Can you go to Mexico City with kids? SHOULD you go to Mexico City with kids?
As two people who are huge fans of Mexico City, it was on our travel list since before our child was even born that we’d be going to CDMX as soon as possible with her. We booked the flights, secured our Airbnb, and ¡olé! we were on our way to enjoying one of our favorite world-class cities with our 20-month old.
As we were walking around Mexico City with our toddler in her stroller, Dan said, “Wow, it is SO kid-friendly here.” And it is!
In this guide, check out what you can do in Mexico City with babies, toddlers and kids, and also, what you should know before hitting the ground.
A note from me: Dan and I had collectively spent several months over several years in Mexico City, so by the time we took our 4th and 3rd (respectively) trips there, we had ticked off all the “bucket list” landmark items at least twice.
Our goal with bringing our toddler to Mexico City was to “just enjoy,” “play it by ear,” and “see how it went,” with no plans in mind other than seeing some old friends. If you’d like to see must-see essentials on your first trip to CDMX, check up our Ultimate Mexico City Travel Guide.
Things to do with kids in Mexico City
In this list, I’ll go through things for babies, toddlers and small kids in Mexico City, and what worked for us! Remember: this is not a “best-of” Mexico City guide, because a lot of the “best-of” things to do in Mexico City aren’t so awesome for kids (or would be boring). We hope you get to enjoy our recommendations below.
Playgrounds
We did ourselves a solid by booking an Airbnb on the north side of Parque España, one of the two main parks in the Condesa-Roma region, where most travelers stay.
We were steps away from the playground (called “Juegos Infantiles”) where we didn’t know we’d be going every day, as our daughter demanded “swings” as soon as she woke up. We probably could’ve guessed this would be the case!
In all seriousness, I was delighted to find that the park had baby swings. I had no idea what to expect from playgrounds in the medial areas of Mexico City, as we had only been to CDMX before as a pre-baby couple.
While the playgrounds aren’t in the best shape (when compared to your glimmering state-of-the-art playground in your American suburb) and they do have some graffiti or broken swings, I was impressed for the most part.
In the Juegos (jungle gyms) at Parque España, there was even a wheelchair-accessible ramp-style jungle gym for toddlers or kids with disabilities. I thought that was super inclusive and forward-thinking.
If you’re looking at a map of parks near your accommodation, search for “juegos” or “juegos infantiles” to find the nearest playground!
Mexico City Zoo/Chapultepec Zoo
My expectations were low in regard to the Mexico City Zoo, because I had seen reviews online, like on TripAdvisor, that tourists from Western nations may be really disappointed with the condition of the place.
We were not, though. The paths were clean, the signage was great, there was a large diversity of animals and above all, it’s FREE. Our toddler liked the lion, the tiger, the bears, the hippo, the various species of monkeys and the little rabbits (”bunnies”). Best of all were the giraffes.
I will, however, agree with some of the criticisms I saw online from other family blogs that the animals’ enclosures are NOT very big and they virtually have nowhere to hide from visitors, which is a bit sad.
But the enclosures have bodies of water (like the hippos), and lots of rocks and trees, and we did not see anything at all like a “cage.” The animals roam freely in enclosures that resemble their habitats, and some were being fed when we walked by.
A few things I’d like to point out to you are that the bathrooms cost 6 pesos (and the food vendors will NOT give you change unless you buy something). Every bathroom I used was NOT stroller nor wheelchair accessible, because they all have pay-gates (think a la NYC subway) to get in.
On the flip side, though, if you can physically get into the restroom with a toddler or child, there are changing tables on the wall, and kid-sized urinals for little boys, in the women’s rooms.
Dog parks
In my past visits to Mexico City, I always noticed dogs, but when we went with our toddler, I think we pointed out every single dog that was in eyeshot by saying, “Doggie!”
And it gets better: most parks (namely Parque Mexico and Parque España) have designated dog parks areas, for perros grandes and perros chiquitos (large dogs and small dogs).
You’ll hear barking everywhere and if dog parks aren’t for you, you can just roam around neighborhoods like Condesa and Roma to see tons of dogs being walked by their owners, or in groups by professional dog-walkers.
Papalote Museo del Niño (Children’s Museum)
While it’s likely farther from where your hotel or Airbnb is if you’re staying in Condesa, Hipodromo or Roma Setentrião, the Mexico City Children’s museum (Papalote Museo del Niño) is a well-worth it spot to take antsy kids who want to run free and look at giant body parts, a life-size toy kitchen, Lego “stuff” and big soft blocks.
This was one of the first things I put on my list of things to do with a kid in Mexico City. And would you know? The place also has an IMAX Theater and a planetarium! You could spend all day.
I recommend checking out the website and FAQ page (which is in Spanish).
Walk in a circle around leafy Avenida Amsterdam
Do your kids like jungles? Our kid is definitely put at ease when there are plants to see, feel and touch.
Walking on Avenida Amsterdam (also known as Rotação Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Circuit), one of Mexico City’s most beautiful leafy streets, is a circle around Parque Mexico. It’s a two-way street, but it’s more like a boulevard, with a walking path in the center, shielded from traffic by thick greenery.
Walking there feels like an urban jungle, and it’s a wonderful thing to do with your child of any age the first thing in the morning, or any time of day! As a bonus, there will be LOTS of doggies. Find it here.
Not staying near Avenida Amsterdam? You can get the same effect on Avenida Mazatlan, without the circle shape!
Get juices at any of the Condesa and Roma cafes
Do your kids like juices and smoothies? Our kid is open to trying it when it’s not in a juice box. Most of Mexico City’s cafes (unless you go to one that’s like a serious coffee-brewing spot) will be coffee shops plus juice/smoothie/breakfast-all-day types of places. And we love this!
A few recommendations of mine for cafes where our toddler was welcomed (and got to have a fresh fruit juice) are Amin, AMAMBA and Hule. You can find them in our list of the best cafes in Mexico City.
Botanical Garden (Jardin Botanico)
Mexico City’s Jardin Botanico is a relaxing (and free) place to go enjoy plant life and flowers. It’s located in Brenha Chapulepec, the city’s version of Medial Park (it is massive, I promise you).
The Jardin Botanico is a relaxing place to take your baby (it’s pretty quiet, nice enough for a nap) or older children who are interested in nature. I was particularly fascinated by the array of cacti, the succulent collection, orchids and the greenhouse. I have nothing bad to say, and I had always wanted to take our toddler there!
If you’re into photography (like Dan is) or just into really nice places to see, you can see a bit more about this botanical garden at our best photo spots in Mexico City list.
Run around at Fuente de los Cántaros
If your toddlers, small kids or big kids need to get out of their strollers, stretch their legs and run around, do it at Fuente de los Cántaros in Parque Mexico. This is a grand plaza with soaring sculptures in the back, and it’s popular for families and some teenagers trying to skate.
Mostly, though, you’ll see families with their kids riding tricycles or bikes, and parents with babies in carriers or strollers. There are street vendors selling sweets, and of course, there will be some dogs.
The plaza is in a great location near lots of cafes, restaurants and the great art deco architecture of the Hipodromo neighborhood. Find it here.
Chapultepec Lake (in Chapultepec Park)
Do your kids like boating? Would they like to rent a paddle boat or go boating in a giant swan?
Chapultepec Lake, located in Brenha Chapultepec, is a popular spot for family outings—especially on weekends! If your kids are older than a toddler who just wants to look at the ducks and fish (if you can see them in the murkiness), then opt for getting a boat all together and paddling around this CDMX landmark.
Remember hats and sunscreen for children, as there is very little shade.
Vendors in Brenha de Chapultepec
If your kid is cool with sensory overwhelm, enter the park via Altar a la Patria, and head down the road called Av Heroico Colegio Militar, which is where vendors start lining up as early as 9am every day.
Vendors at tents and stalls sell munchy treats, drinks, sweets, toys, key chains, souvenirs, balloons, stuffed animals and games. We picked up bubbles for our toddler. It’s a great place to get some fluffy, soft or fun little things to keep little ones occupied during the big trip.
Remember: cash only!
Neveria Roxy (Ice cream shop)
This long-time favorite ice cream place of mine and Dan’s is a 1940s original to Mexico City and serves up incredible ice cream and sorbet in the flavors of native Mexican fruits (like guanabana, guayaba, mamey and tamarindo!). Our picky toddler wouldn’t try the vanilla ice cream (I know, right?), but she did want to gobble up my guava sorbet.
They do not have high chairs, but strollers are welcome inside.
What to know about having babies, toddlers and kids in Mexico City
There are a few things to know about bringing your little ones to Mexico City, even if you have been to Mexico’s capital like we had (for weeks and months at a time). In this section, find a few helpful tips that’ll make your family trip run smoothly.
You can get baby and child products at pharmacies
We went to Farmacias del Ahorro for diapers, wipes and baby food, and got everything we needed. They even had Infant Motrin, so we didn’t have to buy our own brand new bottle before flying out (that’s exactly what we had done), as per my international toddler packing list.
We got Gerber puree pouches, Water Wipes (same brand as at home) and saw Huggies diapers. All the brands are pretty familiar and because Spanish isn’t so foreign and most words are similar when it comes to children’s products, shopping was a breeze.
Pharmacies also sell baby formula. It may be located behind the counter, so it’s good to know in advance what you need.
There are some great Walmarts for kid essentials
We went to Walmart four times in two days to pick up essentials for our toddler’s snacks and meals. We were able to get whole milk, cheese, pasta, yogurt, crackers and really everything that she likes to eat. No problem, and it’s all really affordable.
Plus, be sure to pick up some new fruits for the kids to try! We lucked out with some delicious cantaloupe and sítio papaya.
You can also find juice boxes, cereal, packaged snacks and lots of bottled water. Walmarts have small pharmacies, but we didn’t find great children’s products in them. (See this photo for our shopping cart; the hot sauce is, of course, for Mom and Dad.)
But bring some kid stuff from home
If your child has preferences on snacks, cups, special toys or books, of course: bring those from home! We packed about 12 puree pouches, some fidget spinners and little books from home, and they all came in so handy for snacks on the go and things to play with in restaurants.
Also, bring plenty of flat and small toys for your hotel room or Airbnb. If you go to Mexico City in rainy season like we did, having things to play with at our accommodation made waiting out a rainstorm bearable!
You will not be the only person with a stroller!
The more we walked in Condesa and Roma with our toddler in a stroller, the more we had “stroller eyes.” It seemed like everyone had a stroller, from locals with umbrella strollers to expats with UPPAbaby Vistas and Cruzes.
We saw a bunch of Doonas, and CityJoggers and more. It was eye-opening how many parents and nannies with strollers we saw walking around the city at all times of day.
Not many restaurants have high chairs (nor changing tables)
…but high-end ones do. We got lucky by dining at El Caimancito and couldn’t believe that the restaurant’s only high chair was available for our toddler. To top that, the restaurant’s only restroom had a changing table. I was floored!
What you need to know is that most budget and casual establishments, as well as coffee shops and small places like ice cream shops or dessert shops will NOT cater to children. You will not see high chairs being offered, and restaurants won’t have changing tables: plain and simple.
But if you like to dine in high-end style (think “$$$” ratings), these places might cater to families with small children. You can call or Whatsapp beforehand if you’d like to make dining plans.
Do NOT let your children drink the tap water
This includes in the bath!!! When our daughter dumped a cup of water on herself in the bath in our Airbnb and it looked like she took in some bath water, I wished I could go back in time to set some ground rules more intently about “NO DRINKING BATH WATER.”
The water in Mexico City is NOT clean for consumption and you nor your children should ingest it. While we washed our daughter’s baby plates, baby silverware and cups with tap water, we made sure they dried overnight before serving them the next day.
If your child ingests tap water and gets sick, or by rare chances, suffers from food poisoning, hopefully some of my tips from what to do if your toddler gets sick while traveling help out.
The sidewalks are so-so for stroller use
We had a pretty awful experience visiting Medellin, Colombia, with a toddler: the sidewalks are so bad that you can’t even consider really using a stroller. We used a baby carrier for three days straight and nearly broke our backs.
Mexico City was very fortunately a different story. What you’ll in the sidewalks is that some are flat, and some are not. Some are messed up by large old trees, and some have up-and-downs with “ramps” for driveways built at different levels than the sidewalks themselves.
Some sidewalks have curb cuts to the street, and some just simply do not. And some sidewalks under construction (or just typically) have steps and some have steep ramps. All in all, the sidewalks in Mexico City are likely not what you see at home. It takes some intense strollering and some lowered expectations, but it can be done.
I’d probably be wary of using a double stroller in Mexico City, as maneuvering it over sidewalks that don’t have curb cuts, and up again, could be laborious.
Filter your Airbnb choice for family features
As we were traveling with a child under 2 (which Airbnb calls an “infant”), I inputted my number of guests as 2 adults and 1 infant. In my search results (filtered by “2 bedrooms), the Airbnbs available mostly had cribs, high chairs and/or baby baths.
Here is my tip, though: scroll through the fine print on your Airbnb choice to see if the crib, high chair or baby bath comes at an extra price.
I was surprised (okay, shocked) to find out from our host that we were getting charged a rental fee for the Pack’n’Play they were getting for us, when I tried to confirm in my messages that we needed a crib for the entire stay.
Our Airbnb was able to provide the crib that we paid extra for, but they did not have access to a high chair or baby bath. We therefore brought the PandaEar portable high chair (it folded into my Quince check-in sized suitcase) and a baby/toddler bath tub from Munchkin. You can read my Munchkin travel baby bath review to see more about that.
If your Airbnb or hotel will not provide a crib for children under 2 (or older), we recommend two travel cribs at our BabyBjorn travel crib review and Guava Lotus crib review. Both are travel-friendly and airport-friendly.
Safety
We barely have any hesitations about safety in Mexico City, due to having been to the city before and each living here for a few months in the past (before having our baby).
To see a thorough run-down on safety, head to our Mexico City safety guide to have your questions answered.
Where to stay in Mexico City with kids
This is a pretty easy question for me, and one I’ll answer with my guide to where to stay in Mexico City (the best neighborhoods).
When we lived in Mexico City for seven weeks, we stayed in Roma Setentrião. When we came back three years later, we searched far and wide for a great hotel, and wound up staying two blocks from our former apartment.
When we came back with our toddler, tried as I might, we wound up staying two blocks from that hotel. I guess I just really like Roma Setentrião and Condesa!
Logically speaking though, being in these two neighborhoods will bring you closer to both parks: Parque España and Parque Mexico. Like I mentioned above, both have playgrounds, leafy walkways and tons of dogs, so with active kids or even babies, it’s a no-brainer to stay as close to both as you can, when you visit the city with your family.
https://www.halfhalftravel.com/travel-guides/mexico-city-with-a-baby-toddler-or-kids.html
