15 Things to Do in Mexico City with Kids

I’m a city-lover, through and through! I love nature, I love hiking, I love the mountains, but every time I arrive in a big city I feel a rush – a busy, bustling, noisy rush! I love the background noise of honking horns and passing conversations, sometimes a distant train or nearby construction. I love the smells – grey rain on the pavement, the scents of food wafting over the sidewalk. Call me crazy, but I feel alive in a big city; it gives me an energy I don’t feel anywhere else. If you’re a fellow city-lover, Mexico City will not disappoint! Situated in a complex interwoven nest of historic neighborhoods, opulent buildings and ancient ruins, Mexico’s capital is a fascinating mix of grit and grandeur. There is so much to see and do in Mexico City with kids, making it one of our favorite destinations!

**This post contains affiliate links which means if you click and make a purchase I will get a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Quick Tips for Mexico City:

• Use Uber rather than taxis – it’s safer and more reliable.
• Ask your hotel or vacation rental host to help you book a tour to Teotihuacán
• If you live in Southern California, fly out of Tijuana – it’s super easy and can save you tons of money.
• Make sure you eat tacos de adobada – it’s a specialty here!
• Don’t get confused by the name: Locals and many Mexicans refer to it as “DF” which stands for Distrito Federal in Spanish, but you will also see CDMX, which stands for Ciudad de México.

Things to Do in Mexico City with Kids

1. Hop on Hop off Bus Tour:

This is a great way to get oriented and see Mexico City from above. Sit on the upper deck and you’ll have great views of the statues, monuments and huge buildings along Paseo de la Reforma and the stately houses in the neighborhoods like Condesa and Polanco. You’ll also get a view of Chapultepec Castle and park. The kids loved sitting up high and, since we arrived kind of early after our flight, it was a relaxing way to spend our first day.

2. El Zócalo:

Mexico City lies atop the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlán, and some ruins of that city are still visible today. The main plaza, Plaza del la Constitución, or Zócalo, is built on the site of the Aztec city’s ceremonial center. This site has played an important role for centuries! Today it’s a busy plaza, with a huge Mexican flag flying above it. It’s used for ceremonies, concerts, festivals and other events. In fact, sometimes soccer games are shown on a giant screen and the Zócalo fills with people coming out to support El Tri, the Mexican National Soccer Team. A walk through the busy Zócalo will give you a sense of the pulse of this city.

3. Metropolitan Cathedral:

The enormous Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María a los Cielos, located across the street from the Zócalo, was also built by the Spanish on the Aztec ceremonial site. They even used some of the ancient stones in their building, as they lay claim to the territory. The cathedral took over 200 years to finish, and it mirrors the grand cathedrals of Europe. Inside there are ornate chapels, religious artifacts and art, and a behemoth altar decorated in gold. It is architecturally stunning, and worth a visit.

4. El Templo Mayor:

These ancient ruins of the Aztec temple are a short walk from the Zócalo. The site was built over by the Spanish, and wasn’t excavated until the 1970s. Now there is a museum on site, as well as the ruins. The Templo was built in the center of Tenochtitlán, denoting the spiritual and ceremonial importance of the location. Visitors now can see the sacrificial stone and shrines to various gods. There are official tour guides for the site.

5. Chapultepec Park/Zoo :

The massive Bosque de Chapultepec, located right in the middle of Mexico City, is a wonderful place to cool off, run around with the kids, have a picnic or watch a show. There are food vendors and street performers, museums and playgrounds, large grassy areas and shady park benches. It’s easy to spend a couple of hours here and will give little ones a great opportunity to burn off some energy. This is also where you will find the Chapultepec Zoo, which is FREE, well maintained, and houses a huge variety of species.

6. National Anthropology Museum (Museo Nacional de Antropología):

I know an anthropology museum doesn’t necessarily sound like it would be great for small kids, but this one really is! The museum houses artifacts from all the major Pre-Columbian civilizations, featuring items such as the giant Aztec Sun Stone (or calendar stone). Kids will love all the large statues and interactive exhibits. There are outdoor exhibits of ruins and gardens that will also be interesting for children. The museum costs around $4 for admission; located in Bosque Chapultepec.

7. Museum of Modern Art:

This museum will probably appeal more to older kids who have heard of artists like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The collection is spectacular and the architecture itself is really interesting. While it might not appeal to very small kids, this museum isn’t very big, so you could probably get in to see some of the great artwork in less than an hour. Admission is about $3.50; located in Bosque Chapultepec.

8. Chapultepec Castle (Castillo Chapultepec):

As one of the few castles in North America, Chapultepec is worth a visit for its opulence, its gardens and its stunning views of the city. The castle sits atop a hill overlooking Chapultepec park and the rest of Mexico City. Kids will love the legend behind the statues and the views from the castle.

9. Bellas Artes:

At the edge of the historic center is the architecturally stunning Palacio de Bellas Artes. This building houses some incredible murals, as well as art and photography exhibits. It’s also worth just a look inside to see the grand staircase and art deco style. Bellas Artes is also a wonderful place to catch a Ballet Folklorico show. If you’re unfamiliar with this traditional Mexican dancing, I highly recommend it. It’s very colorful and fast moving, which makes it appealing to children.

10. Diego Rivera Murals:

Many of Rivera’s most famous murals are on the walls of the Secretaria de Educación Pública, an official government building in the historic center. It’s free to get in, but you will go through a security check. This space is often oddly uncrowded in the middle of a tourist-filled city! It’s a working building, so there are offices and government workers, and the murals cover the walls of three floors, built around a center plaza. Diego Rivera is not the only artist featured here; you will also find some murals by Siquieros. This is a great place to look at art with kids because it is large, really accessible and uncrowded (and free!).

11. Teotihuacán:

A day trip to the ruins of the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacán is well worth the time and money. We booked a private tour, and it was really reasonable. Our driver was very knowledgeable and gave us some history as we drove out there. The most popular thing to do there is to climb to the top of the pyramids, particularly the Pyramid of the Sun. It’s quite a long way up, with just a cord to hold on to, and there aren’t any railings or barriers on the levels where you can stop, so I wouldn’t suggest it with small children. Our youngest was 8 when we went, and she did fine (with supervision). There are smaller, less crowded pyramids that you could try with a smaller child and walking amongst the pyramids along the Avenue of the Dead is also quite stunning. There’s an area where you can go inside and see murals as well.

12. Coyoacán and Frida Kahlo’s house (La Casa Azul):

About 30 minutes away from Mexico City’s historic center, Coyoacán is easy to get to on public transportation or with Uber. It’s a lovely borough, filled with tree lined plazas, classic homes and fantastic shops and restaurants. One of the main draws of Coyoacán is the Frida Kahlo Museum, located in the house where she was born and where she lived at the end of her life. The house is transformed into a museum, but still retains the feel of the artist’s private residence, retaining some of her most intimate personal items while showcasing her work. Frida’s story and some of her works are accessible to small children, and this house/museum is an easy tour to do with kids. Entrance is about $12 for adults, and there is an option to purchase an audio tour. *Note that there is a fee to take photos inside.

Coyoacán has much to offer in addition to Frida’s house. The Mercado de Coyoacán, a local market, has amazing food stalls and vendors, and is a great place to shop or get a bite to eat. Also close to Coyoacán is the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), one of Mexico’s premier universities, located on a sprawling campus with several museums.

13. Explore the Neighborhoods:

Mexico City is home to several incredibly diverse and fascinating neighborhoods. Take some time to get out of the Centro Histórico and explore the surrounding neighborhoods. Families will love walking the tree-lined streets of Roma and stopping to play at one of the large playgrounds. La Condesa is an upscale neighborhood full of boutiques and restaurants as well as nice hotels and apartment rentals, for travelers who prefer to stay out of the city center. Polanco is another high-end neighborhood with elegant homes and shopping.

14. San Angel:

San Angel is quaint neighborhood not far outside the city. One of its main draws is the Bazaar del Sábado, an open-air market in the main square on Saturdays. This is possibly one of the best places to get high quality handmade art, textiles, and crafts. San Angel is also home to many galleries and museums, including a small museum that features the work of Diego Rivera.

15. Eat Some Amazing Food!

There are so many incredible restaurants in Mexico City, it feels wrong to just name a few, but here are some great places to eat in Mexico City with kids.

Historic Center Restaurants:

Budget: El Huequito – the tacos are to die for, make sure you try the tacos de adobada and the tacos de milanesa. This was, hands-down, our kids’ favorite place to eat.

Classic: Café de Tacuba is a historic restaurant, one of the oldest in the city, housed in a former convent. The décor alone is worth the trip, but the food does not disappoint. They serve traditional Mexican food, using some of the same recipes the nuns used! We returned to this restaurant more than once, and I highly recommend the breakfast.

Breakfast: Pan Dulce is a favorite in our family, and some of the best we found was at a small, unassuming spot called Café el Popular. The Mexican breakfast items are fantastic, but if your kids are picky, this place actually serves pancakes, too.

View: El Balcón del Zócalo is located on the top floor of a hotel, with a stunning view overlooking the zocalo and cathedral. The service is fantastic, and very accommodating to families with kids.

Upscale: Mercaderes is a classic, old-school restaurant with possibly the most impeccable service I’ve ever experienced. It is classy and upscale, but they treated our party with four kids ranging from 8 to 17 like we were honored guests. The food is outstanding, we had steak and rabbit and fish, and everything was cooked to perfection.

Mexico City Restaurants outside the Historic Center:

Coyoacán: The high number of locals as opposed to few tourists in El Morrál was an immediate sign that we were going to enjoy some seriously good food. We had some traditional local dishes like mixiote (rabbit roasted in parchment with chilis – amazing!), but one of our pickier girls ordered spaghetti and said it was delicious -so there’s something for everyone!

Roma: One of our favorite meals was at El Hidalguense in the charming Roma neighborhood. We met up with my college roommate, who lives in Mexico City, and she took us to this hugely popular spot for traditional barbacoa, lamb roasted for hours so it melts in your mouth. The barbacoa is ordered by weight, and everything we ordered was family style – meat, tortillas (blue corn!), beans, and a variety of salsas. It’s only open Friday through Sunday and it’s cash only, so plan ahead – you won’t regret it!

One last word about Mexico City with kids: People ask me rather often whether or not I think it’s safe to travel there. I absolutely do, but everyone has to decide their own level of comfort with the places they travel. We are cautious, the way we are wherever we travel, particularly in big cities. For example, we use ride shares so we know who our driver is ahead of time. We don’t wear a lot of jewelry, and keep our phones and money zipped up in a front pocket or a cross-body purse. These are all things that I do in New York, Madrid, London and really any big city. Mexico City is a great family vacation spot because there is so much to see and do that will appeal to all ages. It’s quite affordable, for being such a huge cosmopolitan center, and the art and history are pretty much unsurpassed. Enjoy!

More Mexico Posts you might enjoy: Tuxtla Gutierrez Family Travel