Mexico attractions

Tucked along the coastline of the expansive Banderas Bay (Bahía de Banderas), Los Arcos National Marine Park is a popular destination for visitors to the Puerto Vallarta region. It features a dramatic collection of steep-sided granite islets and vibrant coral reefs, all surrounded by clear water. The park may look small from a distance, but the islands are full of hidden caves and tunnels, while the underwater world offers endless chances to explore.

Playa Norte (North Beach) is a relaxing stretch of white sand on Isla Mujeres, a small island off the Yucatan Peninsula. Isla Mujeres was once considered a sacred site devoted to a Maya goddess, and it earned its name—meaning Island of Women—when the Spanish discovered images of the goddess on the island. Today, the Caribbean waters of Playa Norte offer a laid-back alternative to bustling Cancun.

Located off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Pelican Rock features dramatic rock formations and a small, gravelly beach that's often crowded with snorkelers, swimmers, scuba divers, and cliff jumpers. This protected spot at Land’s End is famous for its abundant wildlife, both above and below the ocean’s surface, and popular with Los Cabos snorkeling tours.

As Mexico City’s major cultural center, the Palacio de Bellas Artes hosts art exhibitions and a range of live events, including music, dance, theater, and opera. The building is a mix of art nouveau, art deco, and baroque architectural styles referred to as Porfiriano, after Mexican President Porfirio Diaz who commissioned the project.

With a name that translates as “place of the turtles,” Akumal is unsurprisingly popular with turtles and turtle-loving tourists alike. The town’s lagoon and horseshoe-shaped bay attracts various species of the shelled reptiles thanks to an abundance of sea grass in the area. It’s also known as a place where sea turtles return to lay eggs, although continuing coastal developments around Akumal are putting nesting grounds at risk and giving rise to environmental concerns.

Dating back to around AD 600, Coba is believed to have once been home to around 50,000 inhabitants, making it one of the Yucatan’s most significant and historic Maya sites. Surrounded by thick jungle, Coba today is a work in progress, and archaeological excavations are ongoing. However, visitors can discover a host of foliage-fringed ruins, from the super tall Nohoch Mul pyramid to a network of ceremonial limestone paths and well-preserved ball courts.

A stunning landscape of tropical jungle, mangrove forests, and crystalline waters, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Rich biodiversity, ecoadventures, and a collection of Maya ruins draw visitors to the reserve, which stretches 75 miles (120 kilometers) along the Riviera Maya.

Cenote Ik Kil is a sacred site to the Maya people, who once performed sacrificial rituals here. Located in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula and surrounded by tropical vines and small waterfalls, the so-called “Sacred Blue Cenote” is now a lush swimming hole popular with Riviera Maya tourists.

Mexico City’s Plaza de la Constitución, better known as the Zócalo, is the cultural and historic heart of the city. This large open-air square in the Centro Historico is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the city's top attractions, including Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace, and Great Temple archaeological site and museum.

Built on the site of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlán, the Centro Historico is both the historical heart and the modern epicenter of Mexico City, dating back to 1325. The 6-square mile (9.7-square kilometers) is centered on the grand Zócalo—Plaza de la Constitución— and is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of historic monuments, museums, parks, and hotels.

What remains of the Aztecs’ Great Temple (Templo Mayor) sits right in the middle of Mexico City, but many tourists miss it. In 1978, a massive, 8-ton (7,000-kilogram) stone depicting Coyolxauhqui (the Aztec goddess of the moon) was unearthed, marking the location of the temple, a gathering place sacred for the Aztecs during the 1300s and 1400s.

The city of Puebla, 90 miles from Mexico City, is home to baroque and Spanish colonial–style buildings, including the historic Puebla Cathedral (Catedral de Puebla). Wander through its 14 chapels, admire the 16th century paintings, and marvel at the tallest twin bell tower in Mexico; it’s said angels lifted the three-ton bell in place.

The waters of Cabo San Lucas may be wild elsewhere, but at Medano Beach (Playa el Médano), there’s plenty of safe, calm swimming, along with beach fun for the whole family. One of Los Cabos’ most popular beaches offers up a long stretch of golden sand that’s colorful with towels, sun umbrellas, volleyball, and bars, backed by resorts and high-rise apartment buildings.

Built on Aztec temple ruins, no building better exemplifies the history of Mexico City than the Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana). The vast stone edifice blends architectural styles and building innovations across four centuries. Highlights include the gilded Altar of Forgiveness and the painted canvases lining the sacristy.

Amatitán—a prolific tequila-producing town just outside Guadalajara—often goes overlooked in favor of nearby Tequila. However, this charming destination is a key stop on Jalisco’s famous Tequila Trail, one which travelers hoping to fully explore the UNESCO-listed Tequila Country shouldn’t miss. As well as picture-perfect agave fields, Amatitán is also home to several high-profile distilleries, such as Casa Herradura.

The pedestrian-only Fifth Avenue (Quinta Avenida) runs parallel to the ocean in downtown Playa del Carmen. This bustling tourist strip provides easy beach access and is within walking distance of shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs. Lining Fifth Avenue are shops aplenty, including those selling artisan crafts, fine jewelry, and cigars.

Just a short boat ride from the tourist-packed beaches of Isla Mujeres and the high rises of Cancun, Contoy Island (Isla Contoy) is an undeveloped natural paradise off the Caribbean Coast of Mexico. Visit this national park to enjoy white-sand beaches and hiking trails and to marvel at the local wildlife.

Located near Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Banderas Bay (Bahía de Banderas) is famous for its 42-mile (68-kilometer) stretch of picturesque coast. Jungle, sandy beaches, and rich aquatic life define this area, which is ideal for watersports and land adventures alike.

Teotitlán del Valle—best known for the handwoven rugs, blankets, and textiles made here—has been a historic weaving town since the pre-Hispanic period and remains a key Oaxacan handicraft destination. Visitors can browse and buy handmade products throughout the town, admire the surrounding Sierra Juárez scenery, and visit the modest colonial church.

Nicknamed the “cathedral of lucha libre,” Arena Mexico is the place to go for garish costumes, acrobatic maneuvers, and over-the-top characters. The large indoor arena is centered around a raised square ring, where the rudos (bad guys) and técnicos (good guys) battle it out for audience approval. Outside the arena, you’ll find vendors selling recreations of famous luchador masks so you can show support for your favorites.

The National Palace (Palacio Nacional) has served as the seat of the Mexican federal government since the age of the Aztecs. Although it’s a working building with many offices that are off limits to visitors, there’s still plenty to explore and admire, including Diego Rivera’s famous panoramic mural, The History of Mexico.

The Sea of Cortez (or Gulf of California) lies between the Baja California Peninsula and mainland Mexico. This stretch of the Pacific, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most diverse seas in the world and home to more than 3,000 marine species, including hammerhead sharks, sea lions, and sea turtles.

Many cities boast art museums, but Cancun’s equivalent is a little out of the ordinary: The Cancun Underwater Museum of Art (MUSA) is an ongoing project promoting both art and the creation of coral reefs. Snorkelers and divers can view its collection of more than 500 sunken sculptures below the surface of the Caribbean Sea.

The small, uninhabited Marietas Islands (Islas Marietas) are located in the Bay of Banderas off Mexico's Pacific coast. Classified as a UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve, the islands are famous for their abundance of flora and fauna, and the dramatic beauty of Hidden Beach. It's a great place to visit if you want to trade the crowds of the beach resort scene for some natural delights.

One of Acapulco's most popular attractions, La Quebrada Cliff Divers perform daily shows. Beginning in the 1930s, these brave young men and women began leaping over 100 feet (30 meters) past craggy rocks into an inlet crashing with waves that are just 13 feet (4 meters) deep. The daredevil acts continue to elicit oohs and ahs from the rapt audience.

Chapultepec Park, named for the Aztec word chapoltepec (at the grasshopper’s hill), is one of the world's largest city parks. The green space spans 1,695 acres (686 hectares) and is dissected by walking paths connecting quiet ponds, monumental buildings, and museums, including the Museum of Anthropology and the Rufino Tamayo Museum.

One of the oldest cities in the Americas, Monte Albán—an ancient Zapotec capital—is perhaps the most important archaeological site in Oaxaca and among the largest in Mexico. Head to Monte Albán’s flat mountain top for views of the city, then explore the vast site’s temples, tombs, underground tunnels, and ball court.

The star attraction of Cozumel Reefs National Park (Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel), Palancar Reef is a rich underwater landscape ideal for snorkeling and scuba diving. Aquatic species thrive amidst these colorful corals, including sea turtles, rays, nurse sharks, barracudas, moray eels, and a kaleidoscope of colorful fish.

Situated just a few hours southeast of the Mexican capital, San Pedro Cholula is one of the two municipalities of Cholula proper and a popular day trip from Mexico City. Explore the Great Pyramid of Cholula—the largest in the world—sample traditional Pueblan cuisine, and shop for local handicrafts at the marketplaces before visiting Cholula’s many ornate churches.

One of La Paz’s last undeveloped seafronts, Balandra Beach has some of the most pristine shores in Mexico. With calm waters sheltered from the Gulf of California and a shallow sandbar stretching from one side of the bay to the other, it’s an all-ages favorite for swimming, wading, and kayaking. Water activities abound here, but you can also hike in the surrounding hills with views of protected mangrove forests and the turquoise bay below.