The 8 Best Day Trips in Mexico

1.Chichen Itza, Cenote and Valladolid Small Group Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,104 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $214Our pick

Leave Tulum early for a guided visit to Chichen Itza, followed by lunch and free time in colonial Valladolid. Finish with a swim at Cenote Xux Ha, often enjoyed by small groups with few other people around. Guides such as Miguel, Paloma, Santi, and Alondra bring history and local culture to life.

“Everything was perfect: the timing (we were in Chichen izta when most of the people were arriving) and the cenote is one of the best in the zone”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Xcaret Park Day Trip, transportation and Cultural Night Show

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,899 reviews · 6 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $167

Travel from Cancun to Xcaret Park with round-trip transport, then spend the day swimming in underground rivers, visiting wildlife areas, and exploring Mayan and Mexican culture. Your admission includes the evening México Espectacular show. Upgrade to Xcaret Plus for lunch, snorkeling gear, and the Plus changing area.

“We loved spending Boxing Day (day after Christmas) at the park. Such a beautiful location mixing nature with culture and attractions. Some of the add ons are a bit expensive, but are worth it if you have the budget. But the show at the end is worth the entrance ticket in itself. Would love to go back”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Puebla, Cholula & Tonantzintla Day Trip with Optional Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,702 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $49Best value

Spend about 11 hours visiting Cholula’s pyramid base, Santa María Tonantzintla’s indigenous baroque church, and Puebla’s historic center. Guides such as Álvaro, Omar, Rodrigo, and Arantxa add history and cultural context. Transport is included, but expect long drives, hills, and plenty of walking.

“Puebla, Cholula & Tonantzintla Day Trip Is excellent! The tour guy is very nice. My husband and I were enjoying so much. We are strong recommend this tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Chichen Itza Day Trip Exclusive Nool-Ha Cenote & Valladolid Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,501 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $110

Travel from Cancun to Chichen Itza with a bilingual guide, then swim in Cenote Nool-Ha, eat a Yucatecan buffet, and visit Valladolid. Guides such as Ricardo, Roberto, Francisco, and Victor have earned strong praise for their Mayan history talks. Expect a long shared-bus day, optional shopping, and a possible extra government fee.

“Overall, this trip was a little disappointing! I will start with the good things. Pros: our tour guide, Francisco, was very informative and nice. The food at the Mayan reservation was pretty good. The three destinations were beautiful and great experiences. Cons: the day is 14 hours long, not 12. We were picked up at 7:30 and did not get into the bus until at least 9:30. It was a waste of time and not very organized. You spend the majority of the day on the bus. The first leg of the trip was over 2.5 hours long. The itinerary of the trip on Viator also did not match the…”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.From Mexico City: Puebla, Cholula and Tonantzintla Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,191 reviews · from $89

Travel from Mexico City to Cholula, Tonantzintla, and Puebla with a bilingual guide such as Rodrigo, Alvaro, or Alex. See the Great Pyramid, an extraordinary indigenous Baroque church, Puebla’s cathedral and Rosary Chapel, then shop for Talavera pottery. Choose the lunch option for a traditional Puebla meal.

“Shout out to Miriam and our driver Antonio. Miriam did very well translating Spanish and English. I had a great day but a very long day! We left Mexico City about 9.30am after the pick ups and got back at 9.30pm as the traffic was so bad. We left the last stop at 5.20pm and it should have been 2 hours. Mexico traffic! I could have done with more time in cholula - we had an hour. I went around the archeological site of the cholula pyramid which was amazing. Some people climbed to the top to see the church, others went shopping or to the monastery. I would have…”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Sian Ka’an Adventure Full Day Trip to Punta Allen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,179 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $254

Spend about 10 hours exploring Sian Ka’an with a small group of up to 12. Guides such as Miguel, Kenya, Niko, Lea, and Pablo explain the reserve as you travel by van and boat. Expect wildlife, mangroves, a possible reef snorkel, a lagoon swim, and lunch in Punta Allen.

“Our guide, Christine, was fabulous, such good energy made for a fun day. Our boat captain was amazing and got us up close to Dolphin, Manatees, turtles, tons of birds and a few others. Lunch in Punta Allen was great and enjoyed looking over the ocean. Snorkeling didn’t work out but we had a nice swim in some beautiful clear water. Everything was as advertised and on time!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Costa Maya Shore Excursion: Chacchoben Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,109 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $64

Travel about an hour from Costa Maya to Chacchoben, where guides such as Ismael and Octavio explain Maya temples, red pigment, hieroglyphics, and jungle wildlife. Expect a small-group ride, uneven paths, steep steps, bottled water, snacks, and a port return timed for cruise passengers.

“Just okay. Would have been nice to see more of the island. You get on and go straight to the ruins. Long ride on a long road with pretty much no scenery, just bush on both sides. We were in the back seats of the van and couldn't hear anything the guide was saying because of the radio playing. You gotta turn the music down when you have something to communicate.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Tulum Day Trip Mayan Ruins and Cenote Swim

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 924 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $79

Travel from Cancun to Tulum for a guided two-hour visit to the Mayan ruins, then cool off at Cenote Puerta Maya. Guides such as Mary, Abi, Gabriel, and Jackie have led this trip. Bring a refillable metal bottle, swimwear, cash, and comfortable shoes.

“The ruins tour was very disappointing. We never got close to the ruins and didn’t even see the main temple. Our guide spent the whole time telling us about how the Mayans sacrificed women. He told us how they did it (very graphically), how they chose the women and what time of year the did it. He wouldn’t allow us to stop and take photos. He kept saying Ko’ox (which means let’s go in Mayan) He took us to the back of the main temple and gave us 5 minutes to take pics. I would’ve gone around to the front had I know we weren’t going to. I’d recommend a…”

Check availability →Read our full review