Headed to Mazatlan on your vacation to Mexico? A wise choice. You’ll find dozens of exciting things to see and do there. Whether you prefer sightseeing, whale watching, boat tours… Mazatlan has it all.

Start your visit to Mazatlan off at the peak of excitement by renting a dune buggy. You ride on a private rancho that offers plenty of small hills and soft dunes. Ride alone, or with a mate or child (over age 7), but ride, ride, ride. This is a great option for cruise passengers stopping in Mazatlan.

Be prepared to get good and dirty as you zoom through the dust along backroads and little-traveled areas of the town. A great excuse to hit that shower afterward for a relaxing spray to cool off. Panoramic views included at no extra charge, of course.

There are several beach cities in Mexico that offer horseback riding. The ones near Mazatlan are unmatched. Most won’t let you get near the water for fear of riptides. Here you can trot through the surf without fear around Stone Island. Ride through mangroves, coconut plantations, and along the beach. Another great choice for cruisers looking for an on-shore activity.

Stone Island tours offer another form of transportation: ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles). Zip along the beach for anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. If you’ve come off a cruise ship you can even get picked up and dropped off at the pier. No need to take a taxi. There’s no better way to see the mangroves at high speed.

Whale watching is another favorite activity of visitors to Mexico’s coastline. The tours near Mazatlan are among the more spectacular. Every year between December and March – the perfect time for a winter vacation to sunny Mexico – enormous pods (groups) of whales swim thousands of miles to the Sea of Cortez to give birth. Bring your camera and get ready for the sight of a lifetime.

Next, visit El Quelite and Copala to see some of the fascinating architecture of the colonial period.

Copala is a quaint village in the Sierra Madre mountains with plenty of cobblestone streets still intact. You’ll want to take plenty of pictures in the public square surrounded by colonial buildings. Situated high in the mountains, it still has a working silver mine, one that has been worked for 300 years.

El Quelite Ranch offers another look at part of Mexico’s diverse past. Get handmade, authentic empanadas. See a cockfight training facility. Visit the church then have lunch at Los Laureanos. Whatever your interest, you’ll have a special time in this most special of towns near Mazatlan.

There are other spectacular sights in Mazatlan, not least of which is the city itself. Nicknamed ‘the Pearl of the Pacific’, it’s not hard to be convinced that the name is apt. There are 15 miles of beaches to explore and the city still has many buildings from the Spanish Colonial days of the 16th century. The streets of Mazatlan are lined with sculpture, many that are outstanding blends of superb art and interesting history.

Come visit Mazatlan soon.