My wife and I are active 60-year-olds who love exploring new places, eating well, and learning about other cultures. As a photojournalist, I’ve spent time in Latin America, but my wife had never visited this part of the world.
After hearing buzz about Mexico City from friends, young creatives, digital nomads, and even my Instagram feed, we decided to take a trip to see what all the hype was about.
Once we arrived, we quickly found that the city has a layered mix of old and new that makes it endlessly compelling. Despite its size, we found it welcoming, clean, and surprisingly chill.
Here are seven things we did right during our trip — and two mistakes we’d avoid making next time.
Using the city’s public transportation system was the right move
In my opinion, there’s no need to rent a car in Mexico City. We walked a lot (20,000 steps a day) and used Uber, which was inexpensive and readily available. However, we mostly relied on buses and trains, which were clean, affordable, easy, and great for people watching.
Turibus is a solid hop-on, hop-off tourist-style option, but I think the double-decker Metrobús Line 7 between Polanco and Centro offers similar views for much less.
I’m glad we took time to explore the diverse neighborhoods
In my opinion, the heart of Mexico City lies in its diverse neighborhoods. Each one we visited offered something different.
Condesa and Roma Norte reminded me of Brooklyn’s Park Slope — leafy streets, café culture, and vibrant local life. In Condesa, we spent time strolling down Avenida Ámsterdam — a tree-lined path with charming restaurants and shops.
Coyoacán, on the other hand, is full of lively plazas and artists’ markets. It’s known as the longtime home of artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera and is a great place to explore the city’s art scene.
I really enjoyed exploring the city’s museums
There are an extraordinary number of museums in Mexico City, highlighting everything from perfume to chocolate. Most were inexpensive to enter, and we had no trouble buying tickets at the door.
We spent four hours exploring the National Museum of Anthropology, but easily could have stayed the entire day. Its courtyard features a towering concrete water element that’s great for photos.
Inside, we saw the massive Piedra del Sol (Aztec Sun Stone), alongside a detailed diorama showing what Mexico City looked like in the Aztec period.
We also spent time exploring Casa Azul — Frida Kahlo’s home in Coyoacán — and Museo Soumaya, an architectural marvel that felt like a modern reinterpretation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim in New York.
Learning about the city’s murals was a definite highlight
Mural art has long served as a powerful form of art and social expression in Mexico, telling the story of its history, culture, and political and social movements.
The art was designed to be accessible for all people and is, quite literally, storytelling on walls.
Diego Rivera is widely regarded as one of the leading artists of the movement, and his work can be seen throughout Mexico City. We got to take in his work for free at the exterior walkways of the Secretaría de Educación Pública.
Taking a balloon ride over Teotihuacán at sunrise was something I’ll never forget
One of the highlights of our trip was taking a hot-air balloon ride over the pyramids of Teotihuacán. We floated quietly in the sky for nearly an hour, and the experience was magical.
Built before the Aztecs, the site includes the Pyramid of the Sun, one of the largest in the world. We later explored the ruins on foot with a guide. Well worth the 5 a.m. wake-up call.
We enjoyed taking in the lively energy at Parque México
We had an amazing time taking in the lively energy at Parque México, an Art Deco-era outdoor gathering place. One night brought spontaneous dancing around the plaza — young couples on one side, older couples on the other.
Another night featured a one-man-band busker playing Beatles songs, and we joined in and sang along to “Let it Be.” These unscripted moments made the city feel alive — and were fun to photograph.
I’m glad I sampled as many local food and drink options as possible
Street vendors, taquerías, cafés, and restaurants filled the city, with the scent of simmering meats in the air. Even the breakfast pastries felt elevated.
Tacos exist on another level — we joked we may never eat tacos in the US again.
Plus, the drinks were just as memorable: mezcal, micheladas, pulque, horchata, and rich, lightly spiced hot chocolate.
However, I wish I had packed warmer clothing
The daytime temperatures were comfortable during our January trip, but the mornings and evenings dipped into the 40s. Although our hotel didn’t have central heating, we were able to ask the concierge for a space heater, which helped.
Looking back, though, I wish I had packed more layers and a warmer jacket.
We also tried to do too much in one trip
Mexico City is enormous, and the traffic is real. Overall, we spent too much of our trip crisscrossing the city.
Looking back, we would have been better off exploring one or two neighborhoods a day instead of riding crowded trains at rush hour, which left us exhausted.
Seven days felt like the perfect amount of time in the city, but there’s no doubt we’ll be back to explore even more of Mexico City.
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