Mexico city sightseeing ideas

It's going to be my first trip to mexico city with my baby so wanted if somebody could guide us in terms of sight seeing is concerned....beaches to go...Is public transport easy with baby....are taxis cheap? 3 of us are planning to stay in polanco neighbourhood....is it central place...are all the major sight seeing places near to this place...trip is going to be for 4-5 days...

Suggestions would be needed as to how to plan 4-5 days effectively....any possibility of going to any other side destination? How is the weather going to be like?

Is the place expensive for shopping?

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There are no beaches anywhere close to Mexico City... You'll be at a high-altitud valley (2,300 mts. above sea level) surrounded by a mountain range and volcanoes. Polanco is not central. Weather depends on time of the year. The city is huge (more than 20 million inhabitants) and it is nearly impossible to see it all in only 4-5 days. There are scores of things to do in the nearby areas. Mexico, the country, is a whole cheaper than the US and the European Union, but more expensive than other travel destinations.

Polanco is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in Mexico City. Chapultepec Park and the Anthropology museum are close to Polanco. You can take the turibus (a doble decker-bus that can give a tour to the main attractions) on Presidente Masaryk in Polanco.

Turibus

Places to visit in Mexico City:

Link 1

Link 2

Is public transport easy with a baby? Sometimes the metro getscrowded and taxis dont have seats for children, so this might be an incovenient for you.

Dont forget visiting Teotihuacan and Coayacan, the turibus doesn´t go down there.

Link 3

Teotihuacan

If you think that the big city is too much for you, u can go to chill out in Valle de Bravo, not exactly a beach... take a look:

Valle de Bravo

yes, taxis are very cheap compared to the states but travelers are advised not to take the little green VW bugs as some have been robbed and assaulted-- only take the sitios.if you are brave enough-- buses are even cheaper, as is the subway...

i found shopping to be expensive sometimes but then again i am a budget traveler, it all depends on your funds i suppose and what you are willing to pay.but a few times it was not so expensive and got what i thought to be really good deals, especially on handmade crafts.

FYI~one thing thats more expensive is GENERIC motrin.bought a lot of that as i was hurting much from all the walking and bus travel i did.anyway, here i pay one dollar for 24 and there 2.50 (U.S.) for only 10.

sites that i highly suggest seeing are CASA AZUL (the home of frida kahlo, now a museum) WAS FABULOUS and also the museo dolores olmedo (was absolutely GORGEOUS) and i gained new found respect for diego rivera after visiting (was never much a fan before)

the weather:

i was there last week.it got quite hot at times during the day but not extremely, low humidity and sunny-- really beautiful weather imo.if i did ever got too hot from walking or whatever i would just find bench in shade and sit awhile until the nice, gentle breeze would cool me off.later in the day around 6 or 7 maybe it would get a little colder but not intolerable (big gust of wind would come and bring it in but would die down after that) i would just put thin sweater on then.it sprinkled lightly only a few times, usually later in day and in middle of night-- never got caught in a downpour or had need for rain poncho i took but suggest taking one or umbrella anyway, you never know when you may need one.

Lower quality clothing, etc., is often cheaper than what is found in the U.S. or EU (the kind of stuff you buy in street markets). Higher end clothing, etc., is often more expensive as it all has to be imported from elsewhere and there just aren't the same demand for those items in Mexico. Polanco has primarily high end stores.

Thank you everybody for such valuable information...Minute details like motrin has been mentioned, really appreciate it...

What is the best way to go to Teotihuacan and Coayacan? For shopping Artifacts, paintings or other handmade crafts, ethnic mexican stuff.. what is recommended, where to shop from, shouldn't be an expensive place?? I love mexican traditional handicrafts.

Thanks

For Coayacan, you can on the metro, the stations are VIVEROS and COYOACAN. You can walk from there (about 15-20 mins) or simply take a taxi. I prefer VIVEROS as the walk is more pleasant.

www.guiaroji.com.mx (search for Colonia. "El Carmen" and then click on the option "Del. Coyoacan". U´ll see the map and have an idea about how to get to "Parque Allende", the heart of Coyoacan. The metro stations are on your left.

To get to Teotihuacan, you need to go to Central del Norte, the metro station is AUTOBUSES DEL NORTE. You buy your tickets on the left hand side of the bus station, almost at the end of the corridor.

es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagen:MetroDF.jpg

If you want to get to Xochimilco, the floating gardens, go to station TASQUEÑA, and then take the light rail to Xochimilco.

www.ste.df.gob.mx/servicios/trenligero.html

when i took subway from zocalo to xochimilco the service went only as far as tasquena.there i had to get off as it was last stop and then transfer to small bus that took me on to xochimilco...number 36 i believe was the route i took if i remember correctly.

how long and how much is the ride from Centro to Xochimilco / floating gardens?

And how long and how much does it take to get to Teotihuacan?

Thanks,
Tak

well hello there "TAKKIE" (;P)

the ride? i dunno more than 30 minutes? less than an hour, thats for sure. the ride was 40 cents round trip (subway) and 80 cents round trip (bus) so a big 1 dollar & 20 cents. oh but i did not go to the floating gardens so i cant tell you about that place. however i did visit the museo dolores olmedo there and can tell you about that if interested. but also on another thread, lol.

munecabava, you went to Xochimilco, but you did not see the floating gardens? what's u with that?

but ok, you visited to the Dolores Olmedo Museum, that gets you off of the hook

let me tell you if i was not traveling alone i probably would have went. seems it is a place to go more with a group imo. like i wouldnt go to an amusement park by myself kinda thing. museums and other things, no problem-- but i didnt think i would have a good time alone so i just didnt bother with it...bet it is nice though, there is some man that lives out there i have heard and he has dolls hanging from all of the trees, that would have been interesting to see i suppose. oh well, maybe next time! (hahaha ;P)

sure, next time... hee hee hee

I know about the guy hanging dolls (munecas) from trees. I heard him say over a TV interview that he was trying to hung up a ragging doll, you know, an angried doll (lolz!)

angered, that was

OMG, LOLOLOL

I believe "muneca brava" is Spanish for "angered doll"

Dood, I cannot imagine my Southern friend hanging down on a rope like a Mexican piñata (although I have to confess that it would be hillarious to see her hanging down from a tree, but only for LESS THAN A SECOND, I should clarify) XOXO!

hahaha...

:/ :/ :/ :/ :/

is "TAKKIE" a funny word or something??

??!

the online slang dictionary says:

tacked
adjective

empty. Usually refers to a marijuana smoking device.
I think the bowl is tacked.
Link to this word. Related words: empty

tackie

my apologies "TAKKIE" for laughing at your name. its just that in my head i am pronouncing the word the same as TACKY, lol. ;P