11 Things To Know Before You Go To Mexico City
When planning your next trip to Mexico City make sure you do your research and educate yourself before. By being prepared for the unexpected your travel experience will be a stressfree enjoyable one. After all, traveling is a soul building experience you will take with you for the rest of your life.
I recently visited Mexico City. It is a cultural experience unlike anywhere else in the world. You will find some of the best food, historical locations, artwork, and a local passion that can not be matched. Here are some things you should know before you visit Mexico City.
I also have an in-depth travel destination guide that will help you when visiting Mexico City, please check it out.
Table of Contents
1. Hold Onto Your Customs Form
When flying into Mexico City you will need to have an immigration form – tourist card filled out and ready for the customs officer. In Mexico City, they require you to hold on to the stamped side with your entry date and show it when you exit to return home. Do not lose it or throw it away.
What you will need for the immigration form is:
- Contact information
- Passport information
- Full Name of the Hotel or address in Mexico
- Arrival flight information
A great way to make this experience more stressfree is by filling out your form and printing it before your departure. You can fill out this form online at the official Mexico tourist website.
https://www.mexicotouristcard.com/
2. Best Time of Year to Travel
Mexico City’s weather is beautiful year-round. The temperature is between 70-81 degrees during the day and 41-52 degrees at night.
The only time of year to be wary of is the Summer season. It rains at least once a day so you will need to be prepared for it. The rain can be cumbersome when walking around visiting the sites of Mexico City. Especially when you see the old historical sites like Teotihuacan, there will be sloppy mud everywhere.
3. Don’t Drink the Water
Have you ever heard of the dreaded Montezuma’s revenge?
No?…
Noun. Montezuma‘s revenge (uncontrolled) (explosive) Diarrhea experienced by tourists after drinking water or eating food in Mexico as a result of a bacteria strain to which native Mexicans are immune.
It is a thing and very real. There is nothing worse than explosive diarrhea! Your trip will be ruined if you contract this evil bug. You will find yourself curled up on the floor next to the toilet. It usually lasts between 3-7 days!!!
Be cautious when consuming water and raw or undercooked food. If you go into a restaurant or see a food vendor that makes you question the cleanliness, trust your gut… no pun intended.
The only water you should be drinking when in Mexico City is sealed bottled water. Stay away from tap water and drinks with ice.
Another tip is when brushing your teeth you might be inclined to rinse it under the tap, do not do this. Use a bottle of water to rinse out your mouth and toothbrush.
4. Currency
When traveling to Mexico City you will need to carry their local currency which is the Mexican Peso.
You can either pick some up back at home before your trip at a currency exchange or use an ATM once you are in Mexico. It is up to you. I am the type that likes to be prepared by having some local currency on me when I arrive in a country. It helps with anxiety from the unknown.
5. What Not to Wear
When you are in Mexico City you will notice one thing. No matter what time of year. It can be 100 degrees outside with not a cloud in the sky and no one is wearing shorts. The locals do not wear shorts ever. You will see everyone walking around in long pants.
I would recommend following this fashion trend. You do not want to be spotted as a tourist. When you are spotted as a tourist you run the risk of pickpockets or people thinking you are an easy target.
If you plan on visiting any churches while in Mexico City make sure you are dressed appropriately. Stay away from exposed shoulders, cleavage, and mid-drifts. Be respectful and kind.
6. Crazy Drivers
Be prepared for a lot of traffic and extremely aggressive drivers.
There are areas without any traffic signs or lights. You will also find intersections without stop signs in either direction. If there are posted signage most people will blow through them.
When driving be aware of your surroundings and take it easy. If you choose to take a cab or Uber wear your seatbelt.
7. Ridesharing
A great way to get around Mexico City is by the use of a ridesharing app like Uber. I used it multiple times and found it the most convenient and safe mode of transportation. The best part is it is extremely affordable. You can travel around the main downtown areas for around $4 USD.
8. Not Pedestrian Friendly
While walking around Mexico City you might find it a bit difficult.
Firstly, the sidewalks are not maintained as you will find in other countries. There are a lot of cracks and different levels of cement and high curbs. This can be dangerous if you do not pay attention. You may leave with a sprained ankle. (I say this from personal experience… unfortunately, this happened to me while visiting.)
Secondly, there are not many walk signals for pedestrians. This makes crossing a busy street a little scary. Some more popular areas have a few, most have none. Just be aware and air on the side of caution when crossing.
Finally, walking around at night time can be a little dangerous. The streets and sidewalks are not well lit. Most of the main streets have lighting, however, if you are on any side streets it is extremely spotty. Try to stay on the main drags. You do not want to make yourself the victim of a crime.
9. Cell Phone Coverage
If you have cell phone service in the United States you are in luck when visiting Mexico City. You do not need to worry about roaming charges or picking up a new SIM card for Mexico. Most cell phone carriers include data, calls, and texts in Mexico that are covered with your plan. If you are unsure just check out their website or give them a call.
10. Museum Hours
Mexico City has some of the best museums in the world. The history and artifacts you will find are amazing. One very important thing to keep in mind is the hours of operation. There are a lot of Museums in Mexico City that are closed on Monday. Here is a list of popular museums that are closed on Monday with their hours.
- Museo Nacional de Artes – 10 AM-5:30 PM closed Monday
- National Palace (Palacio Nacional) – 9 AM-5 PM closed Monday
- Museo del Templo Mayor – 9 AM-5 PM closed Monday
- Museo Frida Kahlo – 10 AM-5:30 PM closed Monday
- Museo Nacional de Antropologia – 9 AM-7 PM closed Monday
- Chapultepec Castle – 9 AM-5 PM closed Monday
For a more in-depth list of my favorite things to see in Mexico City check out my other blog 20 Top Sights in Mexico City.
11. Buy Your Tickets in Advance
One of my must-do sights in Mexico City was the Museum of Frida Kahlo.
I eagerly arrived early to get in. To my surprise, the line for the museum wrapped down and around the entire building. This was not a big deal for me, I do not mind waiting in line for something I am looking forward to.
About 30 minutes of standing in line a lady came out from the museum. She announced that they had sold out of all tickets for the rest of the day and to come back tomorrow. I was crushed and shocked; how could it be sold out at 10:30 AM. This was devastating to me because it was my last day in Mexico City.
In my ignorance, I had no idea you could prepurchase tickets online for the day you wanted to attend. Here is my advice for you, buy your tickets online so you don’t go through this heartbreaking experience.
There is a happy ending to my story. A saying I have when traveling is “if there is a front door there is a back door”. I was lucky enough to be traveling with my boyfriend who was born in Mexico and spoke fluent Spanish. He saw the disappointment on my face and was determined to find that back door and get us inside that museum.
He shuffled over to a cab driver and asked if there was anyone he could talk to about getting in. The cab driver directed him to some guy standing on the corner across the street from the museum. It almost felt as if we were doing an illegal transaction. He then proceeded to walk over and talk to the guy standing on the corner. Sure enough within 10 minutes, he had two tickets for the museum. We even were led to the front of the huge line and I kid you not, they opened up a velvet rope for us to enter. This whole experience cost us an additional $15 USD per ticket. Who would have known?
Mental Health Moment
I hope this list helps you on your future trip to beautiful Mexico City. While there take a moment to absorb all that Mexico City has to offer.
Traveling can be a stressful experience. Suffering from extreme anxiety and traveling has always been challenging for me. I have learned little tips and tricks over the years that have helped with this. My best advice is to prepare yourself for the location you are visiting. Read guide books and do research online to prepare an itinerary. Don’t be hard on yourself and try to do too many things in one day. Be flexible and try things off the beaten path.
Let’s teach each other and help one another live a more fulfilling life. Traveling brings joy and enlightenment. Everyone should have the opportunity to experience this life pursuit of knowledge and a broader perspective.
Keep traveling, push yourself and see that the only thing stopping you is you. Give traveling a try. It has always helped with my depression. When I come back from a trip I feel recharged and ready to take on another day. Let us travel this big world one step at a time.
Just remember my fellow travel friends, we are in this together.