Ideas for a trip to Mexico City and Around?

I go to Mexico City every couple of years. Lovely place .... except where it isn't. One of those places I think you would benefit from local assistance. I know an excellent low key, translator, stay safe and out of trouble, interesting neighborhoods, and iconic local spots sort of guide if you are interested. Very inexpensive. You know more Albanians speak English than what you will find in Mexico City (once you get out of the tourist traps).

Mexico City has been on my radar for awhile now. I don’t know why we haven’t made the leap. Let us know what you decide and where you stay.

I spent a week (8 nights) in Mexico City this past April. If you have more limited time, 5 nights would probably be enough but even with a full week there was plenty more to see. As you have probably heard, the food is amazing. There are many wonderful world class museums, interesting history, art and culture. I read somewhere that Mexico City is second only to Paris in number of museums. I found the Moon Guide to Mexico City very useful. I also used the Lonely Planet guide to Mexico but that has much less on Mexico city than the Mood Guide. Both include a number of day trips to surrounding areas. There is no need for a car.

The most popular day trip and the only one I did is to Teotihuacan ancient pyramids. I just used the commercial tour offered by my hotel but I know of tourists who have gone on their own quite easily.

Before I went, I read and bookmarked a number of useful posts on this forum, including one from Mister E.

Following with interest. We've been throwing around the idea of a week in Mexico City for a couple of years now, but have yet to pull the trigger.

Given your desire to delve into the city and experience it at a relaxed pace, I'd recommend spending at least 4 to 5 full days in Mexico City itself. This should allow you to explore the main attractions, immerse yourself in the local culture, and have time for leisurely strolls and off-the-beaten-path experiences.

Definitely about 4 days-give yourself a day to adjust to the altitude as Mexico City is at a higher altitude.

There have been lots of posts on what neighborhoods to stay. But be sure to ask around and don't go wandering into unfamiliar neighborhoods. The blocks can change quickly and there are some places a tourist doesn't want to be so off the beaten path is not always the best bet in Mexico.

You can take the Metro but most tourist I know take an Uber as they are relatively cheap and safe and no money has to change hands. As for being out, take only what money you think you will need and leave most credit cards and other ID/valuable items in the room safe. The tourists areas in CDMX are generally safe but pickpockets are very prevalent, so never have your phone in your hand or on a table.

Finally, don't drink tap water or brush your teeth with it. Make sure all produce is wash. I'd stay away from food stalls but you have to only go where there is a long line and the food is all made fresh to order. Finally definitely learn some Spanish. While English is spoken it's not as wide spread as European capitals. Plus most Mexicans will be pleased to hear you speak a few words.

Wow, everyone! Thank you for these great responses! I have not been able to re-visit this post until now, mostly due to the denial of service attacks that made getting to this website difficult.

In any case, it really sounds like a trip to Mexico City itself is enough to fill one trip of about 5 days to a week. That's perfect! No need to really consider day excursions out of the city. I thoroughly enjoy poking around, noticing all sorts of things and just enjoying the sights/sites without feeling like I need to rush through an itinerary.

Since our consideration for Mexico City won't be until sometime towards the end of next year, I haven't made a lot of plans yet. I did, however, start looking at guide books and learnt about the Footprint guides which as I understand used to be (still is?) legendary for Latin America. The last version for Mexico was unfortunately published a long time in 2010. I was able to connect with one of the authors, Richard Argihiris, who indicated it looked unlikely that the publisher will create an updated edition (the last edition did not sell well, he said). Bradt, the publisher, did confirm they had no plans to update the guide. In any case, I purchased a used copy and will peruse it when it arrives.

Richard did say Moon tends to do the best and most detailed guides on Latin America so I'll be looking at the one specific to Mexico City. He also said Time Out website is good for restaurants as the writers are food specialists in the cities they live in. Thought I'd share these nuggets of information.

We're planning for our first trip to Mexico City for February, 2024. We like to settle into a place and are spending two weeks just in Mexico City. We'll also spend a few days each in Guanajuato, San Miguel, and Oaxaca.

I also have the Moon Guide for Mexico City and have found it to be helpful. From the research I've done on best neighborhoods to stay in, I'm concentrating on finding an apartment in the Centro Histórico. This website (Mexico Dave: Where to Stay in Mexico City) helped me understand the differences in various neighborhoods.

I absolutely loved the week I spent in Mexico City in July 2019. Fascinating city with a lot to see and do.
During that week I took a day trip to Teotihuacan (do not miss! Can take Uber there and back, or buses if you feel adventurous), and one to Xochicalco ruins + Cuernavaca but that would perhaps be too adventurous for a non-spanish speaker. And I heard great things about Tepotzlan village near Cuernavaca.

There are indeed entire neighborhoods to avoid: a recent guidebook should have that information. Off the top of my head, some of the areas to watch out for (easy to stray into them because they are central) are Tepito (north of the historical center) and Doctores (SW of the historical center). East of the center isn't great either.
And you will want to use Uber at night even for short distances - the drivers will not mind a 1/2 mile ride.

You have gotten a lot of great advice. We spent nearly a week in Mexico City in early April 2019. It was great. I wrote the following for some friends who were going, and it might be helpful. Or skip if it's TMI! We rented an airbnb in the Condesa neighborhood, which was great. No need for a car!! Edited to add: we do not speak Spanish, but I used an audio program to learn just a bit before we left.

Day 1: Tour of Centro Historico, including the zocalo and vicinity. We went into the cathedral, toured the Palacio Nacional including the amazing Diego Rivera murals. Quick tour of the Templo Major ruins. Lunch at the well-known Cafe Tecuba. Walking tour of the neighborhood along Calle Francisco Madero including the 42nd-floor observation deck of Torre Latinomericana and the main floor of the Palacio des Bellas Artes. You can see performances there.

Day 2: Visited Park Espana in our Condesa neighborhood, walked up the Roma neighborhood to Paseo de la Reforma, walked along this into Bosque Chapultepec (vehicle free on Sundays), looked at the tallest skyscrapers and the strange pillars of light installation and other sights as we walked into the park. On weekends this area is full of vendors and very festive. We entered the Museo Nacional de Anthropologia, where we spent 3.5 hours including lunch in their good restaurant. An outstanding museum, and this first visit was enough time to see about 35% of the exhibits--we went back on Day 5 to see about another 35%, but we never did see everything. We continued walking through the park, away from the crowds.

Day 3: Public transportation to the Teotihuacan pyramids. They are amazing. Don't skip this.

Day 4: In the morning we took a 1-hour uber ride to Xochimilco, a set of lagoons south of town, where we took a 2-hour boat ride through the canals. You can stop wherever you want to get food or shop, etc. It was super quiet on a weekday, and is supposed to be a very festive party scene on weekends.

In the afternoon, we went to the Coyoacan neighborhood hoping to go to Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo museum) where there was a huge line and we were unable to get in. Reserve ahead! But we did a great 2.5 hour walking tour of the neighborhood. We visited several parks, including the Jardins Hidalgo and the adjacent 1500s cathedral. Our friends who lived in Mexico City for several years said that if they went back, this is the neighborhood they would want to live in.

Day 5: Returned to Bosque Chapultepec. We climbed the Chapultepec hill to the Castillo de Chapultepec, part of a complex that also included an excellent history museum. We then returned to the Museo Nacional de Anthropologia for lunch and a few more hours in the exhibits. In the late afternoon we took a walk in the Polanco neighborhood, an upscale neighborhood with several embassies.

Day 6: Early bus to the nearby city of Puebla. Loved it, but won't say more unless you also plan to visit. We only spent one night--two would have been ideal.

Day 7: We left Puebla late in the afternoon and took a bus to a Mexico City airport hotel.

Day 8: We flew home.

If we were to return, we would love to spend time doing the following:
Museo Delores Olmeda and Parroquia de San Bernardino de Siena in Xochimilco
Villa de Guadaloupe in North Mexico City
More time at the Templo Major
More time at the Museo Anthropologia
More time wandering around the Bosque de Chapultepec, including more time in the history museum , a visit to the Museo de Arte Moderno, Museo Rufino Tamayo, and Casa Estudio Luis Barragan (a famous architect)
Frida Kahlo museum and more time in the neighborhood
A visit to the St Angel neighborhood next to Coyoacan

Here's my "book report" from last October.......

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/a-week-in-mexico-city

Mexico City is fascinating and fun, one of the biggest cities in the world, and easy to reach from multiple US cities. Lots of good advice above, including to keep in mind that it's at a high altitude which may take some getting used to. (Helps with sleep though.) I'll add that you shouldn't need Uber -- taxis are safe if you get them at sitios, found all over the city, or have your hotel or restaurant call them. Just don't hail a cab on the street -- good advice in a lot of cities.

But let me suggest that your first trip to Mexico might also be to a smaller, more manageable city, to get a feel for the culture and atmosphere before you tackle the megalopolis. If that's plausible, consider Oaxaca -- beautiful, historic, a food and folk art capital, safe, mostly walkable, with direct flights to/from Houston and Dallas.

If your proposed trip will be during the winter months you might consider a day trip to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in the neighboring state of Michoacan - It's about an hour and a half from the city center via an organized tour.
The sanctuary is located in the mountains - starting at about 9,000' and climbing close to 10,000' by the time you reach the colonies - and is the wintering-over destination for the great migration of the Monarchs that takes place every year. There are literally millions of the little guys in residence and when they all take flight around midday (when the sun warms them up) it's an unforgettable sight. My wife still talks about that one.
You can probably find YouTube videos that describe both the great migration and the sanctuary itself in case it may be of interest.