The 14 Best Full-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

Spend about 10 hours traveling from Tulum to Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and Cenote Xux Ha. A guide such as Miguel, Paloma, Santi, or Alondra leads the archaeological visit, explains Maya culture, and helps with the day’s logistics. Lunch, snacks, drinks, entrance fees, and Tulum transfers are included.

“Excellent experience. The guide was very informative about the history of chichen itza and we learnt so much about the culture and history of the Mayan people. The Cenote we were taken too afterwards was beautiful and the water very cool and refreshing!”

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

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

Spend 6 to 12 hours at Xcaret Park with round-trip transport from Cancun, swimming in underground rivers, visiting wildlife habitats, seeing Mayan and Mexican cultural displays, and watching the Xcaret México Espectacular night show. The basic ticket covers the park and show. Xcaret Plus adds a buffet, snorkeling gear, and a better changing area.

“Amazing tour. Pick up was on time and they made sure we were safe. Mr. Rodriguez provided excellent tips to make sure we could make the most of our day and experience. Truly worth every penny. Book this trip!”

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

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

Spend about 11 hours visiting Cholula’s pyramid and churches, Santa María Tonantzintla, Puebla’s historic center, and Mercado El Parián. English-speaking guides such as Álvaro, Omar, Rodrigo, and Arantxa bring history and local culture to life. Round-trip transport costs $49, while lunch is optional.

“Our guide was so cool and nice. I loved the places we visited and felt in love with Puebla. The food was amazing (I highly recommend chiles en nogada and pollo en mole poblano).”

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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 at Cenote Nool-Ha, eat a Yucatecan buffet in Kaua, and stop in Valladolid. Guides such as Ricardo, Roberto, Francisco, and Victor have been praised for clear Mayan history. Expect a full day, long bus rides, sales stops, and an added $40 government fee.

“Very nice experience. A little confusing when tax and admission are listed as two different things. We spent a great deal of time figuring out that it was actially the same. A bit long stops in the heat. Great memorable day”

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5.Puebla, Cholula and Tonantzintla Day Trip

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

Travel from Mexico City to Cholula, Santa María de 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 at Parián Market. Add lunch for regional dishes such as mole.

“Marvellous Alvaro and oyr driver sexy Julio! so interesting excursion well explained! amici tour is a warranty!”

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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 from Tulum with guides such as Miguel, Kenya, Niko, or Lea. Expect a rough road, boat safari, mangroves, birds, dolphins, manatees, a lagoon swim, weather-dependent snorkeling, and lunch in Punta Allen. Pickup, snacks, equipment, and a small group of up to 12 are included.

“Luigi and Christina were excellent. Very knowledgeable and we thoroughly enjoyed our day. The lunch was also very tasty. I would recommend this trip to others :)”

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7.Costa Maya Shore Excursion: Chacchoben Day Trip

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

Travel by air-conditioned minivan from Costa Maya to Chacchoben, where guides such as Ismael and Octavio explain the temples, pigments, hieroglyphics, and jungle wildlife. Expect about 50 minutes each way, 90 minutes at the ruins, uneven paths, steep steps, bottled water, and a small-group feel for $64.11.

“After multiple excursions, my family finally found one that was all around amazing. Like alot of reviews on here, Octavio was our tour guide. He did an excellent job explaining all the history to us. I was watching the ship ran tour groups and felt we were getting alot more info. Lucky for my family of 4, the other family cancelled and we got private tour of the ruins. We never felt rushed, we got to explore by ourselves when we wanted, and Octavio helped us take family photos. After having 2 shore excursions where we were begged for tips, and had mediocre experiences at best, this shore excursion was…”

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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, Jackie, and Gabriel have earned praise for clear explanations and warm service. Bring a refillable bottle, swimwear, cash, and sturdy shoes. A mandatory MX$750 fee is paid separately.

“Great experience with great weather. Would do it again. Tour lady and male driver was great. Thanks.”

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9.Hop-on Hop-off City Tour by Turibus 1-Day Pass

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 691 reviews · 10 hours · from $20Best value

Use one 10-hour Turibus pass across Centro, Coyoacán, Basílica, and Polanco. Ride upstairs for city views, then hop off near sights such as Templo Mayor, Frida Kahlo Museum, and the Museum of Anthropology. Audio commentary is available in seven languages, with staff support in eight.

“We highly recommend this activity on the first or second day purely to allow you to understand the size of Mexico, second to allow you to set sites of significance to help with your exploration. Its the perfect way to get around. Informative, easy and a great ride. If you don’t have ear phones, they are supplied and from memory there are several languages to help with the Spanish narration. Set aside a full day as the day is long, there is so much to see. Lastly, the bus has pretty much right of way through traffic, believe us, Mexico traffic is a beast! Do the bus ride guys, you…”

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10.Chichen Itza, Cenote & Valladolid Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 662 reviews · 12 hours · from $48

Travel from Cancun to Chichen Itza with a certified guide such as Manuel, Beto, or Frank, then swim at Cenote Chichikan, enjoy an optional buffet, taste tequila, and take a short walk through Valladolid. Expect an early start, a full 12-hour day, plenty of history, and limited time in the colonial town.

“Manuel was a great guide. Very informative and knowledgeable about Chitzen Itza. He let us know the for at of the day and was very good with timings, we never felt rushed but felt like we had adequate time. Noah was a very safe driver and made the day really easy for us.”

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11.Xplor Park Day Trip with Lunch and Transportation

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 638 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $184

Spend a high-energy day at Xplor Park near Cancun, flying on jungle ziplines, paddling through caves, swimming in underground pools, and driving an amphibious vehicle. Hotel pickup, lockers, equipment, drinks, and a buffet lunch are included. The park is self-guided, so you choose the order and pace.

“I enjoyed myself. I got over my fears of heights zip-lining. I can’t believe I did it smh. I always felt if I was designed to be in the air. The lord would have blessed me with wings. Food was ok. Nothing to brag on. But what I spent on the whole package. I’m not mad at it. I would do it again.”

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12.Todos Santos Day Trip from Cabo San Lucas

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 558 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $130

Ride from Cabo San Lucas to Todos Santos in a small air-conditioned minivan with a guide such as Angel, Daniel, Giovanni, Charlie, or Jesus. Visit the old mission, galleries, Hotel California, a blanket workshop, and a pearl demonstration. Lunch and tequila tasting are included, though shopping time can feel short.

“Great day trip to see a cute quaint little town and a bit of countryside. Thankfully, we only had 9 people in the group so everything went smoothly.”

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13.Rio Lagartos & Las Coloradas Day Trip & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 451 reviews · 12 hours - 1 day · from $104

Travel from Cancún or Puerto Morelos to Río Lagartos for a boat ride through mangroves, with chances to see flamingos, crocodiles, pelicans, and herons. Visit Las Coloradas, try a Mayan clay bath, swim at a beach, and eat a local fish-based lunch. Guides including José, Enrique, Philippe, and Carlos are praised for friendly service and clear explanations.

“Our tour guide Jose Rivero and driver Christian from Ekinox Tours are amazing. They’re genuine, friendly and helpful. Their professionalism made the long hour van ride feel shorter. We took a boat ride at Río Lagartos, observing the mangrove trees and saw crocodiles, raccoons and flamingos very closely. Our boat captain Carlos is amazing and very patient with our questions about the nature. We had lunch at a local restaurant with free beverages. Then we visited Las Coloradas for the iconic salty pink coloured water. I had a great time hanging with amazing people from this trip and I highly recommend Ekinox Tours. Their genuine hospitality and awesome personalities really…”

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14.One Day Tour to Chacchoben Mayan City and Bacalar Lagoon with a Certified Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 372 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $119

Travel from Costa Maya to Chacchoben, where guides such as Erick, Yoshi, Joel, and Diego explain Maya history among jungle-covered ruins. Then relax at Bacalar Lagoon with fajitas or tacos, aguas frescas, kayaking, swimming, and time by the water. The air-conditioned ride takes about an hour each way, so plan for a full outing with limited free time at the ruins.

“It was a great tour. Lots of good information. It was interesting and I learned some things I did not know.”

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