What is there to do in Mexico City?
Xochimilco canal (Flower Garden)-500 Pesos is the Max to pay for a ride on the canal! We talked our boat down to 400 Pesos for our own boat. If you find that 400 Peso is too much, find other travelers to split the cost. There's no limit to how many people can go on the boat, as long as you all fit!! Never pay by a person! The ride is by the hour! Traditionally most locals bring their own food/drinks for the ride and share with other passing boats! If you don't bring food, don't worry, there's a lot of stalls on other boats selling! Be prepared to bring cash and brush up on your Spanish! Not many locals speak English! Xochimilco was one of my favorite highlights in Mexico City and the perfect Sunday fun day with the family! We went to Xochimilco on our own by taxi and felt completely safe. At first, we were going to take a guided tour but after finding out we would have to spend at least $100USD for the tour, we went on our own for less the $50USD!
Zócalo- Plaza in Mexico City
Museo Nacional de Antropología (Mayan artifact museum)
The Angel of Independence- Iconic war independence monument
Square of the Three Cultures- Aztec ruins
Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo- contemporary art museum
La Ciudadela- A Mexican Market full of handcrafts and folk art.
Coyoacan Market- Market with food stalls and art.
La Feria Chapultepec Mágico-Theme Park
La Merced Market-A market full of retail and food stalls.
Mercado de Sonora(VOODOO market) A market full of retail stalls. Very few people speak English at the market so brush up on your Spanish! The market also isn't stroller friendly! The shopping stalls are close together and tight! I even had to pick up my stroller at one point to get around a load of boxes! Bring a chest piece for this one!
Mercado Jamaica- Flower market
Parque Ecológico EHECATL- A park and garden
Granja las Américas- A small amusement park featuring a playground, rides, games & farm animals.
Where to stay in Mexico City?
Roma
is a vibrant hipster neighborhood in Mexico City with the best street art. Roma has some of the best foods and food stalls here! We stayed in Roma, and it was quite and affordable. Roma is one of the best neighborhoods to stay in with a family!
Coyoacan
is a neighborhood with a gorgeous authentic vibe. Coyoacan is located about 40 minutes from the centre city, but if you are looking for a quiet area to stay in, you might want to check out the area. Museo Frida Kahlo house is also located in this area and a main attraction.
Centro Historico
Is where you'll find Mexico City's most iconic landmarks and the heart of the city. It's a safe area and so much to do here!
Juarez and Zona Rosa
Neighborhoods are perfect for backpackers if you're into the nightlife! There's always something going on in the area! You'll also find a ton of late-night street food on every other corner. Since the neighborhood is known for its nightlife, you may want to be extra cautious of your surroundings when going out and staying out late.
Where did we stay in Mexico City?
I recommend staying at Andres’s & Vanesa's! They were a fantastic host! Anything you need to know about Mexico or what to do, they will help you! They even help me exchange money on a Sunday when the banks were closed! Any question we had, I could WhatsApp them, and they responded ASAP! The area is excellent with many restaurants to choose from! The Airbnb is gated around, which also made us feel safe. Andres & Vanesa live directly above the downstairs apartment, which was cool for us because our kids enjoyed playing with their kids! Andres and Vanesa made my kids, and I feel at home! It was indeed one of the best stays I had a while with the family! To Book the Airbnb we stayed in click the link!
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How to get to your destination from the airport?
Uber
is a safe and more affordable way to navigate the city. Uber to the centre city can cost about 240 pesos($12USD).
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Metrobus
You can take a Metrobus line 4 from the airport for 30peso($1.50USD) one way. It will take about 30 minutes to get to the center city by the Metrobus.
Taxi
Taxis at Mexico City Benito Juarez (MEX) airport charge a flat rate based on zones. To get into the historic centre of Mexico City, it will cost you 250 pesos($13USD)and take around 20 minutes in normal traffic.
Metro
You can take the Metro to city centre by taking the metro line 5 from the Terminal Aérea station, which is located 10 minutes from Terminal 1. The total journey time is 50 minutes, and tickets cost just $5 Pesos ($0.26)one-way.
How to get around Mexico City?
Uber
is a safe and more affordable way to navigate the city.
New with Uber? Sign up and use my code for a discount(link):jessica43008ui
Rent a car
You can rent a car in the city, but its not an ideal way to explore the city. Traffic can get heavy in the city, and finding a safe spot to park is a pain! If you rent a car, you will have the independence to move around when you chose. You can rent a car in Mexico for as low as $2 a day, but here's the catch! You'll have to purchase Mexican liability insurance by law. We rented a car when we went to Tulum, and lucky our Major Chase credit card (sapphire) covered Collision coverage, so It saved us some bucks, but we still had to purchase Mexican liability insurance for about 15-20$USD a day we rented the car! If you do have a major credit card that covers car rental insurance, make sure you call your credit card company ahead of time to have them send you a physical copy for proof!
Taxi
Is an efficient way to get around the city, but you need to make sure you're hopping in an official taxi when waving down a taxi!
Metro
Is quick and easy and great to use during rush hour. The Metro is only 5 pesos ($0.25USD) to ride! If you chose to travel by Metro, just know that the first two cars of each train are for women and children only. Also, the metro can get crowded during rush hours, and that's also when it's more prone to pickpockets.
Metrobus
is a cheap, efficient, and super-crowded way to move around town. To ride, you'll need to purchase a smartcard. You can purchase a card in the Metro stations. The card will cost 16 pesos (or about $0.84USD), and rides cost 6 pesos one way (about $0.31USD).
On foot
It's cheaper and FREE! Most times its quicker to get around the city by walking. You'll find many dining and shopping options within walking distance where ever you stay at in Mexico City!
When to travel to Mexico City?
The best time to visit Mexico City is between March and May. During these months the weather is pleasant but crowded. If you're looking to avoid the crowds, visit during Mexico Citys summer or winter. The summers in Mexico City can get a little rainy, but we visited in September and experienced a light rainfall every other day with mild heat.
Some key events in Mexico City are Cinco de Mayo (May 5) & Día de los Muertos- The Day Of the Dead (Nov. 1)! If you're in Mexico for any of these events, your in for a fiesta!
Where to eat in Mexico City?
Club Tengo Hambre- Sells amazing tacos!
Pastelería Ideal- a giant popular bakery downtown.
Churrería El Moro- Looking for the worlds best churro? Stop in Churrería El Moro.
Pollos Mario-Colombian food
Dulce Jesús Mio- Colombia food
Comedor de los Milagros- A small food stall market with food from some of the best kitchens in Mexico City!
La Merced Market- You find a ton of delicious food stalls here.
La Tirana - Gourmetería
Quintonil- For Fine dining.
Street Food- You'll find a ton of taco and quesadilla stands on almost every corner. The food is super cheap and delicious. For a quick bite, we would visit the corner around our Airbnb and order Tacos for less than $5USD
Uber Eats- is a food delivery platform that delivers food from your favorite local restaurants to your door. New with Uber? Sign up and use my code for a discount(link):jessica43008ui
What language is spoken in Mexico City?
Spanish
Currency?
Mexican Pesos
Check out Google Currency Converter for current rates.
Learn basic Spanish.
Buenos días — Good morning
Buenas tardes — Good afternoon
Buenas noches — Good evening / Good night
¿Cómo estás? — How are you? (informal)
Muy bien — Very well
Mi nombre es — My name is
¡Muchas gracias! — Thank you very much!
¡De nada! — You’re welcome! / No problem!
Por favor — Please (generally used at the end of a sentence)
¡Perdon! — Excuse me!
¡Disculpe! — Excuse me! (to apologize in advance for being a bit of a bother)
¡Lo siento! — Sorry! (to apologize for a mistake)
Things you should know when traveling to Mexico City?
Mexico City's air pollution is notoriously bad, so on days when the pollution is the worst, you'll likely want to travel with a mask.
Museums are Closed on Mondays.
Tipping is common in Mexico City, in the same general situations as it would be common and expected in the United States. In Mexico, a 10-15% tip is the going rate.
Have cash with you at all times as many restaurants and vendors accept only cash.
English is common but not universally spoken in Mexico City, even at tourist sites and restaurants that cater to tourists.
Is Mexico City kid-friendly? Things to do with kids?
Just like any other city Mexico City is kid-friendly! Mexico City has so many activities for the little ones to enjoy!
Museo de Arte Popular- Pop-art museum with kids' activities
Papalote Museo del Niño- interactive expositions of science for children.
Parque Bicentenario- A park full of trails.
Museo de Cera-Wax figure museum
"Fear does not prevent death. It prevents life."
