Trip to Mexico

I have never been to Mexico so I have been doing a lot of research on this country. Man, most of the tourist resources I found talk about Mexico as a beach paradise. It's not a bad thing but I want something a little more than just beaches - I am also looking for some nature wonders or culture and want to do everything in a week. Not sure if it's possible but I am looking...

Somehow I came across this nice nature wonder in Mexico, Copper Canyon. The total area is bigger than Grand Canyon and you can do a lot of outdoor activities. Also, there is a rail running through the Canyon. Based on what I have read, it's a REALLY nice ride. Granted, it's a 14-hour train ride but I guess I can stop half-way to visit some towns/villages in between. Let's see if I could add a beach destination to this trip. Copper Canyon + Beach is good enough for the first trip to Mexico. Another I need to think about is whether I would like to join a tour or not. I usually don't like joining a tour but then if I am going a country I have never been to, maybe it's good to have a tour guide. Will see if my friends know anything.

More links for those interested in Mexico:
- Mazatlan, one of the resort place I am thinking about. The train from Copper Canyon will get to a neighboring town (Los Mochis) which is about 4 hours away.
- La Paz, another resort place. It's about a 5-hour ferry ride from Los Mochis. The interesting thing is that it's a ferry ride. could be fun.

I went to Japan earlier this year; it'll be cool to go to another country again. Alright, time to go to work. Will update more about this Mexico trip and will talk about an Alaska trip.