Visiting Mexico City
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Mexico City & Oaxaca with Kids
July 2008
We're taking our kids (ages 6 and 2 1/2) to Mexico City and Oaxaca in early July. We'd love recommendations of kid-friendly sights, activities, restaurants, hotels/apartments (with pool), tour guides, babysitters and anything else that would enhance our trip! And, just in case...we would appreciate recommendations for English-speaking doctors, too. Thank you. Eden
I'm from the Bay Area, and I've lived in Mexico City for several yeears, and I've taken quite a few trips to Oaxaca.
Quick ideas: In Mexico City, there's the Papalote Museum for kids. Check them out online. In Chapultepec Park, there's a zoo and a little fair area for kids. Personally, I would only go to those if I had quite a bit of time. Otherwise, good, fun, and even educational options include the Turibus, a trip to the pyramids and a trip to the Anthropology Museum. Depending on their interests, and ability to sit still, maybe you could take in a show at Bellas Artes?
The Fodor's guide has a little duck symbol signaling activities for kids in Mexico City.
The most difficult part of travelling in Mexico City can be the time wasted in traffic. If you avoid travel during peak hours, tht will help. If you plan on travelling out to the pyramids, or making lots of stops in a day, you can arrange for a taxi all day. Get one from a sitio, or ask for help at your hotel.
Personally, I would go to a somewhat centrally located hotel to minimize time spent in the car. If it were me, and I were going to chose a hotel, I might stay in the Polanco neighborhood. It's near Chapultepec Park, where you there are several really lovely museums, including the Anthropology Museum where you could easily spend a half day. Most hotels in Polanco are pretty fancy -- the Nikko, W, Presidente, and Camino Real (I like the Camino Real best of the group, they have a great weekend buffet), but there is also a nice place called the Hotel Polanco which is in the same area for a lot less money.
Here is some info on the different neighborhoods that you might stay in, or just visit. http://www.frommers.com/destinations/mexicocity/0041020048.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Neighborhoods_in_Mexico_City
About English speaking doctors, there are plenty, especially at the American Hospital, but if you really want to be safe, call your insurance company before you go, and find out where you can go and what papers you need. Once I tried to go to an emergency room in Mexico City and was asked for a 5K deposit!!
Have a great trip! anon
I lived there for 30 years, so I can give you all sorts of info, if you want to contact me for specific questions. As far as places for kids, the Chapultepec area has lots of things: the zoo is super nice (and free), a lake, great museums... There's an area in Chapultepec called ''3a secci\xf3n'' (Third section) which has a children's museum (kind of exploratorium) called Papalote, which is GREAT. Across from the Papalote, there's a place called Mexico Magico, which is kind of a small theme park with miniature models of important buildings across the country, a nice and kid-friendly sampler of mexican architecture. I haven't seen this one, but I've seen pictures and heard great things about it. Coyoacan is also a nice place to visit, very traditional colonial town square, with street vendors, weekend shows, etc. Please feel free to contact me for more info. Toni