COVID has put a lot of stress on the things that my family and I love. I am sure it has affected you and your loved ones in some ways too. Doctors, therapists and professional’s continue to say to live “normally” as possible but can we really??
After 1.5 years of taking a break from international travel, my hubby and I decided it was time to give it a “go” but I was only comfortable at trying somewhere close. After much research on what type of trip and experience we wanted for our vacation, we decided Mexico City would be the best fit! I speak the language, the sites are phenomenal, the food is delicious and the overall cultural experience would be fantastic for our daughter.
Flight
Living between 2 major airports is fantastic because you can pick and choose which airport offers the best rates. After several searches I not only found great rates from San Antonio, TX (SAT) but I also found a 1.5 hour direct flight! Traveling with children can be scary so having a direct flight for less than 2 hours was magical.
If you can apply for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, I promise it will make your life so much easier when going through security! TRUST ME.
We flew with a local Mexican airline called Volaris. It was our first time flying with them and I was a bit nervous but the flight was great. A tiny warning, they charge for every single bag so we only checked in 1 large luggage and then took personal bags (no carry-ons). I must say it was actually very nice not having to lug around carry-ons. We felt so light and ready to jump in and out of line with no worries. As soon as we arrived into Mexico City (MEX) we went through customs fairly easily, picked up our luggage and then ordered an UBER to head to our hotel.
Hotel
Choosing a hotel for any destination is incredibly important. You want to make sure you are fairly close to the sites and area you want to be within walking distance to. For this trip, I decided the Historic District would be the best option for us.
Roma, La Condesa and Polanco are 3 excellent locations to stay in while visiting Mexico City.
We stayed at a four star hotel called Zocalo Central Hotel and it was the best. Not only was it clean and beautiful but the views of Zocalo square and the Metropolitan Cathedral from the restaurant rooftop terrace of “Balcon del Zocalo” was breathtaking!
When you approach Zocalo Central you are immediately greeted by a doorman who graciously helps you with the luggage and as you walk in you are greeted by a host who takes your temperature and has you sanitize your hands (they are very strict with their COVID mandates). As long as your temperature is below 37.5 degrees celsius or 99.5 degrees fahrenheit you will be safe to enter any establishment. Let me just tell you, I was always a little nervous thinking what IF I had a fever?? Although I knew for a fact I was not sick, LOL!
We got into our room and it was just perfect. We had a large room with exposed beams above, wooden floors, 2 queen size beds, a large bathroom with a great walk-in shower and a wonderful view of Zocalo square!
A few perks for choosing this hotel was their FREE breakfast (with the most amazing rooftop view of Mexico City), FREE snacks and drinks at the Cafe Central (ex. fruit, chips, sandwiches, sodas, etc…) and endless bottled water!
Day 2 – Teotihuacan & National Museum of Anthropology
After a relaxing evening and early morning hot shower, we were up and ready for a full day in Mexico City. Our first stop, a private tour to the pyramids of Teotihuacan!
Teotihuacan is known as the City of the Gods and was built over two thousand years ago. The Pyramids of the Sun & Moon and the three mile long avenue of the Dead is absolutely breathtaking and something to experience by foot. This city was a bustling cosmopolitan city inhabited by over 100,000 people making it one of the top 10 cities in the world at that time. What is very unique and still a mystery is WHO BUILT Teotihuacan? One thing historians know for a fact is that it was inhabited until about 700 A.D. but no one knows why everyone left. Centuries of years later, the Aztecs found the city around the 1400’s and are the ones who gave it is official name as we know today Teotihuacan. They inhabited the city and created their own rules and rituals which survived for many years but the lack of written documents still makes it hard to understand the reasons for this civilization.
The Teotihuacan Pyramid are about 1 hour away from Mexico City. I highly recommend booking a tour whether it is a group tour or private tour. Due to COVID restrictions access can be difficult if you decide to just wing it! Also note, that when visiting the pyramids there is a lot of walking so be prepared and be sure to have a few bottles of water on hand to quench your thirst especially on a hot day. After a few hours at Teotihuacan we had a quick tequila tasting and then lunch.
Next stop, the National Museum of Anthropology! The museum is located within the Chapultepec Park. It’s best to grab an Uber to avoid parking issues and parking fees. This museum holds the largest collection of ancient Mexican art with 23 permanent exhibit halls. Something that we were super excited to see was the Sun Stone / Aztec Calendar and the Great Goddess of Teotihuacan. They also have a recreation of Pakal’s tomb in the Maya exhibit room and the jade mask of the Zapotec Bat God in the Oaxaca room. After a few hours of visiting the exhibits and learning so much we grabbed a light snack outdoors (there are plenty of food vendors selling all sorts of yummy Mexican treats and souvenirs) and then grabbed an Uber to head back to the hotel.
Since traveling as a family, especially with a little one, I personally like to be at or near the hotel before nightfall. It always makes me feel more at ease and in control of our surroundings. Safety is always at the top of my mind when traveling!
Vanessa
Day 3 – Xochimilco & Coyoacan (Frida Kahlo)
On this beautiful and glorious day we are headed to Xochimilco, Coyoacán and Frida Kahlo Museum Tour. This will be a full day of sight seeing which includes a Diego Rivera mural, the famous colorful boats of Xochimilco and Frida Kahlo’s home. My daughter is ecstatic about visiting Frida Kahlo, she’s been reading about her artwork and life since she was a little girl.
Our first stop is the Univesidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) to visit the famous mural of Diego Rivera and Juan O’Gorman. At this exact moment my daughter was hungry and in need of refreshments. My husband and daughter got to learn all about this large and fascinating mural while I was off in search of food. Ha, mom life! Needless to say I was unable to learn much about the mural which only means we will have to go back again one day.
Next stop is Xochimilco and believe me I will not miss this one! These canals are considered to be the Venice of Mexico City. With their colorful trajineras (gondola style boats), mariachis, endless food, drinks, souvenirs, etc…you can see why this is a must see stop for all visitors near and far. After boarding our trajinar we were off and ready to venture out on the canal while having an authentic Mexican lunch from the locals.
Why is Xolchimilco really cool and why does it exist? Xochimilco is known as the Floating Gardens and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A long time ago in the wetland areas the Aztecs found it very difficult to harvest so they created a technique called Chinampas. Chinampas are raised agricultural fields created in these canals. It’s formed by rooting rectangular cane frames to the lake floor and filling them with layers of weeds, muck, and earth until they rise up above the surface of the water. This technique really does show how brilliant the Aztec people were and how their unique ways of being able to adapt to their surroundings worked and allowed them to survive.
After an adventurous morning, we are on our way to the town of Coyoacan to visit the famous Blue House of Frida Kahlo. Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance. Unfortunately, a few tourists in our group did not purchase tickets in advance to get inside Frida Kaholo’s house and they were sold out for the day. Once inside her beautiful home you are hit with everything Frida, self portraits, a once thriving & livable home, an oasis of tranquility and sadness. The paintings of Frida suffering from a miscarriage and the heartache she had for not being able to have a child was just devastating and so heartfelt. I could honestly feel the pain through her most intimate paintings.
As you leave the main house and venture through her bedroom, kitchen and painting room, you’ll head out to the courtyard and experience what Frida did a long time ago, a beautiful pond, nature and the story goes many animals including a monkey. Towards the end of the courtyard going back out to the front there is another small building full of Frida Kahlo most intimate possessions like clothing, shoes, leg braces, headbands and more. This part of the museum gives us another close look of who Frida was and how much pain she was always in. A beautiful and talented soul with so much heartache and pain.
Day 4 – Zocalo
After a fun filled day yesterday, today we are taking it easy and focusing on the sites near our hotel in Zocalo. First stop, Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral. This Catholic Church is the oldest and largest in all of Latin America. It was built around 1573 and took 3 centuries to complete, 1813. An interesting fact is that the Cathedral is currently sinking due to the clay soil beneath it but restoration projects are in motion to help prevent more sinking. As we toured inside the beautiful and majestic Cathedral you could feel the unbalanced floor beneath. We had my mother-in-law with us who had a walker and the moment she let go it would escape our reach for a bit.
After a leisure self guided tour we decided to do some shopping around the square. There are tons and tons of vendors selling everything including something called a “limpia.” What is a limpia? A limpia is a spiritual cleansing used to cleanse the body, mind and soul of any negativity.
Next, stop lunch. Before booking our hotel at Zocalo Central I had the option of booking The Gran Hotel in Mexico City. I bring up this hotel because of it’s famous and gorgeous Tiffany style stained glass window ceiling. Because of this unique feature we had to have lunch at this grand hotel and it did not disappoint! We had huge margaritas and a variety of tapas to enjoy the views of Zocalo square.
As the evening approached we decided to go all out and have our final dinner at the Azul Historic recommended by an amazing and travel diva of Mexico. The experience and ambiance was incredible and well worth the price.
Day 5 – Time to Head Home
Today we all woke up super early to enjoy our last scrumptious breakfast and sunrise of Mexico City! Let me just say it was the most beautiful sunrise I have yet to experience.
At this time we were still hit hard with COVID restrictions. Once tests were taken and confirmed we were able to fly back to Texas with no problems.
In Conclusion…
Mexico City is a wonderful spot for families, couples or individuals. We felt safe the entire time but would stick to the more touristy spots especially with family. There is still so much more to see and experience. We will be back!
