Veracruz, located on Mexico's Gulf coast, boasts Mexico's most important port. Being the first port of New Spain, Veracruz was a major trade link for ships coming from Spain with colonists and returning with gold and treasures. In the 16th century, the Fort of San Juan de Ulua, visible across the bay from the town, was built to protect the port from pirates and marauders, and was later turned into a prison. Today, the city of Veracruz is still an international crossroads, with cargo ships, sailors, merchant seamen, and tourists from all over the world.

Veracruz is a rich agricultural state that produces coffee, corn, beans, sugarcane, tobacco, rice and fruits. Most of the city's social life revolves around its coffee houses, which have become institutions themselves. The state is highly industrialized and is a major source of oil extraction. Veracruz is also the most populated city totaling 444,438 according to the 2005 Census. The racial makeup of the city is 60% Mestizo, 15% Black/Afro-Mexican, 15% Indian, 9% Mixed, and 1% Mixed composed by many Middle-Easterners and Italians.

This destination is famous for the music, dancing, and festive atmosphere at its Carnival, the state's most important event of the year. It's a nine-day festival in February or March, and is the most spectacular festival of its kind and the oldest organized Carnival in Mexico. Veracruz is the most musical city in Mexico with salsa music and marimba bands play into the night.

Veracruz also has miles of beaches with calm Gulf waters that are ideal for aquatic sports, recreation, and scuba diving. The coral reefs at Parque Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano is inhabited by a wide variety of fish, coral, and other marine species. You can also visit Acaurio, Latin America's largest saltwater aquarium and marine research center. The best time to visit is between October and May to avoid extreme temperatures.

Miami-Dade County signed a Sister Cities Agreement with Veracruz Mexico in 1990, and visited the city in 1992.