Mexico City Travel Guide: What to Do in Mexico City

This post contains affiliate links.

This Mexico City travel guide comes straight from my personal experience living, working, eating, drinking and exploring Mexico City for three months.

I’ve laughed with locals in the Xochimilco canals, climbed ancient pyramids, hiked around active volcanos, worked at swanky coffee shops, and eaten a probably-better-if-we-don’t-know-the-exact-amount of tacos. 

All my favorite and must-see places are in round ups and articles here on the blog, but this Mexico City travel guide condenses them all in one easy to find place and shares all my insider info so you can plan the perfect trip in only six steps!

The biggest mistake you can make is flying through Mexico City without stopping for a few days to sample the vibrant food, art, culture, and architecture it has to offer. CDMX is one of the best destinations in Mexico and unlike anywhere else on earth.

Use this guide to plan a trip to Mexico City and I’ll still be here when you come back to thank me later 😉 We’re going to go through it in six easy steps:

• How much time should you spend in Mexico City?
• How to find cheap flights to Mexico City
• Where to stay in Mexico City
• What to eat, drink, and do in Mexico City
• What to pack for Mexico City
• And extra tips for a perfect trip

Ready to go? Hurry up and pack your bags, because this crazy, fun, and chaotic city of nine million people waits for no one!

 

Biblioteca Vasconcelos

 

1. Plan your stay: How much time should I spend in Mexico City? 

The minimum amount of time you should plan to spend in Mexico City is three full days. But that’s the minimum and you could easily fill a full week or even eight to ten days because there is so. much. to. do.

I mean the city itself spreads over 500 square miles so you could explore a new neighborhood every day and still have plenty to spare when you left.

With three full days in Mexico City, you can see the highlights:

• Climb the 2,000+ year old pre-Aztec Teotihuacan ruins
• Ride the colorful trajinera boats in the Xochimilco canals
• Cheer on the luchadores at a Lucha Libre match
• Eat and drink in the trendy Roma and Condesa neighborhoods
• Visit the Frida Kahlo museum, markets, and galleries in the Coyoacan neighborhood
• And explore the Centro Historico neighborhood to see the Palacio de Belles Artes, Mexico City Cathedral, and the Templo Mayor Museum (featuring the ruins of an Aztec temple)

That’s is a pretty good taste of what Mexico City has to offer but not even close to all of it.

If you like to eat and drink there are tons of food tours and tastings to add to your itinerary, and if you’re into hiking, Izta-Popo National Park and Desierto de Los Leones are a quick Uber or bus ride away. For those into architecture and strange places, Biblioteca Vasconcelos and the MUJDAM Toy Museum shouldn’t be missed. Estadio Azteca, where Club America plays, is one of the largest and most iconic soccer stadiums in the world and the Basilica de Guadalupe is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world.

And I won’t even get into all the day and weekend trips you can take from Mexico City because we’d actually be here forever. (Jk I’ll share them in detail in the itinerary section below.)

The bottom line: plan to spend at least three days in Mexico City, but up to a week or more would be acceptable and easy to fill.

 

Izta-Popo National Park

 

2. Buy your flights: How to find cheap flights to Mexico City

If you have your dates set in stone, Skyscanner is the best way to find cheap flights to Mexico City.

It’ll find and compare all the prices from all the airlines, so you can sort by cheapest, when they leave, or anything else to find exactly what you want. I recommend finding the cheapest flight on Skyscanner and then going direct to the airline to book it – this can help prevent issues with buying through third-party sellers that arise when flights are cancelled or delayed.

If your Mexico City travel dates are flexible, you can also use Scott’s Cheap Flights to find the cheapest flights to CDMX. This email service is free and sends out regular emails with flight sales and mistake fares. If you upgrade to premium, you can set your specific airport and get extra flight deals as well.

Mexico City flight deals are common on Scott’s Cheap Flights and can get as low as the $200’s for round trips from major airports like Chicago. Check out both services to book your flight, and then we’ll move on to accommodation.

 

Colorful streets of Condesa

 

3. Book your accommodation: Where to stay in Mexico City

I’ve lived in two different neighborhoods in Mexico City and spent time in many more. They all have their own personalities and vibes, so choosing the right Mexico City neighborhood for your trip depends on your travel tastes.

Roma and Condesa are the most popular neighborhoods for tourists. They have all the trendiest restaurants, bars, boutiques, and nightlife and are great to walk around and explore day and night.

I love Condesa and recommend it for pretty much any traveler. It’s fun, pretty, safe, and in the center of the city so exploring the others is easy from this base. Check out Airbnbs and hotels in Condesa.

Some people choose to stay in the Centro Historico, but that’s a mistake.

The Centro Historico neighborhood is perfect for a half or full-day trip to see the tourist sites, but there’s not much there after the sun goes down. It also used to be pretty sketchy and unsafe, but that’s vastly improved in recent years. But still, there’s no reason to spend more than a day there and I definitely wouldn’t base my stay there.

Coyoacan is another popular choice. This neighborhood is artsy, quiet, and beautiful. I love visiting it, and the only downside for staying here is that it’s outside of the center so you’ll require longer Uber rides to explore the rest of the city.

Traffic in Mexico City is crazy bad (like LA bad) so this could potentially add hours of wasted travel time to your trip. For a longer stay, where you won’t be running around with a full itinerary every day, I recommend Coyoacan, but for a three or four-day trip it would be inconvenient.

Finally we have Polanco. Polanco is nicknamed the ‘Beverly Hills of Mexico City’ because it’s upscale and full of rich people. Polanco is clean, nice, and centrally located. It’s pretty and a great place for Mexico City newbies who may be overwhelmed by the crowds and chaos in the city. Check out Airbnbs and hotels in Polanco.

The bottom line: book your stay in Condesa, Roma, or Polanco. Start exploring Airbnbs now (or, check out these these five unique places to stay in Mexico City for an even more memorable trip).

 

Lucha Libre match in Mexico City

 

4. Plan your itinerary: What to eat, drink, and do in Mexico City

Coming from a small city in the Midwest, the scale of Mexico City was hard for me to take in. I mean, the city alone has almost the same population as my entire state!

So while of course I can’t even come close to listing everything there is to see and do in Mexico City, I’ll do my best to share the highlights. I did a lot during my three month stay and spent a lot of time researching not only the top attractions but also the off-the-beaten-path destinations that might be overlooked by others.

I’ve personally done and recommend every single thing on this list, so mix and match your favorites to build an awesome itinerary!

 

What to do in Mexico City

There are so many things to do and see, but I’ll try my best to be brief. Ready?

When you go to Mexico City, make sure to visit the Teotihuacan ruins, party on the boats in the Xochimilco canals, explore central Coyoacan and visit the Frida Kahlo museum, explore the Centro Historico neighborhood and visit the Mexico City Cathedral, Palacio de Belles Artes, and Templo Mayor museum, walk through Chapultepec Park and visit the Anthropology museum – DEEP BREATH – go to the Basilica de Guadalupe, go to a Lucha Libre match, go to a soccer game, photograph the toy museum, Biblioteca Vasconcelos, and Museo Soumaya (this Mexico City Instagram guide will put you on the right track) and explore the Roma, Condesa, and Polanco neighborhoods.

Whew.

Next up, what to eat in Mexico City!

 

What to eat in Mexico City

Tacos, tacos, and more tacos.

Do this DIY taco crawl through Roma and Condesa or book food and taco tours on Airbnb to get a taste of the different types and styles that Mexico is so famous for. Visit Texcoco on a half-day trip to try the best barbacoa in the country and don’t miss the churros at Churreria El Moro and a tasty Mexican breakfast spread at Maque in Condesa.

For a more in depth introduction to the fantastic food scene in Mexico City, explore the most unique, traditional, and top-rated restaurants in Mexico (some of the best in the world are in CDMX) and 101 Mexican foods you need to try before you die.

 

What to drink in Mexico City

Mezcal and pulque are two uniquely Mexican drinks you should try on your visit.

Pulque is an ancient Aztec drink (that’s over 1,000 years old!) and I recommend trying it at Peluqueria Los Insurgentes, the final stop in my rooftop bar crawl through Roma.

Mezcal is similar to tequila. While tequila can only come from blue agave plants grown in certain regions of Mexico, mezcal can come from any type of agave plant from any region in Mexico. As a result there is much more variety in flavor and style in mezcal than in tequila. La Botica in Condesa is my favorite dive to drink mezcal at at but there are mezcalerias everywhere in CDMX ranging from casual to swanky and back again.

Craft beer is also steadily growing in Mexico City. If you’re looking for something a little less exotic, use this CDMX craft beer guide to try my favorite breweries in the city and then check out my favorite coffee shops in Condesa to cure your hangover the next day.

 

Where to hike in Mexico City

Izta-Popo National Park is my favorite national park in Mexico and only an hour from CDMX by bus. Izta and Popo, the two volcanoes, are part of local Mexican folklore and Popo volcano still erupts to this day, so keep an eye out for her little puffs of smoke from the hiking trails. 

Desierto de Los Leones is another popular place to hike in Mexico City, especially to see the 400-year-old monastery at the entrance to the park. The Tepozteco ruins, Texcotzinga ruins, and Cumbres del Ajusco National Park are also great places to get outdoors and get a bit of history as well.

Learn how to hike at all five of these locations in my Mexico City hiking guide with step-by-step instructions for visiting each one.

 

Best day and weekend trips from Mexico City

Queretaro is a great day trip from Mexico City for a romantic escape. Climbing Pena de Bernal (a sacred monolith) and hiking at the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve (one of the largest and most diverse protected areas in the country) are also awesome day / weekend trips for hikers.

San Miguel de Allende is lovely, the mountain-side town of Taxco is crazy photogenic, and, if you’re visiting between November and March, a trip to the monarch butterfly reserves in Michoacan to see the monarch migration is an absolute must.

This list of my 14 favorite day trips from Mexico City will take you to 14 wildly different destinations within one to four hours of CDMX.

 

Palacio de Belles Artes

 

5. Pack your bags: What to pack for Mexico City

Mexico City is at high altitude – 7,382 feet above sea level – so it stays pretty consistently cool (and a little rainy) throughout the year.

I spent both winter months (February and March) and summer months (July and August) in Mexico City and packed pretty much the same for both. Days are warm but nights can get chilly so I recommend layering with light jackets and cardigans to be comfortable all day. Also, bring sunscreen! Getting burnt at high altitude is no joke.

My last tip: whether you’re planning to hike or not, bring sturdy boots or shoes because you’re going to be walking a ton. I like to wear Timberland boots and Birkenstock sandals to keep foot pain at bay when exploring major cities like CDMX.

The bottom line: I’ve been refining this carry-on packing list for the past four years – bookmark it and never overpack for your trip again.

 

Cineteca Nacional in Coyoacan

 

6. Enjoy your trip: Extra tips for visiting Mexico City

Is Mexico City safe? This is the number one question I get asked by friends, family, and strangers on the internet whenever I talk or write about it.

After three months in the city, I can anecdotally say I felt safe the entire time. Neighborhoods like Roma, Condesa, Polanco, and Coyoacan are definitely safe during the day and also at night if you use normal safety precautions like being with a partner or group and not being obviously intoxicated on the streets.

Other things I wish I knew before I went to Mexico City include:

• Always travel with cash because many places and small vendors don’t take cards
• Take Uber instead of taxis to save money and avoid having to explain where you’re trying to go in broken Spanish
• Be prepared for endless traffic and air pollution
• Never drink the water! (And bring a reusable water bottle to prevent plastic waste when you can.) 

The bottom line: travel smart in Mexico City, but don’t be scared to go. 

 

Ex-Convento de Los Leones in Desierto de Los Leones Park

 

Ready to Travel in Mexico City?

I love Mexico City, and I know if you go, you will too. Use this guide to add a few days in CDMX to the beginning or end of your trip, or just to try something new instead of the tourist-packed beaches on the coast!

The chaos, the crowds, the colors, the food, the energy, and the sheer volume of interesting things to do and see is at your fingertips in Mexico City, so book the flight, pack your bags, and go already!

 

Ready to go?

Explore unique stays on Airbnb – like these light-filled lofts in Roma and Condesa, my favorite neighborhoods in the city – or the top-rated hotels on Booking.com to book your stay.

Then, check out more food, culture, and outdoors experiences in Mexico City to round out your itinerary (or book a multi-day Mexico tour to finish you travel planning in one click!)

 

This article is part of the Miscellaneous Mexico City series. Read the rest below:

12 Things to Do in Mexico City at Night

14 Best Day Trips from Mexico City

8 Best Places to Live in Mexico: Ranked

How to See the Monarch Butterfly Migration in Mexico

29 Best Instagram Spots Around Mexico City

The Gringos Guide to Xochimilco Boats in Mexico City

Or, check out the complete Mexico Series for 50+ more articles on what to see, eat, drink, do, and discover in the country.

 

Like it? Pin it!