*This post contains information merged from the previous blog post I wrote about Mexico City in December 2023.
Wondering what to do when in Mexico City? So far I've been to CDMX (a.k.a Mexico City) twice and here is a list of activities I've done while in the city.
Went to Teotihuacan early to beat the heat and the crowd. It was in November but still it was hot in the morning.
Doggies taking a nap!
Teotihuacán
Teotihuacán is a UNESCO-designated site, which is a very popular place to visit if it's your first time visiting Mexico City. This is where you get to explore Mexican pyramids by walking around the archaeological site or taking the hot air balloon ride. I didn't hop on the hot air balloon but if you want to get a birds-eye view of the area and see the pyramids from the top, this would be a good option to explore. It only takes a little over an hour to get to Teotihuacán from Mexico City and costs $80 MXN to enter. Get there early to beat the crowd and the heat.
Trajinera boats in Xochimilco. The name of the boat is MariaLuisa. They have tables and chairs on the boat where you can enjoy food & music.
It was almost like a floating toy store. The vendors have their boats and approach visitors' boats to see if they can sell their items.
Xochilmilco
Xochimilco is where you will ride trajinera boats in canals. Trajineras are like similar to long-tail boats in Thailand but without the long tails. Each boat has its unique name too. You will hear traditional Mexican music from musicians who sing live, see people selling food (i.e. elotes/esquites), and merchants who are selling Mexican crafts on the boat. These canals are known as a UNESCO-designated site and are worth the visit.
The artisan market at Coyoacan. There are hand-crafted artworks too. There are so many local artists here.
Artists sell their work at the plaza. They showcase their work to the public.
Coyoacán
One of my favorite places in Mexico City! This place is very well known for Frida Kahlo's museum (unfortunately I couldn't get in because the tickets were sold out for the day) but there were so many other things to do while I was there. Mercado de Coyoacan (Coyoacan Market) was fun to look around as they sold lots of fresh veggies and fruits for purchase. Street food was I was lucky to see the artisan market at the main plaza, where local artists displayed their artworks. Mercado Artensal Mexicano (Artisan Market) was fun to explore too. I bought a ring and a bracelet and both were reasonably priced (of course, there are super fancy pieces of jewelry too, but if you buy them from vendors on the street, they are pretty cheap).
*If you are looking into visiting Frida Kahlo's museum, make sure to either book a tour or purchase your ticket online to secure your spot. Click here to check out their website. They do not take walk-ins.
The building is so artistic! Reminded me of the DDP building in South Korea.
European art work. I loved how they displayed this.
Museo Soumaya
Mexico City has so many museums you can visit, but I was specifically looking for FREE museums in the central Mexico City area and Museo Soumaya was a perfect place to spend a half day. You will be impressed by the museum building itself and you will see famous artworks of Rodin, Mexican art as well as European art.
Palacio de Bellas Artes has one of the fanciest buildings in CDMX. The inside is so well-designed too.
Photography/videography wasn't allowed during the show, so I was able to capture inside of the venue only. Loved the inside too.
Palacio de Bellas Artes- Mexican Folklore Ballet (Ballet Folklorico de Mexico)
I didn't know about the Mexican Ballet show until I saw a post on a Facebook Group for people traveling and living in Mexico City. Someone asked a question about the show and how to purchase a ticket, so I did some research to see what this was all about. Long story short, it's a Mexican Ballet with musicians playing traditional Mexican music and you will see people dancing in colorful Mexican traditional clothing. You can purchase tickets on Ticketmaster mx (requires online service fee) or purchase tickets on the day of. The shows run every Wednesday and Sunday (occasionally Saturdays). Check their schedule in advance. I highly recommend buying tickets online in advance for popular times like Wednesday/Sunday evenings but tickets don't sell out quickly for early morning shows on Sunday, so walk-ins should be fine. I bought my ticket online because I wanted to secure my spot to watch the show since I am not staying that long in CDMX. It paid $413 MXN online for the cheapest ticket on Sunday at 9:30 am, but the price changes based on the seat you choose as well as the day and time of the day you watch the show. If you've purchased the ticket online, make sure to pick up your physical ticket on the day of the show at the ticket booth before you enter the venue.
Castillo de Chapultepec
Chapultepec is a large park in CDMX, and there are several things to enjoy in the park:
(1) the Chapultepec Zoo (it's free)
(2) the Chapultepec Museums
(3) the Chapultepec Gardens
(4) the Chapultepec Castle
I walked around the park, and it was great for a walk + check out the food stalls. I've spent some time at the Chapultepec Castle in the evening after my full-day hike. I wish I had more time to spend at the castle but because my time in CDMX was very limited, I decided to stay 2 hours at the castle and make most of my time out of it. I would recommend spending at least half a day to fully explore and take time to enjoy the artwork. The castle gardens were my favorite and there is also an observatory to see the city of Mexico from the top. The stained glass windows were amazing and Mexican artwork was fascinating.
Iztaccihuatl-Popocatepetl National Park Hiking & Cascada Rio Apatlaco, Puebla (Waterfall)
Hiking by an active volcano was an amazing experience. Who knows when it will erupt?
I booked an Airbnb experience because it was my first time hiking in Mexico City and wanted to explore the area with someone who is an expert. This was the first experience I had as soon as I arrived in Mexico City from Chicago. The hiking at Iztaccihuatl-Popocatepetl (Izta-Popo) was amazing- Popo is an active volcano, so you can have a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you've never been so close to an active volcano. I was there at the end of November and the mountains were covered in snow, which I wasn't expecting. The trail was a bit icy but it was still okay to hike without the spikes.
Cascada Rio Apatlaco, Puebla was another cool place that is lesser known than Izta-Popo. It was a short drive from Izta-Popo and was a super bumpy ride. I had lunch by the waterfall and the view was great. It was a short walk from the parking lot to see the waterfall, and I was fully immersed in nature while having lunch.
If you are an outdoorsy person, make sure to check out Izta-Popo and the outskirts of the Puebla area with a local!
The waterfall was a hidden gem! Great to cool off!
There are so many things to do in CDMX! I've been to Mexico City twice, and I still have so many places that I want to visit. In my personal opinion, Mexico City is great for anyone as you can enjoy both outdoor activities as well as explore the city. I hope to be back to explore the area.
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