When it comes to travel, there’s often more to the experience than just the destination; there’s connection. For Rose Mendoza, founder and CEO of Dulce Vida Travel, that connection begins with culture. “La cultura cura,” she says, “which translates to culture cures the soul.” It’s a philosophy that defines her life’s work. “We’re curating immersive travel experiences that don’t just help tourists explore Mexico, but help them feel its heartbeat.
As a second-generation Latina who spent years in Silicon Valley’s corporate world, Mendoza understands both the allure and the hesitation many feel toward reconnecting with their roots. Her company specializes in all-inclusive guided tours to Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos, heritage towns that exude the country’s rich culture, architecture, and tradition.
Every tour is crafted around a distinct theme, whether it’s Día de los Muertos, El Corazón de México, or Her Sacred Presence, a spiritual journey honoring La Virgen de Guadalupe. “Each experience is designed with intention,” Mendoza explains. “Even when our guests are sightseeing, they’re learning, feeling, and rediscovering parts of themselves.”
Mendoza’s approach to experiential travel goes beyond trends. “It’s a transformative movement,” she says. She reminds travelers that the most profound souvenirs are the ones that live within. “When you visit old museums and learn about the Mexicas and the Aztecs, you begin to see the depth of our history,” she says. “People come back with an entirely new sense of pride. They understand that their culture goes back thousands of years, and that it was advanced, beautiful, and worth celebrating.”
That emotional resonance is what Mendoza brings to Dulce Vida’s tours. From airport pick-up to the last farewell, travelers are immersed in an experience that blends comfort, authenticity, and storytelling. Each itinerary is designed to be meticulously crafted with “American-style” hospitality standards while keeping the essence of Mexican culture intact, gourmet local meals, artisan markets, and guided explorations that illuminate the meaning behind art, music, and ritual. “We make sure our guests feel safe but seen,” she says. “Especially for Latinas traveling solo or with family, that trust is everything.”
But Mendoza’s impact extends far beyond the tour bus. She’s also an author, cultural content creator, and advocate for Latino representation in travel media. Her books, including Mexican Folk Hearts and Explore Conmigo- San Miguel de Allende, spotlight the artistry and symbolism of Mexican folk traditions, while her digital magazine features cultural guides to destinations like Oaxaca, Guadalajara, and Puebla. Mendoza’s broader mission is to ensure that stories about Mexican and Latino heritage are told by those who live them, and to expand and elevate that mission through her work. As a leading voice in this space, she brings both authority and depth to her storytelling. Her writing resonates with authenticity, shaped by her own lived experience and deep connection to her culture.
Mendoza notes that there has been a demographic transformation in the growing Hispanic community, unveiling a market she aims to tap into. “They’re educated, globally minded, and increasingly eager to reconnect with their heritage,” she says. They want experiences that reflect who they are,”
Through Dulce Vida Travel, Mendoza is helping to shape that reflection. Her tours celebrate the everyday beauty of Mexican life, the scent of fresh pan dulce in a local café, the colors of a marketplace in Oaxaca, and the celebrations that fill a plaza during a fiesta. These moments of connection, she believes, are the essence of what travel should be: a bridge between memory and discovery.
“Experiential travel is the future of tourism because it restores meaning to the journey,” Mendoza reflects. “Rather than escaping your world, it’s about expanding it. When travelers return home feeling more whole, more proud, and more rooted in their identity, that’s when I know we’ve done something truly special.” In her world, travel becomes food for the soul. And through every curated itinerary, every essay, and every traveler she guides, Mendoza aims to prove that La Cultura Cura, culture can cure the soul.