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Best ancient ruins destinations in North America

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Tikal National Park
Lost Mayan City in the Jungle
7.8
Tikal National Park in Guatemala protects a huge area of rainforest and more than 3,000 Maya structures. Howler monkeys roar at dawn and toucans call from the canopy. Tall temples rise above the trees. Visitors can climb Temple IV before sunrise to watch mist lift from the jungle.
Highlights:
  • 🐒 Discover wildlife including monkeys and colorful toucans
  • 🏛️ Explore the Great Plaza surrounded by towering pyramids
  • 🌳 Climb Temple IV for a breathtaking jungle canopy view
Yucatán
Gateway to the Mayan world
8.5
Uxmal in Yucatan has a Pyramid of the Magician with rounded corners that rises about 35 metres. The Puuc style has smooth lower walls and rich carved stone above. The Governor's Palace has a long facade covered in thousands of tiny stone mosaic pieces. Visitors can see the ruins on a day trip.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Visit the ancient ruins at Uxmal Archaeological Zone
  • 💧 Swim in the beautiful, crystal-clear Cenote Ik Kil
  • 🏯 Explore the iconic El Castillo pyramid at Chichén Itzá
Palenque (city)
Lively Jungle Gateway Town
7.2
Palenque lies in a green jungle at the foot of the Chiapas hills in Mexico. Howler monkeys call from the trees around the pyramids. The Temple of the Cross group sits on separate platforms with carved panels. Waterfalls like Misol Ha lie a short drive away.
Highlights:
  • 🌊 Walk behind the spectacular Misol-Ha waterfall
  • 💧 Visit stunning turquoise Cascadas de Agua Azul
  • 🏛️ Explore the ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque
Copán Ruinas
Mayan Mystique Meets Rural Charm
7.0
Copan in Honduras has a Hieroglyphic Stairway with 63 steps that carry about 2,200 glyphs. It is the longest known Maya inscription of its kind. Tall carved stelae of kings stand in the Great Plaza. Scarlet macaws fly through the trees around the ruins and often land on the old stone walls.
Highlights:
  • 🪜 Walk the Hieroglyphic Stairway with ancient inscriptions
  • 🖼️ Visit the Sculpture Museum showcasing Mayan artistry
  • 🏛️ Explore the ancient Copán Mayan ruins and temples
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Ancient pueblos under starlit skies
7.2
Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon was a great house with about 800 rooms and up to five stories. Ancestral Puebloans built it between 850 and 1150 from sandstone blocks. Round kivas sit in the plaza inside a D shaped wall. Old roads radiate across the desert from the canyon.
Highlights:
  • ✨ Attend night sky programs under the park's dark skies
  • 🥾 Hike the Pueblo Alto Trail for panoramic archaeological views
  • 🏛️ Tour the majestic Pueblo Bonito ruins and walk through rooms
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Ancient Maya Ruins in Pristine Jungle
7.7
Calakmul was a powerful Maya city deep in the jungle of Campeche in Mexico. Structure II rises about 45 metres and is one of the biggest pyramids in the region. From the top visitors see only green forest to the horizon. Toucans and spider monkeys live in the reserve.
Highlights:
  • 🐦 Join birdwatching tours for over 300 species
  • 🌳 Explore dense jungle trails with diverse wildlife sightings
  • 🗿 Climb ancient Mayan pyramids in Calakmul ruins
Tulum
Ruins, reefs and boho beaches
6.8
Tulum is a walled Maya city built on limestone cliffs above the Caribbean Sea. It flourished in the 13th to 15th centuries as a trading port. El Castillo stands on the edge with a view of the turquoise water. Small beaches lie below the walls.
Highlights:
  • 🏖️ Relax on the pristine white sands of Tulum Beach
  • 💧 Swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of Gran Cenote
  • 🏛️ Explore ancient Mayan ruins perched overlooking Caribbean Sea
Mesa Verde National Park
Ancient Cliff Dwellings and Rich History
7.5
Balcony House at Mesa Verde has about 40 rooms built into a cliff alcove. Visitors climb a 10 metre ladder and crawl through a narrow tunnel to enter. Ancestral Puebloans lived here in the 1200s. The park holds about 600 cliff dwellings in total and many more open sites.
Highlights:
  • 🧗 Tour Balcony House with its ladders and narrow passages
  • 🥾 Hike the scenic Soda Canyon Overlook Trail
  • 🏛️ Explore the ancient cliff dwellings of Cliff Palace
Chichen Itza
Unravel the Mysteries of the Maya
The Great Ball Court at Chichen Itza is about 168 metres long and is among the largest in Mesoamerica. Tall stone walls stand on either side with carved rings high above. Sound carries clearly from one end to the other. Carved panels show players and ritual scenes.
Highlights:
  • 🔭 Visit the Observatory (El Caracol) for ancient astronomy insights
  • 🏟️ Explore the Great Ball Court and ancient Mayan ruins
  • 🪜 Climb El Castillo pyramid and witness equinox serpent shadow
Teotihuacan
Ancient Pyramids, Timeless Mystique
The Temple of the Feathered Serpent at Teotihuacan has stone heads of the serpent god along its walls. The pyramid is a small but ornate building with carved snakes and other figures. Archaeologists found tunnels beneath it with offerings. It stands in the Citadel at the southern end of the Avenue of the Dead.
Highlights:
  • 🚶 Walk the historic Avenue of the Dead, ancient city's spine
  • 🌙 Explore the Pyramid of the Moon and surrounding plazas
  • 🌞 Visit the massive Pyramid of the Sun, iconic landmark
Tikal
Ancient Maya Ruins in Jungle
Temple I at Tikal is also known as the Temple of the Great Jaguar and stands about 47 metres tall. It was built as a funerary monument for the ruler Jasaw Chan Kawiil around 730 AD. Steep stairs climb to a small roof comb. It faces the Great Plaza and Temple II across the grass.
Highlights:
  • 🐒 Listen to howler monkeys echo through the ruins at dusk
  • 🌴 Explore ancient Mayan pyramids and plazas hidden in the rainforest
  • 🌅 Climb Temple IV for sunrise over the jungle canopy
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