo will charge 25 to 30 pesos (roughly $1.25 to $1.50 USD) for admission. Laguna México Ecopark will offer free entry. Vicente Guerrero Park will cost 10 pesos (about $0.50 USD) per person.
Special events include Easter egg hunts and children’s shows scheduled at the participating locations on April 4 and 5. The city is also promoting visits to other public parks and natural sites around the Mexicali area as part of the broader program.
Keeping Holiday Spending Local
The program is part of a municipal effort to encourage domestic tourism within Mexicali itself. Semana Santa is one of Mexico’s three major holiday periods, alongside Christmas and Día de los Muertos. Schools across the country close for an extended break, and many offices and factories shut down for Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
Beach destinations and colonial cities typically see surges in visitors during this period, with hotel prices jumping 50 to 200 percent above normal rates. For families that cannot afford to travel, or simply prefer to stay put, the Mexicali program provides structured recreation at minimal cost.
Mexicali, a border city of roughly one million people across from Calexico, California, does not attract the same holiday tourism as coastal Baja destinations like Ensenada or Los Cabos. The “My Holy Week Vacations” initiative aims to keep entertainment spending circulating within the local economy rather than losing it to other destinations.
First reported by La Jornada BC.