9 of the Best Things for Solo Travelers To Do in Mexico City
Don’t be deterred from visiting Mexico City if the group chat goes silent the second you start searching for flights—this is one of the top Mexican destinations for solo travelers, we swear. Though it might seem overwhelmingly chaotic (there are more than 20 million people living in the metropolitan zone, after all), there are actually plenty of safe and fun things to do alone in Mexico City, especially if you stick to the central, walkable neighborhoods and plan ahead.
From group tour options that can help you make friends (well … if not for life, then at least for the rest of your trip) to guided excursions that will overcome any potential safety concerns, there are loads of ways to make the most of a solo visit to the capital city that’s on everyone’s lips—and bucket lists. Here are some of the best.
1. Start with a historic center walking tour
Kick off your visit in one of the capital’s most bustling districts, and get a feel for Mexico City.
Any solo travel guide should start with a recommendation for getting your bearings, and this Mexico City solo travel guide is no different. Take in the historic center—home to spectacular CDMX attractions such as the 16th-century Metropolitan Cathedral, the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the Torre Latinoamericana, as well as the massive Zócalo (square)—without worrying about getting lost.
Mexico City is famously overwhelming, so guided historic center walking tours can help you hit the ground running, see some of the top attractions with ease, and even make some friends for the duration of your stay—if that’s what you’re hoping to do on your solo trip, that is.
Related: Visiting Mexico City for the First Time? Here’s What To See and Do
2. Dive into a lucha libre experience
Take in one of Mexico City’s most exciting cultural experiences at the “luchas.”
Seeing the Mexican wrestling—in all its Lycra-clad, masked men, sequin-spangled glory—is one of the top cultural experiences in Mexico City, but if you’re traveling alone (especially as a woman, LGBTQ+ traveler, or non–Spanish speaker), it can feel quite intense to go independently. Instead, make the most of the many tour options that include a visit to the luchas and benefit from the insight of a local guide (sometimes even a wrestler themselves!), as well as optional—but fun—extras such as taco and mezcal tastings. You don’t need to worry about buying tickets, as they’re typically included.
Related: Know Before You Go: Seeing the Lucha Libre in Mexico City
3. Make the most of all the Frida attractions
There’ll be plenty of people to keep you company at the Frida Kahlo attractions throughout the city.
Frida Kahlo is perhaps one of the most recognizable artists to come out of Mexico, and many of her artworks and personal effects can still be viewed in the capital to this day. Plus, if you’re visiting Mexico City alone, it’s pretty easy to follow the well-trodden “Frida Route” through the (mostly) southern neighborhoods where she lived and worked.
Start out at the famed Blue House—it’s one of the top spots for art and architecture in Mexico City, so definitely be sure to get your tickets in advance—before moving onto the interconnected San Ángel houses, designed by Juan O’Gorman. If you take a combo tour, you can even see Anahuacalli, the one-time home of her ex-husband Diego Rivera (himself a renowned muralist), and take a ride on the colorful trajineras of Xochimilco.
Related: 10 Places Where You Can Experience Frida Kahlo’s Mexico City
4. Explore Roma and Condesa on foot
Don’t worry about navigating public transportation; instead, stick to Mexico City’s walkable center.
Getting around Mexico City, even alone, is pretty straightforward thanks to a robust system of metro, metrobus, cable car, tram, and bus lines that crisscross the capital, especially in the more tourist-oriented central neighborhoods. However, if you still don’t feel comfortable navigating them alone, then you can absolutely rely on getting around on foot, or taking rideshares.
If you prefer the former option, stay in Roma and Condesa—both are safe neighborhoods for solo travelers. Not only are they filled with taco stands, interesting art museums, and boutique stores galore, they’re full of historic buildings, bars, and tree-lined streets, meaning you’ve got everything you need in easy reach.
Insider tip: Keep in mind that the front wagons of the metro and metrobus lines (or the pink-colored seats) are designated solely for women, so female solo travel in Mexico City isn’t as daunting as you might think.
5. Take a street food tour
Get insider insight into the top dishes, stands, and places to eat in Mexico City from a local guide.
Sometimes, travelers are worried about the food in Mexico. Will it make me sick? How will I know the best places to eat? In short, these concerns are often overhyped, as Mexico City is one of the premier dining destinations in the world, and the chances of getting ill from top spots is slim.
That being said, if you feel more comfortable doing so, you should absolutely look into taking one of the many, many street food tours that are available in the capital. Some focus on local markets to explore Mexico City, whereas others are all about the tacos. The one thing all these street food for solo travelers tours have in common, though? Everything you eat will have been vetted beforehand, so the chances of getting sick are far lower.
Related: Food in Mexico City: 9 Quintessentially Mexican Dishes and Where To Eat Them
6. Make the time to go museum hopping
Solo travel means you can go to the museums that interest you—and CDMX has plenty to pick from.
The capital is overflowing with museums, from the big-name Mexico City museums such as the Anthropology Museum, the Templo Mayor, and the Soumaya to the (slightly) lesser-known options such as Kurimanzutto, MUJAM (Museo del Juguete Antiguo México, aka The Vintage Toy Museum), and many more.
Even if you don’t feel comfortable navigating public buses to reach the Teotihuacán pyramids (which are located in the next state over, the State of Mexico), you can find plenty of day trips that will take you there and back in just a day, often with other stops included.
Related: 10 of the Best Museums in Mexico City and How To Visit
7. Explore Coyoacán on a Sunday
The family-friendly, bustling atmosphere in Coyoacán on a Sunday is ideal for solo visitors.
Coyoacán may require taking a metro or rideshare service to get there, if you’re staying in the more central Roma/Condesa/Juárez triangle. However, it’s more than worth the journey, especially on a Sunday—as long as you don’t mind crowds.
That’s because Sunday is when this historic neighborhood, known for its traditional foods (such as churros), coffee shops, and bookstores, really comes to life with local families enjoying the sun in the plaza, buying balloons, and tucking into mayo-covered elotes (corn). While it’s fun to visit anytime of the week, Sundays are really ideal for solo travelers.
Related: 10 of the Best Neighborhoods in Mexico City and How To Visit
8. Opt for a group nightlife tour
Enjoy a night out on the town in Mexico City—with a built-in set of like-minded friends included.
Going out is often high on the list of many travelers’ “must-do’s,” especially in a place like Mexico City, where there are more dive bars, speakeasies, and clubs than you could feasibly visit in a lifetime. But when you’re traveling alone, going out is often not as straightforward as it might seem, especially for women and LGBTQ+ folk.
For that reason, it might be worth taking a guided pub or bar crawl (or cocktail tasting class), so that you can get a feel for the after-hours scene with a group of people that are in the same boat, plus a local guide to orient you and keep you safe. Hey, you might make some friends!
Insider tip: LGBTQ+ travelers should check out the Zona Rosa neighborhood, a hot spot for gay and lesbian bars, and a popular nightlife hangout.
9. Hike a nearby mountain on a guided group tour
Exploring Mexico City’s natural attractions can be daunting alone, so go with a group instead.
Mexico City, contrary to what some travelers may believe, isn’t all restaurants and bars though. It’s actually a vast city, with many natural attractions that go beyond the city center parks, such as the Bosque de Chapultepec.
Here, you can visit Desierto de los Leones, Ajusco, or even climb a mountain just over the border in nearby Puebla. It’s worth noting that it’s not recommended to visit any of these destinations alone though, especially as a foreigner, mostly because it’s quite easy to get lost or injured. So, play it safe and go on a tour with an experienced guide. There are plenty of options available, from hikes to climbs.
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