Region

Northern Mexico

Copper Canyon by rail, Monterrey peaks, Mazatlán's malecón.

N. León · Coahuila · Chihuahua · Sonora · Sinaloa · Durango · Tamaulipas

Chihuahua

Mexico's biggest state: high desert, Sierra Tarahumara, and Copper Canyon

The Chihuahua guide →
Nature

Barrancas del Cobre

A canyon system deeper and bigger than the Grand Canyon, reached by rail

Must-seeCity

Chihuahua

Pancho Villa's capital and the eastern end of the El Chepe line

If nearbyPueblo

Creel

Rough-and-ready Rarámuri town and the main gateway into Copper Canyon

Worth it

Coahuila

Desert wine, dinosaur bones, and a real security turnaround

The Coahuila guide →
Nature

Cuatro Ciénegas

Turquoise desert pools full of life found nowhere else on Earth

Worth itPueblo

Parras de la Fuente

A wine oasis in the Coahuila desert, home to the Americas' oldest winery

Worth it

Durango

High-desert colonial city and old Hollywood Western country

The Durango guide →
City

Durango

Walkable colonial center and the backlot of Mexico's Western films

Worth it

Nuevo León

Industrial powerhouse ringed by sierra, cabrito, and craft beer

The Nuevo León guide →
City

Monterrey

Glass towers wedged between jagged sierra, built on cabrito and hustle

Worth it

Sinaloa

Pacific beaches and seafood in the cartel's heartland — go clear-eyed

The Sinaloa guide →
Pueblo

El Fuerte

Quiet riverside colonial town and the western jump-off for El Chepe

Worth itBeach

Mazatlán

A revived colonial Centro grafted onto a working Pacific beach city

Worth it

Sonora

Desert meets the Sea of Cortez, ranch beef, and bacanora

The Sonora guide →
Pueblo

Álamos

Restored colonial silver town where snowbirds and birders winter

Worth itBeach

San Carlos

Calm Sea of Cortez diving under the twin-peaked Tetakawi

Worth it

Tamaulipas

Gulf coast and cloud forest under a Do Not Travel advisory

The Tamaulipas guide →
Nature

El Cielo Biosphere Reserve

Cloud forest biosphere in a state most advisories say to skip

Skip unless…