The day trips are half the reason to base in Coatepec. The town is calm; the good stuff radiates out into the hills. Here they are ranked by value, with the real travel time and an honest verdict. All times approximate.
Xico — about 15 to 20 minutes by colectivo or taxi
The obvious one, and worth it. A smaller, quieter coffee-and-mole town just up the road, with the Cascada de Texolo — a tall waterfall reached by a short walk down to a footbridge, with a second cascade below if you keep going. Xico is also mole country, so eat there: the mole xiqueño is the local specialty, and there are good trout spots too. If you happen to hit late July, the Feria de Xico honoring Santa María Magdalena is a genuine spectacle, streets carpeted in flower petals. Verdict: do this before anything else. Easy half-day, doable without a car.
Coffee fincas in the hills — 15 to 45 minutes, car or tour
Not one place but several plantations around town that run tours through growing, drying and roasting, ending with a tasting. The most on-theme trip you can take from here and the best of the nature outings. Best in harvest season, roughly November to February, when the drying patios are actually working. Verdict: worth it, especially in harvest — but arrange ahead or via a tour, since the fincas are scattered and off public routes.
Xalapa — about 20 to 30 minutes by colectivo
The state capital, uphill. Go mainly for the Museo de Antropología de Xalapa, which holds a serious collection of colossal Olmec heads and Gulf-coast artifacts and is genuinely one of the best museums in the country. Add a bigger-city dinner, a walk around the lake at Los Lagos, or some nightlife if the quiet of Coatepec starts to wear. Verdict: worth a half to full day, mostly for that museum. More on the Xalapa page.
Río de los Pescados (Jalcomulco) — about 45 minutes to 1 hour by car
The whitewater-rafting river, based out of the town of Jalcomulco, warmer and lower than Coatepec. Outfitters run half-day trips with grades that suit beginners in the calmer season and get punchier after rain. Verdict: worth it if you want an active day and the weather has been wet enough for good flow; skip if you only came for coffee and towns.
Cofre de Perote — about 1 to 1.5 hours by car
A high volcano and national park for those who want real mountain scenery and a cooler, tougher outing. The upper reaches are cold and thin-aired. Verdict: only worth it if you are set up for altitude and a longer day with your own vehicle. Skip it otherwise.
If you only have time for one, take Xico — it is the easiest, the cheapest to reach, and the most in keeping with what Coatepec is about. See the things to do page for how it fits a two-day plan.