edit North America Travel Guide

• Ancient Mayan Ruins (Mexico) It would be impossible not to admire the magical structures of this remenant civilization left from over a 1000 years ago.
• CN Tower (Canada) At 553 m (1815 ft) the worlds tallest free standing structure (including the worlds highest observation deck) is just one of many cool things to check out in Toronto.
• Death Valley (United States) The lowest place in the western hemisphere, your sure to be impressed by the deserts heat and bare beauty.
• Grand Canyon (United States) The enormity and complexity of nature is sure to stand out as you stare at your surroundings shaped by what appears to be a mere stream 1500 meters below your feet.
• Laying on a Beach in Hawaii (United States) While technically not on the continent of north america, the perfect beaches, relaxing people, and pounding surf could not be left out of the highlights list.
• Mexican Cuisine (Mexico) With strong influences from Spain plus a dash of flavor from african, french and native americans the food in many Mexico street corners can be some of the best in the world.
• New York (United States) Sometimes considered the capital of the world, from it's iconic statue of liberty and empire state building to it's relaxing central park, you haven't seen urban amazement until you've been there.
• Niagra Falls (Canada/United States) Straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada, these waterfalls make up one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
• Skiing or Snowboarding in Canada With so much of the country covered by snow and mountains theres plenty of places to shred a bit of snow. Of those Whistler is probably the most popular. There you will find one of the largest resorts in the world and the home to the 2008 winter olympics.

Language

The three most common languages spoken in North America are english, spanish, and french. In Canada both english and french are official languages. In the United States english is the primary language however spanish is also commonly spoken within the states that border Mexico. In Mexico spanish is the official language, however in larger tourist areas, english speakers can be found.

Regions

Due to the large size of the three main countries that makeup North America, cultures vary dramatically within each country. In general though one could say that Canada and the U.S. share many similarities and traditions and common historical and economic ties often bonds them together (although their political differences are often more complicated). Mexico on the other hand, shares more traditional commonality with countries throughout central america.

While air travel into a North American country has always required a passport, stricter border laws are now requiring passports during local travel between countries. This recent change primarly affects anyone entering or re-entering the United States. Previously, other forms of identification were sufficient for travel between Canada, the United States, and Mexico (if you were a citizen of one of those countries) but this is no longer the case. Whenever you travel across a border, you should have your passport with you.

Food and Water

Within Canada and the United States health standards are usually high. Drinking tap water or eating produce should not be a problem and you are unlikely to find any major health scares that you wouldn't see in any other 1st world nation. In Mexico however water standards can vary from good to poor depending on the city or area you are in. There it is best to either ask a local, or to be on the safe side, rely on bottled water and drinks without ice. In those areas you should also be aware that the water used to wash fresh fruits and vegetables may also get you sick. Finally although the Mexican cuisine can be absolutely wonderful, you should be aware that is considerably spicier than local food in the U.S. or Canada.

Smoking

Many ares of the U.S. and Canada have recently banned smoking in public areas (such as restaurant). These laws can vary between states or providences so its probably best to observe what the locals are doing.

phone

The Country code for both the U.S. and Canada is 1. Both countries also share a similar numbering structure: a three digit area code, followed by a seven digit local number. You can also make calls between these two countries (as well as parts of the caribbean) as if it was only an intracountry call. Within the last few years, Mexico has also made efforts to harmonize their phone number format. The country code for Mexico is 52.