I'm thinking that this spring I'll finally venture into central america, I'm just not sure which country yet. Who's had better experiences where? What offers the most activity? I'll definitely want to hit the beach while I'm out there, and visit some Mayan Ruins, as well as soak up some culture without getting involved in any drug deals gone wrong. :) Thanks for the help.

I would suggest Guatemala. If you want to dive/snorkel you can easily go to Belize (Caye Caulker) or the Bay Islands (Honduras). If you want some extra ruins, Chiapas (Mexico) is also close by. Tips in Guatemala: vistit Tikal by night, Coban (take the tour to the lakes and caves) and Lago Atitlan. Enjoy!

Please be very careful when going to Guatemala. I just returned from a round trip to Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. From my own experience (we were victim of a violent armed robbery near Antigua when we did a guided mountain bike tour) I would advice you to avoid the rural areas. The travel guides especially mention Lake Atitlan, Guatemala City and the far east (Rio Dulce, Livingston)as unsafe. Relatively safe places like Antigua seem to be victim of robberies (and violence towards females) now too. We did not have any problems in the east, but that may be just luck. Relatively safe places in my opinion would be the most visited tourist places like Antigua city and Tikal, which are also the most beautiful places. Belize would be a safer option, especially Placencia (nice beaches) and Cay Caulker (relaxed island, great snorkelling and diving with manatees, rays and sharks)should not be missed.
I would suggest to keep a close eye on the websites of foreign affairs of some European or North American countries to check the current situation before heading off to Guatemala.