Mexico's Destinations

Tap a dot to open that destination's guide. Hover over a state to see its name; the safety guide has the same map colored by US travel advisory level.

How Mexico is organized

Mexico is a federation of 31 states plus Mexico City. The US State Department's travel advisory, the thing most Americans ask about first, is written state by state, so the state a place sits in matters more than the country as a whole. Most of the places in this guide sit in states rated Level 1 or 2, and the destination pages say exactly where each one stands.

Distances are big. Tijuana to Cancún is about 1,900 miles (3,100 km) in a straight line, about San Diego to Detroit. Most good trips stay in one region, linked by short domestic flights, first-class buses or, on the Yucatán Peninsula, the new Tren Maya. Mexico City sits in the middle and has flights to nearly everywhere.

The Caribbean coast and the Yucatán

Turquoise water, cenotes, Maya ruins and Mexico's busiest airport for Americans at Cancún. Flat, hot and easy to get around by bus, train or rental car.

Mexico City and the colonial highlands

The capital's museums and food, then the silver-mining towns of the Bajío and the tequila country around Guadalajara. Cool, dry winters at 6,000 to 7,500 feet.

Oaxaca and the south

Indigenous cultures, Mexico's most celebrated food, mountain towns, jungle ruins and a wild Pacific coast.

The Pacific resorts

Big bays, whale season in winter, sport fishing and sunsets, from the tip of Baja to Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

Baja and the north

Wine country and fish tacos a short drive from San Diego, and the great canyons of the Sierra Madre by train.

Which destination fits your trip?

A filled dot means the destination is one of Mexico's best for that interest; an open dot means it's good. “No car needed” means you can see the highlights with buses, ferries, taxis and tours. The last column is the US State Department's advisory level for the state as of October 2026; read the safety guide for what each level means and which areas carry restrictions.

Combining destinations on one trip

The easy pairs are close together or one short flight apart. Domestic flights are cheap if you book a few weeks ahead and pack light; buses are comfortable for trips up to about five hours.

• Cancún, Tulum and Valladolid. The classic first trip: beach, cenotes and Chichén Itzá, all within two hours of each other. Add Isla Mujeres or Holbox for two nights of island time.
• Mérida, the Puuc ruins and Campeche. The Yucatán's colonial cities and Maya sites, linked by good roads and the Tren Maya.
• Mexico City and Oaxaca. A one-hour flight between the two best food cities in the country. Add Puerto Escondido for the beach.
• Mexico City, San Miguel and Guanajuato. Museums, then the colonial highlands three to four hours north by bus. Fly home from León/Bajío.
• Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Beach and bay, then mariachi and tequila country, about five hours apart by bus or one hour by air.
• Los Cabos, Todos Santos and La Paz. A loop around the tip of Baja with a rental car, mixing resorts, an artsy town and the Sea of Cortez.

Ready to put it together? The trip builder lays out a day-by-day route from your dates and interests, and getting around has the times and costs between every pair of places.