At first I was a bit nervous staying there since I knew cruise ships visit; however, I looked at the port schedule and saw they weren’t stopping often, and there weren’t a bunch of ships at the same time. I figured the cruise passengers would be easy enough to avoid.

Getting to La Paz

One of the first challenges of visiting La Paz is actually getting there from the international airport (SJD). One could fly to the La Paz airport from SJD, but that’s a bit more pricey than I wanted. There are some private shuttle companies, but the most reasonable one has a policy that if you miss the shuttle you reserved, you will have to buy a new ticket. There is a way of getting there by local buses, but it’s not an easy feat, and after a longish flight I’m not interested in going through a bunch of extra hassle.

In the end, I opted to hire a private driver. Generally, you can expect to pay about $100 USD for that ride. It’s about a 2-1/2-hour drive. So the higher price is a bit more understandable when you know they’re basically taking up at least 5 hours of their day, plus gas and tolls, to come get you and return to La Paz.

Do keep in mind, though, that for extra reliability and comfort, you’ll need to pay more. Our prearranged driver was late, and so we ended up having to wait for about 2 hours for her to arrive. This on top of the long drive to La Paz created a very long day for us. “You get what you pay for” may warrant paying extra for a more comfortable and less annoying ride. Or hopping on another flight.

The return trip can be done by shuttle more easily since you won’t have to worry about possibly missing it due to a flight delay, etc. We did ask our Airbnb host for a reference, and that driver was much better and charged us less as well.

Incidentally, if you’re going to La Paz and would like to use our driver, just shoot me an email through our contact form. He uses WhatsApp. I’ve shared his number with others, and they reported he was really great for them as well. They also used him for some day trips. It won’t be a fancy car, but it was comfortable, and he’s reliable and cool to visit with. He does speak little English, but they had no problems communicating with him even though they don’t speak Spanish.

Eating in La Paz

If you’ve been following this blog for at least a bit, you know food is a big part of my travels. So, naturally, I do have some recommendations.

Mercado Municipal General Nicolás Bravo: This is one of the fresh markets. As is common, you will also find food vendors outside as well as indoors in the kind of food court area. I tried a couple of different ones, and they were really good. You will not find tourist food here, which is something I really enjoy. Each time we visited, I rarely saw another foreigner.

Maria California: This ended up being our favorite restaurant. Everything tasted very fresh, and their coffee drinks were fabulous! We could actually go there just for their coffee. They had a great amount of different options on their menu. Great spot for breakfast or lunch.

Los Magueyes: Also known as Jose Magueyes. If you’re wanting a more festive atmosphere and perhaps foods you are more familiar with, this is a pretty good stop. Portions are quite large. It can get a bit on the loud side, but it wasn’t a problem for us to hear each other and speak normally. If you have some people who are more sensitive to noise with you, you’ll want to avoid this place.

Mc Fisher: Also known as Mac Fisher. You will likely find more tourists here, but don’t let that stop you. They had really great food and drinks, and service was top-notch. Their salsas were amazing, too, and it’s one of the few places in the world where I felt like one of their salsas was a bit spicy (which is something I LOVE).

Roticerias Jerico: This is a place that roasts chicken and ribs, and it was quite good. He’s spent a good amount of time in the US, so if you don’t speak Spanish that’s absolutely no problem. We found him entertaining to visit with, and his food was so good we got stuff from him at least a few times during our stay.

Generally speaking, avoiding any place along the malecón will be in your best interest. Not only to save money, but the food is often quite meh, especially for the price. However, I will say the ice cream/shaved ice place called Señor Raspado is worth it. They had some great options including some very traditional Mexican choices.

Activities in La Paz

Unfortunately, I can’t really offer any advice here. We were mostly there to chill out. I did explore some whale watching tours, but it was a bit too early in the season still. There is one that is led by a marine biologist who funnels the money into conservation efforts, and he was very honest with me when we communicated about the possibility of a tour, etc.

Walking along the malecón was often enjoyable. In the morning, it can be fun to see daily life, pelicans landing in their most ungraceful way. In the evening, you can enjoy some beautiful sunsets. We were there shortly after Christmas, and the area known as Explanada Malecón had some fun Christmas decorations.

If you’re traveling with children who have mobility challenges or other physical challenges, there is a fabulous park along the beach that is dedicated to differently abled children and had wheelchair-accessible rides, etc. It was kind of impressive since I haven’t seen many of these anywhere else in the world. So kudos to the local government!

The area around the cathedral and the Museo de Arte de Baja California Sur was also interesting to walk around. We didn’t go inside either buildings, but from what I saw online the museum looked quite promising if you enjoy art museums.

While walking around, look around at buildings because there is a lot of beautiful street art in La Paz.

Overall Impressions of La Paz

La Paz is a very large city, but if you’re near the coastline it’s very quiet. Actually, it’s probably the most quiet city we’ve been to in Mexico. We didn’t have tons of frequent fireworks, roosters in the morning, vendors going up and down the street playing music or making other noise, etc. Our place was like a block from a popular skateboard park, and they did play loud music at night, but it always got quiet at about around 10 p.m., so even that wasn’t an issue.

Is La Paz worth visiting?

If you’re looking for a sleepy area to just kind of chillax, this is a decent spot. I appreciated it more than San José del Cabo. Most tourists were Mexican nationals. Cruise passengers typically stay along the malecón so were very easy to avoid. It’s easy to experience the local culture.

Have you been? What was your experience?

Getting food recommendations from some of the Facebook groups for PV was also quite a challenge as expat and visitor styles can be quite different. When you live in a foreign country, you’re often going to want foods that are familiar, comfort foods, and things that remind you of “back home.” As a visitor, my general rules for eating out are: (1) eat local cuisine, and (2) eat things I can’t get back home.

If you haven’t been reading my blog for long, then it may also be helpful for you to know that I generally crave street food, “hole in the wall” places, and can have what some friends call “an adventurous palate.” I won’t be putting up much competition for Andrew Zimmern, but I think Anthony Bourdain (oh how I miss him!) would be proud.

For example, at a restaurant I asked if they had taco de lengua (tongue taco), and he replied he was out but had lips, cheeks, and eyes available. I actually considered lips since that’s new to me, but I really was craving tongue.

Yes, I do also eat “normal” food, so no worries. And really most of my recommendations in this post would likely be food appreciated by non- to less-adventurous eaters as well.

Notes about Eating in Puerto Vallarta

During my visit most restaurants only accepted cash (US dollars or pesos).

If you haven’t been to Mexico before, know that they use the $ symbol for pesos as well. So when you see meals are $150 or more, know you’re seeing prices in pesos not dollars.

While paying in USD may be easier for American visitors, know that they are not giving you the fairest exchange rate. For example, most restaurants were giving a 16:1 exchange, when the current rate was over 18:1. It may not seem like much, but it does add up. I recommend using pesos not only for this reason, but because I feel like part of the whole joy of travel is absorbing as much of the local culture as possible, and paying with the local currency is just part of the experience.

When withdrawing money from the ATM, or when paying with a credit card, make sure to say no if it offers to do a conversion. If you’re given a bill showing a rate for USD when using a credit card, make sure to tell them you want to pay in pesos. Withdraw and pay in pesos if you want the best deal.

In some areas of Mexico, it’s common for patrons to say “Buen provecho” to other customers as they’re leaving. You can just nod and smile or say “Gracias” if this happens. This doesn’t seem to be the custom in PV, though.

Servers will generally not bring you the bill until you request it. So when you’re ready, just catch their attention and make a little checkmark in the air with your finger(s). They’ll know you’re ready for the la cuenta.

For the items below, please note that the name of the restaurant is hyperlinked to their location on Google Maps, not their website.

Tacos

This is definitely the most common meal in PV and probably most varied. Some places open very early in the morning and close around noon while others will open at 7 PM and remain in service until 3 AM.

Places in the Zona Romántica

Tacos El Moreno This taco cart provided food with tremendous flavor. They have a really good selection of different types of tacos including birria and adobada. She makes your tortillas with your order, so they’re incredibly fresh.

Tacos Sonorita Olas Altas They have many good offerings, but the tacos al pastor I had here were the best I’ve eaten anywhere in Mexico.

Places in 5 de Diciembre

Birrieria Liz Both times I ate here, I was the only foreigner. However, they do speak at least some limited English. You can get your birria as beef or goat, and they offer it in other forms besides tacos as well. You’ll see the menu on their wall. Please note quesadillas here are not the same as what is served in other parts of North America. In this area, a quesadilla is basically a taco with cheese added. If you’re interested in getting the goat (chivo), your best bet is to come early on Thursday or Friday. Once it’s sold out, it won’t be available again until the next Thursday. They’re closed on Wednesdays. While their signage says they open at 8, they don’t really start serving food until 8:30.

Carnitas “La Güera” is a really nice cart for carnitas super close to a beach. These tacos were bigger than what I had at many other places in PV, and I ate a lot of tacos on this trip.

Pepe’s Tacos is a spot that is mixed with locals, tourists, and expats. Food portions were quite large. I also had a frozen mango margarita which was really good.

Seafood

As you might imagine, being a coastal city you’ll have a wide selection of fish and seafood in PV. I did a seafood lover’s tour, and I’d highly recommend it. I ended up being their only customer that day, so it ended up being a private tour.

Places in the Zona Romántica

Tuna Azúl was a true surprise. We stopped here during the tour. I usually do not eat raw seafood, but we had a raw tuna tostada that quickly had me rethinking my reticence. They also sell their hot sauce, and I wished I hadn’t been doing carry-on during this trip because I would’ve brought a few bottles home. It was so incredibly delicious!

Mariscos El Güero This is a family-owned shop which has been here for many years. The food was quite good.

Marisma Fish Taco They have other things besides fish tacos as well. Food was really good with great service as well. The ladies in the food truck were a fun group.

De Cantaro This is a grill and bar, and they have a lot of offerings. I had their shrimp tacos which were served on a blue corn tortilla, as well as a fish taco. I also had a delicious cocktail which was made from hibiscus, raicilla, and wine. This is a great stop!

Marina

El Coleguita was a bit of a surprise. It’s located in the marina area which is packed with tourists (both foreign and Mexican), so I was a bit nervous stopping there, but I was meeting a friend so we didn’t have a lot of nearby options that would work for me (since I’m not getting a hamburger while visiting Mexico). It was pretty busy, and I noticed most of the customers appeared to be Mexican so that helped me feel a bit better about things. The food was excellent! I had a tostada with marlin and a ceviche mixto, and they both were absolutely wonderful. Mariachis occasionally play which can get quite loud, but they usually stop for a bit after each song so it isn’t constant noise.

Other Fare

Barcelona Tapas This is a Spanish restaurant, and it was excellent! Food, service, ambiance, and the view were all just stupendous. The restaurant is on a hill (so get a taxi, Uber, or something if you have mobility/energy challenges), and the dining room is on the fourth floor of their building (they have an elevator). You get a gorgeous view of the bay. I was in PV near the end of whale season, and while I was sitting at my table enjoying a delicious cocktail, a baby humpback breached three times. It’s really hard to beat that experience! They do accept credit cards.

La Bodeguita del Medio This is a Cuban restaurant and bar next to the malecón. If you sit upstairs, you are treated to an excellent view. Services was quite as was the food. The building, music, and food reminded me a lot of when we went to Cuba. Some nights they have live music if that’s your type of thing. They also accept credit cards.

If you want a much more local feel, head to Pitillal. I saw maybe 2 other gringos while exploring. There were many typical Mexican eateries here.

¡Provecho!

Is it worth visiting Puerto Vallarta? This is actually a tougher question than I anticipated. Unlike tourism hotspots like Tulum, PV is a tougher call for me.

Is Puerto Vallarta choked with tourists?

I visited in late March, which is still in the high season. I was also there before Semana Santa which can get quite crowded. Puerto Vallarta is not only heavily touristed by people from the US and Canada, but also from domestic tourism. PV is not that far from Guadalajara which is the 7th largest city in Mexico, so it’s also a hotspot for Mexican tourism.

A tour guide told me that PV’s population of expats is about 12% year round. During high season, that number almost triples at least.

When is high season?

Typically, Puerto Vallarta’s high season is from December through mid April. After Semana Santa things calm down quite a bit, although PV’s Pride occurs in late May.

July through September is the time of year where it is much more humid, “hotter than hell,” and hurricane season. Thankfully, though, PV has only had four hurricanes hit in the last 50 years. It can be so miserable during this time period that many locals told me they try to go elsewhere as well.

So can you escape the tourist throngs?

It is definitely a bit tough to escape them completely. I stayed in the neighborhood 5 de diciembre (5D), and there were many more locals in this area. It’s right next to the popular malecón, so it’s easy to still hit some of the more popular spots without being in the noisy throng of the infamous Zona Romántica (ZR).

There were some taco places I visited where I was the only foreigner, or there were only a few of us. In the grocery store Ley I would see maybe 2-3 other foreigners, although that definitely depended on the time of day because other times as I was walking by I spotted many more. However, they seemed to be expats.

When I visited the municipal mercado, I only spotted one other gringo.

While strolling on the beach, I would see a good blend of locals and expats, but it was nothing compared to the areas near ZR.

Frankly, I found the ZR to be nauseating, but it’s a hotspot for other foreigners.

I heard more English from locals in this area than any other place I have visited in Mexico, although I imagine Playa del Carmen is probably much like this now. Generally speaking, staff were happy when they discovered I speak Spanish, but in one restaurant I did actually have a waiter debate me on whether or not we should be speaking Spanish. When I explained “I’m in Mexico so I’m going to speak Spanish,” he finally acquiesced but was quite confused by the gringo who didn’t want to speak English.

Having cruise passengers only affected one of my food tours where the guide wanted to make sure we finished more quickly so they could get back to their ship on time.

If you stay in the areas of 5D, Versalles, and Pitillal you’ll see fewer tourists and expats, although the foreign population is growing steadily in Versalles.

So, is it worth visiting Puerto Vallarta?

While I was unhappy with the number of foreigners, how difficult it was to find real Mexican food other than tacos, and the higher prices overall I’d say Puerto Vallarta was worth the visit. I’d definitely go back in shoulder season.

The sunsets were consistently breathtaking. I rarely missed one during my stay. I enjoyed the blend of Mexican and foreign tourists. The breezes and joie de vivre while walking along the malecón were thoroughly enjoyable. It was fun watching the pelicans.

Even though there were a lot of people in this area, I found myself usually grinning broadly and feeling quite happy.

Near the end of my visit, I was sitting in Restaurante Barcelona Tapas. The restaurant is on a hill, and the dining area is on the fourth floor so you have a fantastic view. While I was sitting there enjoying the sunshine, breeze, and a delightful cocktail I was also enjoying the ocean view. Suddenly, a baby humpback decided to breach. It did this a total of three times. I was nearly in tears from sheer joy.

Just that evening alone would’ve had me coming back to Puerto Vallarta.

Have you visited PV? What did you think?

Since we were coming to Mexico later in the year, we decided to time our visit so we could also be there during Día de los Muertos. While CDMX has quite the Día festivities, I wanted to be in a smaller city, especially since COVID was still a consideration. So, I planned our time in Puebla to cover this as well.

Puebla is often a day trip for people visiting CDMX, and I have to say you’re really missing out if you only spend one day here. We were here for a week, and I could’ve easily stayed longer. So try to plan at least 2-3 days for your visit, especially if you’re a food lover.

A Día de los Muertos exhibit

Getting to Puebla

With Puebla being Mexico’s fourth largest city and only a few hours from CDMX (because of traffic) and Veracruz, one has many options for getting to the city.

As I had used the Cabify app frequently in CDMX, I decided to see if it was possible to get a driver to take us to Puebla. It isn’t always a sure thing, but we were able to get one and the price difference between that and a bus wasn’t large enough to make me shy away, especially when considering traveling to the bus station in CDMX, waiting for the bus, etc. During our trip, there was a collision on the highway, and our driver was able to use another route. We passed many buses, so I was once again happy we had taken this option.

Even though a bus is likely better ecologically, and cheaper, I do appreciate having time to speak with the driver who is a local. Part of the joys of travel is getting to learn about different people, their life, their experiences, etc. This is also one of the things I miss when traveling in a country where I don’t speak the language.

On our return to CDMX, we did go by bus as Cabify and Uber didn’t have any drivers available to do this long trip.

Getting Around Puebla

We stayed at an Airbnb in the historic district, and we really found the city to be quite walkable in this area. Really most of what a visitor would like to see is in this area. We only used a driver when we had to go to a pharmacy for our COVID test (it was much less expensive here than at the ones near the zócalo) to return to the US and to go to the bus station.

There are buses, taxis, and colectivos if you would like to do that instead.

Things to Do in Puebla

Puebla has a lot of culture, art, and history. It also has an incredible amount of food diversity, and many of Mexico’s most popular dishes originated here.

Food Tour

Obviously, if you know me at all you know I’m going to recommend a food tour. I did the Taste of Puebla tour via Eat Mexico, and I wholeheartedly recommend it! You will likely have more food than you could possibly eat, but the guide was great about making sure I could take the leftovers with me.

Definitely bring a small bag with you so you can carry your leftovers, your water, and anything you may pick up along the way more easily. You can also pay for a reusable bag when you book your tour. I did this and kept it as a souvenir.

The tour guide spoke excellent English and was a great source of info and history about the area. She’s also a foodie and was involved in selecting the locations you’ll be visiting. I don’t remember seeing another foreigner at any of the food places we stopped. You’re truly getting the local experience, and all of the food was absolutely amazing.

They suggest you don’t eat breakfast before the tour, and I absolutely agree with this recommendation. I could only eat a snack when it was time for dinner as I was still full. This isn’t a tasting tour. You get full-sized servings.

I also appreciated getting an email after the tour listing the places we visited as well as the foods we ate.

Eating

While you’re in Puebla, I’m going to strongly recommend you stop for a meal at El Mural de los Poblanos. I would say this is one of my favorite restaurants I’ve visited all over the world. The service, ambiance, and food were all five stars! Incredibly flavorful food.

Another place we really enjoyed was Maiz Criollo. Not only was their food good, but their menu had many unique offerings that you simply don’t see elsewhere.

Culture & History

Puebla is a city of churches. You’ll find a different one on almost every corner, and each one is very different with its own personality. There are some definite standouts, though.

The cathedral located at the zócalo is definitely worth your time. As is common with older churches, the outside can seem quite humble and the inside can amaze you. Puebla’s 16th-century cathedral is absolutely phenomenal.

Nearby you’ll also find the Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús. While this one isn’t as ornate as some of the others in the area, it has a vibe that just really stood out for me. It had a sense of peace that I enjoyed. Right outside is a small plaza, and during my visit I could hear a celloist which just added to the whole experience.

An absolute must-see is the Templo de Santo Domingo and its Capilla del Rosario. They did charge 20 MXN (about $1 USD in 2021) to enter the capilla, and it’s absolutely worth it! I would’ve been fine if they had charged even more. It was just stunning! Once in Puebla, you will want to double check their hours as they had limited times they were allowing visitors. Also with COVID precautions, you will likely have to wait in a line by the gate. Again, it’s totally worth it.

If you enjoy art and antiques, you’ll want to visit Callejón de los Sapos (Alley of the Toads) and the Barrio del Artista. These are both historic parts of the city. The callejón was an area near the river that used to run through the city, and people often had to deal with toads in their homes and buildings, so the area was known as “the toads.” Nowadays it’s full of shops and lots of color and life.

Near the zócalo, you’ll also want to visit the Biblioteca Palafoxiana. This library was founded in 1646 and is recognized by UNESCO as being the first and oldest public library in the Americas, and it is quite the sight!

Another great spot to see and absorb local culture is the Mercado de la Acocota. If you do the food tour I mentioned above, one of your stops will be here.

While out and about, make sure to look up and on the sides of buildings as there are a lot of impressive street art and murals.

A lot of people recommended nearly Cholula as a place to visit while in Puebla. We got hit with a GI bug so didn’t have time to also visit here. The Museo Amparo was also highly recommended, but we didn’t have time to visit.

Incidentally, if you get hit with Montezuma’s revenge, a pharmacist recommended a med called Nineka. It was like magic and worked beginning with the first dose. I rarely ever have this problem, but it’s now part of my travel kit because it was so darn effective. I only wish I had asked about this earlier!

If your next destination requires a negative COVID test, we found Farmacias del Ahorro to be great! They were inexpensive, fast, and thorough.

As our current departure time grew closer, I was checking out their alert levels. CDMX was at orange which was promising, but Puebla was still having lots of challenges. Tigger and I discussed it, and we felt like even if Puebla remained in orange it was worth going. Thankfully, by the time we got there, both places were in green which was a big relief.

I’ve been to CDMX twice before, but only for an extremely short time. When I was a teen on a road trip with a family, we stopped there to get a brake line fixed on their car. The next time was only a trip from the airport to the bus station so we could head to San Miguel. Neither of us are big city fans, with rare exceptions, but I really wanted to at least have some time there. So we planned on staying in Mexico City for about 5 days, heading to Puebla for a week, and returning to CDMX for a couple of nights before returning home.

Late October is a great time to visit the city. Daytime temperatures are quite comfortable, there is plenty of sunshine, and it gets chilly at night. A great combination in my book.

If you need phone service or data while traveling here, you may want to check out this travel eSIM for Mexico.

Do be aware that CDMX is at a high altitude, so if you’re sensitive to that you’ll want to give yourself some time to adapt before planning activities requiring a lot of movement. Being at high altitude also requires that you drink more water than what you may be used to as you lose more hydration with respiration.

Areas to Stay

The city is huge so there are a ton of options. Initially, we stayed in an Airbnb place in the Condesa neighborhood. For the most part, we really enjoyed this area, and I also explored nearby Roma. On our return trip, we stayed in the Las Suites hotel in the Polanco area.

Condesa and Roma are really great options. They tend to be calmer areas of the city in terms of crowds and traffic, yet they are well connected with public transportation. Condesa was a really great location for exploring by foot. We were able to easily walk to Chapultepec, the Museo Nacional de Antropología (anthropology museum), the Ángel de la Independencia, etc.

These areas also had some lovely parks, greenways, and a good diversity of restaurants and cafes. The area does feel a bit more “yuppie” which may not be what some people are hoping for while staying in Mexico. After having visited some of the busier areas of the city, though, I was always grateful to return to this more calm environment.

Getting Around

Being such a large city, there are many options for getting around. Depending on the time of day, buses, metros, etc., can be quite packed and leave you feeling like you’re a sardine. Many of the options have an area designated for women and children (12 and younger). On the metro, they have these areas available during the rush hours. On some of the buses, you’ll see the areas separated by colors on the rails. Yellow is for general seating, pink is for women and children. The signs aren’t always clear, and I discovered this at a bus stop when a police officer was motioning through a window for me to move. I didn’t understand what was going on since I was the only person sitting in this section, and a fellow passenger explained. That’s when the colored railings made sense to me, and I finally spotted the very small blue sign indicating the zone.

If you plan on using the public transportation system, it’s wise to go ahead and buy the transportation card. Machines are readily available at many of the stops and in the metro. If you don’t speak Spanish, they offer instructions in English. When we were there, the card cost 21 MXN (about 1 USD), and it included 6 MXN which covers your first journey. They’re very easy to refill, and you don’t have to put a lot of funds on them which makes it very handy. The metros often have a ticket booth, but I found that they aren’t always open, so the card is your best bet.

Uber and other similar services are used by many of the locals and make getting around Mexico City a lot easier. I mostly used the app Cabify which tended to be less expensive than Uber, but I would check both apps just in case because sometimes there was quite a difference in fares with Uber being less. You can also reserve a future ride through the app which makes things very easy.

Most of my rides from the historic district back to Condesa were about 6 USD. The metro was only 24 cents (5 MXN), but after walking six or more miles and seeing how packed the metro was, it was worth it to me pay extra.

Sometimes the buses can be faster as some of the routes have their own lanes so they get through the traffic more easily. I would usually check Google Maps to get the estimated travel times by public transportation vs a vehicle, and often there really wasn’t any difference. So it was comfort over cost.

Museums and Churches

There are many museos in CDMX; however, two were significant standouts for us.

Museo Nacional de Antropología: This is definitely a museum you don’t want to come to if you’re already tired of walking. This place is packed full of exhibits, and it is quite large. If you don’t speak Spanish, you’ll want to come with Google Translate or something similar on a device. While some of the major signage was bilingual, most were not, and the small signs explaining individual items, etc., were usually only in Spanish.

If you’re not really feeling up to doing all that, you will still enjoy all the various sights. They cover the various regions of Mexico, and Tigger was quite interested.

Note they are taking COVID precautions quite seriously at the museum. Before entering, they will spray your shirt and take your temperature. In the ticket lines, only one person from the group can stand in the line and go to the ticket window. I had tried to get tickets online, but their site wasn’t working. I sent an email a couple of weeks before our trip, and I still haven’t heard back (over a month).

Templo Mayor: This is located very close to the cathedral in the Zócalo. The museum is located by ruins of an Aztec temple which were rediscovered by accident. Currently, you enter the site by the ruins and walk above and around them before entering the impressive museum complex. I’ll give the same advice here as above for both language and having lots of walking. For me, this was my favorite of all the museums, so if you have to narrow down your choices I’d say this is the one to absolutely make sure to visit.

Cathedral: This church is definitely worth your time if you appreciate old churches. I’ve been to many cathedrals all over the world, and this is one of only a handful which have made me say “Whoa!” out loud upon entering. One of the interesting parts of this building is that you will note different elements. They began work on the church in the late 1500s, and it took about 250 years to complete, so there is a blend of styles.

There are crypts beneath the church which can be visited only during certain hours, and it seems the schedule changes often so if you badly want to visit those, you should contact the office to confirm the current hours.

The admission for each museum was 80 MXN, and the cathedral does not charge.

Templo de Regina Coeli church: Sometimes when walking around you’ll see a church with a very generic exterior. When you peek inside, you are treated to amazing art and views. This church is one of those! Absolutely gorgeous!

Food

It’s hard to go wrong with street food, and you’ll definitely find tons of that throughout the city. If you’re interested in sampling a lot of delicious items, I’d highly recommend the historic center tour through Sabores Mexico Food Tour. When I booked my tour, I noted their website strongly recommended not eating before the tour, and that is not an exaggeration.

Most of the “samples” you try are small- to full-sized plates of food, not just a bite or two. And there are plenty of stops where you’ll be eating and drinking. Almost every single stop was a place a tourist generally wouldn’t know about. In addition to food and drinks, they also stop at some interesting landmarks and historic buildings, so it’s a pretty thorough tour. I could only eat a very light dinner that night because I was still stuffed after the walking tour.

It is a five-hour tour and absolutely worth it.

If you don’t do the tour, one place I would highly recommend is El Gran Cazador which is located inside the Mercado de San Juan. They have a couple of areas to sit. Most of their food lands on the side of “exotic,” and their foods were incredibly flavorful.

Día de Muertos

This has become an internationally-renowned holiday in Mexico. While the main celebration is on November 2nd, the festivities usually begin around October 29th. You will see ofrendas in many locations. The largest collection of sights will be at and near the Zócalo. While in the area, make sure to pick up some pan de muerto at a local bakery. They come in many different varieties and are meant to be eaten or used as an ofrenda.

The parade can be incredible to watch.

Enjoy your time in this enormous city! There is a lot to see, do, and experience.

The more I researched it the more interested I became, and I ended up booking it. Tigger skydived in Hawaii, and she’s a bit of an adrenaline junkie so it took no effort to convince her.

The day starts quite early as we needed to meet the van by a well-known landmark at 5:30 in the morning. Needless to say, this had Tigger especially rethinking the planned trip. It was a half-hour walk from our Airbnb place, so that meant waking up at about 4:30. Ugh!

While in the hangar waiting for people to check in and for the pilots to prepare the balloons, they show videos of other trips as well as safety info. Watching the people looking out over the basket from a high altitude was not helpful for my increasing anxiety.

I could feel my heart beating faster as we walked to the location where our balloon was being prepared. Out of curiosity, I checked my smartwatch’s pulse reading, and I was going at about 110 beats per minute.

I was actually surprised it was that low!

If you aren’t used to climbing stuff, getting into the basket is not a moment of grace. Staff stay nearby to help in case you need it. For those with mobility challenges, they had a ladder.

Once in the basket, my anxiety increased because of the low edge. Didn’t help me feel more secure.

The balloon lifted, and I swallowed hard. As it began rising, I noticed the sun was accompanying us.

The journey began, and suddenly I felt extremely calm. Even looking down and seeing the objects on the ground diminishing in size as we climbed higher didn’t bother me. There was no wind. I felt like I was casually flying, and I reveled in it.

My excitement (the positive kind) grew rapidly as the Pyramid of the Sun (although I later learned that they believe it’s misnamed and was actually dedicated to the deity of water) came into view. I watched in glee as we steadily approached it. The views of the park, the ruins, the valley, etc., caused me to feel absolute glee.

To be able to see the pyramids from the air was absolutely stunning!

The ride usually lasts 45-60 minutes. Ours was near an hour, and I found myself feeling slightly disappointed when they began the descent. I knew I would absolutely do this again and would probably actively seek out other opportunities.

When Tigger asked me how I was feeling, I was truthfully able to say that this had been one of the best moments of my life.

So if you have the chance to do this, I can recommend it 300%.

Things to Consider

• If you go with this company, part of the packet you purchase includes a buffet breakfast at a restaurant. However, consider that you’re being picked up at 5:30 AM and probably won’t be sitting down to eat until around 10. You may want to bring some snacks for before and after as the van doesn’t usually arrive back in CDMX until around 3 PM.
• Make sure to bring your own water. You are able to refill your bottle while in the hangar before and after the flight, but after that it may be tough to find more.
• During COVID restrictions, they have prohibited access to climbing the pyramids. CDMX was in their green light phase for COVID, and they were still not allowing people to climb. Another great reason to go by hot air balloon!
• The pyramid that people used to be able to enter (Temple of Quetzalcóatl) and explore has been closed because they found a huge deposit of mercury which is toxic.
• There is a lot of standing. You won’t be able to sit down from the time you leave the hangar until the time they return. If you need to be able to sit down, check in with them as I believe they’re good about making accommodations.
• If you are a person of bigger size (as in weight), they do charge extra, but it wasn’t a huge amount. Their website clearly denotes that and will ask you for your weight in kilograms upon booking.
• The package includes time to walk around the park and see the pyramids up close. If the COVID restrictions are still in place, you can ask your driver if the group can leave earlier than planned. They plan on a 2-hour visit, but that may be long with the current restrictions. As long as everyone in your group agrees, it isn’t a problem. Really 45 minutes is enough if you can’t climb.
• They do the rides year round. The temps can be quite toasty during the visit to the park with little to no access for shade, so prepare for that as well. The temperature during the balloon ride is about the same as on land.

Have you done a hot air balloon ride? Where did you go, or where would you want to go?

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving

Besides lakes, rivers, and cenotes, Mexico has tremendous access to the Pacific Ocean, the Gulfs of California (aka the Sea of Cortez) and Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Arguably, the Caribbean offers the best diving, and Cozumel is a world-famous destination for both snorkeling and scuba.

Really, anywhere in Mexico’s Caribbean, also known as the Riviera Maya, is excellent for underwater activities. Those who prefer fewer crowds, however, should consider spending some time in Akumal, where you can swim with sea turtles, and Xcalak.

For the more adventurous diver, check out the cenote diving in the Yucatan (Playa del Carmen and Tulum are popular spots). Some will require cave diving certification, but there are plenty of diving possibilities that don’t require this and you go with an experienced divemaster/instructor to maximize safety.

Whales, Sharks, and Rays

Mexico is an important migration point for gray, blue, and humpback whales. The Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean are prime spots to witness these amazing behemoths up close. Baja California is probably the most popular spot, though.

Another incredible sea creature found in Mexican waters is the largest fish in the world—the whale shark. These gentle giants visit the plankton-rich waters found bordering the Yucatan Peninsula. The season usually begins around May 15 and goes through the middle of September.

They enjoy feeding near the surface, so you can see them from a respectful distance. They’re a marvelous sight.

It’s also possible to spend some time underwater with gorgeous manta rays. They often get pretty close to divers as they’re curious and they seem to like the feeling of our bubbles on their belly.

Adrenaline Junkies

Mexico has jungle, forests, and deserts, so you can experience a lot of different fun activities. In San Miguel de Allende, a place known for being “eternal spring,” visitors enjoy taking hot air balloon rides.

In the south, Chiapas offers white water rafting and rock climbing. This state is quite possibly Mexico’s adventure travel capital.

However, you can also find great kayaking and rafting in Veracruz, San Luis Potosi, and Oaxaca.

There are many other fun activities like horseback riding, camping, hiking, zip lining, motorbiking, and mountain biking throughout the country.

Day of the Dead

The Mexican culture celebrates many holidays, from indigenous festivities to religious celebrations. There is something being celebrated almost every day in Mexico. They are a people who really know how to enjoy life.

One of the most famous and striking celebrations is for Dia de muertos or Day of the Dead. It’s celebrated in different ways depending on the region, but there are some definite similarities among them all. If you’ll be visiting Mexico at the end of October/beginning of November and are looking for unique things to do in Mexico, add Oaxaca to your itinerary.

The celebrations in Oaxaca are world renowned and are a must-see.

Eating

Mexican food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world and for good reason. Each region has its own specialties, and many popular Mexican foods have interesting cultural backgrounds.

Oaxaca is home to seven different types of mole, the delicious sauce most popularly known for containing chocolate (although not all the sauces use that as an ingredient).

Jalisco is known for one of my most favorite Mexican dishes—birria. This stew is typically made with goat or lamb, and it’s absolutely delicious. I was addicted from the first taste. Go for the goat. It’s the best.

In the Yucatan, you can sample many popular Mayan dishes. A visit to the central valley and the capital, Mexico City (also known as CDMX and formerly as DF), will please foodie travelers even more. Some Aztec drinks are still popular in the region, although I’m not a fan of the corn-based atole.

If you’re in Mexico in late August and into September, keep a lookout for a dish called chiles en nogada (pictured above). It’s an absolutely delicious meal that celebrates Mexican independence.

Coffee lovers will enjoy brews made from beans from Chiapas, Veracruz, and Jalisco.

Which things to do in Mexico do you plan on doing?

Most coastal towns in Mexico, and around the world, seem to spread from the shoreline out, but Tulum is a bird of a different feather.

There are plans for an international airport for this small town, but in the meantime it is most easily accessed by either a bus from Cancun (site is in Spanish) or a colectivo (air-conditioned vans that offer hop-on-and-off services) from Playa del Carmen. You can also take a taxi for the approximately 1-1/2-hour ride from Cancun, but that isn’t a cheap option by any means.

The town of Tulum (which in Mayan meals “wall”) is centered around the highway. While this makes getting transportation, shopping, and finding places to eat much more easy, it creates more of a challenge getting to the gorgeous beach. When you finally reach it, you’ll be eager to hit the clear, blue waters, which are warm enough to keep you from being shocked but cool enough to be a refreshing escape from the jungle heat.

If you don’t have your own transportation, there is a bus to the beach that leaves from in front of the Weary Traveler Hostel at 9 and 12 and returns at 5 PM. You can also grab a colectivo just across the street from the bus station, or anywhere along the main road, for about 10 pesos (just under 1 USD) or a taxi for slightly more. Most people access the beach by walking past the well-known Mayan ruins (an about 65 pesos entrance fee if you want to check them out while you’re walking by).

Colectivos will drop you off about 2.5 km from the beach. It’s a hot walk, so make sure you have plenty of water and possibly a hat to help shade you from the sun. Pay attention to the sides of the road while you walk for some chance encounters with local wildlife such as the super cute coati and large iguanas.

Diving, snorkeling, and swimming in the cenotes is an extremely popular activity in Tulum, and there are several to choose from. Cenotes are caverns that are part of a subterranean river system. It seems each has its own unique appeal and structure, and they are discovering more all the time. The Mayans believed they were entrances to the underworld and considered them sacred. They’re great places to cool off and see something very different.

The town is also conveniently located for trips to nearby Cobá, Ek Balam, and Chichen Itza, one of the 7 wonders of the modern world.

While in town there are various choices for food. Tortas Gigantes is a great sandwich shop, and their sandwiches are, in fact, huge! You can get them packed to go if you want to take some for a beach picnic. Closer to the center of town is La Parodia Jarocha which has some very good choices for traditional Mexican food, including delicious barbacoa. There is no shortage of Italian food places, and if you’re craving an American fast-food place, the Subway shop is hard to miss.

While there are some more expensive eateries, there are also some very well-priced choices, and the market and small grocery stores have excellent prices on food.

Tulum is the type of town that invites you to slow down, grab a hammock, and just relax. Have you been?

Located not too far from the wonderful colonial town of Valladolid, Ek Balam (Black Jaguar) is the name of both a small pueblo and an interesting archaeological site with an adjacent cenote (a sinkhole that is part of a subterranean river system that offers several recreational activities of its own).

Many visitors to the Black Jaguar have shared that they were more impressed with it than nearby Chichen Itzá. I recommend you see both personally.

However, Ek Balam requires much less time to visit as the site is much smaller, even though its central edifice is taller than the infamous El Castillo of Chichen Itzá. One of its unique features is that visitors are able to climb the steep and narrow 106 steps to the very top.

Just be warned there are no railings or other supports to hold onto for most of the breath-stealing ascent. The view, however, is worth the sweat and gasping.

This site is also well known for the quality of the various carvings from the tombs that are extremely well preserved. Dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries, the carvings look as if they were completed this month. Conveniently for visitors they are protected by roofs made from palms thus providing you some shade to recuperate in as well. Make sure to take the dirt path leading around the largest complex. You might be amazed at how well this building is camouflaged, and it will give you an idea of what some of the buildings appeared before restoration began.

While you stand at the top look for the small hills located in the surrounding jungle. It is believed that each hill represents another as yet undiscovered ruin.

There are rumored to be colectivos (small vans that are cheaper than taxis) in Valladolid that will take you to Ek Balam inexpensively; however, they’re extremely difficult to impossible to find.

The easiest, if you aren’t going by organized tour, is to go by cab with others so that your group is at least 4 people. You can take a taxi from the bus terminal for around $20 roundtrip (split the bill among your party for the greatest savings) which includes up to 1-1/2 hours of wait time. Your driver will hang out and wait until you’re done to bring you back. Often for a little more the taxi driver will throw in a visit to a nearby cenote as well.

If you want to buy some refreshments, avoid the stands inside and ask your driver to buy them for you. He’ll go across the driveway and get them for cheaper, plus they won’t have the gringo add-on charge. Admission at the site was 181 MXN (about $9 USD) for foreign adults in 2015.

The exhilaration of being able to climb the ruins, to enter many of the buildings, to see the incredibly intact carvings, and the lack of crowds make Ek Balam well worth the effort to get there. Stay in nearby Valladolid and combine your visit with cenotes and other ruins, and you will have had an amazing time.

Have you been to Ek Balam? What did you think of it?

Food

While there isn’t a lot of great food here, there is still some good stuff. As is the case every time we leave Mexico, we will definitely miss the cuisine. It’s so hard to find good Mexican out of the country, and replicating it on the road can be tough based on not being able to find the same ingredients as well as the different flavor.

And finding crab tostadas as good as the ones here is going to be next to impossible in Europe!

Communication

I am especially going to miss being able to communicate with everyone, being able to read the labels and menus, etc. Particularly if we do indeed stay in Budapest. Hungarian is a tough language to learn for foreigners. Luckily, Budapest has tons of English speakers. But grocery shopping will definitely remain a challenge for a while. Google Translate just can’t handle the compound words.

The Laid-Back Vibe

Budapest has a very welcoming feel to it, but San Miguel has that type of atmosphere that just makes it difficult for you to be in a rush. After having been in other areas where the locals love their car horns, it’s been amusing to see someone standing outside a car having a conversation with the driver while 10 cars wait behind them calmly.

On the flip side, it also encourages me to stay home and be lazy. Well, combined with the small area of town. Most places I go to are within a 10- to 15-minute walk.

It’s just a very relaxed place, and the colorful trees, flowers, gardens, and buildings, along with a fairly mild climate, readily entice you to just find a place to sit and not move for a while.

Sunshine and Weather

I think San Miguel has more sunshine than even Colorado, which gets about 300 days a year. And the quality of light is just amazing here.

This month has had some seriously cold nights and days, but most of the time we’ve been here it has been pretty temperate.

Most of the time we have warm days and at night one only needs a light jacket. Until you’re in your cement home which acts like refrigeration. It’s often colder inside than out.

It’s so nice being able to leave the door and windows open all day to have a constant flow of fresh air inside the apartment.

People

In addition to our normal vendors, we’ve made some good friends here, and it’s been fun being able to hang out with them. Yeah, we’ll make friends in Hungary, too, but it’s still hard to leave people behind you’ve gotten to know over the last 4 months.

And they’ve been some momentous months as well: We’ve celebrated Forever Day, Thanksgiving, Chrismakah, Christmas, New Year’s, and Gotcha Day here. Lots of really fun memories have been created here.

I’ll miss the big grins from our produce lady and the aguas frescas guy, and the funny smile from the kid who bags groceries. Even though we’ve been shopping there for almost 4 months and always bring our own cloth bags, every time I whip them out he grins. The last time we shopped there, we ran out of room in the 2 bags, and he wasn’t sure what to do. It was a funny moment when he sheepishly asked, “Do you want a bag for these?” for the remaining items that wouldn’t fit.

One day Tigger ran down to the convenience store that sells Icees and nachos. He discovered the money was missing from his pocket, and they gave him the food anyway. That isn’t likely to happen in Budapest. (And, yes, I went there the next day to pay for his items.)

I will miss the cheery disposition of the locals. They are quick to return a smile. They will often go out of their way to help you without any expectations. The few times I’ve overpaid for something, they’ve always been sure to correct me and hand me my change.

I’ve written before about how our produce lady will walk around to other stalls if she doesn’t have what I’m looking for, and despite the very little money she is making on every transaction, she always adds a few pieces of fruit to our bag at no charge.

While in Europe I’ve seen someone slip and fall on the sidewalk and have seen people just walk past them, here people will cross a busy street to help even though there are already 10 people taking care of it.

Last month I read a message from someone who shared that after having eaten at a small family-run restaurant, they were going to get a taxi to go somewhere. The owner knew that getting a taxi on New Year’s Eve was going to be tough, so he insisted they let him drive them to their destination. And, of course, he refused to accept any payment.

The other day we heard music in the street and were treated to a random wedding parade going up our street. I’m betting this won’t happen in Budapest.

I’ll also miss the festive environment in the main plaza known as “the jardín.” During the weekdays, one can sit under the trees and just enjoy the slow pace of life. At night and on weekends, things tend to liven up quite a bit, and the place is filled with music, laughter, and children running around accompanied by the smells of food from the carts and nearby restaurants.

Yeah, it’s a cliché, but San Miguel de Allende truly is a magical place.