Mexico vacation ideas range from cities full of beautiful Spanish colonial architecture and miles of pristine beaches to mysterious Mayan ruins and deep sea fishing off the Baja Peninsula in the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean. There are also magnificent wild landscapes in places like the Copper Canyon that you can see onboard the Chihuahua Pacific Railway. The best destinations in Mexico are limited only by your vacation ideas and interests. Just about all kinds of things to do, short of skiing, are available. If you can’t decide among all the different choices, you might choose Mexico cruises.

Other Mexico travel ideas—especially for those who live in southern California, Arizona, or Texas—include last minute vacation ideas just across the border. You can hop onboard a short three- or four-day cruise in Los Angeles or San Diego and make port stops along the way, including a day in charming Ensenada, before heading back to your home port. You can also enjoy longer cruises that might embark in Key West Florida and hug the Mexican Riviera ports down to Cancun; many of these cruises might continue on to Central America, through the Panama Canal and up the western coast of Mexico from Acapulco to Puerto Vallarta. In addition to cruises, great Mexico travel ideas for residents of the Southwest involve a quick hop over the border to Monterrey, Tijuana, or Chihuahua just for an evening out.

Mexico vacation ideas for snowbirds (people who travel south for the winter vacation season) from the northern United States and Canada include extended stays in vacation rentals throughout the winter months. This is also a very popular place for Americans to retire. This is especially true of the Lake Chapala area around Guadalajara where there are several large ex patriot retirement communities. Since these people also like to travel, Mexico timeshares and other vacation rentals are available at different times of the year.

The best destinations in Mexico for beaches will be found on both coasts of the country. If you want fantastic fishing and extraordinary whale watching, try Cabo San Lucas. This where the majestic gray whales come during the winter months to mate and calve, and this is one of the premier places in the world for sport fishing looking for dorado, sailfish, marlin, and tuna. One of the most popular beach resorts in the Western Hemisphere is found on the Yucatan Peninsula where Cancun and Cozumel are located. In addition to enjoying a magical coastline and fabulous beach resorts, Mexico vacation ideas include visiting some of the best of the Mayan Ruins. The entire peninsula is dotted with Mayan ruins, including the fabulous Chichen Itza. These ruins continue south all the way across the borders of Guatemala and Belize in Central America.

More great Mexico travel ideas that include beaches can be found on the western coast of the country. You can head to the quaint village of Yelapa south of Puerto Vallarta for a taste of the laid back atmosphere that drew hippies here in the 1960s and 1970s. You can also get in excellent scuba diving in Banderas Bay along the Riviera Nyarit coastline where Puerto Vallarta is located. Or you can enjoy the sophisticated resorts around lively Acapulco, one of the oldest beach resorts in the Western Hemisphere.

The best destinations in Mexico for sophisticated and cosmopolitan cities will always include Mexico City. Here you will find luxurious five-star hotels, gourmet dining options, and internationally respected museums. There are also fabulous pre-Columbian Aztec ruins, including Tenochitlan and Teotihuacan. There is also great shopping to be had in small shops and exclusive boutiques and galleries, as well as graceful Spanish colonial architecture.