- Introduction: Mexico City, Really?
- Using The Cross Border Xpress
- Review: Tijuana VIP Lounge
- Review: Aeromexico Salon Premier Tijuana
- Review: Aeromexico 787 Business Class Tijuana to Mexico City
- Review: Las Alcobas Hotel Polanco Mexico City
- Hot Air Ballooning Over Teotihuacán
- Visiting Teotihuacan
- An Evening Of Lucha Libre
- Floating Around Xochimilco
- Day Trip To Coyoacán
- Exploring Mexico City’s Historic Center
- Dining At Dulce Patria
- Palacio De Bellas Artes & The Ballet Folklórico
- Mexico City: Andrew’s Thoughts
- Review: Minute Suites DFW
“Mexico City, really?”
That was the universal response from anyone I mentioned this trip to. Like, in the same tone of voice as if I’d suggested a relaxing weekend in Damascus. I’ve been to some sketchy places without anyone batting an eye, but Mexico — well.
Which might be a sign that my non-travel friends and family need to get out more, but Mexico City is not the trendiest of destinations right now, apparently.
Too bad, because Mexico City is pretty great
The intrepid Andrew B. and I, however, have been talking about visiting Mexico City since last August or so. Neither of us had been, nor did we really know anyone who had spent time there, which made it extra intriguing (although in an interesting quirk of timing, half my Instagram feed seemed to visit around the same time).
It ended up being a fabulous trip — possibly the best I’ve taken in years, and I can’t believe I hadn’t been previously.
Booking the flights
Mexico City is too close to really use miles efficiently, and fares are all typically over the place, so I’d been casually monitoring prices. In late February, fares from Washington DC (where Andrew lives) dropped to ~$300 for the round-trip, so we planned a long weekend trip for May.
Fares from San Diego weren’t as great, at around $350 for the round-trip. Thanks to the new Cross-Border Express, however, flying out of Tijuana is a reasonable option. Even better, paid business class tickets on Aeromexico’s Dreamliner were only $290 for the round-trip!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFULhY7A1M9/?taken-by=tebfunk
I pitched the trip to my long-suffering husband as “Hey-do-you-want-to-take-a-weekend-trip-with-Andrew-B-in-lie-flat-business-class-it’s-only-one-flight-in-each-direction-and-we-could-stay-in-a-single-hotel-for-four-nights-please-come-with-us?” He agreed, and barely flinched when he heard the destination was Mexico City.
The side-eye I got for departing from TJ was epic though.
Booking the flights was slightly challenging, in that the amazing business class fares from Tijuana were only available when purchased directly from Aeromexico in pesos. Given that I have a dozen or so credit cards with no foreign transaction fees this shouldn’t have been a problem…
Aeromexico’s website, however, apparently cannot process transactions in pesos to US-registered credit cards. And the U.S. call center can’t process transactions in pesos, nor could they pull up the same fare. Annnnd the Mexican call center (called via Google Voice), didn’t seem to have an option for English. The phone reps found my Italian-infused Spanglish as incomprehensible as everyone else on the planet, but we eventually got it done. Just a warning if you decide you want to book a similar trip.
Choosing hotels
This was such a difficult decision, because there are an abundance of fabulous-looking hotels in Mexico City! We didn’t really know what area we wanted to stay in, but eventually settled on four nights at the boutique Las Alcobas (an SPG Luxury Collection property) in the Polanco neighborhood.
Lobby of Las Alcobas in Mexico City
The paid rates were decent at $250 per night, and we received the fourth night free by booking through Citi Prestige. Las Alcobas is a Category 6 property, so the alternative was 25,000 SPG points per night. Paid rates were the better option.
Andrew stayed at the nearby Intercontinental Presidente, using 30,000 IHG points per night. The Mexico City hotel market is bizarre — paid rates were well over $300 for both the Intercontinental and the nearby Hyatt Regency.
If I were to go to Mexico City again (which I definitely will), I’d probably stay in a different neighborhood, just because getting anywhere in the city is challenging, and it would be nice to explore other parts of the city more easily, but I loved our hotel.
All the things!!
Other than the advance planning, this trip was unusual in that we did so many things. I generally plan about 2-3 hours per day of sightseeing when I’m traveling, but the timing of this trip worked out such that we could be decently-hardcore tourists.
We did everything from hiking ruins to sampling fine dining to attending a lucha libre match.
Friday night lucha libre
Mexico City has incredible architecture, and an abundance of culture, which combined for a really fantastic visit.
Pre-Aztec ruins outside(ish) the city
And the food, oh my goodness, the food!
This is not food, this is Mezcal (with worms), which my husband wouldn’t let me eat
No one really had major issues with the altitude, though we could definitely feel it (Mexico City is at 7,300 feet, and we all live at sea level). We also lucked out with a relatively haze-free weekend. The air quality in Mexico City is definitely not great, but when we were there it was definitely more Los Angeles in the late-80’s bad, not Beijing in winter bad.
But is Mexico City safe?
I mean, is anywhere?
We didn’t have any issues, and there was never a point where I felt uncomfortable. We avoided taxis as a precaution, but Uber was reliable and easy. We also took the Metro, which was definitely crowded, but I wasn’t harassed like many women report (I was also with either Andrew or my husband the entire time, which probably helped with that).
One of the highlights of the trip, actually, was discussing the safety situation with a driver we hired to visit the outskirts of the city one day. He had been driving an Italian couple the week prior, and noted they were afraid to leave even a jacket in the car. My husband regaled him with some of the shenanigans we’ve observed in Southern Italy, and the general problem with petty theft there.
“In Mexico City, that’s not a problem. Someone might steal the entire car, but not your bag. The car theft is a big problem. Probably ten cars a day are being stolen.”
Incredulous, my husband asked how the tour company could afford to stay in business if they were losing ten cars every day.
“Not just our company, but in the DF, probably ten cars a day. It’s a big problem.”
To which Andrew retorted:
“Ten cars were probably stolen in DC while we were having this conversation.”
I don’t know how reliable of a narrator this guy was, though he seemed well-informed otherwise. But I generally felt that Mexico City was as safe as any other city for the areas and activities that most tourists are likely going to engage in.
Everyone was too busy enjoying mariachi on the river to steal your stuff
Be smart, of course, but I felt the entire situation was significantly less sketchy than say, Bangkok or even parts of Paris.
Overall
Mexico City is one of those places that Americans seem hesitant to visit, but we honestly had the best time. I want to share part of that experience with y’all, so plan to spend more time reviewing the experiences we had in and around Mexico City versus our short flights.
I bribed Andrew with cookies, so he’ll share his thoughts as well, which always makes for a delightful read (no pressure Andrew).
Thanks as always for reading, and please let me know if you have any questions along the way!
Been going to Mexico City for over 20 years now. As far as safety it's just like any other big city you're usually pretty safe but you have to keep safety in mind.
It is truly a great city in so many ways. I enjoy it and in my humble opinion offers more then NYC and at a much better bang for your buck. You may or may not agree with me but go check it out for yourself...
I hate to be critical, but, c'mon, give me a break!
"I loved our hotel" but the only picture you provide is of a staircase.
"And the food, oh my goodness, the food" Like, what? No pictures , no descriptions, no names. What did you eat that was so great? Where???
"Mexico city has incredible architecture, and an abundance of culture" Thanks for providing us with ZERO examples of such great culture.
I hate to be critical, but, c'mon, give me a break!
"I loved our hotel" but the only picture you provide is of a staircase.
"And the food, oh my goodness, the food" Like, what? No pictures , no descriptions, no names. What did you eat that was so great? Where???
"Mexico city has incredible architecture, and an abundance of culture" Thanks for providing us with ZERO examples of such great culture.
Fortunately, I have been to Mexico City a couple of times, so I have been able to experience this great city by myself. I love the energy of that city. As far as this post; this was almost like a seminar on how NOT to write a travel blog.
@ Erick Grana -- Welcome! Trip Reports here on One Mile at a Time are typically multiple posts. If you look at the links at the top of this post you can see the seven that have been posted so far (including a detailed review of the hotel). There will be about 30,000 words and over 1,000 pictures recounting this trip when all is said and done, so we have to break it up into installments. Thanks for reading!
HI Tiffany,
I think you should really remove some of the comments on this page. They are vitriolic and hateful, and they seem to be people who cannot even read what you wrote. They are also single-purposedly anti-American. I lived in Holland for 10+ years and many Dutch friends have the same idea about Mexico. I live in Mexico City now and my peers and friend (Mexicans) and I talk with about this issue....
HI Tiffany,
I think you should really remove some of the comments on this page. They are vitriolic and hateful, and they seem to be people who cannot even read what you wrote. They are also single-purposedly anti-American. I lived in Holland for 10+ years and many Dutch friends have the same idea about Mexico. I live in Mexico City now and my peers and friend (Mexicans) and I talk with about this issue. They fully understand why the general public in America (AND EUROPE) often assumes that Mexico City is unsafe. It truly WAS unsafe for many years (Mid-90s to mid-00s), with kidnapping problems (in taxis and otherwise) and muggings. That is no longer the case IN the wealthy parts of the city. Muggings are certainly still common in the suburbs in the State of Mexico. Tiffany you have a beautiful blog, don't let these ignorant fakers pollute it with their poison. It reminds me of the poison that Trump supporters are writing on social media right now. Dump them.
Hey, @Lady Carnavon von villy, I sure hope you are not a fellow Canadian, because your pathetic little vitriolic and hateful rant about Tiffany and Americans is an embarrassment to the rest of us! Please crawl back under the rock you came from.
It is amazing to me how things have changed on this blog, given the number of myopic, rude (what's with all the F-bombs people?), self-important and truly condescending replies that are posted here. It's great that so many commenting here are so "worldly" and diverse, but it seems that being boorish and classless on the internet is just as commonplace a trait among your readers, Tiffany. What great ambassadors for our hobby - not!
Great post Tiffany! I'm looking forward to the rest of the report.
These comments sections really make me question the literacy of the readers of this site.
I live in Mexico City and in fact am in charge of the Aeromexico website - sorry you had trouble with it! In principle foreign cards are accepted on the Mexican site, but sometimes our card processed or the issuing bank rejects the transaction (for suspicion of fraud or whatever the reason might be). So glad you enjoyed your Dreamliner business class trip and this awesome, colorful, chaotic, fascinating and generally quite safe city!
Mexico City isn't trendy? It's pretty much on the hot list no matter the media outlet and has put itself on the foodie hot list for the last few years.
@Imperator
I love Chicago, too. I feel safe there in the areas I visit. All large cities in the US have a lot of gun violence. I live near St. Louis and our downtown violence is becoming frightening. Not going to keep me from a Cardinals ballgame.
Great trip report! Mexico City is one of my all time favorite destinations - and I've been all over the world! Love the Roma/Condesa district, amazing bars and restaurants that even beat West Village in NYC (and for half the budget!) Would agree that some districts get sketchy, which is why many people make the false assumption that the whole city is dangerous, but aren't parts of Philly, NYC, LA etc just as sketchy?
Tiffany,
If they are thrown for a loop by the thought of Mexico City (which is awesome as numerous people have pointed out other than air quality; I'd rather walk around there than many parts of Indianapolis where I live), I would love to see their response to some of the places I have been sent for work.
I'm pretty sure they would have coronaries (think Lucky flying Royal Jordanian) if faced with the...
Tiffany,
If they are thrown for a loop by the thought of Mexico City (which is awesome as numerous people have pointed out other than air quality; I'd rather walk around there than many parts of Indianapolis where I live), I would love to see their response to some of the places I have been sent for work.
I'm pretty sure they would have coronaries (think Lucky flying Royal Jordanian) if faced with the guy who tried to sell me an RPG in a random central African market. Welcome to the third world or as I call it "Grand Theft Auto: The Dark Continent".
@Mike
"When is nyc city going to do something about the overcrowding on that line?"
Well, it's taken about 90 years, but the Second Avenue Subway is set to open in December.
The day we americans stop spending three times our education budget, and five times of law enforcement budget in recreational drugs, we will stop hearing about drug related violence in Mexico.
"The air quality in Mexico City is definitely not great, but when we were there it was definitely more Los Angeles in the late-80’s bad, not Beijing in winter bad."
You're my spirit animal.
OMG What an unfortunate and ignorant piece of writing... Today you lost a reader
@Robin - Beautifully said.
I must say, though, that I have a love for Chicago. It's my favorite American city and I certainly have no concern or feel no need for caution about visiting.
I much enjoyed your review. My husband and I were discussing going to Mexico City next year and a couple friends strongly advised us not to due to drug violence. Really? We're flying to Düsseldorf, Germany, next month for time there, the Netherlands, and a Norway cruise. With all the terrorist activity in that area and the migrant issue, many people we know (small Midwestern town) would not even consider it. Very few in our...
I much enjoyed your review. My husband and I were discussing going to Mexico City next year and a couple friends strongly advised us not to due to drug violence. Really? We're flying to Düsseldorf, Germany, next month for time there, the Netherlands, and a Norway cruise. With all the terrorist activity in that area and the migrant issue, many people we know (small Midwestern town) would not even consider it. Very few in our area see Europe as safe. In actuality, no place is totally safe. What's the alternative? Stay in small town USA and let your mind stagnate? I'd be more cautious and concerned in Chicago than Düsseldorf, even though four people were recently arrested for their plot to bomb the Düsseldorf tourist area and train system.
So, Mexico City is on our 2017 list!! Keep the travel review coming. And I agree with the previous writer -- totally ignore those whose opinions are small and meaningless and mean natured. They are not worth your time. Anyone who knows you KNOWS you are a respected traveler with much experience and knowledge. And I love your sense of humor!!
@Tiffany There's no need to assuage all the haters in the comments. I'm surprised there are so many, but Lucky and we readers like you fine; just ignore the whining.
I go to Polanco sometimes to eat at places like Pujol, Biko, and Quintonil—all among the two dozen fanciest restaurants in the world—but my idea of international tourism doesn't include Mercedes, Porsche, and Land Rover dealerships squeezed in between Tiffany and Bulgari shops. There's a...
@Tiffany There's no need to assuage all the haters in the comments. I'm surprised there are so many, but Lucky and we readers like you fine; just ignore the whining.
I go to Polanco sometimes to eat at places like Pujol, Biko, and Quintonil—all among the two dozen fanciest restaurants in the world—but my idea of international tourism doesn't include Mercedes, Porsche, and Land Rover dealerships squeezed in between Tiffany and Bulgari shops. There's a nice little aviary and art gallery in Lincoln Park and some good French cheese shops and ritzy chocolatiers and one good bookstore (El Pendulo), but you can do better.
If you're looking for neighborhoods for next time, you'll find the some really desirable places to stay like Coyoacán don't allow hotels but do have AirBnBs.
The Historic Center has become lively and comfortable in the last five years and has the Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de Mexico where you can spend under $200 and have fancy views of the National Palace and National Cathedral in an historic building that was in the James Bond movie (it played the part of the fancy hotel in the opening sequence). It's feels much more Mexican than Polanco but it can be a bit gritty as a seven-hundred year old neighborhood with every race and class represented. Be sure to eat at Mercaderes, Azul Histórico, and El Cardenal, all within a couple blocks, and, of course, try the rooftop buffet breakfast at the hotel for the big view. Don't miss the national Ballet Folklorico de México at the Palacio de Bellas Artes nearby—it's amazingly great and the park it's next to is ideal for romantic nighttime strolls. This is the best neighborhood for tourists.
Condesa is the trendy place for actual Mexican fun but I like calmer Roma next door. It has a Four Points on the ideal street for the thoughtful tourist, Avenida Álvaro Obregón, but there are probably fancier hotels to your liking nearby. (I actually like $25 hotels, so my advice in this matter is not up to OMAAT standards.) Be sure to eat at Balmori Rooftop (great lunch specials) and La Tecla. Rosetta and Maximo Bistrot in the Roma are widely considered to be among the finest dining in all of Latin America. Delisa is my favorite bakery and tea house while the fanciest cheeseburger I've ever tasted was at La Teatrería art house cinema bar, both on Tabasco street. Ask for the gorgonzola and mushroom with caramelized onion burger; it's not always on the menu. The cheeseburger cost more than my hotel room.
Nicos is the most authentically Mexican of all the very ritzy restaurants, if you ever make to to Azcapotzalco. Tourists seldom go there, but it's on a nice cross street for strolling.
I'm looking forward to reading about what you did and liked in the city.
Spent a week in Mexico City back in 2006 and the only dodgy encounter I had was with a white American guy who was living on the streets there and addicted to drugs who aggressively accosted me for change. Didn't feel unsafe at all there and am itching to visit again. Look forward to reading this trip report.
@Tiffany, great summary like you always do and you have done a nice job responding to the morons. Did you minor in troll management in college? You really are great at focusing on the issue at hand.
Also, you really do a service in reminding people that there is a frightening, racist, xenophobic (and populist) presidential candidate whose #1 priority is to prey on people's basest fears and most hateful feelings and telling them that...
@Tiffany, great summary like you always do and you have done a nice job responding to the morons. Did you minor in troll management in college? You really are great at focusing on the issue at hand.
Also, you really do a service in reminding people that there is a frightening, racist, xenophobic (and populist) presidential candidate whose #1 priority is to prey on people's basest fears and most hateful feelings and telling them that their ridiculous fears shouldn't be confronted but should be hugged and nurtured and people should punch those who don't share their racism. Nothing worse than an out of control teabagger.
Cannot wait to read more about Mexico city!!!!!!!!1!!
I get the same response when I say I'm going to Mexico City.
I've lived in PHX the last two years for graduate school. In that time I've taken two trips to MEX and had a third trip to Guatemala/Southern Mexico end in MEX.
I love it. It is hugely underrated (as is much of interior Mexico - Americans know the beach resorts but nothing else in regards to Mexico).
From PHX...
I get the same response when I say I'm going to Mexico City.
I've lived in PHX the last two years for graduate school. In that time I've taken two trips to MEX and had a third trip to Guatemala/Southern Mexico end in MEX.
I love it. It is hugely underrated (as is much of interior Mexico - Americans know the beach resorts but nothing else in regards to Mexico).
From PHX the flights are cheap. Daily round trip direct on AA, and if the pricing doesn't work out on that, often times a connection through LAX on AA has a great price. I've even flown home on Delta to SLC, which also has great prices. We're taking at least $150 less than comparable dates to the beach town airports in Mexico.
The other thing about MEX is that it has easy connections (by bus and by air - if you must) to both Oaxaca in the south and Guanajuato in the north. I've done Oaxaca twice and can't get enough.
so glad you went and had a good time! It's fabulous and worth going as much as possible. So close and so much to discover. Next time go to the San Angel market on Saturday. That's always fun. And lots of good restaurants, etc for lunch nearby.
Southwest flies to MEX - one of Southwest's few international services. I redeemed Rapid Rewards Miles from Dallas Love Field to MEX at a rate of 2 cents a mile for economy. Easy and comfortable 4-hour flight.
I agree - great city. I stayed in Roma Norte. The biggest threat I faced was altitude sickness. Turns out this sprawling metropolis is located at a higher elevation than Boulder, CO. By my last day, I...
Southwest flies to MEX - one of Southwest's few international services. I redeemed Rapid Rewards Miles from Dallas Love Field to MEX at a rate of 2 cents a mile for economy. Easy and comfortable 4-hour flight.
I agree - great city. I stayed in Roma Norte. The biggest threat I faced was altitude sickness. Turns out this sprawling metropolis is located at a higher elevation than Boulder, CO. By my last day, I was gasping for breath - thankfully as we were on our way to Puerto Vallarta and sea level, where my symptoms disappeared overnight.
They also have a United Club at MEX, but my dumb ass forgot to bring my annual free passes that I get from my MileagePlus VISA for the long return layover ...
Sorry but your friends are quite ignorant, and you by association. Mexico city is the city with the most museums in the world, just food for thought.
@ Jeff D. -- There's no need to apologize. I was as surprised by the reaction as you are, because a city with that many millions of people is obviously (to me) going to be cosmopolitan, and there is a tremendous amount of history and culture in the area.
But, and for the others who missed the general point here:
The unfortunate reality is that Mexico gets a bad rap in the U.S., particularly in...
@ Jeff D. -- There's no need to apologize. I was as surprised by the reaction as you are, because a city with that many millions of people is obviously (to me) going to be cosmopolitan, and there is a tremendous amount of history and culture in the area.
But, and for the others who missed the general point here:
The unfortunate reality is that Mexico gets a bad rap in the U.S., particularly in border states. Some of this is partially justified (the drug violence in the border towns has been a legitimate problem, and people living in close proximity to those areas are more likely to know someone impacted by it), and much of it is fear-mongering. We have an openly-racist and frighteningly-popular presidential nominee in this country who is preying on that very fear of the "other", and Mexico is a specific scapegoat. This is a real thing.
And so to many Americans, Mexico is a place where one goes to all-inclusive resorts in coastal enclaves, if at all.
It's disappointing, sure, but there's no sense in pretending that's not the case. World-views are informed by experiences, and just because one hasn't had the privilege to have broader experiences doesn't make a person ignorant. But I don't believe you can change those perspectives by shutting down the conversation or dissociating with people who don't share your opinions.
So, like with my trips to Eastern Europe, Egypt, the broader Middle East, rural Asia, etc., my approach is to go, have an incredible time, and tell them about it. Is that going to change the world? Of course not. But it's far more productive in my personal life than simply telling someone they're wrong.
I'm looking forward to staying at the Hampton Inn for 10,000 points a night and 5th night free right in the center of town. Check it out, it's in a nice historic building and basically free to stay there. Polanco is too richy rich for me.
I have never been to Mexico City even though it's a red-hot destination. I shall be eagerly awaiting Tiffany's report.
I was amused that some of Tif's friends had raised eyebrows at the notion of visiting Mexico City. And I especially enjoyed Tif's reference to a "relaxing weekend in Damascus" because...
I am in the midst of trying to plan a long weekend excursion into Northern Syria. DanielW (who has amazing trip reports!) over at...
I have never been to Mexico City even though it's a red-hot destination. I shall be eagerly awaiting Tiffany's report.
I was amused that some of Tif's friends had raised eyebrows at the notion of visiting Mexico City. And I especially enjoyed Tif's reference to a "relaxing weekend in Damascus" because...
I am in the midst of trying to plan a long weekend excursion into Northern Syria. DanielW (who has amazing trip reports!) over at Flyertalk inspired me to look into the possibility. This September, I shall be returning to work in Saudi Arabia. Normally, I head up to London or Berlin for my weekend escapes; but, I am now at the stage of life where I don't want to suck the light out of my psyche by hanging out in a Prenzlauer Berg bar on a Saturday night. And then I read DanielW's report on his trip to Northern Iraq and Syria. That had the effect of a mental kick in the ass. So I found a travel agency in Dubai that helps arrange escorted trips into some of the more troubled areas of the region. I hope it works out as it has been a very long time since I have been this excited. It would be a profound experience to see the situation with my own eyes and not have to rely on media coverage & other people's observations.
However, I am NOT looking forward to telling my partner about this. The backlash is going to be fierce.
@ Imperator -- That sounds like an incredible trip, and one I'd very much like to take! I hope it works out for you too!!
My husband went to Mexico City last year (he drove down from Fort Worth with an Hispanic family we are friends with); he stayed in a small village, and participated in activities like he was a local, and visited Mexico City. He said Mexico was an amazing place, and wished that I could have gone with him (but he thinks I might have been distressed by the number of stray dogs wandering the streets in the village where he stayed).
The metro was crowded ?
I do t think it could be any more crowded than the 6 train going down LEX Ave in NYC.
Many times I have had to wait for the next train because you simply could not get in or I've gotten in and had like three people on top of me during the ride
When is nyc city going to do something about the overcrowding on that line?
@ Mike --It was crowded. Think like, post-sporting event crowded, but during off-peak times.
I say this flippantly ... but you need to hang out with less ignorant and more worldly friends haha.. mexico city is fucking great.. and you haven't even touched the surface. i've been visiting for over 20 years now.. it's got great food, art and culture. please go back :-)
I always find it funny, when Americans deem certain places "unsafe" or are scared to go somewhere, when there are countless murders and cases of gun violence etc. in the US on a daily basis, virtually all over the country. It's like someone from Greenland being afraid of cold weather in Russia.
@ Marina -- Thank you! Exactly.
2 hours a day seeing things normally? Good lord, what waste of time and resources!
No offense Tiffany but you and your circle of friends/family really need to get out more. I know plenty of people here in the Midwest who have been to Mexico City. Most any travel article (from US sources) I read about Mexico includes Mexico City among its top recommended spots in the country. Do spring breakers head there? No. But...
2 hours a day seeing things normally? Good lord, what waste of time and resources!
No offense Tiffany but you and your circle of friends/family really need to get out more. I know plenty of people here in the Midwest who have been to Mexico City. Most any travel article (from US sources) I read about Mexico includes Mexico City among its top recommended spots in the country. Do spring breakers head there? No. But plenty of non-teenage/college Americans do!
And please - don't let your hubby tell you what you can and can't eat!
@ Eric -- Eh, the limited sightseeing time is the price for the otherwise incredible life I lead, so I wouldn't trade it.
And the husband says "I didn't tell you not to eat the worms. I just let you know what your choices were. Which was to consider whether or not you ever wanted me to kiss you again." ;)
@john f and cinti lingus Please calm the eff down. Her point is that it is NOT as dangerous as people perceive, and obviously NOT in the same league as Damascus. So cool it with your condescension. We're all very proud of you for knowing Mexico City isn't as dangerous as some people perceive, but that doesn't change the fact that people do perceive it that way. So, again, please calm down. If anything, this...
@john f and cinti lingus Please calm the eff down. Her point is that it is NOT as dangerous as people perceive, and obviously NOT in the same league as Damascus. So cool it with your condescension. We're all very proud of you for knowing Mexico City isn't as dangerous as some people perceive, but that doesn't change the fact that people do perceive it that way. So, again, please calm down. If anything, this trip report will help assuage fears people have, and show them all that the city has to offer.
@ QR -- Thank you for the close read :)
"less sketchy than say, Bangkok"
Hahaha, you need to travel to more dodgy places Tiffany; to get some new points of reference.
Edvard
Security concerns about visiting Mexico are real. The country has a serious problem with the drug violence.
That said, Mexico City is a fantastic city, so much to see and great people, I wouldn't hesitate to visit.
There are always a ton of cheap Skyteam fares to MEX. I've been wanting to go there, but my closed off, US conscious has always got the best of me. I'll be excited to follow along @Tiffany!
I don't know who your friends are or why they have these weird assumptions about Mexico City, but my 30-something circle (in Brooklyn) love Mexico City and have only had great experiences there, and no one I talked to when I was going there was the least bit surprised.
@ Mike -- Well now I want to move to Brooklyn!
no offense, but who do you hang out with? yes, Mexico city was recently ranked by NYTimes as the #1 place to go. I've been going there for at least the last 6 years and never had any issues with safety. It's a fabulous place - and definitely been a go-to place for many of my friends for years. That said, I'm glad you had fun. Spread the word. And look - $350 is an...
no offense, but who do you hang out with? yes, Mexico city was recently ranked by NYTimes as the #1 place to go. I've been going there for at least the last 6 years and never had any issues with safety. It's a fabulous place - and definitely been a go-to place for many of my friends for years. That said, I'm glad you had fun. Spread the word. And look - $350 is an excellent fare. Not a bad one at all. When I routinely pay $600 to go BOS-ACK in the summer time, or $700 to go DCA-ACK on JetBlue, $350 for an over 3 hour flight doesn't sound bad at all.
I'm pleased to see you went to Mexico and look forward to your report. Those are some pretty photos. It has been one of my favorite places for twenty years now.
Polanco is a bit sterile and superficial but it has a lot of English speakers and touristy services for the first timer. There are more central and bohemian and artsy places to stay next time.
@ Owen -- Thanks! Superficial is a good description of Polanco. It was gorgeous, of course, but I tend to prefer neighborhoods with a bit more grit than can typically be found walking past Nobu on your way to Starbucks.
It's sad that some people don't venture out and see some amazing sites that other countries have citing safety as a concern. Truth of the matter is that you're not entirely safe anywhere and that shouldn't stop you from going out and exploring. My wife and I get stern looks and gasps when we tell them we're going to Abu Dhabi/Dubai later this year. Little do they know that we're safer there than in most...
It's sad that some people don't venture out and see some amazing sites that other countries have citing safety as a concern. Truth of the matter is that you're not entirely safe anywhere and that shouldn't stop you from going out and exploring. My wife and I get stern looks and gasps when we tell them we're going to Abu Dhabi/Dubai later this year. Little do they know that we're safer there than in most major US cities. But even if it weren't "safer", we shouldn't let that stop us from living life.
@ marcmsj -- Well said.
... "Americans hesitant to visit" well that's for regular (ignorant) americans, it's a fantastic place, and for the record, it's the city with most americans outside of the US, you can wiki that...
If your circle of friends is universally shocked by Mexico City, and you think it's some crazy gutsy place to visit, your knowledge of travel and the world is even less than previously imagined.
@ John F. -- To clarify, I specified my non-travel friends. And my small-town family. I didn't think it was a gutsy place to visit at all, hence my surprise at the reactions.
Mexico City is just awesome. The city has so many attractions, amazing restaurants and bars, and beautiful people all around. A lot of people speak English and the hotel scene although expensive (business people) as you pointed out, its really nice. The W right next to the Intercontinental in Polanco is great!!
@ Frank -- Oh my gosh, so many beautiful people!
Where did you credit the Aeromexico biz flights to?
@ Ricky -- Delta.
"Which might be a sign that my non-travel friends and family need to get out more, but Mexico City is not the trendiest of destinations right now, apparently."
Mexico City was just ranked the #1 place to go in 2016 by The New York Times...I'd call that the definition of trendy. Also, of course Mexico City is safe - it's safer than Philadelphia, Baltimore and Detroit, if we're looking at murder rates. There's a *ton*...
"Which might be a sign that my non-travel friends and family need to get out more, but Mexico City is not the trendiest of destinations right now, apparently."
Mexico City was just ranked the #1 place to go in 2016 by The New York Times...I'd call that the definition of trendy. Also, of course Mexico City is safe - it's safer than Philadelphia, Baltimore and Detroit, if we're looking at murder rates. There's a *ton* of money in Mexico City - perhaps if you go into the suburbs, you may come across some not-so nice/unsafe areas.
Mexico City is a world class city with amazing museums, beautiful architecture, great hotels and amazing food. Part of me likes that it has a bad reputation because it's still so cheap for tourists, and the other part of me is just sad at how ignorant many Americans are.
I'm surprised you didn't like Polanco that much as it's very chic and there's a ton of shopping / amazing restaurants. Did you go to Pujol or Contramar? Both amazing restaurants. Looking forward to hearing about what you did.
@ Keith -- Oh, I didn't dislike Polanco, I would just stay somewhere else next time to get a sense of a different area.
Not that I dont enjoy Ben's reports but: Sweeeeeet! Another Tiffany report!
I'm curious. In what way do you consider Bangkok to be a sketchy city?
@ Damon -- I don't, that was the point.