Towering over Puerto Vallarta’s skyline, the pink-hued Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a highlight of Old Town Vallarta, flanked by souvenir stores and fronted by a charming, colorful plaza. Constructed over several decades in the early 20th century, the neoclassical baroque church is the city’s most important Catholic landmark, best known for its intricate bell tower.
Columbia Reef is famous for its complex architecture of caves, arches, and coral spires. Here, you can find schools of snapper, barracudas, sea turtles, scorpion fish, and even the rare passing nurse shark. With both shallow coral gardens and deep ocean-floor caverns, the reef is accessible to snorkelers and scuba divers alike.
Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park encompasses the island’s best-known diving and snorkeling spots, including the Palancar, Colombia, and Paradise reefs, as well as the Devil’s Throat at Punta Sur and the shipwreck of Felipe Xicoténcatl, a minesweeper ship used during World War II. The park boasts up to 105 species of coral and 262 species of fish, so it's a hot spot for those looking to discover its underwater wonderlands.
Isla Espiritu Santo, an uninhabited island off the coast of La Paz in the Gulf of California, is one of the most impressive—and isolated—destinations in Mexico for wildlife enthusiasts. Part of the protected Espiritu Santo Archipelago National Park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has sea lions and neon-colored parrotfish in its waters, a variety of endemic mammals and birds on land, and untouched white sand beaches dotting its perimeter.
Just inland from Santa Cruz Bay on the coast of Oaxaca, La Crucecita has an authentic atmosphere that draws visitors from the beaches to its lively streets. Highlights include a traditional market, specialty shops, and restaurants, but its top landmark is La Crucecita Church, known for the world's largest ceiling painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The relatively flat trails, lush countryside, well-kept picnic areas, and crystal-clear waters of the Cascadas El Chiflón (El Chiflón Waterfalls) offer a natural respite from the hustle and bustle of San Cristóbal. Highlights include stepped waterfalls, each more impressive than the last; a zipline; and the opportunity to take a dip in the cool turquoise pools.
Architecture, art, and pre-Hispanic culture combine at the pyramid-shaped Anahuacalli Museum, conceptualized by Mexican artist Diego Rivera and Juan O’Gorman and built from black volcanic rock. Opened in 1964, this singular museum houses Rivera’s collection of about 2,000 pre-Hispanic artifacts, murals, mosaics, and more.
Circular stepped pyramids rise from jade-colored foliage at Guachimontones, one of Jalisco's most distinctive archaeological zones. Nestled in the hills above Teuchitlán, the ruins were a ceremonial center of the Teuchitlán culture and are now part of a sprawling UNESCO World Heritage Site. They’re also a rare window into a civilization that predates both the Aztecs and the Incas—and one most travelers have never heard of.
Estimated to be around 2,000 years old, with a 177-foot (54-meter) circumference, the gnarled Tule Tree (Árbol del Tule) is one of the world’s oldest and widest trees. Once thought to be multiple trees merged together, it's actually a single Montezuma cypress specimen. Visitors can admire the natural wonder both up close and from a distance, as well as explore the pretty church courtyard it calls home.
The Diego Rivera Muralis a spectacular mosaic sculpture on the exterior of Exekatlkalli (La Casa de los Vientos), where the Mexican artist Diego Rivera once lived with his lover Dolores Olmedo. He spent the last years of his life with her here, and in 1956 created this mural featuring Quetzalcoatl, the Mesoamerican mythical serpent.
Take a break from the beaches to explore Mexico’s ancient past at the Museo Maya de Cancún (Maya Museum of Cancún), home to one of the Yucatán’s most significant collections of Maya artifacts. Here, you can see incredible items recovered from sites such as Chichen Itza, or visit the adjacent archaeological site, San Miguelito, to stroll among the ruins of what was once a vibrant Maya settlement.
Optical illusions and other sense-inspired experiences bring visitors to the family-friendly Xenses Park. It all unfolds in a series of 50 “scenes,” ranging from a soaring zipline, a cave waterslide, a warm clay river, and a village where everything is just a little bit off kilter. In the cavern-like Xensatorium, you can explore a series of world ecosystems in total darkness.
Aboard a Cancun-based Captain Hook pirate ship, spend a family-friendly evening that includes a buffet dinner served by salty seamen, dancing on the deck, and imbibing at an open bar. The 18th-century Spanish galleon replicas cruise the Caribbean while “pirates” entertain the crowd with tales of past escapades and dramatic sword fights.
Housed within the Santo Domingo Church (Templo de Santo Domingo), the 17th-century Rosary Chapel (Capilla del Rosario) is a magnificent example of Mexican baroque. Admire the gilded stucco, talavera tiles, and recently restored oil paintings which surround the altar at this chapel that was once considered the eighth wonder of the world.
Behind its understated dark red facade, the 16th-century Santo Domingo Church (Templo de Santo Domingo) hides some of the country’s most ornate interiors. Highlights are the life-sized altarpiece statues and the lavishly decorated, gilded, and tiled Rosary Chapel (Capilla del Rosario), itself a stellar example of Mexican baroque art and architecture.
The clear blue of the Pacific Ocean provides a backdrop for the natural spectacle put on by La Bufadora, one of the world’s largest marine geysers. La Bufadora (Spanish for “The Blowhole”) shoots seawater up to 100 feet (30 meters) high into the air every few seconds, though sometimes the interval lasts a few minutes. Dramatic and scenic, the falling mist is a refreshing change from the hot Mexican sun.
The majority Tzotzil-speaking Maya village of Zinacantán is known for its traditional customs, lively markets, and regional dishes. Visit with a local guide to learn more about the lifestyle—both past and present—of the Tzotzil Maya people who make up 99 percent of Zinacantán’s population, try your hand at weaving or tortilla-making, and eat alongside a local family.
Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone (Zona Romantica)—also called the Old Town, South Side, or Old Vallarta—sits away from the hotel zone and just steps from Los Muertos Beach. With artisan shops, streetside taco stands, and lively cantinas, this area of winding cobblestone streets maintains a more traditional, laid-back feel than the rest of the city.
Designed by architect Jacobo Gálvez during Mexico’s theatrical heyday, the neoclassical Degollado Theater (Teatro Degollado) remains one of downtown Guadalajara’s most popular concert halls, tourist attractions, and landmarks. While the facade is fronted by a marble relief of Apollo and the nine muses—as well as 16 magisterial Corinthian columns—the gilded interior is even more opulent.
The Grand Cenote is a semi-open sinkhole, half exposed to the lush jungle foliage that surrounds it. Its combination of light and shade makes it a great setting for underwater photography, and the cenote’s clear waters are home to turtles, fish, and lots of snorkelers. Beautiful though it may be, it’s also one of the busier cenotes in the Tulum area.
Once the tallest building in Latin America, the Latin-American Tower (Torre Latinoamericana) was originally built in 1956 and remains a major landmark of downtown Mexico City as well as remarkably earthquake resistant. Here, visitors can marvel over panoramic views from the 44th floor observation deck, sip cocktails at the 41st floor bar, and stop by the two on-site museums.
Situated close to the border with Guatemala, Comitán primarily serves as a jumping-off point for nearby attractions such as the Lagunas de Montebello National Park and Chinkultic ruins. However, charming Comitán—marked by colonial architecture and narrow streets—is also a destination in its own right, with a lively town center, plenty of great food, and a few local museums.
El Cedral is a village on the southwest side of Cozumel. It is also the site of the island’s oldest Mayan ruins, which date to AD 800. Spanish explorers first discovered El Cedral in 1518, and it became the island’s first official city in 1847. Today it’s home to a small community of quaint houses and farms, as well as an annual festival.
Overlooking Banderas Bay (Bahía de Banderas), the beautiful resort town of Nuevo Vallarta is an ideal destination for an all-inclusive getaway. Nuevo Vallarta (also known as Nuevo Nayarit) offers visitors upscale resorts and beach clubs, rolling golf courses, modern marinas, and gentle swells. Throw in mild weather year-round and close proximity to the beach, and you’ll never want to leave.
Set along Nichupte Lagoon in Cancun’s Hotel Zone, La Isla Shopping Village is lined with boutique shops, waterfront dining, and luxury shopping. Stroll along winding canals that create a Venice-like atmosphere, sip cocktails in outdoor courtyards, and buy artisan souvenirs. Designer names here include Burberry, Prada, and Gucci, while entertainment options range from a casino to a movie theater and an aquarium.
Recognizable for its entranceway whale sculpture, Marina Vallarta serves as a self-contained counterpoint to the sprawl of downtown Puerto Vallarta. Although technically a resort and residential development—complete with shopping centers and an 18-hole golf course—most visitors come to stroll the length of the yacht-lined boardwalk, dine at the surrounding restaurants, and browse the weekly craft market.
One of the oldest markets in Mexico City, San Juan Market is a hotspot of culinary delicacies, rarities, and oddities you’ll struggle to find anywhere else in the capital. Alongside tarantulas, scorpions, and all kinds of creepy crawlies, visitors can also sample exotic fruits, some of the city’s best tacos, and organic Mexican coffee.
Historic Plaza Garibaldi is the go-to spot for live local music in Mexico City. To get the full experience, cozy up to the bar at one of the square's numerous tequila joints, watch a folkloric show, or settle in to an outdoor table and enjoy the hustle of urban life as mariachi bands weave among patrons while playing traditional tunes.
Visible on the horizon from Mexico City, the dormant Iztaccíhuatl volcano is Mexico’s third-highest peak and a popular choice for hiking excursions. Iztaccíhuatl is named for its resemblance to a sleeping woman, and scaling the 17,159-foot-high (5,230-meter-high) summit offers impressive views of Popocatépetl and the Valley of Mexico.
One of Cozumel’s most popular dive sites, Paradise Reef (Paraíso Reef) is famous for its clear water, diverse coral structures, and teeming schools of colorful fish. Here you can spot large sea species such as eels, rays, and nurse sharks in addition to smaller creatures such as seahorses, boxfish, and delicate pipefish.
