Where to Stay
First things first: Mexico City is huge, so where you stay matters. For first-timers, Roma Norte and Condesa are hard to beat. Think tree-lined streets, gorgeous architecture, sidewalk cafés, boutiques, cocktail bars and restaurants you’ll still be thinking about six months later. Condesa is a little greener and more laid-back, while Roma Norte puts you smack-dab in the middle of the action. Nearby Juárez is another fun option, particularly if nightlife is high on your priority list. For something more polished, head to Polanco, where you’ll find high-end shopping, restaurants and easy access to Chapultepec. And don’t skip Coyoacán: The cobblestone streets and colorful buildings feel worlds away from central CDMX.
Where to Eat
Start the morning at Panadería Rosetta in Roma Norte. The bakery is wildly popular, and for good reason. Get a pastry, grab a coffee and prepare to understand why people willingly wait in line for baked goods. For lunch, seafood institution Contramar is practically a Mexico City rite of passage. Reservations are your friend here. Looking to make a night of dinner? Máximo in Roma Norte and Pujol in Polanco are splurge-worthy options. But this is Mexico City, which means some of your best meals may involve a plastic plate and absolutely zero white tablecloths. Eat the street tacos (with caution). Order the churros. Try the elote. And when it’s 1 a.m. and someone suggests tacos? The answer is yes. In fact, Taquería Orinoco stays open into the wee hours. Coincidence? We think not.
Where to Wander
You could spend an entire trip museum-hopping here. Make your way to Chapultepec Park, then choose your own adventure: history buffs can explore Chapultepec Castle, while Museo Nacional de Antropología houses an enormous collection dedicated to Mexico’s pre-Hispanic cultures.Then there’s Centro Histórico. Start at Zócalo and wander toward the ridiculously photogenic Palacio de Bellas Artes. This is one of those times when looking like a tourist is 100 percent justified. Frida fans, meanwhile, should head south to Coyoacán for Museo Frida Kahlo, aka La Casa Azul. The artist spent much of her life in the bright-blue house, which now displays her work and personal belongings. One important note: tickets aren't sold at the museum entrance, so this is not the time to wing it. Book ahead. Have extra time? Float through Xochimilco on one of its famously colorful trajineras. Is it touristy? Sure. Are you really going to Mexico City and not consider it? Exactly.
Where to Drink
Mexico City takes its cocktails seriously. Roma Norte is an easy place to start your night, with plenty of bars within walking distance of one another. Licorería Limantour is a longtime cocktail destination, while mezcal lovers should make a stop at Tlecan. For speakeasy vibes, make your way to Juárez and Handshake Speakeasy. The neighborhood is one of the city’s nightlife hubs, so don't feel pressured to call it a night after one drink. And because we firmly believe every vacation deserves at least one rooftop drink, add one to the itinerary. City views + cocktail in hand? Salud.
Get Ready to Rumble
You haven't truly experienced Mexico City nightlife until you've watched a masked man in sequins launch himself across a wrestling ring. Enter: Lucha Libre. Mexico's wildly theatrical style of professional wrestling combines athleticism, colorful masks, over-the-top characters and a crowd that is very invested in what's happening in the ring. Catch a match at Arena México, grab a beer and prepare to pick a favorite luchador approximately three minutes after sitting down.
Know absolutely nothing about wrestling? Even better. You don't need to understand every move to appreciate the costumes, theatrics and sheer chaos of it all.
And yes, you can buy a lucha mask afterward (do with that information what you will).