Four of us in our 70's+ going to San Miguel de Allende mid March. We would like to spend a few days elsewhere in Mexico. Doesn't need to be near SMA. We would not mind picking up a car or flying to another destination before returning to Los Angeles. We have done a lot of international travel
and are fluent in Spanish. We are not much into laying in the sun but are open to a nice beachy town. We are just happy to spend time with our friends we have traveled together with for the last 20 years. Any suggestions would be most helpful.

The closet (by bus) beachy area to San Miguel is Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa/Troncones. If it was my trip, I'd break it up with a couple nights in Morelia. Ixtapa is more AI oriented and Zihuatanejo more 'rustic'.

Since you don't mind flying to another region, if you've not been to Oaxaca, I'd put that at the top of the list. Oaxaca City for a week, or less but trying to span a weekend for the markets in nearby towns, and then time on the coast of Oaxaca in a place like Huatulco or another town on the coast. Or even Merida, combined with a beach place on the Caribbean coastline.

A couple of questions, how are you getting to San Miguel de Allende? How many days are a few days? Have you ever been to Mexico City? I ask about travel because you will have to add in a day for travel to get anywhere. If you've bussed from CDMX to San Miguel and have to end up back there to catch a flight etc., you might consider seeing that city with its amazing museums and things to do. If you want a more kicked back experience then Oaxaca is a good spot. I would also recommend Guanajuato, which we love and it would be a short bus ride from SMA. I find it quite different from SMA even though it is very close.

Guanajuato, Delores Hidalgo or Queretaro.