Sadly, we reached the end of our time in #CDMX, but we couldn't be more thankful for the experiences we have had there! The last six months we have had the opportunity to do so much not only within the city limits, but exploring other areas Mexico has to offer.
Many people have asked us about the trip. Specifically what our favorite experiences have been. So I figured it would be a good time to share some of the best experiences we've had here, our Mexico City bucket list!
Visiting the Pyramids: The pyramids outside of Mexico City were truly amazing. There are several tours you can take, but we ended up taking an #Uber there because we wanted to check out a restaurant nearby afterwards called La Gruta. I highly recommend setting time aside to see the pyramids because they offer a glimpse into a once great civilization and there's nothing quite like them!
Double Decker Bus Tour: We did the Double Decker bus tour when our families were visiting as a quick way to see the whole city. It was nice to have the audio guide to hear the history of the city. I enjoy doing these tours in whatever city we go to so we can see everything and then decide where we want to go back and take more time to explore!
Tequila and Mezcal Tasting: When in Rome... #tequila and #Mezcal in Mexico City is way different than the tequila/mezcal we get in the US. Traditionally, they are sipped with a side of Sangrita or Lime Juice. Going on a tour (Linked above) is one way to try out the best of the best, but if you don't have time, try ordering some at a restaurant while you're out to eat!
Bosque de Chapultepec: Luckily for us we lived walking distance from this massive park. Despite being so close, I don't think we ever really made it all the way through! Bosque de Chapultepec is larger than Central Park in New York! Within it there's a zoo, an amusement park, a lake, a castle (read more below!), a museum and so much more!
Castillo de Chapultepec: Castillo de Chapultepec was pretty amazing. It's right inside the park. We went back several times with people who came to visit. The rooms within it are all stunning but what gets you the most is the view. From one end of the castle you can look straight down Reforma, the main road in the city, as well as see all the surrounding mountains. Defiantly worth the trip.
Try traditional Barbacoa: Our first Barbacoa experience was with a family friend who was visiting from home. He grew up in Mexico City, so he knew what he was doing. He took us to La Oveja Negra. It was delicious! The food was like nothing I've had before!
View the City from above at Miralto Restaurante: Miralto is a restaurant at the top of a sky scraper within the heart of the city. You can pay to go up into the observatory, but instead we just went straight to the restaurant for a drink. There's windows all the way around the restaurant so you get a full 360 degree view. It was stunning!
Visit Zocalo: Zocalo was cool to me because it's like nothing we have back here in Illinois. The square was huge and the surroinding buildings were beautiful. We walked the square then went into the chapel right off to the side. Afterwards we went up to El Balcon Del Zocalo for a couple drinks, mainly to get a birds eye view of the square. We loved it so much that we went back several more times in our trip!
Grab a drink at El Balcon Del Zocalo: El Balcon Del Zocalo quickly turned into our favorite place to bring visitors. We first discovered it with Jose back in January as he showed us around the city and were amazed by the view (shown in the Zocalo photo). It's the perfect place to go after walking through Zocalo and seeing all the sights, to sit down, grab a drink and enjoy the view.
Walk down the Rodeo Drive of Polanco: Many people don't know it, but Mexico City is a hot spot for fashionistas, too. Avenida Presidente in the Polanco neighborhood is lined with designer stores such as Mercedes Benz, Tiffany's, Michael Kors and so much more.
Visit Museo Soumaya: Even if you don't make it into the museum, the outside is a work of art on it's own! Located in the Polanco neighborhood, this museum attracts a ton of foot traffic.
Visit the Coyocan Neighborhood: Coyocan is overflowing with culture. Here you can find the Frida Kahlo Museum, vendors selling anything from food to crafts as well as many beautiful homes.
See the Monarch Butterfly's: The best time to go see the #monarchbutterflys is from November-March as they are migrating to Mexico from Canada and the US. These sanctuaries are amazing, as you hike through the forest you suddenly come to a stop, look up and see thousands of butterfly's fluttering above you. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Go See Lucho Libre: Once again, when in Rome... I wasn't super excited about this one. I was more-so going just to say I've done it. However, I will admit it was pretty entertaining. Its more of a show than an actual fight, and people get seriously into it! You can buy a ticket through a tour agency, or just go to a venue and buy your ticket outside which is what we did!
Take a Street Taco Tour: Mexico City street food is a hit or miss, especially for Americans. We are definitely not made to be eating all this food, which is why it's good to try it out with a guide. I specifically liked the tour we took because our guide was a man from California who has been living in Mexico City for some time now. He knew so much about each of the places he took us and was even friends with the owner. Not only that, but he gave us so many good recommendations for the rest of our time in Mexico City.
Shop For Your Souveniers at La Ciudadela: Speaking of our Taco Tour guide, he is the one who suggested we check out La Ciudadela. It was the best thing ever. We went there several times to pick up a few different items for ourselves and for gifts. It's a one stop shop for all things locally made!
Visit Xochimilco: Xochimilco is something you'll find on every Mexico City travel guide, and I couldn't agree more. It's such a fun way to relax and enjoy a few drinks with friends while floating and listening to some #mariachi bands. We went back and did this a few times with different people who came to visit during out time in Mexico!
Eat at Pujol: Pujol is a Mexican restaurant named by Wall Street Journal as the best in Mexico City. The restaurant is run by chef Enrique Olvera, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America. Fun Fact: He oversees the onboard menu in business class of airline Aeromexico. Reservations are hard to come by so book in advanced. They accept reservations on OpenTable! If you're a #foodie, this is a must do!
Go see a Movie: Mexico City is full of movie theaters that double as a dinner and drinks venue. Although you can find theaters like these in the U.S., it's still an interesting experience down in Mexico City. If you find yourself face to face with a rainy day, or just need some time to relax, check out a Cinepolis VIP! Many of their movies are played in English!
Day and weekend Trips
Cancun: Flights from Mexico City to #Cancun are just too cheap to not go. Although we've both been there before, we took a trip there anyways. The beaches are so beautiful and too relaxing to not take a mini vacation. We didn't do too much while we were there other than move back and forth between the beach and the pool with revolving tropical drinks in our hands, but that's exactly what we were hoping for. Cancun never disappoints.
San Miguel de Allende: San Miguel de Allende is not a destination you hear of often, for me at least, but it was unbelievably amazing. It's one of the places Nate and I said we would love to go back to some day! The buildings are a line of ever-changing colors and the churches are like nothing you see back in the U.S.. We spent just a weekend there, but could have definitely made a full week out of it. There's a large population of American's there for tourism purposes but also some living there. Apparently San Miguel is a hot spot for American retiree's.
Valle De Bravo: We only spent a few hours in Valle De Bravo on the way back from our Monarch Butterfly tour, but we wish we would have done more! They call Valle De Bravo the Hampton's of Mexico City. The houses here are unbelievable, all with an amazing view of the lake. There's ton's of restaurants and shops lining the streets. You can find people doing water sports such as tubing and skiing and every few minutes you find someone paragliding through the sky. This town is not something I would have ever expected to find in Mexico.
Cabo San Lucas: Cabo is a place you hear of all the time, but seeing it in person is something else! Like I said earlier, I have been to Cancun several times, but Cabo is completely different. The beaches, the landscape and the atmosphere are all their own twist of Mexico culture. It's a hot spot for surfers due to the larger waves (making it less ideal of an ocean-swimming spot than Cancun, but no less enjoyable) and an amazing spot for whale watching in the Spring. There's also a number of great bars and restaurants you can go to for a good time on the beach such as The Office or La Catrina.
Tulum: #Tulum is just about an hour south of Cancun, but feels completely different. Cancun can seem like more of a party spot, while Tulum feels like you're a bit more immersed into the tropical scenery of Mexico. Right in town you can find the ruins which line the edge of the beach making it a breathtaking view. The Oceans are just as beautiful and relaxing as Cancun though. We went swimming in the water right in front of our resort and had a number of fish swimming right through our legs, it was unbelievable!
Queretaro: We took a day trip to Queretaro and that felt like a perfect amount of time. It was a guided tour so we spent the first portion of the day exploring the nature of the town and then afterwards walked through the city with out guide. Just like San Miguel, you could fine a ton of shops lining the streets. Mexico is full of these charming little Pueblo Magico Towns!
Puerto Del Lobo: Nate and I are suckers for a good #winery. Being in Mexico the last few months and drinking all the tequila and Mezcal it has to offer had us craving a nice glass of wine. Believe it or not, you can find wineries right in Mexico (we had no idea)! We stopped here on the way back from our tour to Queretaro, we actually took this tour mainly because of the winery, but loved it all! This winery was unlike any winery we've been to! It was so unique how the restaurant was completely outdoors. Every spot was breathtaking, and the wine wasn't so bad either!
This list only skims the surface of all the things we loved about Mexico City, but it definitely includes our top attractions! If you have been to Mexico City and have some suggestions of things to add, we'd love to hear them!
If you're planning a trip to Mexico City and used some of our recommendations in your itinerary, we'd love to hear what you thought about it!
Share your thoughts below! Otherwise, thanks for reading!