archaeological tours mexico

Mexico Archaeological Tours & Cruises

• Start Date Select Month April 2024 May 2024 June 2024 July 2024 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024 December 2024 January 2025 February 2025 March 2025 April 2025 May 2025 June 2025 July 2025 August 2025 September 2025 October 2025 November 2025 December 2025 January 2026 February 2026 March 2026 April 2026 OR, More specific start
• Easy Active
• Food & Wine
• Scheduled Group Tour
• Solo Travel
• Wildlife & Safari Exploration
• Adventure Options
• Archaeological Site Visits
• Cooking Classes
• Horseback Riding
• Local Market Visits
• Photography Seminars
• Scuba Diving
• Small Ship Cruises
• Stand Up Paddle Boarding
• Urban Exploration
• Village Visits
• Whale Watching
• Whitewater Rafting
• Wilderness Lodge Exploration
• Wildlife Viewing
• National Geographic Sea Bird
• National Geographic Sea Lion
• National Geographic Venture
• Safari Voyager
• Yucatan Explorer
• Visit a Maya archaeological site
• Stroll through 'the Yellow City'
• Explore Chichen Itza & its temples
• Boat through Sian Ka'an Reserve
• Chiapas Adventure
• Bike across the Chiapan countryside
• Hike Montebello Lakes
• Search for jaguars, eagles & macaws
• Boat to Rio Lacantun

Oaxaca Hike and Bike

• Trek the Sierra Norte Mountains
• Bike back roads through Oaxaca
• Visit artisan villages
• Explore the ruins at Mitla
• Chiapas Maya Heartland
• Visit a potters village
• Walk through impressive Maya Ruins
• Learn about the Olmec people
• Swim at the Mishol-Ha Waterfall

Premium Mexico Yucatan Highlights

• Visit Chichen Itza, Muyil, & Tulum
• Experience local life in community
• Enjoy in a old-world charm hotel
• Explore Tulum archaeological site
• Meet with a local conservationist

Premium Mexico in Depth

• Visit the vibrant Mexico City
• Tour Teotihuacan ruins
• Visit Oaxaca archaeological site
• Explore Celestun Bird Sanctuary
• Enjoy the resort town of Tulum

Best of Mexico

• See Mexico's Metropolitan Cathedral
• Discover Teotihuacan ruins
• Relax in Playa del Carmen resort
• Oaxaca Culinary Tour
• Tour the highlights of Oaxaca
• Attend a traditional cooking class
• Explore points of cultural interest
• Visit artisanal communities

Taste of Puebla

• Take a hands on cooking class
• Enjoy meals at local restaurants
• Visit Cholula's Aztec temple

Mexico Travel Guide

• All Mexico Trips
• Mexico Adventure Cruises
• Mexico Overview
• Mexico Festivals!
• Beaches in Mexico
• Mexico FAQs
• Shuffle your feet in the sand

Favorite Mexico All Trips

• Baja's Bounty
• Oaxaca Traditions
• Into the Canyon
• Trekking Copper Canyon

Top Mexico Travel Destinations

• Central America & Mexico

Mexico Trips by Departure Date

• 2024 Mexico trips (16)
• 2025 Mexico trips (18)
• 2026 Mexico trips (15)
• June 2024 (13)
• November 2024 (14)
• December 2024 (16)
• January 2025 (15)
• February 2025 (15)
• March 2025 (15)
• January 2026 (13)
• February 2026 (13)
• March 2026 (13)

Top Experiences in Mexico

• Mexico Land Tours (13)
• Mexico Wildlife & Safari Exploration (9)
• Mexico Cruises (7)
• Mexico Cultural (6)
• Mexico Active (6)
• Mexico Beaches (6)
• Mexico Solo Travel (4)
• Mexico Scheduled Group Tour (3)

Mexico Trips by Duration

• 7 day trips (3)
• 8 day trips (8)
• 15 day trips (3)

Mexico Trips by Activity

• Mexico wildlife viewing (15)
• Mexico whale watching (9)
• Mexico archaeological site visits (9)
• Mexico village visits (8)
• Mexico snorkeling (8)
• Mexico kayaking (7)
• Mexico hiking (7)
• Mexico small ship cruises (6)
• Mexico local market visits (5)
• Mexico cooking classes (3)
• Mexico biking (3)
• Mexico urban exploration (3)

Why Travel With Adventure Life

Recognized by.

🎁Purchase Gift Card🎁

Yucatan Archaeology & History

Quick Details

• Users Ages: Ages 5+
• Clock Duration: 8-10 days
• Info Tour Type: Multi-day Tour

Maya Archaeological Tour

Are you a culture lover? And are you fascinated by archaeology and history? Then you found the ideal tour for you!

Enjoy a fantastic journey through the cradle of one of the most enigmatic civilizations in the world: the Yucatan Peninsula.

Thanks to our expert guides, you will have a true understanding of the history of the Maya culture by visiting world famous archaeological sites such as Calakmul and Chichen Itza, and other less famous, but equally impressive archaeological sites. Our guides, are all experts in their field and with higher studies in their specialty. They will give you true information about the Mayan world and their habits and beliefs. Together with the archaeological sites, you will have a good insight about how it was during the maya time!

This tour will give you the opportunity to have a vision of the ancient world and its transition to the modern world! How? by visiting beautiful colonial cities in Campeche. Which its baroque style that will give you a total perspective on the different stages of life on the Peninsula!

• Chevron down Includes
• Transportation
• Entrance Fees
• Bilingual Guide
• Chevron down Suggested Items to Bring
• Comfortable clothes and shoes
• Biodegradable insect repellent
• Biodegradable sunscreen
• Hygienic personal items
• Your camera
• Chevron down Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Cancun airport

We know that you will arrive tired from your flight, so this first day we will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel to rest and prepare to start the tour the next day. Your accommodation will be: Hotel El Rey del Caribe (or similar), in Cancun.

Day 2: Visit to the archaeological site of Tulum

After enjoying breakfast, we will visit the incomparable archaeological site of Tulum early in the day (we visit it in the morning to avoid the crowding).

Tulum was called Zamá (“dawn” in the Mayan language) by its first inhabitants in the fourth century of our era, and later it was known as Tulum (“Wall” in the Mayan language).

The strategic location of the place made it become one of the main Mayan cities of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, especially after the fall of the city of Mayapán, its closest enemy.

In addition, its location in an elevated area and its efficient defensive system made it an essential scale for commercial routes established with other Maya cities and central Mexico, which was reinforced by the great exploitation of its maritime resources. It was outlined in this way, as a link between the maritime and land trade routes of the Maya world.

After marveling at Tulum, we will continue to the archaeological site of Muyil (also known as Chunyaxché), which was inhabited during the classic Mesoamerican period.

Its location in front of the Sian Ka’an Lagoon gave the place a strategic position on the Maya commercial route along the coast and through a network of canals in this region, which is now part of the tourist area of the Mexican Caribbean.

Among the goods exchanged along this route were jade, obsidian, chocolate, honey, feathers and of course salt. We continue to have a well-deserved and necessary lunch in the typical restaurant El Faisan and Venado, in Carrillo Puerto, where you will taste delicious typical dishes of the region.

We will visit the church of Balam Nah (today De la Santa Cruz), one of the oldest buildings in the town. He had a leading role during the Caste War that lasted from 1847 to 1901, in which the Maya intended to recover the territory occupied by the Spanish conquerors and that ended up costing almost 250 thousand lives.

We will end the day moving to the beautiful town of Bacalar. After dinner, we will leave you at your Laguna Bacalar (or similar) hotel.

Day 3: Dzibanché, Kinichná, and Kohunlich

It is the third day of this fabulous tour, and we will have breakfast early to be able to avoid the crowd at the archaeological site of Dzibanché.

Founded approximately in the 1st century AD, however, from the early classical period it became a great city and important architectural projects such as the Acropolis of the Kinichná complex, the Owl Temple and the first stage of the Temple of The Cormorants.

We will continue to the nearby archaeological zone of Kohunlich which, contrary to what one might think, owes its name to the phonetic transcription of Cohoon Ridge granted by archaeologist Victor Segovia.

Finally, we will move to the Chicanna ecovillage hotel for overnight.

Day 4: Chicanna, Becan, and Xpujil

The first thing to do on this fourth day is to have a good breakfast. Once loaded with energy, we will go to the archaeological site of Chicanná (“In the house of the Snake’s mouth” in the Mayan language).

Chicanná is the site that has the largest number of “Río Bec” type buildings in good condition. The panels of masks that have some of their buildings are good examples of regional iconography and show the evolution of the representations of the Earth Monster.

The abandonment of the settlement is closely linked to the fall of Becan, in the early thirteenth century, on which it was dependent throughout its development.

Precisely Becan is our next stop, and its name means “Road left by the running of water” in the Mayan language, and this is verified by observing the moat that surrounds the main buildings of the site, which is also evidence of its warlike activity.

Because of its importance and location, Becán is considered as a regional capital, that is to say, that it headed the territorial political organization of other minor settlements.

To conclude this incredible day, we will visit the archaeological zone of Xpujil (“Cat’s Tail” in the Mayan language), another great city of the Bec River Region. With evidence of its foundation in 400 B.C., it reached the cusp between 500 and 700 A.D. and it had its decline around the year 1100.

Surely you will be exhausted after touring the archeological zones of the region, therefore, we will move to rest in the Ecovilla de Chicanná.

Day 5: Calakmul and Hormiguero

Another exciting day with a lot to explore! After breakfast, we will visit the enigmatic archaeological zone of Calakmul early, which in the Mayan language means “Two adjacent mounds,” and whose name refers to the two huge structures that dominate the jungle.

One of the most important cities of the Classic Maya period along with Tikal and Palenque and which led the political organization of the highlands. There is evidence of wars for almost a century between Tikal and Calakmul for political control of the region and the Serpent Kingdom (Kaan).

It was designated by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage of Humanity. We will continue to the last archaeological zone of the day: Hormiguero (“Ant nest”). This is the site of smaller dimensions, and that owes its name to a chiclero camp of the early twentieth century. Its characteristic element is a building with a large mask in the center that represents a huge and monstrous open mouth, which is interpreted as the threshold between the outside world and the underworld.

After this long journey, it’s time to return to Chicanna’s ecovillage for a well-deserved rest.

Day 6: Balam Kú, Baluarte Campeche and city tour in Campeche capital

Once we have recharged our energy with a good breakfast, we will visit the impressive archaeological zone of Balam Kú (“Temple of the Jaguar” in the Mayan language).

In Balam kú, there is a stucco frieze modeled and painted unique in the Mayan area, which was made between 550 and 600 a. C. The frieze shows four ascension scenes alternated with three jaguars. Each comprises an animal with its head turned back, sitting in the front slit of an Earth Monster mask; his mouth gives way to a king on his throne.

In addition to illustrating in detail the opposite and complementary aspects of the underworld, the set shows that the dynastic cycle is equated with the solar cycle.

In this conception, accession to the throne is illustrated by the king emerging from the jaws of the earth monster, as the sun rises from the mouth of the Earth; The death of the king is seen as a sunset when it falls into the mouth of the Earth Monster.

We will continue to the city of Campeche to have lunch. After a delicious lunch, we will visit the Baluarte Campeche Museum (named World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in December 1999). In reality, these are several walled forts to protect the population from the attacks of Pirates, whose construction began in the mid-16th century, and which consists of Baluarte of San Juan, Baluarte de San Francisco, Baluarte de Santa Rosa, Baluarte de San Carlos, Baluarte de la Soledad, Baluarte de Santiago, and Baluarte de San José.

At approximately 5 p.m., we will move to the hotel to prepare for a city tour through the beautiful and colonial city of Campeche at night.

To end another amazing day, you will have dinner at the Best Western Hotel De Mar.

Day 7: Edzná, Xtampak, and Uxmal

The seventh day of this adventure arrives, and as usual, after breakfast, we will go to our next point: Edzná. Founded around 400 B.C. and whose name in the Mayan language means “House of the Itzáes” or “House of the Echo”, the city is admirable for its advanced system of hydraulic works: a network of canals drained the valley and the water was led to a lagoon, which was transformed into a dam, through retaining walls, while other channels served to irrigate the fields. Its squares had a magnificent drainage system and rainwater reached artificial reservoirs, called “chultunes.”

We will continue our trip to Santa Rosa Xtampak. Xtampak (“Old Walls” in the Mayan language) is considered to be the most important regional capital of the Chenes route, as it has altars and steles sculpted with dates of events. It is believed that its domain radius was 400 kilometers.

After admiring the archeological site, it was time for lunch in the city of Hopelchén (“Place of the Five Wells” in the Mayan language). The time has come to enjoy dinner and rest, so we will move to the town of Uxmal where you can attend (optional) the incredible light and sound show in the archaeological zone of Uxmal.

Overnight will be at the Uxmal Hotel Maya complex.

Day 8: Uxmal and Chichen Itza

We will enter the archaeological site of Uxmal very early (“Three times built” in the Mayan language), to be able to enjoy the area practically privately.

The city was an important agricultural settlement, which is why many of its buildings are decorated with masks of Chac, God of rain. After enjoying this wonderful encounter with the past, it was time for a delicious lunch at Hacienda Uxmal, a beautiful hotel built in front of the pyramids.

The trip continues to our hotel in the Chichen Itza area, where you will have the option to attend the incredible Light and Sound show in front of the spectacular pyramid of Kukulkan.

Overnight will be at the Chichen Itza Villas Archaeological Hotel.

Day 9: Chichen Itza and Valladolid

Again, we will have the opportunity to enter the archeological zone of Chichen Itza very early to enjoy this wonder of the modern world practically privately.

The “City on the edge of the well of the Itzaes” (name of the city in the Mayan language) was the capital of a large territory in the Yucatan Peninsula, headed by the Mayapán League, from 987 until 1200 AD. C. The Chichén Itzá archeological zone is famous worldwide for the play of light and shadow that occurs in each equinox on the stairway of the pyramidal basement known as El castillo.

In this, the sun, as it rises above the horizon, illuminates the western basement, creating triangles of light and shadow that seem to descend to the snake’s head in the displacement of the alfarda. This event, achieved from the correct orientation and inclination of the plans of the basement, manifests the great level of astronomical and architectural knowledge that the Maya possessed, and that has resulted in being one of the most studied cultures and regions around these issues, in addition to the territorial political organization and the exploitation of resources.

The guided tour also includes the passage through important buildings such as the Great Ball Game, the Jaguar Temple, the Temple of the Bearded Man, the Temple of Venus, the House of the Deer, the Observatory, among other impressive buildings.

Lunch at the Mayaland Restaurant – restaurant of the only hotel built in an archeological zone in the world, which has been operating since 1923 – and then you will have the option of swimming in the refreshing waters of the impressive X´kekén cenote (“Pork” in the Mayan language, and he was baptized like this because, long time ago, a farmer´s pig escaped from a peasant, and found him inside the cenote.) After a day full of emotions and adventure, it is time to check in at the beautiful hotel Mesón del Marques – beautiful and traditional hotel located in what was a colonial mansion – and after getting settled and taking a shower, we will take a tour of the night in the colonial city of Valladolid (founded in 1543 by Francisco de Montejo, and which was a key element during the Caste War. Declared Magic Town in 2012) and dinner at Mesón del Marques.

Day 10: House of the Deer

The end of this incredible journey has come. After breakfast, we will visit a very particular place: The House of the Deer. It is a private museum with more than 3,000 pieces, founded by John and Dorian Venator and that took them more than ten years to complete. After leaving the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport to Cancun.

Related Tours

• Info Multi-day Tour
• Clock 11+ days
• Users Ages 8+

Bird Watching Tour

See and learn about the Yucatan’s 548 endemic bird species! Visit the best birding habitats, like mangroves, estuaries, and jungles near Cancun.

• Clock 5-7 days
• Users Ages 5+

Reptile Wildlife Tours

The Yucatan Peninsula is home to over 180 species of reptiles and amphibians. This is why we offer the ultimate nature tour in the peninsula with a scientific approach!

• Clock 7 days
• Users All ages

Monarch Butterfly Tour – Mexico

Discover the Beauty of Butterflies

An amazing natural experience: the Monarch Butterfly Migration! Every fall, after a long journey of 4,200 k,Monarch butterfly arrives in Mexico to spend winter.These impressive travelers hibernate in the limits of Michoacan and State of Mexico,in the mountains of the Neovolcanic Axis,covered by forests of fir.

Book with Confidence - we want you to be as confident as possible when planning your next vacation. Learn More >>

The Archeological Mayan Journey

Price: Please inquire

Go on the ultimate archeological Mayan journey, discovering ancient ruins and magical Yucatecan villages on a luxurious 10-day vacation.

Dive into the region’s rich history, visiting ancient Maya archeological sites including Uxmal, Palenque, Bonampak, and the world-famous Chichen Itza. Private expert guides will help to add color and uncover the secrets of the Maya from their bloody rituals to their astonishing mathematical and architectural achievements.

Travelers will also enjoy private tours of gorgeous Maya cities, including Merida and Campeche, a swim in a refreshing cenote, and stays in luxurious accommodations.

1N Cancun – Settle in your first night after arriving to Mexico at a beautiful hotel in Cancun with breath taking views of the ocean.

2N Merida – Tour the colorful city of Merida, named the World’s Best Small City 2019 by Condé Nast Traveler magazine.

1N Campeche – Explore the charming coastal city of Campeche and take an evening stroll along the boardwalk.

2N Palenque,  1N Calakmul – Overnight near the archaeological sites for an off-the-beaten path experience in the jungle and to beat the crowds.

1N Playa del Carmen – Enjoy your last night in the vibrant beach town of Playa before heading home the next day.

Maya Archaeological Sites  – Delve into the ancient Maya world with expertly guided visits of Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, and Calakmul.

Celestun Biosphere Reserve  – Visit the beautiful Celestun Biosphere Reserve to see North America’s largest flock of flamingos.

Day 1: Arrival in Cancun

Welcome to Mexico! Upon arrival at Cancun International Airport, enjoy a private transfer to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening exploring its elite facilities.

Overnight: Luxury hotel in Cancun

Day 2: Chichen Itza to Merida

Embark on a cultural and historical journey, stopping first at an indigenous Maya market to see contemporary and traditional arts and crafts. Next, head to the world-famous archeological site of Chichen Itza. Join an expert guide and tour the site, visiting a grand ball court, palaces, and the famed stepped pyramid, El Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulkan. After the tour, continue the journey to a luxurious hotel in the beautiful capital of the Yucatan, Merida. Upon arrival, check in and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure, taking the chance to explore Merida´s enchanting streets.

Overnight: Boutique hotel in Merida

Day 3: Celestun Biosphere Reserve and Merida City Private tour

Explore the Maya region’s endless natural beauty with a privately guided excursion to the Celestun Biosphere Reserve, famous for its magnificent flamingo colonies. Take a private boat onto the waters of the estuary and admire the beauty of the landscape.After free time for lunch, head back to Merida for a guided tour of the city, visiting the colonial architecture, churches, and monuments of this thriving destination.

Day 4: Transfer to Campeche and Uxmal visit

Depart Merida and journey to Uxmal, an ancient Maya city that flourished from around 600 to 900AD. Take a privately guided tour, making sure to visit the Pyramid of the Magician, a round-cornered pyramid with a fantastical origin story. Enjoy a traditional Maya lunch, before continuing the journey to the coastal city of Campeche, the first port city founded by Spanish Conquistadors in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Overnight: Hotel in Campeche

Day 5: Campeche City Exploration and Private Transfer to Palenque

Begin the day with a brief private tour of Campeche, exploring the highlights of this colorful UNESCO World Heritage City. Dive into Campeche’s rich history by visiting its notable museums, churches, and historical landmarks. After exploring the city, embark on a journey along the Gulf of Mexico coast to the ancient city of Palenque (5 Hrs 360 kilometers Aprox) Upon arrival, settle into your lovely hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight: Hotel in Palenque

Day 6: Yaxchilan and Bonampak

Depart Palenque for Bonampak, an ancient Maya city near the border of modern-day Guatemala. Explore this fascinating site in the Lacandón Jungle, viewing the astonishing frescoes inside the Templo de las Pinturas.

Then, continue exploring the lesser-visited Maya world with a tour of Yaxchilan, known for its ornamented facades, roof combs, and impressive stone lintels that depict battles and ceremonial events. Only reached by boat, Yaxchilan straddles a bend in the Usumacinta River, the natural border between Mexico and Guatemala.

Day 7: Palenque Archeological Zone

Continue the exploration of the ancient Maya world with a visit to Palenque. With an expert guide taking the lead, explore these jungle ruins, and learn about the inscriptions found there. After the archeological exploration, take a private transfer to the hotel in Calakmul.

Day 8: Full-day excursion to Calakmul

Travel to Calakmul, a stunning archeological site nestled within a protected reserve. Take a private tour of the jungle grounds, visiting the vegetation-wrapped ruins. Along the way, keep an eye out for the region’s fascinating inhabitants, including jaguars, king vultures, harpy eagles, and spider monkeys.

Day 9: Bacalar, Lake of the Seven Colors, and cenote swim

Travel to the paradise town of Bacalar, a stunning getaway in Quintana Roo given Pueblo Magico status for its “magical qualities.” Visit its famed Lake of the Seven Colors to swim in its shimmering waters or to embark on a private kayak tour.

After, enjoy lunch before a refreshing swim in Cenote Azul, a crystal-clear freshwater sinkhole.

Overnight:  Luxury hotel in Playa del Carmen or Cancun

Day 10: Departure from Cancun

Enjoy a private transfer from the hotel to Cancun Airport for departure flights home.

Our trips are fully customized, allowing us to build your itinerary for any time of the year.

INQUIRE & CUSTOMIZE THIS ITINERARY

Our custom-tailored journeys start from $1,000 USD per day for two travelers. ($1,800 per couple in beach destinations)

First Name:

Prefered Contact: Phone Email

Travel date:*

Number of Nights:*

How many people are traveling?:*

Traveling with children? if so, number and ages:

How did you find us?* Please choose Search engine Newsletter Conde Nast Travel+Leisure Wendy Perrin Social Media Word of mouth

Total Trip Budget:* $ Please choose 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 8000 10000 12000 15000 20000 25000 30000 40000 50000

Do you have any travel ideas?* Tell us what you have in mind so we can help you complete a perfect itinerary

Journey Mexico would like to occasionally send you information about its services and news about Mexico.

I would like to receive emails from Journey Mexico: Yes

I would like to subscribe to your blog: Yes

We won't share your details with any third parties and you can unsubscribe at any time.

• Baja California
• Mexico City
• Pacific Coast
• Colonial Mexico
• Yucatan Peninsula
• Riviera Maya, Tulum, & Cancun
• San Miguel de Allende
• Puerto Vallarta & Punta de Mita
• Copper Canyon & N. Mexico
• Guadalajara & Tequila
• Off the Beaten Path
• Romance & Honeymoon
• Art & Native Crafts
• Active Adventures
• Nature & Wildlife
• Landscapes of Mexico
• Food & Wine
• Air Expeditions
• Family Vacations
• Executive Retreats
• Private Villas
• Weekend Escapes
• Summer Travel
• Day of The Dead
• Luxury Hotels & Resorts
• Private Villas & Residences
• Chable Hotels
• Special Offers
• Why Journey Mexico?
• Why Custom-Made Itineraries?
• Testimonials
• Travel Safety
• Sustainable Tourism
• When to visit

THE 10 BEST Yucatan Archaeology Tours

Archaeology tours in yucatan.

• Archaeology Tours
• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Likely to Sell Out
• Special Offers

• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Chichen Itza, Cenote & Valladolid Tour with Tequila and Lunch

2. Early morning Chichen Itza Tour, Cenote and Tequila Tasting

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

4. Chichen Private Experience

5. Chichen Itza Full Day Tour

6. Private Tour to Uxmal, Museum, Cenote and Hacienda from Mérida

7. Chichén Itzá, Cenote and Valladolid with Lunch and transportation.

8. Chichen Itza, Cenote Ik Kil, and Coba Ruins Reduced Group

9. Chichen Itza, Cenote & Buffet Lunch

10. Chichen Itza Tour Options with Cenote Swim from Playa del Carmen

11. Chichen Itza Classic Tour and Cenote Saamal Departures from Tulum

12. VIP Chichen Itza Private Tour - Luxury Car

13. Chichén Itzá Tour with Hubiku Cenote, Valladolid & Lunch

14. Chichen Itza, Private Cenote , Food Experience & the magic Izamal

15. Chichen Itza and Cenote Xcajum All-Inclusive Tour, No Hidden Fees

16. Chichen Itza Private Tour plus Cenote and Valladolid Visit

17. Two-Day Combo Tour, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor and Chichen Itza Option

18. Full Day Tour to Chichen Itza and Ekbalam Ruins with Cenote Cave

19. Skip the Line Chichen Itza Private Tour, Sacred Cenote & Lunch

20. Tour to Uxmal, Cenote & Kabah from Merida

21. Chichén Itza - Tour Xichén Deluxe by Xcaret

22. Chichen Itza Day Trip from Tulum Including Cenote and Lunch

23. Full day tour Chichen Itza early access + Cenote + Ekbalam ruins

24. Chichén Itzá de Lux Tour No extra charges

25. Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and Hubiku Cenote Reduced Group

26. Ek Balam Majestic Mayan Ruins and Cenote Tour

27. Chichen Itza & Ekbalam Tour with Cenote From Playa del Carmen

28. Private Guide Service in the Archaeological Zone of Chichen Itza

29. Chichen Itza Private Tour from Cancun

30. Tour to Cenotes of Santa Barbara and Acanceh area from Merida

What travelers are saying.

Archaeological Tours

The surprising mayan cities, the natural reserves, jungles of the peninsula, the famous cenotes with crystal clear waters, as well as  magical towns and communities.​.

MAYAPAN +  HOMUN CENOTES

The city of Mayapán, a walled city, is considered the great Mayan capital according to indigenous and Spanish chronicles. We continue towards the Homún cenotes in the tourist complex of Santa Bárbara.

IZAMAL + CHICHEN ITZÁ 

The tour begins in Izamal, a magical town known as the city of three cultures, and then continues to the archaeological site of Chichen Itzá

EK BALAM + VALLADOLID

Our tour begins with the site of Ek-Balam, a Mayan city from the classic period. Then continue to the colonial city of Valladolid, the magical town of Yucatán.

UXMAL +  CENOTES

Starting with the Abalá cenotes, incomparable for their beauty of crystal clear waters and turquoise blue color. Then continue with the site of Uxmal, a Mayan city on the Puuc Route of Yucatán.

• Asia & India
• Europe & Türkiye
• Middle East
• Oceania & Easter Island
• The Americas
• Archived Trips
• Custom Trips
• Tour Scholars
• Guides & Blogs
• (415) 482-8400
• [email protected]
• Request Info

In the Path of the Ancient Olmec Tour

Adding item to wishlist requires an account, already a member.

Username or E-mail

Forget Password?

Don't have an account? Create one.

• Single Supplement: TBA

Olmec Tour: Visit the remote sites of San Lorenzo, and Chalcatzingo plus the Xalapa and Mexico City Anthropology Museums.

The Olmec civilization dates back to the 2nd century BC when favorable environmental conditions allowed the society to thrive. This high productivity encouraged population growth from which an elite class developed and, accordingly, so did demand for objects of creative expression.

During this trip, we visit the birthplaces of this art, where the colossal heads and finely carved sculptures emblematic of the Olmec style were found.

This unusual expedition will take us into truly remote areas of Mexico to explore some of the more elusive Olmec sites. See La Venta, San Lorenzo, and Tres Zapotes, where the first of the Olmec colossal heads were found in 1862. For even more options, consider our broader range of  Archaeological Tours in North and South America .

Climb the mighty cleft volcanic mountain to see the beautifully inscribed boulders at Chalcatzingo, way off the beaten tourist trail.

Visit museums housing major collections of Olmec art including the vast open-air museum of Parque-Museo La Venta, the Carlos Pellicer Museum in Villahermosa, the Xalapa Anthropology Museum, not only filled with exquisite works of art, but also presenting one of the loveliest edifices in Mexico, and view the Olmec objects on display at the National Museum of Anthropology, housed in an unrivaled award-winning structure in Mexico City.

Won’t you join Far Horizons and only 13 others on this very special 10-day journey to the world of the ancient Olmec? Keep reading to learn more, and please  get in touch  if you have any questions.

Olmec Archaeology Tour led by:

Tour scholar tba, why take this olmec history tour.

• Led by renowned Mayan specialist
• Explore La Venta, San Lorenzo, Tres Zapotes, and Chalcatzingo
• The Historic Center of Mexico City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• View Olmec finds in the Xalapa Museum
• Mexico City’s Anthropology Museum
• Limited to 14 participants

Olmec History Tour in Mexico Itinerary

Day 1 fly to villahermosa.

Fly to Villahermosa, Mexico and immediately transfer to the Holiday Inn for a light supper. Overnight for two nights. (D)

Day 2 Explore the Parque-Museo La Venta

This morning, walk the pathways within the Parque-Museo La Venta, a vast open-air museum where many of the stone monuments from the site of La Venta have been relocated.

As we stroll along the trails, agouti and coatimundi can be seen scurrying through the underbrush and vibrant tropical birds fly through the jungle setting. This is where we see the first of the massive stone heads that are characteristic of the Olmec culture.

The afternoon will be spent in the Carlos Pellicer Museum, Tabasco’s main regional museum for archaeology and anthropology. Housed within a dazzling architectural masterpiece, the displays focus on Olmec and Maya art and artifacts. (B/L/D)

Day 3 The Olmec Heartland

In a large area cut by the Coatzacoalcos River system, the Olmec heartland is home to many impressive sites, and the excavations at La Venta formed the foundation for the archaeology of this ancient civilization.

Although none of the signature colossal stone heads remain, the remains of the massive earthen mound that was the focus of the ceremonial complex can still be seen on an island rising above the surrounding swamp. One of the earliest known in Mesoamerica, the Great Pyramid is 110 feet high.

After our explorations, we continue to Lake Catemaco and overnight for two nights at the La Finca Hotel, beautifully located on the edge of the lake. (B/L/D)

Day 4 Explore San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán

By no later than 1200 BC, San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán had emerged as the most prominent Olmec center and largest city in Mesoamerica. Without city walls for protection, San Lorenzo may have been largely a ceremonial complex.

Archaeologists have uncovered numerous monuments here, including no less than ten of the huge basalt heads of rulers, the greatest of weighing 28 metric tons and standing almost 10 feet tall. After spending the morning at this site, return to Lake Catemaco with time for a relaxing boat ride on the lagoon. (B/L/D)

Day 5 Tour Tres Zapotes and Santiago Tuxtla

This morning takes us to Tres Zapotes where the first of the huge Olmec monuments was found in 1862. When the rest of the Olmec sites started to decrease in importance about 400 BC, Tres Zapotes continued to thrive and grow in importance, lasting into the Early Postclassic about 1200 AD.

In the nearby town of Santiago Tuxtla, we will examine several Olmec monuments standing in the central plaza. After lunch, drive on to Veracruz, Mexico’s Gulf Coast port. Veracruz is a very special laid-back town and its charm can be felt by simply spending an evening sitting in the sidewalk cafés sipping lechero while listening to the music of the festive danzón and watching the spontaneous dance performances.

With its crumbling historic architecture, we may be reminded of old Havana. Overnight in the Hotel Gran Deligencia, near the central plaza in the heart of the city. (B/L/D)

Day 6 Tour Xalapa

Xalapa, the capital of the state of Veracruz, is today’s destination. Here, we visit the Anthropology Museum, certainly one of the most spectacular in Mexico. The unique building was designed by the architect Edward Durrell Stone, an early proponent of modern architecture in the United States.

Huge, airy rooms pour down the side of a hill, each room home to artifacts of different ancient Mexican civilizations. Spend a leisurely morning examining the exciting display of art, with a concentration of artifacts from the Olmec civilization, the mother culture of Mesoamerica.

In the late afternoon, drive to Puebla. Overnight for two nights at the Hotel Palacio San Leonardo, housed in an elegant 19th-century former mansion located in the historic center of Puebla. Dinner is on our own. (B/L)

Day 7 Tour Puebla

Founded in 1531, Puebla’s stunning historic center, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first city in central Mexico founded by the Spanish that was not built upon the ruins of a conquered Native community.

During our morning walking tour, we will see graceful colonial mansions, the 16th-century Catedral de Puebla on the central square, or Zócalo, and Biblioteca Palafoxiana, a library dating from 1646.

In the afternoon, we will drive to Cholula, one of the most important ceremonial centers in the area after the fall of Teotihuacan around 600 AD. Begun in the 3rd century BC, the huge temple was built and rebuilt and is now 181 feet high.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the largest pyramid as well as the largest monument ever constructed anywhere in the world. When the Spanish conquered the area in the 16th century, a church was constructed on the top of the mound. Return to Pueblo for the night. Dinner will be in one of the city’s excellent restaurants. (B/L/D)

Day 8 Explore Chalcatzingo and Travel to Mexico City

This morning’s drive takes us to Chalcatzingo. Rising dramatically from the expansive plains of Morelos is the spectacular volcanic mountain upon which the site is situated. In ancient cosmology, the cleft mountain represents the emerging place, and Chalcatzingo was the earliest mountain of creation.

Its magnificent Olmec bas-reliefs carved on the talus slopes are the iconographic foundations for all later Mesoamerican mythology and we will hike up a massive outcrop to see them. Move on to Mexico City and overnight for two nights at the Hotel Zocalo Central, located in the colonial center of Mexico City, a UNESCO Heritage Site​. Dinner is on our own this evening. (B/L)

Day 9 Mexico’s Museo Nacional de Antropología

The Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico’s National Museum of Anthropology, is not just the finest museum in the country, but among the greatest internationally. The world-renowned repository of some 600,000 artifacts, the museum is spread out over two immense floors.

The permanent exhibitions on the ground floor cover all pre-Columbian civilizations. We will spend the morning viewing the museum’s great collections, with special emphasis on the Olmec Civilization.

After time for an early lunch on our own within the museum café, drive back to the zocalo, the plaza in the center of the historic area where the afternoon will be spent in the magnificent Templo Mayor, one of the primary temples of the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlán, now Mexico City.

At the summit of this immense stone edifice were found the twin pyramids of the two important gods of Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, both frequently nourished by the Aztecs with the blood of human sacrifices.

Within the spectacular Templo Mayor Museum are artifacts that have been found in the excavations. Here see the monumental carved disk that portrays the death of Coyolxauhqui, the moon goddess. Gather this evening for our farewell dinner party in one of the city’s exceptional restaurants, where the chef puts a hip spin on traditional Mexican cuisine. (B/ /D)

Day 10 Depart Mexico City

Transfer to the airport for our flights back home. (B)

Tour Information

Tour cost & inclusions.

Price is based on double occupancy and includes:

• Internal flights during the trip (if applicable)
• The accompaniment of your scholar throughout the entire trip
• Local English-speaking guide
• Hotel accommodations (3 or 4 stars; or best available based in the area)
• Ground transportation
• Airport transfers for arrivals and departures
• Most meals as noted in the itinerary
• Entry fees to all included sites and museums
• Gratuities to guides, drivers, and restaurant and hotel staff
• Coordination for any private presentations or tours

Trip prices are based on a minimum number of participants. If this minimum number is not met, trip prices are subject to change. Should the prices need to change, Far Horizons will reach out to registered guests to discuss directly.

Single Supplement

Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the single supplement must be charged.

• International round trip airfare
• A separate donation check of $150.00 per person to a designated donation project
• Passport or visa fees
• Required vaccines or tests
• Airport or departure taxes
• Alcoholic drinks, beverages or food not included on set menus
• Excess baggage charges
• Personal tips and hotel incidental expenses
• Laundry or other items of a personal nature

Donation Checks

As a tour company that benefits from the cultural and natural riches of our destinations, we have a policy of donating to the scientific and cultural sites and projects which we visit. This has created a bond between Far Horizons and the academic and local communities that has helped us establish an extensive list of lecturers and contacts in each of our destinations. We ask that each participant donate to the noteworthy project we designate. The donation amount is $150.00 per person. Note that the donation is required as part of your registration for the trip and that it is non-refundable.

Exchange Rate Fluctuations

Prices are based on currency exchange rates keeping below a projected level. While it is unlikely, if the exchange rates should change substantially, Far Horizons reserves the right to charge an additional amount to the trip cost.

Registration

A deposit of $1000 per person is required along with your registration & health forms, which will be linked in the email confirmation you receive once you pay your deposit on our booking platform. Final payment is due 120 days before departure. Prior to departure, you will be sent a reading list and a tour bulletin containing travel information.

Cancellation

Cancellations received in writing at least 120 days before departure will receive a refund less a $500 per person administrative fee. Cancellations received less than 120 days before the departure date will not receive a refund. If for any reason you are unable to complete the trip, Far Horizons will not reimburse any fees. Upon registering for the tour, the purchase of travel protection with both trip cancellation and emergency evacuation is strongly advised. Links to recommended insurance policies will be included in the email you receive confirming receipt of your deposit.

Air Ticketing

International round trip flights are not included in the cost of the trip. If Far Horizons must change the trip dates or cancel the trip for any reason, Far Horizons is not responsible for any air ticket you may have purchased. Please send your complete air schedule as soon as you have it. NOTE: Please contact Far Horizons if you would like for us to handle your air ticketing.

Private Tours and Talks

The private tours of archaeological sites and talks by specialists are scheduled in advance and include a donation to each. Specialists working at these sites are excited about showing their work to interested enthusiasts. However, please be aware that there may be times when the director or a member of the staff may not be on site when our groups arrive due to other commitments.

Walking and Standing

Far Horizons expects all participants to be physically active and able to walk and climb independently throughout the full touring days. This includes walking over uneven terrain (uphill and downhill) for 2 miles or more at each site. You should expect to be on your feet for much of each day, averaging as much as 5 miles of walking per day. As such, each participant should be able to walk unaided at a pace of 3 miles per hour for at least an hour at a time, and to stand unsupported for at least 60 minutes. Bearing this in mind, we suggest that, if you have not already done so, you begin walking several miles every day, ideally including stairs and hills. If you have questions about your ability to keep up with the group or the strenuous nature of this trip, please contact the Far Horizons staff.

Expectations During Travel

This tour is designed for flexible, energetic people who like to be active, have a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude. We have designed this trip to be as comfortable as possible, while also aiming to visit some remote or unique sites that other companies do not attempt to include in their itineraries. There may be days where we have very long drives and the conditions of the roads may vary. Hotels and transportation in some remote areas may not be up to western standards. There may be times when no bellhops are available; please pack with the understanding that you need to be able to handle your own luggage at times. Sometimes we may be walking over uneven trails for a mile or more; hiking boots are strongly recommended. Not every meal will be haute cuisine and several lunches may be picnics or box lunches. By maintaining a flexible attitude we will soon be captivated by the beauty of the natural scenery, the hospitality of the local people, and the fascinating sites we will see. Your flexibility and patience will be appreciated.

Itinerary Changes

Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. While we are committed to keeping as close to the published details as possible, sometimes it is simply not possible. Weather events, government affairs, or other factors out of our control sometimes come into play. A good book to read as well as patience, flexible attitude, and a sense of humor are essential.

Travel Insurance

Related Tours

Archaeology of Belize Tour

Guatemala & El Salvador: Lost Cities of the Ancient Maya Tour

• Login or Register

Professionals

• Annual Meeting
• Grants & Awards
• Professional Directory

AIA Societies

• Find a Society
• Society Grants & Awards
• Society News

For the Public

• International Archaeology Day
• Interactive Digs
• National Lecture Program
• Events Calendar
• Site Preservation
• Archaeology Magazine

• Introduction to Archaeology
• Lesson Plans
• Skype a Scientist
• Become a Member
• Member Benefits
• Archaeology Archive
• Member Login
• Dollars at Work
• Ways to Give

Archaeological-themed tours for the curious to the connoisseur

Travel with an engaging and informative AIA Tours' lecturer, plus trip manager/guides. Each well-paced itinerary offers ample time at each site. The capable and friendly AIA Tours staff makes it easy to prepare for your journey from start to finish!

"Hands down this was the best organized tour I have taken. The leaders were a joy to be with and our group were the nicest and most inclusive people I have had the pleasure to travel with. I hope to see anyone of the group on any AIA trip again.” - Sandra, Virginia

Request brochures

Tours schedule, subscribe enewsletter.

Featuring small-group tours, usually with a maximum of 12, 15 or 16 guests, and an expert AIA Tours' lecturer who is both fascinating and approachable. Each well-paced itinerary offers ample time at each site and carefully chosen hotels; trip managers and local guides handling every detail.

Small-Ship Cruises

Featuring ships between just 8-72 comfortable cabins to luxurious staterooms. Dock in the heart of smaller, historic ports. Travel with an expert AIA Tours lecturer, professional trip manager/cruise director, and local guides who will take care of all the details.

In the Planning Stages

Our AIA Tour groups are small and many trips sell-out rapidly. If you wish to receive advance information before a travel destination is announced to the public, please review our trips in the planning stages then email or call us to receive advance information on specific trips.

About AIA Tours

By traveling on an AIA Tour you directly support the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) while personally gaining the benefit of the AIA’s network of scholars and worldwide contacts. View the Terms & Conditions for traveling with AIA Tours.

Lecturers/Hosts

AIA Tours lecturers and hosts are personable, congenial experts in their fields. Learn and experience the region when you travel and explore with inside looks and potential for behind the scene access.

Toll Free: 800-748-6262; From outside the U.S. & Canada: 603-756-2884; Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern time Email: [email protected] ; Fax: 603-756-2922; Mail: PO Box 938, 47 Main St., Suite One, Walpole, NH 03608-0938

Archaeological Institute of America

Back to top.

Copyright © 2024, Archaeological Institute of America. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Yelling Mule - Boston Web Design

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

The Maya Train Will Get You to All of Yucatán’s Best Spots. But Not Yet.

In December, the train began running on its first route through Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. On a five-day journey a few months later, the author encountered enthusiasm, and scheduling hiccups.

By Elisabeth Malkin

Elisabeth Malkin has been visiting the Yucatán Peninsula for three decades.

I stepped off the platform at the gleaming new Maxcanú train station, eager to see the magnificent Maya archaeological site of Uxmal. All I needed was a taxi to take me there, a trip of about 30 miles away.

There are no taxis, said the stationmaster, as we stood on the polished limestone floors of the high-ceilinged station, which was cool and breezy despite the brilliant late-morning sun outside. And I was the third person in two weeks to get off at Maxcanú expecting to reach Uxmal, he said.

I was midway through a five-day trip to explore the brand-new Maya Train and several of its destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico . Designed to run 965 miles (1,554 kilometers) around a loop of 34 stations when completed, the train will whisk passengers in cool comfort through colonial cities, archaeological sites, splashy resorts and tropical forests.

Now I was stunned. Wrangling a taxi has never been a problem in Mexico. But the drivers gathered in the main square of Maxcanú offered only beat-up vans that hopscotch through small towns, where I might or might not find a taxi to Uxmal. The next van was leaving in 45 minutes.

Yucatán’s layers of history have long held me spellbound. During earlier car trips, I have clambered up deserted Maya temples and palaces, stepped into the cool naves of massive 16th-century churches and visited restored haciendas, testaments of the ostentation — and hardship — of the peninsula’s 19th-century plantation economy. Traveling by train, I thought, would allow me to steep myself in more of that history.

But as I found in Maxcanú, a train won’t necessarily get you to where you want to go.

During my February trip, I traveled on the only route then available, an east-west leg that opened in December and runs from Cancún to Mérida, and then south through the port city of Campeche to the Maya site of Palenque (a short route between Cancún and Playa del Carmen opened last month, with three trains a day). I encountered scheduling confusion, unfinished stations and a dearth of trains — just two operating daily each way between Cancún and Campeche, and only one to Palenque. Overnight sleepers and special dining trains seem years away.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador considers the Maya Train his showcase development project, and wants to inaugurate the rest of the train before he leaves office on October 1. Based on my experience, that goal seems elusive.

A $29-billion route through the jungle

I started my journey in Cancún, where in the pre-dawn gloom the station hovered like a glowing spaceship. An attendant scanned the ticket I had bought online and a half-dozen more pointed me toward my tourist-class car, which was about a quarter full. I planned to go to Campeche, about 300 miles away, stopping once each day. At 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) an hour, the train covers the route in about six hours, the same as a car. (When construction is complete, the train’s speed should increase to 160 kilometers an hour.)

The car’s wide windows looked out at a wall of low jungle. The blue-green seats were comfortable and there was ample space between the rows. I bought a very good cappuccino at the snack bar, but declined the plastic-wrapped sandwiches. The rest of the merchandise was fruit cups, milk boxes and junk food.

The train will ultimately cost much more than the $29 billion budgeted so far, and it’s not the first time ambitious planners have alighted on the region. Cancún was once a tiny fishing village, selected half a century ago as a tourist hub. Last year 10 million international tourists flew into its airport, more than the airports of Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta combined.

But uncontrolled growth has stressed the Caribbean coast’s fragile environment. The Maya Train, scientists warn , will push those problems south, threatening the area’s water supply, its unique system of underground limestone caves and its vast nature reserves.

Mr. López Obrador has charged ahead, handing the train over to the military , and arguing that it will spread Cancún’s wealth and attract new visitors. Mexico received more than 42 million overseas tourists last year and they spent almost $31 billion .

Local governments see an opportunity. “The train will allow people to disperse throughout the peninsula,” said Michelle Fridman, the tourism secretary for Yucatán state, which promotes dozens of attractions far beyond highlights like Mérida and Chichén Itzá .

Now that the train is operating, transport companies will begin to connect stations with lesser-known sites nearby, she said.

It’s fair to ask whether the train is the most effective way to develop the peninsula’s tourism. Tour companies already run trips to many sites from major cities, which are well served by buses. Driving a rental car through most of the area is considered safe , according to U.S. State Department travel guidance .

Route of Mexico’s Maya Train

Canceled trip.

It took two hours (and one time-zone change) to reach Valladolid, a colonial city of handsome streets and ancient churches, where I bought the rest of my tickets at the station. A tourist-class ticket from Cancún to Valladolid costs 472 pesos (around $28) for foreigners and 355 pesos (around $21) for Mexicans. First class, with wider seats, costs 755.50 pesos and 566.50 pesos, and discounts are available for older travelers and residents of the five states along the train’s route. (A first-class bus from downtown Cancún to Valladolid costs between 222 and 344 pesos, depending on the time of day, and takes half an hour longer.)

It was impossible to run the new Maya Train tracks into dense city centers and the Valladolid station, like the rest, was outside the urban core. A waiting bus took disembarking passengers downtown, a 15-minute ride for 35 pesos.

That day I toured Ek Balam , the site of a ninth-century Maya kingdom that is dominated by a 100-foot palace distinguished by a facade of carvings depicting winged warriors, stylized animal features and geometric patterns bordered by giant fangs. Admission to the site includes entry to the X-Canché cenote, one of thousands of limestone sinkholes that were sacred to the Maya.

Later that afternoon, I was wandering through the Museum of Ethnic Clothing, a private collection of traditional dress, embroidery and hats, when a WhatsApp message from the ticket office blinked on my phone. My train scheduled for the following day was canceled.

I decided to deal with the problem in the morning and enjoy the city. As I wandered past the antique shops and boutique hotels of the elegant Calzada de los Frailes, it was clear that Valladolid’s tourism, and the infrastructure to handle it, was well established. The Maya Train is simply an alternative way to reach a city that tourists discovered years ago.

‘We’re on the Tren Maya!’

In the morning, I found that my train had not been canceled, but the station for which I had a ticket, Tixkokob, was closed. I got off instead one stop earlier at Izamal, known for its ocher streets and the giant Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua, built atop the ruins of a pyramid.

During the 90-minute ride, I heard widespread enthusiasm among fellow travelers who expressed a willingness to give the train time to work out the kinks. “We’re an experiment,” said Oliva Escobedo Ochoa, 64, who was vacationing from her home in central Mexico.

Leticia Iliassich, 57, who is Mexican, was traveling with her Croatian husband along with relatives from Mexico and Croatia. They had initially been scheduled on an earlier train to Mérida that had been canceled. “We knew that it was a new project,” she said. “We don’t mind.”

The group had already sent a video to friends declaring, “We’re on the Tren Maya!”

At the Izamal station I hitched a 15-minute ride into the town center with a man who had asked me to take his photo alongside the train and his father. From there I negotiated a taxi to Hacienda San Lorenzo Aké, a working hacienda that still turns the fiber from an agave plant called henequén into coarse rope. Global demand for henequén, known as Yucatán’s “green gold,” brought fantastic wealth to the region in the mid-19th century, speckling the peninsula with more than 1,000 haciendas. ( Many are now sumptuous hotels.)

Where geometry, nature and the divine merge

It was during my third day that I found myself stuck in Maxcanú, after a 90-minute train ride from Izamal. The stationmaster, an army captain, offered me a ride to Uxmal, just as he had to the stranded tourists before me.

Eying Uxmal’s 4 p.m. final ticket sale, I accepted.

My situation made it clear just how distant the Maya Train’s promises are for tourists seeking to explore more of Yucatán. In time, that will change, said Ms. Fridman, the tourism secretary. “The idea is to have more hotels along the train line,” she said. “That will happen little by little.”

But Uxmal , among the most stunning of the Maya sites, made up for the inconvenience. Uxmal’s grand buildings are faced with intricate decorative masks as well as friezes in which geometry, nature and the divine merge. New plaques at each structure offer detailed information in English and Spanish, part of the government’s investment in improving displays at Maya sites for the train project.

Most tourists either take day trips by car or bus to Uxmal from Mérida or stay at one of three nearby hotels. As I finished dinner at my hotel, the dining room began to fill up: 47 Polish tourists had arrived.

Panama hats and a cramped van

My plan for the day was to go by taxi to Bécal, a town where Panama hats are woven in limestone caves to keep the fibers soft, and then pick up the afternoon train in nearby Calkiní for the port city of Campeche.

But I spent so much time watching the hat-making demonstration and then fitting my new hat and buying gifts that we set off with little time to reach the station. To my chagrin, I missed the train, the last one of the day.

On Calkiní’s central square, I found a van that was leaving for Campeche. Cost: 65 pesos. Time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes, similar to what I would have spent on the train. Of course, I was trapped in a cramped seat and had to listen to the driver’s choice of sentimental ballads, but I was dropped off in downtown Campeche, close to my hotel.

The next day, I toured the Museum of Maya Archaeology , an expertly curated collection that included haunting jade funeral masks, glyphs and delicate ceramic figures.

José Madrigal, 45, an engineer from Fremont, Calif., was trying to make Maya pottery interesting for his twin sons. The boys had just turned 5 and their birthday present had been a ride on the Maya Train. “They love trains,” Mr. Madrigal said. Then the family moved on, keeping up a brisk clip through the museum. They had another train to catch.

Should you take the train?

Yes, if you are traveling between larger stations. The train also offers a way to get to Palenque, which is harder to reach and has roads with security concerns. Travelers can stow bicycles on board.

To see train times, check the destinations on the website . You cannot buy tickets online more than a week in advance. But when you finally board, the ride is smooth — and the coffee is excellent.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

6 alternative and arty ways to discover Mexico City culture

Amid art deco architecture and Frida Kahlo’s creations, find Mexico City’s pre-Hispanic traditions and an Indigenous crafts scene.

Mexico’s sprawling capital is a gateway to the country’s Maya ruins, miles of beaches, rocky canyons and traditional Indigenous villages. But many travellers find the metropolis has an allure all of its own, and a handful of days can be well spent touring its neighbourhoods and historic centre. Mexico’s best museums are here, and its many galleries and markets help facilitate one of the strongest creative scenes in Latin America. Dig a little deeper to find the city’s pre-Hispanic roots, and discover how many customs are linked to the ancient Aztec and Maya civilisations.

1. Kayak the ancient canals of Xochimilco

Before the Spanish conquest in 1521, Mexico City, then called Tenochtitlán, was built on two small islands inside Lake Texcoco. The Aztecs built canals and floating farms called chinampas to feed its growing population. Today, all that remains of these ancient waterways are in Tláhuac and Xochimilco, a neighbourhood 15 miles south of Mexico City’s Centro Histórico. Flat-bottomed party boats called trajineras cruise Xochimilco’s canals daily, but a guided kayaking trip provides a more tranquil — and environmentally friendly — visit. Tours offer the chance to spot Xochimilco’s wildlife, including the critically endangered axolotl salamander and more than 200 bird species, while learning about the history and science behind chinampas, which still provide food for Mexico City residents.

2. Browse the Museo de Arte Popular

In the historic centre of Mexico City is the Museo de Arte Popular , a beautifully designed handicraft museum housed inside a 1920s art deco building. The museum, which once served as Mexico City’s fire department headquarters, celebrates traditional Mexican craft in all its forms, from textiles and pottery to children’s toys, furniture and giant alebrijes — mythical creatures made from wood or papier-mache. High-quality crafts from almost every Mexican state are displayed thematically over several floors, including ceramics from Jalisco, piñatas from Puebla and ceremonial masks from Chiapas. Particularly striking are the small but impressive Day of the Dead craft collection and the á rbol de la vida (tree of life) pieces – colourful, intricate clay sculptures depicting the creation of life.

3. Sip on pulque, the drink of the Aztec gods

Pulque is a drink made from the fermented sap of agave, the same plant used to make tequila and mezcal. It has been drunk for more than 2,000 years, making it Mexico’s oldest alcoholic beverage. During the Aztec empire, pulque was considered a sacred drink, reserved for gods, emperors and ceremonial events. The introduction of beer and distilled spirits by the Spanish in the 16th century marked the beginning of the end for pulque, with many of Mexico City’s pulquerias — taverns specialising in the drink — closing between the early 20th and 21st centuries. But a recent resurgence has seen several reopen across the city, making it one of the best places in Mexico to try the tipple. La Canica — a pulqueria in the Tabacalera neighbourhood run by a family that has been in the pulque business for five generations — takes a modern approach to the ancient drink, infusing freshly made pulque with dozens of seasonal flavours, from guava and mandarin to marzipan and toasted oats.

4. Try Mexico City’s ancient caviar

Ahuautle — which loosely translates to ‘seeds of joy’ in the ancient Nahuatl language and are also known as ‘water fly eggs’ — were sacred to the Aztecs. During the rainy season, a type of water fly called axayácatl would lay its eggs in Lake Texcoco. These were harvested for Aztec emperors and used as offerings to the gods. Montezuma, one of the last emperors of the Aztec empire, is said to have eaten them every morning to improve his strength. Hard to get hold of and up to four times more expensive a kilogram than beef, the eggs have been dubbed ahuautle , the ‘caviar’ of Mexico, by the capital’s chefs. Only a handful of restaurants in the capital still serve ahuautle, one of which is Ayluardo’s — in the Iztapalapa neighbourhood, in the east of Mexico City. It serves the water fly eggs — which taste intensely fishy, similar to dried shrimp — in pancakes with tomatillo (a bright green, acidic fruit native to Mexico) and serrano chilli sauce.

5. Support indigenous crafts at Mercado de Artesanías de la Ciudadela

Just a few minutes’ walk from Museo de Arte Popular is this hub for artisans, Mexico City’s largest and best arts and crafts market. It is home to 350 stands selling a huge variety of crafts, or artesanias in Spanish, from all over Mexico, including handblown glass from Jalisco, silver jewellery from Guerrero and patterned chaquira beadwork from Jalisco, crafted by the indigenous Huichol people. For beautiful ceremonial Mayan masks made of wood and obsidian, head to stand 104, where you’ll often see the craftspeople at work. Also seek out the artisans selling amate — colourful works painted on to paper made from the pulp of fig and mulberry trees; the same type of paper was once used by the ancient Aztecs and Mayas to produce manuscripts.

6. Experience Mexican folk dance at El Ballet Folklórico de México

Founded in 1952 by choreographer and dancer Amalia Hernández, Ballet Folklórico celebrates Mexico’s diverse folklore traditions through dance, music and traditional dress. The performances take audiences from Mexico’s ancient past up to the revolution in 1910, travelling through the states of Oaxaca, Jalisco, Sonora, Zacatecas, Guerrero and more. Many of the dances take inspiration from Mexico’s Indigenous cultures, such as the Deer Dance (a contemporary piece that depicts a pre-hunting ritual practised by the Indigenous people of Sonora and Sinaloa) and the Guelaguetza, a folkloric ballet inspired by the ceremonial dances of the Mixtec and Zapotec people of Oaxaca. Performances are held at the Palacio de Bellas Artes — a white-marbled, art nouveau palace commissioned by President Porfirio Díaz in 1905 — on Wednesdays at 8.30pm and Sundays at 9.30am and 8.30pm.

Related Topics

• CULTURAL CONSERVATION
• ART HISTORY
• MODERN HISTORY

You May Also Like

Where to stay in Helsinki, Finland's design-conscious capital

China just had a museum building spree. Here are 6 of the best.

For hungry minds.

7 of the UK's best gallery cafes

How to spend a day exploring Berlin's art and design scene

A guide to Jaipur's craft scene, from Rajasthani block printing to marble carving

The real history of tartan, from the Scottish Highlands to the streets of Tokyo

Visit these cultural hot spots in 2024

• Environment

History & Culture

• History & Culture
• History Magazine
• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Coronavirus Coverage
• Paid Content
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

Love Exploring

North America's Recent Archaeological Discoveries, Some By Chance

Posted: May 1, 2024 | Last updated: May 1, 2024

North America unearthed

The thrill of archaeology comes from not knowing what the next shovel of soil will uncover and over the past few years, excited archaeologists have reported stunning discoveries across North America. Some were found by experts applying new methods to old finds, while others were the products of long-planned and careful excavations. 

And a few were just the result of pure luck.

From fossilized footprints to barnacle-encrusted wrecks, click or scroll through to learn about the most important archaeological finds in North America since 2020...

Mayan neighborhood, Tikal, Peten, Guatemala

When archaeologists examining laser scans of the region around the massive Mayan city of Tikal looked in more detail at an area of 'natural' hills, they made a remarkable discovery: the outline of a previously unknown neighborhood of the city. When they mapped the neighborhood in detail, they realized that the structures were close copies of the citadel at the ancient city of Teotihuacan, more than 600 miles away.

The findings, published in 2021, offer proof of significant cultural interaction and exchange between the two cities.

St Mary’s Fort, St Mary’s City, Maryland, USA

Colonial Maryland began in 1634 when British settlers began building a fort, but its exact location was lost to time since it was only used for around seven years. We now know that archaeologists were looking in the wrong place.

Rather than sitting beside the river as expected, a geophysical survey directed archaeologists to a plateau around a thousand feet from the water. In 2021 wooden buildings and coins were revealed that proved the fort had finally been found.

Bonebed, Dinosaur Park, Maryland, USA

This part of Maryland has yielded evidence of prehistoric creatures for well over a century – that’s why it’s called Dinosaur Park – and new excavations in spring 2023 revealed a brand-new 'bonebed,' a geological layer containing multiple dino species. The best find was a three-foot-long shinbone thought to belong to Acrocanthosaurus , a giant carnivore a little bit like the T-rex.

"This is something paleontologists pray for," said program coordinator JP Hodnett.

La Union, Gulf of Mexico, Mexico

A cruel episode in Mexican history was discovered in the sediment off the country's north coast in 2020, when maritime archaeologists confirmed that a wrecked paddle steamer was the notorious La Union – a slave ship that transported dozens of Mayan captives to Cuba’s brutal sugarcane plantations every month. Its voyages came to an end in 1861, when its boilers exploded and the ship went down.

Nobody knows how many Mayan slaves drowned that day, since they were listed as cargo rather than as passengers.

Chinatown pigs, Los Angeles, California, USA

In 2022, archaeologists revisited pig bones pulled from the remains of the city’s original Chinatown. Using new scientific techniques to examine plaque on the teeth, they discovered that the pigs had eaten rice husks and leaves but not corn, indicating that the animals were raised locally and not on rural farms.

Now, historians are using the evidence to track a previously unknown industry – backyard pig farming, mostly by Chinese migrant families contending with discrimination – and its impact on fast-growing LA at the turn of the 20th century.

Dyar Mound, Lake Oconee, Georgia, USA

Dyar Mound was submerged under a reservoir built to serve Georgia in the 1970s, but, before the water covered it, archaeologists concluded that it had been abandoned in the 1540s after diseases brought by Spanish settlers ravaged the region. In 2020, archaeologists re-examined charcoal from the mound and concluded that people carried out rites on it up to 150 years after the arrival of the Spanish, meaning that the Indigenous Mississippian culture did not collapse quite as suddenly as previously thought.

K'awiil sculpture, Campeche, Mexico

In 2023, archaeologists clearing a path for the Maya Train project in the Yucatan Peninsula announced they’d made the exciting discovery of a rare statue of the Mayan god K'awiil. Experts identified the deity by his long, upturned snout and bulbous eyes. Although K'awiil has been depicted in paintings and reliefs, only three other sculptures have been found before – all at Tikal in Guatemala – so this is the first time a K'awiil statue has been found in Mexican soil.

Maya calendar mural, San Bartolo, Peten, Guatemala

In 2022 archaeologists from the University of Texas and Skidmore College in New York studied murals recently discovered on a pyramid at the ancient Mayan city of San Bartolo. They identified one of the painted fragments as the Mayan date "7 Deer."

It was painted around 250 BC, and represents the earliest known evidence of the Mayan calendar. Exactly why that date was recorded remains a mystery – perhaps it marked an important date in the construction of the pyramid, or an astronomical event.

Jaguar burial, Templo Mayor, Mexico City, Mexico

Aztec rulers venerated jaguars and used the animal as a motif for the god Tezcatlipoca. One burial of a jaguar, found in the Templo Mayor in Mexico City in 2022, saw the big cat's skeleton entombed with a spear in its claw surrounded by 164 starfish.

The starfish were well-preserved by the weight of the soil, and archaeologists could see that the chocolate chip starfish was probably chosen thanks to its orange color and brown spots – not too dissimilar to a jaguar’s fur.

Dugout canoe, Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, USA

In May 2022, a scuba diving instructor stumbled across a carved tree trunk at the bottom of Lake Mendota. Thanks to a similar find the previous year, remarkably by the same person, maritime archaeologists quickly confirmed that it was a dugout canoe – a boat carved from a single piece of oak.

They carefully raised it from the lake's sandy bottom and are now conserving the waterlogged wood. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the craft was built around 1000 BC, making it the oldest ever found in the Great Lakes region by more than 1,000 years.

Fossilized footprints, White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA

Experts have been aware of ancient footprints at White Sands since the turn of the 20th century, but in 2021 scientists announced that seeds found within the footprints push back their date of origin to 21,000 BC, which would make them the oldest human footprints ever found. Not everyone agrees – some think the dating methods are flawed – but nobody doubts that the prints were left by extremely ancient prehistoric people, mostly children and teenagers.

Their feet left evidence that would cause archaeologists to argue thousands of years later.

Wood samples, L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

L'Anse aux Meadows isn’t a new archaeological site. Experts have dug there since the 1960s, unearthing evidence of a European Viking settlement in North America that predates Christopher Columbus by centuries.

Recently, scientists used a new method for dating wood samples from the site to work out that the trees they came from were chopped down in 1021. Nobody knows exactly how long the Norse settlers stayed, but at least we now know precisely when some of the structures were built.

Aguada Fenix, Tabasco, Mexico

A team of archaeologists were flicking through laser scans from the southern state of Tabasco released by the Mexican government when a strange feature caught their eye. The team hurried to excavate the area, and their suspicions were confirmed.

They’d found a mile-long ceremonial platform that rises 50 feet into the air, built by the Maya around 900 BC, making it the oldest Mayan structure on record. They named their discovery Aguada Fenix and announced it in June 2020.

Rock shelter remains, Bladen Nature Reserve, Toledo, Belize

Over the last few years, archaeologists in Belize have dug up surprisingly well-preserved human skeletons from shallow graves underneath two rock shelters in Bladen Nature Reserve. A report published in 2022 revealed the surprising results of the skeletons' analysis – they’re up to 9,600 years old, and their genetic makeup suggests a mass migration from the south more than 5,600 years ago that preceded the advent of intensive maize farming in the region. 

Archaeologists think the remains may have been migrants whose agricultural techniques eventually helped new civilizations to flourish.

Ball game marker, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

The impressive Mayan city of Chichen Itza is one of the world's most recognizable tourist sites, but archaeologists continue to work there and regularly make stunning new discoveries. Recently, excavations revealed a heavy circular stone bearing two figures in elaborate headgear surrounded by Mayan writing.

The carved stone is thought to have been a scoreboard for an ancient ritual ball game played on a court with a heavy rubber ball, which may have had similarities to modern racquetball.

Stone projectiles, Cooper’s Ferry, Idaho, USA

Did the ancient people who lived in Idaho 16,000 years ago have links to Japan? That’s the tantalizing implication of a collection of 14 stone projectiles discovered by archaeologists at Cooper’s Ferry in 2022.

It’s unclear whether the points were thrown away or cached for later use, but they resemble similarly shaped stone projectiles carved even longer ago across the Pacific on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. It's an intriguing idea, but some archaeologists remain unconvinced.

Animal teeth, Rimrock Draw Rockshelter, Oregon, USA

Archaeologists were stunned when they analyzed fragments of camel teeth and stone tools marked with bison blood that they plucked from the soil at Rimrock Draw Rockshelter in Oregon. Radiocarbon dating of the enamel revealed that the teeth date back roughly 18,250 years, and the position of the stone tools in the sediment suggested that they might be even older.

The team excitedly released their results in 2023, and started a debate as to whether the Rimrock Draw site is the oldest evidence of human occupation in western North America.

Petroglyphs, Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Saskatchewan, Canada

In December 2019 bison were reintroduced into Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatchewan, almost 150 years after they were hunted to local extinction. Eight months later, the hooves of the heavy animals churned up the soil to reveal the top of a carved boulder.

The bison had revealed four ancient rock carvings and a stone knife that may have been used to create the designs. One of the stones weighs 496 lbs, and, given its method of discovery, is fittingly engraved with parallel lines that have been interpreted as bison ribs.

Spider monkey skeleton, Teotihuacan, Mexico State, Mexico

The highlands of Mexico State are a long way from the natural jungle habitat of the spider monkey – but that didn’t stop archaeologists finding a spider monkey skeleton buried in a rich neighborhood of the ancient city state of Teotihuacan. They think the animal was an exotic gift from a Mayan emissary that was part of diplomacy between the city and the Mayan elite.

The animal's death – probably from ritual sacrifice – occurred around 1,700 years ago.

Pecos River rock art, Mexico and Texas, USA

Historians have long been aware of ancient rock art and petroglyphs across the North American continent. Archaeologist Carolyn Boyd has made the study of the Pecos River Style in southwest Texas and northern Mexico her specialty, and in 2021 she co-authored a study suggesting that the style's dots and lines of red pigment are supposed to represent sound. According to the study, these 2,000-year-old speech bubbles "denote speech, breath, and the soul."

Some figures have delicate lines from their mouths as though whispering, while one has energetic zigzags as though shouting.

Horse tooth, Puerto Real, Haiti

Archaeologists weren’t particularly surprised to discover a fragment of horse tooth at an old Spanish colonial settlement in Haiti in 2022. But they were very surprised when genetic material from the tooth showed that the horse’s closest living relatives aren’t found in Spain, but on the island of Assateague off the east coast of the US, where feral horses have mysteriously roamed freely for centuries.

This discovery would seem to support the theory that Spanish explorers were the source of the island's horses, who for whatever reason began new lives as wild animals on the island's beaches.

Slave tag, Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Evidence of South Carolina’s slaveholding past was unearthed when students from the College of Charleston helped to excavate part of their campus ahead of rebuilding works in 2021. They found a copper slave tag labeled '1853' – these tags were used to prove that an enslaved person was authorized to work for someone else besides their owner. 

Most likely the tag was worn by an enslaved person who was hired out to work in a kitchen that existed on the site in the mid-19th century.

Fire damage, Jamestown, Virginia, USA

In 2021 archaeologists in Jamestown in Virginia – the site of the first permanent British colony in North America – discovered a layer of charcoal and burned earth near where the parish church once stood, just below artifacts confidently dated to the 1670s. The findings confirm historical accounts from the era: that a blaze broke out in Jamestown in 1676 during a rebellion led by Nathaniel Bacon, the first major uprising in the British colonies a hundred years before the revolution.

The rebels burned Jamestown's church to the ground, and this layer of ash and rubble is all that remains.

Young Woman of Amajac, Hidalgo Amajac, Veracruz, Mexico

Farmers in the Mexican town of Hidalgo Amajac started their new year with a surprise when they prepared a field for planting on January 1, 2021. They dug into the soil and found the statue of a woman – possibly a ruler, possibly a god – thought to be around 500 years old.

Whoever she is, the Young Woman of Amajac was cleaned up and is now displayed in the town, while a replica was made and put up in Mexico City.

Human skeletons, Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, Canada

The 18th-century French fort at Louisbourg is perched precariously atop Rochefort Point and often endures vicious Atlantic weather. After Storm Fiona hit the area in September 2022, archaeologists found that the skeletal remains of two people had been exposed in the fortress burial ground, and were at risk of washing into the sea.

They rushed to save the bodies from the waves and sent them for scientific analysis, though they’ll eventually be reburied in a safer part of the cemetery.

Slave skulls, Mexico City, Mexico

When a subway was being dug underneath the Mexican capital in the early 1990s, archaeologists clearing the way uncovered skeletons associated with a colonial-era hospital. Experts revisited the bones in 2020, analyzing the teeth and discovering that at least three individuals were born in West Africa.

These unlucky individuals could have been among the first Africans to have been enslaved and transported to the Americas.

Liked this? Click on the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now uncover Canada’s most important archaeological discoveries

More for You

‘I’m so goddamn sick of it’: Republican senator yells at Democratic colleague over change to FAA bill

Average US annual salary by age revealed – see how you compare

The most successful musician of all time, based on data—and see the rest of the top 50

18 ‘Normal’ Things From the ’80s and ’90s That Are Considered Luxuries Now

We Ordered 7 Fast-Food Breakfast Sandwiches to Find the Best One

Leaving These 13 Things by the Front Door Could Keep You Safe

Peloton, the fallen fitness unicorn, faces a harsh truth despite its shiny new deal with Hyatt hotels: ‘I don’t think they thought [about] what was going to happen post-pandemic’

Here's What It Means If Someone Gives You Yellow Roses

Map reveals best places to live in the US if nuclear war breaks out

Employers Are Avoiding Hiring Gen Z Workers- Here's Why

Rock Queens: Recognizing 25 Women Who Shaped the Music Industry

The biggest song in country music history, according to data. Plus, see if your favorite is in the top 100.

Which Fast Food Chain Has The Best Burger?

Here's How Often You Should Wash Your Hair, According to Experts

4-Time Super Bowl Champ Files for Bankruptcy as Government Sues Him for Alleged $15.5 Million in Unpaid Taxes

Taylor Swift Makes History on Billboard Hot 100 Chart

Peanuts by Charles Schulz

How much protein do you need to build muscle?

The #1 restaurant chain in America, according to diners—and see the rest of the top 50

'SNL' announces season's final guests, including Sabrina Carpenter and Jake Gyllenhaal