Not sure where to go? Try one of these common itineraries to take on your own, or mix and match destinations to plan your own independent trip.
1. Mexico Overview Itinerary
Approximate Time: 3 Weeks
Mexico City - Puebla de Zaragoza - Veracruz - Palenque - Campeche - Merida - Playa del Carmen - Cancun - Celestun - Acayucan - Oaxaca de Juarez - Cuernavaca - Mexico City
Mexico is a popular destination for its beaches, cuisine, culture, history, art, and ecology. You can see everything from jungles in the southeast to desert in the northwest. It has activities for everyone from avid golfers, to scuba divers, or eco-travelers.
This itinerary gives you a general overview of what Mexico has to offer. It begins and ends in Mexico City, which has a large international airport so it is relatively easy to find flights in and out of.
From Mexico City make your way to Puebla where you can spend a day seeing the colonial architecture and impressive sights. From there continue on to Veracruz. This is a port city that is famous for its nightlife and large downtown area. It really comes to life in the evenings when there is music and dancing that is heavily influenced by the Cuban culture.
From there continue on to Palenque which is most know for its ruins of a Mayan city. These ruins date back to between 600 AD and 800 AD. It's surrounded by thick trees and is in a fascinating setting.
Make your way to Campeche, which is a port city that sits on the Gulf of Mexico. It's a pleasant place to relax and has a quaint Colonial Old Town that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Make your way to Merida, which is a large city that is popular with tourists. The people here are welcoming and the markets are lively and colorful. From Merida go on to the Chichen Itza ruins which are truly spectacular. They are the largest archaeological site from the pre-Columbian Mayan civilization on the Yucatan Peninsula.
From there go on to Playa del Carmen, which is less crowded than the nearby Cancun. It has beautiful beaches and nearby archaeological sites such as Tulum.
After spending some time in Playa del Carmen, go on to either Puerto Juarez or Cancun for a night or two.
Circle back to Celestun which is a peaceful village that is popular for fishing. It truly offers a relaxing atmosphere that you can enjoy.
Split up your trip to Acayucan with a night in Cuidad del Carmen. Acayucan is a quaint colonial city. From there make your way to Oaxaca. Oaxaca is a very vibrant and colorful city that is culturally rich and interesting. It makes a great base for exploring the area. Some of the area's sights include Monte Alban, Arbol del Tule, Mitla, and Yagul.
From there go to Cuernavaca, which is a popular vacation spot for tourists. It has a very comfortable climate throughout the entire year. It's a great place to visit for its many parks and gardens as well as its lively weekends. Many visitors come from Mexico City to enjoy the town during the weekends.
From there return to Mexico City to complete your trip.
2. Mexico Highlights Itinerary
Approximate Time: 2 Weeks
Mexico City - Morelia - Zihuatanejo - Acapulco de Juarez - Taxco de Alarcon - Mexico City
This two week itinerary lets you visit many of the highlights that Mexico has to offer. Whether you're looking for culture, beaches, history or shopping, Mexico really offers something for everybody.
This itinerary also begins and ends in Mexico City. It's first stop after leaving the capital city is Morelia. Morelia is beautiful city that has colonial style architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's a great place to spend a few days.
From there make your way to Ixtapa with a stop in Zihuatanejo. Located in the area known as the Mexican Riviera, you can soak up some sun and enjoy picturesque beaches. Zihuatanejo is a quaint fishing village with many local restaurants, boutique shops and cobblestone streets. Ixtapa is a modern resort town where you can enjoy some water sports and pamper yourself a little bit.
From Ixtapa make your way to Acapulco. Acapulco has a beautiful beaches, a fascinating open-air market, a nice central square and wonderful places to eat. Make sure you enjoy some of the seafood that is abundant here. Another fascinating place to explore is the 17th century fort of Fuerte de San Diego.
After a few days in Acapulco continue to Taxco. This is a nice, hill side town which is set amongst the mountains. It has quaint buildings with terracotta roofs and is a fun place to explore. There are many cobblestone streets and nice courtyards. There are also many sights and attractions worth visiting.
From there, make you way back to Mexico City to finish your trip.