5 fun and Unique activities in Mexico City

There is so much to do in Mexico City, so many parks and museums, biking along Reforma on Sundays, finding the perfect cafe in Roma Norte. Maybe you’ve walked through the Zocalo and Reforma, you’ve seen the Angel de Independencia or maybe caught the Ballet Folklorico in Bellas Artes and now you want something else. Check out these 5 fun and unique activities in Mexico City:

1) Lucha Libre in Arena Mexico

Lucha libre, not lucha libra, is a Mexican institution with even movies made about some famous luchadores like Blue Demon and Santo. The fight show is great for the whole family, even if the arena is located in the Colonia Doctores which is on my list of dangerous places in Mexico City. You cannot miss a night at the luchas even though there may be some chicken bone throwing.

Lucha Libre is basically wrestling with its same theatrics, good and bad luchadores doing acrobatics but they all wear masks. It is such a big deal that no one can see the luchador without its mask, EVER! You can buy your own mask and enjoy the fun!

It is definitely a must do unique activity in Mexico City, so go to the luchas on a tour to make it easier to understand everything that is going on and some of the Mexican slang they may be shouting.

Maybe you can even watch the lucha libre and then do a meet and greet!

2) Game at Estadio Azteca

Watching a game at Estadio Azteca truly is a unique experience in Mexico City! The Estadio Azteca is Mexico’s largest soccer stadium with a capacity of 87,000 spectators. It is the official home of the Aguilas del America as well as Mexico’s National team.

Esadio Azteca has hosted some of the most iconic games like the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals in 1986 where Diego Maradonna scored a goal dubbed “Hand of God goal.” Or the “Game of the Century” when Italy defeated West Germany in the 1970 FIFA World Cup semifinal match.

For the best visibility in the stadium get tickets in 200 and 300 plus area, and 300 cabecera or laterales. Try to avoid 400, 500 and 600 laterales as the visibility is bad. Some games may get rowdy due to overzealous fans, especially during rivalry games between America and Pumas.

If there are games, try to make it out and see a match here. Maybe go with a local to enjoy it even more! It is incredible to see the fans at the stadium and excitement around soccer, Mexico’s most famous sport.

3) Walk around UNAM and explore the Murals

Mexico City is home to UNAM, the autonomous university of Mexico. It is one of Mexico’s most prestigious universities, especially for studying medicine, law, and their humanities faculties! The university is not only important for its cultural and educational significance, but also because of the history and art it houses.

There are so many murals in the university that make this such a fun and unique activity in Mexico City!

Do a guided tour of UNAM murals so you don’t miss any of the historical, architectural, and artistic details!

The Central Library of the National Autonomous University Of Mexico is truly a masterpiece. It was built by Juan O’Gorman in 1956 and it stands as a huge squared beacon for history and art. The impressive mural on its external walls created with reds, greens, blues, yellows, and other colored stones from Mexico never fade away and turn this institutional building into an artwork of Mexico’s rich artistic history. The mural of UNAM’s Central Library is a non-touristy gem you cannot miss, definitely off the beaten path Mexico.

The other murals are located in the Rectoría building’s northern and southern walls where David Alfaro Siqueiros painted mixed sculpture and mural pieces with another mural on the western wall; in the Estadio Olímpico where Diego Rivera left an inconclusive mural with a raised painting in rocks of the Mexican eagle and Andean condor, a family with a mestizo child, athletes, and; in the Architecture Faculty’s “Luis Unkel” Library there is José Chávez Morado’s glass mosaic of Quetzalcóatl’s return; in the Facultad de Ciencias Alfonso Caso created incredible vinyl mural and glass mosaics; and in the Faculties of Odontología and Medicina you can find the glazed murals by Francisco Eppens.

For more off the beaten path art museums and architecture check out this post.

4) Trajineras in Xochimilco

Spending the day floating along the canals of Xochimilco, drinking and laughing with yours friends is such a fun and different thing to do in Mexico City. It’s not a tourist trap, Mexicans do this, too! My sister and I decided to go to the trajineras as our farewell party before moving away.

The trajineras are gondola-like boats that cruise along the canals, with the driver moving the trajinera with a long stick. Food vendors, artisans and mariachi bands pass along their own trajineras and you get some Mexican food or a song or two. The mariachis can even board your boat when you hire them. It’s so much fun and truly a unique experience in Mexico City!

The atmosphere is festive, with lots of young people drinking on trajineras, if you look up a video on Xochimilco Titanic you can see what happens with too much alcohol! But, that aside, there are also lots of families, especially on weekends and earlier in the day. It is a good and fun family activity.

There are bathrooms along the canals where for like 5 or 10 pesos (a quarter of a dollar) you can use. Tell your driver when you need el baño. You can also visit a very weird island, Isla de las Muñecas, a very weird place where for some reason a ton of dolls heads are stuck all around.

I like the Nativitas Embarcadero and it cost us around $1,500 pesos ($75 US) for 3 hours. We were about 10 in our group and it was so much fun! You can bring your own drinks— my sister made mojitos in a huge Tupperware when we were waiting for the rest of our group to arrive— but you can also get huge beers and micheladas for cheap. I love chamoyadas with a liter of beer! 

Try going on a tour to get a full experience: this one focused more on culture or this one for a trajinera boat party in Xochimilco!

5) Take a day Trip from Mexico City

Take one of my suggested day trips from Mexico City and escape the noise of the city.

One of my favorite places to cool off in during the heat is the natural spring at Las Estacas. This place is beautiful, with restaurants, hotel, and lots of activities. Or explore a Pueblo Magico like Tepoztlan where you can walk around the city or be adventurous and hike to the pyramid of the Tepozteco. Or you can visit Puebla and Cholula with its numerous churches and amazing food. You can also visit my hometown of Cuernavaca, where Cortes settled as he found it beautiful and Taxco, Mexico’s silver capital where you can find more incredible souvenirs from Mexico.

If you’re up for it, and have adjusted to the altitude, you can even hike up to the summit of Nevado de Toluca, but always make sure to do it with the right equipment and guide!

Teotihuacan is obviously on everyone’s list of must do things in Mexico City, but maybe you can do a hot air balloon ride above the pyramids! It is truly a unique activity in Mexico City—or anywhere— and something I had never considered but now recommend to everyone! We went with WeFly for a safe hot air balloon ride and the company was amazing!