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If you're planning on taking a trip to Mexico, there are literally thousands of things you can do there. One of the most interesting and fulfilling, however, is to go check out some of the numerous cultural sites that are open to the public.

One interesting and lesser known cultural site to check out is the caves in Baja that contain ancient cave paintings from indigenous peoples in the area. They're a couple of hours drive from the U.S., so you can go there even if you aren't planning a full-fledged trip. It's a nice weekend trip for people from California or nearby areas ' you can drive in, get a hotel nearby, and wander around in the tourist-accessible areas.

A better known cultural must-see are the interesting archeological sites left behind by the Aztecs and the Mayans. These are the famous pyramids that you've seen in pictures, and you can actually go to visit many of them. The Aztec ruins are located mainly around Mexico City and nearby. To see the Mayan ones, you'll have to take a trip to the Yucatan peninsula ' either one of those places is a great spot for tourists to go visit, so you can either focus on one or do a split vacation. Many of the pyramids have sculptures and other artifacts on display, and some areas are fully preserved ancient cities.

It's well worth a look ' the buildings are impressive, especially given the technology used to build them. One of the best preserved to take a look at is Chichen Itza in the Yucatan ' a well-preserved and partially restored site that is actually very close to Cancun, another great tourist spot where you can go and get the regular vacation activities out of the way. The cultural stuff can be a great and interesting supplement.