Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.03 Days in Mexico City with Kids: Castles, Plazas & Parks
Three kid-paced days in Mexico City. Day one is all Chapultepec: the castle on the hill and rowboats on the lake. Day two is the historic center: the Zócalo and the Templo Mayor ruins. Day three is for running free in the twin parks of Roma and Condesa, Parque México and Parque España. One base in Roma with short taxi legs; Papalote children's museum, the aquarium, and the wax and chocolate museums swap in easily for museum-hungry kids.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
6 stops · 6 meals · 1 hotelThis is the editor’s pick.
3 days
Each day takes one part of Mexico City, kept close so you walk more than you ride. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
Reygadas's casual Mediterranean spot in Condesa with a wood-fired oven — famous for brunch: chilaquiles, eggs Benedict, guava roll to take away.
- Go for breakfast or brunch; Sundays it closes at 5:30pm.
The hilltop castle holding the National History Museum: Maximiliano and Carlota's rooms, the malachite room, and Reforma views. A real castle — kids get it immediately.
Paddle boats, kayaks and swan boats on Chapultepec's main lake: the classic family pause between museums. Go midday, when the castle climb is done.
- Climb to the castle in the morning, then coast down to the lake — rowboats are the classic cooldown after the hill.
Classic two-story Zona Rosa fonda — grandpa waiters, caldo tlalpeño, perfect guacamole. Comfort food the whole table shares.
130-room value pick on Roma Norte's prettiest avenue, across from Parque Pushkin: free parking, buffet breakfast, tour desk.
- Buffet breakfast included, and checkout runs till 11am.
A 24-hour Centro institution since 1948: pan dulce, nata, café lechero near Bellas Artes. The emergency breakfast plan.
- Open 24 hours daily — the backup for any schedule.
One of the world's largest squares, the ceremonial heart since Aztec times. Go to feel the scale — kids run, flags fly, the city hums.
The excavated Great Temple of the Aztecs plus an eight-hall museum of offerings, including the Coyolxauhqui stone. Ruins in the middle of downtown.
- Stand in the square, then walk into the Aztec ruins beneath it — the Templo Mayor is five minutes from the Zócalo's edge.
The original 1959 tacos al pastor stand — 'the little hole' — cheap classic pastor tacos near Mercado San Juan.
Mexico's oldest candy shop (1874): art nouveau decor, 90+ handmade sweets — glorias, jamoncillos, limones rellenos de coco. The edible-souvenir stop.
- Take a token on arrival and go early — popular sweets sell out.
- Candy run: Mexico's oldest sweet shop is six minutes from the square — glorias and jamoncillos for the walk.
Stay put: ~18 min by taxi back from the Templo Mayor ruins tonight, ~13 min by taxi to Parque España in the morning.
Condesa institution since 1968: 20+ guisados as tacos at a tiny counter on Parque México's edge. Tinga de pollo, cochinita.
Condesa's 22-acre Art Deco park: fountains, the duck pond and old-growth trees on the old racetrack. The neighborhood's front yard — go in the morning.
The quieter leafy park between Roma and Condesa: a small lake with a stone bridge and a children's playground. The afternoon reset.
- Two parks, one long green afternoon: Parque México's duck pond, then the playground at Parque España.
Chic contemporary fonda reworking home cooking: birria tlacoyos, pork belly with tamarind. Modern comfort.
Monterrey-born taquería: some of the city's best tacos al pastor, clean, consistent, cheap, open late.
Stay put: ~13 min by taxi back from Parque España tonight, ~14 min by taxi to Parque México in the morning.
Where to stay in Mexico City
Ranked for family travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Stanza Hotel
130-room value pick on Roma Norte's prettiest avenue, across from Parque Pushkin: free parking, buffet breakfast, tour desk.
Casa Blanca in Coyoacan
Small Coyoacán guest house with a garden, free parking and WiFi — 1 km from the Frida Kahlo Museum, 5 minutes from Jardín Centenario.
Hotel Geneve
Zona Rosa institution since 1907 — the lobby doubles as a museum of the neighborhood's golden age. A mid-range classic.
Flights to Mexico City
Fly into MEX (MEX)
Flight results via Travelpayouts — we may earn a commission on bookings.
Getting around Mexico City
How to actually move around the city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Public transit
The backbone of the city: the Metro, Metrobús bus rapid transit, the integrated MI fare card, the Cablebús gondolas and city buses. Everything runs on the rechargeable Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada.
- Metro
One of the largest subway systems in the Americas: 12 lines and nearly 200 stations reaching the Zócalo, Chapultepec, Coyoacán and most major sights. A single ride costs $5 MXN (about US$0.25).
Tip: Runs daily 5am to midnight. The first 2–3 cars are reserved for women and children during peak hours; ride outside 7–9am and 6–9pm to avoid the crush.
- Metrobús
Bus rapid transit on dedicated lanes: 7 lines and 283 stations covering areas the Metro misses. Standard fare is $6 MXN per ride, paid only with the MI card (contactless bank cards and Apple/Google Pay also work at turnstiles).
Tip: Line 4 connects the airport to downtown: the Quetzalcóatl route runs from Amajac on Paseo de la Reforma to airport terminals 1 and 2 for $30 MXN, daily 4:30am–midnight.
- Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada (MI)
The single rechargeable card for the Metro, Metrobús, Cablebús, RTP buses and Ecobici — and often the only payment method accepted. Buy it for $15 MXN at vending machines in any Metrobús station.
Tip: Get one on your first day; you cannot pay cash on the Metro or Metrobús.
- Cablebús
The city's gondola lift system: 3 lines and 19 stations. Line 3 links the four sections of Bosque de Chapultepec out to Santa Fe, and Line 2 in Iztapalapa is the longest urban cable-car line in the world (10.55 km). Fare is $7 MXN with the MI card.
Tip: Ride Line 3 for aerial views over Chapultepec park — it's genuinely useful for tourists, not just commuters.
Rideshare
Uber, DiDi and Cabify all operate widely in Mexico City and are the go-to for visitors — generally safer and more convenient than hailing a street cab, especially at night.
- Uber
The most widely used rideshare app in the city, with UberX, Comfort and airport pickups. Fares are cheap by international standards.
Tip: Use Uber at night and for airport runs; agree nothing in advance — the app sets the price.
- DiDi
The main local rival to Uber, often slightly cheaper with frequent promos. Works the same way: app-set fares, card or cash payment.
Tip: Worth having as a backup when Uber surges during rain or rush hour.
- Cabify
A third rideshare option operating in Mexico City, popular with business travelers.
Tip: Useful when Uber and DiDi are both surging.
Bikes
Flat central neighborhoods make cycling easy: the Ecobici bike-share covers Roma, Condesa, Juárez, Polanco and Centro, and every Sunday Paseo de la Reforma closes to cars for the Muévete en Bici ride.
- Ecobici
The city's public bike-share, with hundreds of docking stations across the central neighborhoods. Bikes unlock with the same MI transit card.
Tip: Best for short hops between Roma, Condesa and Juárez — stations are densest there.
- Muévete en Bici (Sunday ciclovía)
Every Sunday, Paseo de la Reforma and other major avenues close to car traffic for the city's weekly bike ride — ride an Ecobici or your own bike through the empty boulevard.
Tip: Go before 10am for the emptiest streets; the closure typically runs until early afternoon.
Taxis
Taxis are everywhere, but visitors should use authorized sitio (radio) taxis or the official App CDMX rather than hailing cars off the street. No tip is expected in taxis; 10% is customary in restaurants.
- Sitio (authorized) taxis
Licensed taxi stands (sitios) at hotels, airports and busy corners; the fare is set or metered and the car is registered. Avoid hailing unmarked street cabs, especially at night.
Tip: Ask your hotel to call a sitio taxi, or walk to the nearest marked stand — never get into an unmarked car.
- App CDMX
The city government's official app, which includes hailing and paying for authorized taxis at regulated rates.
Tip: Download it before you arrive so you can pay official taxis by card without negotiating.
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- Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.03 days
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