Museo Regional de Antropología e Historia
La Paz
This is a large, well-organized museum chronicling the peninsula’s history (in Spanish) from prehistory to the Revolution of 1910 and its aftermath.
Must-see attractions in Mexico
Cancún
A small beach with a great kids’ playground, bathrooms and free palapa-topped tables. Access just north of the Holiday Inn Cancun Arenas.
San Miguel de Allende
Adorned with an elaborate late-18th-century Churrigueresque facade, this church has an image of St Francis of Assisi at the top. Opening hours vary.
Zona Rosa & Reforma
Paseo de la Reforma’s busy intersection with Avenida Insurgentes is marked by the Monumento a Cuauhtémoc, memorializing the last Aztec emperor.
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
Acapulco
The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, built in 1930, dominates the square and is unusual for its blue-domed, neo-Byzantine architecture.
Museo Regional Huasteco Joaquín Meade
La Huasteca Potosina
A small museum that showcases over 10,000 archaeological and ethnological pieces from the region, from around 600 BC until the Spanish conquest.
Guanajuato
This attractive cafe-lined and shady square is Guanajuato's social hub and is packed full of locals, mariachis and tourists throughout the day.
Unidad Cultural Profesor Jesús Castro Agúndez
La Paz
The Teatro de la Ciudad, part of this large cultural center, is the main performance venue in La Paz.
Zona Rosa & Reforma
An angular tower and mirror-ball ensemble housing the nation’s Bolsa (stock exchange) marks the southern edge of the Colonia Cuauhtémoc.
Centro Histórico
The main church in the Lagunilla neighborhood, dating from the 16th century. Celebrations to its patron saint occur here every November 25.
Galería Abierta de las Rejas de Chapultepec
Polanco & Bosque de Chapultepec
An open-air art gallery (really one side of the avenue) that exhibits photography and prints of paintings by up-and-coming Mexican artists.
Puebla
Next door to the Iglesia de la Compañía is the 16th-century Edificio Carolino, now the main building of Universidad Autónoma de Puebla.
Inland Michoacán
This church was built in the mid-17th century and remodeled in 1841, mixing both baroque and neoclassical styles. Impressive chandeliers.
Oaxaca City
This commercial gallery presents a wide range of quality art, and includes a room devoted to surrealist painter Rodolfo Morales’ work.
West of Mexico City
This sprawling outdoor water park mixes curative thermal-water pools with waterfalls, water slides, a wave pool and a miniature railway.
Querétaro
A block west of Jardín Zenea is the Fuente de Neptuno, designed by noted Mexican neoclassical architect Eduardo Tresguerras in 1797.
Acapulco
This statue and roundabout marks the center of Acapulco's strip. Many hotels, restaurants and discos are within a few blocks of it.
Cancún
Cancún's main north–south thoroughfare is Avenida Tulum, a wide boulevard lined with banks, shopping centers and restaurants.
East of Mexico City
The Museo Regional de Tlaxcala has a large collection of religious paintings and a few pre-Hispanic sculptures and artifacts.
Guanajuato
This triangular plaza is lined by cafes, bars and restaurants and full of shade-giving trees in a neatly maintained garden.
Xalapa
This small gallery houses a modest collection of Rivera’s works, and also exhibits paintings by other Mexican artists.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Roble
Monterrey
Visible from all over the city, the iconic clock tower of this impressive church is something of a symbol for the city.
Veracruz
Marvel at the giant twisted roots and branches of this ancient ceiba tree, to which Cortés allegedly moored his ships.
Palenque
Overgrown and of little interest, Templo XI is the first structure you'll see entering the site from the main entrance.
Acapulco
One of Acapulco's busy beaches along the strip, this can smell a little fishy at its western end from the day's catch.
Acapulco
The central and busy Playa Hornitos is backed by numerous bars and restaurants. The high-rise hotel zone begins here.
Northern Central Highlands
This gorgeous church, which dates from 1805, has an elaborate carved stone facade and an equally impressive interior.
Catedral de la Virgen de la Asunción
Veracruz City
The 18th-century cathedral has doors opening out onto the zócalo and is fairly unremarkable on the inside.
Palenque
Palenque's central plaza is busy any time, but comes to life after the sun goes down. Sometimes hosts free concerts.
Aguascalientes State
A small, modern museum displaying the work of painter Enrique Guzmán (1952−86) as well as temporary exhibitions.
Veracruz
This neoclassical church, begun in 1812, is gorgeously painted in blue and white and is the star of Plaza Zaragoza.
Palenque
A series of small falls tumble down to form natural bathing pools. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to bathe here.
Acapulco
Playa Manzanillo, a small crescent of sand handy for the center, is popular with locals but not especially clean.
East of Mexico City
The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain storehouse, occupies the north side of the zócalo.
San Cristóbal de las Casas
Founded by the Franciscans in 1577, this fairly plain little church contains baroque altarpieces and pulpit.
Taller de Don Salvador Tera e Hijos
Inland Michoacán
The town’s best wood sculpture can be found at the workshop of Don Salvador Tera and Sons on the highway.
Chichén Itzá
The visitors center has a small museum with exhibits providing explanations in Spanish, English and French.
Manzanillo
Around a kilometer from the main plaza, this is the closest beach to the old town, but also the dirtiest.
Chiapas
Just north of the central plaza, Comitán's market is a good place to hunt for cheap eats and photo ops.
Palenque
The man who discovered Pakal’s tomb in 1952 was buried here, under the trees in front of Templo XIII.
