Overview: I recently returned from my first trip to Mexico City, and I was impressed with the culture, food, nightlife, and of course the women!
Getting there: There are nonstop flights from major cities in the US. When you pass through customs to bag claim, you have the option to exchange dollars for pesos, which is around 1 dollar for 12 pesos. Wait until you get out of the bag claim area to exchange money, the rate will be better, and you should only get enough for the taxi fare, since in the city center the rate will be even better. There are many booths with cars for hire, you pay for the trip to your hotel in advance, get a receipt, and go outside to find the company you chose. Typical cost to the center is 150 to 200 pesos. You can tip the driver but they don't expect much, 10% is decent ($1.60 US).
The City: Home to about 20 million, Mexico City and its suburbs is huge. I was amazed at how much money and wealth I saw, as it is a major tourist spot and home to multi-national corporations.
Safety: Not a problem, there are police everywhere and never once did I feel unsafe. Begging and people trying to sell you stuff on the street were the only issues, and they are easy to ignore.
Lodging: I rented an apartment through AirBNB in the Condesa neighborhood, which was great for the restaurants, nightlife, and location. I would also recommend Polanco, another wealthy area, and the Paseo De La Reforma, a major avenue where there are tourist attractions, hotels and shopping. Do not stay in Zona Rosa, this is the gay area of town, and there are so many it can be annoying for a single traveler like myself. The area itself is nice for shopping and the sites, but as in most large latin american cities, the gay culture is open, so you will see men kissing and holding hands in public.
Transportation: Inexpensive and reliable. Taxis start at 7.88 pesos, and a typical trip will cost about 20-30 pesos. Some taxis will try to negotiate the price without the meter, which I did a few times, but you will pay more. If you don't want to pay off the meter, simply wait for the next one, they are everywhere. I also took the Metro Bus (5 pesos), you buy a card and put money on it, then swipe at the entrance. The stops are located in the center of the street, and have their own bus lanes, so you won't get stuck in traffic, and it comes often. The Metro (subway) is another option (3 pesos), but it gets hot and packed with people, especially at rush hour.
Sites: Do not miss the Bosque de Chapultepec, home to the Museum of Anthropology, Museo National (the Castillo), with great views of the city, Museum of Modern Art, a zoo, and a few lakes. The Centro Historico is where you find the Plaza de la Constitution, the churches and more museums. Paseo de la Reforma is the major avenue through the city, with shopping, hotels, and sites, and also is a great walk.
Nightlife: Options are a big as the city itself. I spent most of my time in Condesa, since there was a high concentration of bars and clubs, and was close to my apartment. Start at the corner of Nuevo Leon and Michoacan, and walk. You will hit at least 30 different places. On Nuevo Leon there is ArticBar, a disco, and across the street is Xampaneria, a restaurant that draws a upscale crowd later in the evening. Parallel to Nuevo Leon is Calle Tamaulipas, with Celtic Pub and Zydeco which are both packed on weekends. Also go to Polanco, with most of the action on Avenida Presidente Masark.
Daygame: Women are everywhere, don't be limited about where you can make approaches. Reforma 222 on Paseo de la Reforma is an upscale mall, and where I found my first Mexican flag. Avenida FC Madero in the Centro Historico is a long pedestrian street with lots of restaurants and shopping. Plaza de Madrid in Condesa is lined with swanky restaurants and also good nightime. El Palacio on Durango is another good mall. Cuidad Universitaria is a huge campus with about 200k students, I went there one day and got lost. Girls tend to be from poor families so the quality was not as good as I imagined, but you can see for yourself. Ride the Metro Bus around 6pm-8pm and you will see tons of women.
Women: Are friendly and approachable, especially if you are a tourist. Then run from cute hippie chicks with nose rings to professional, classy girls who travel and have jobs. You will see it all, from the poorer darker skinned ones to white women with wealth and status who never leave the house without heels in Polanco and Condesa.
Summary: Mexico City is a first class city with plenty of opportunities for meeting girls. They rarely see Americans and you will automatically have a DHV, more so if you speak some spanish. The quality of life is good and it is easy to reach other parts of Mexico for short excursions. I could see myself spending more time there in the near future.
Getting there: There are nonstop flights from major cities in the US. When you pass through customs to bag claim, you have the option to exchange dollars for pesos, which is around 1 dollar for 12 pesos. Wait until you get out of the bag claim area to exchange money, the rate will be better, and you should only get enough for the taxi fare, since in the city center the rate will be even better. There are many booths with cars for hire, you pay for the trip to your hotel in advance, get a receipt, and go outside to find the company you chose. Typical cost to the center is 150 to 200 pesos. You can tip the driver but they don't expect much, 10% is decent ($1.60 US).
The City: Home to about 20 million, Mexico City and its suburbs is huge. I was amazed at how much money and wealth I saw, as it is a major tourist spot and home to multi-national corporations.
Safety: Not a problem, there are police everywhere and never once did I feel unsafe. Begging and people trying to sell you stuff on the street were the only issues, and they are easy to ignore.
Lodging: I rented an apartment through AirBNB in the Condesa neighborhood, which was great for the restaurants, nightlife, and location. I would also recommend Polanco, another wealthy area, and the Paseo De La Reforma, a major avenue where there are tourist attractions, hotels and shopping. Do not stay in Zona Rosa, this is the gay area of town, and there are so many it can be annoying for a single traveler like myself. The area itself is nice for shopping and the sites, but as in most large latin american cities, the gay culture is open, so you will see men kissing and holding hands in public.
Transportation: Inexpensive and reliable. Taxis start at 7.88 pesos, and a typical trip will cost about 20-30 pesos. Some taxis will try to negotiate the price without the meter, which I did a few times, but you will pay more. If you don't want to pay off the meter, simply wait for the next one, they are everywhere. I also took the Metro Bus (5 pesos), you buy a card and put money on it, then swipe at the entrance. The stops are located in the center of the street, and have their own bus lanes, so you won't get stuck in traffic, and it comes often. The Metro (subway) is another option (3 pesos), but it gets hot and packed with people, especially at rush hour.
Sites: Do not miss the Bosque de Chapultepec, home to the Museum of Anthropology, Museo National (the Castillo), with great views of the city, Museum of Modern Art, a zoo, and a few lakes. The Centro Historico is where you find the Plaza de la Constitution, the churches and more museums. Paseo de la Reforma is the major avenue through the city, with shopping, hotels, and sites, and also is a great walk.
Nightlife: Options are a big as the city itself. I spent most of my time in Condesa, since there was a high concentration of bars and clubs, and was close to my apartment. Start at the corner of Nuevo Leon and Michoacan, and walk. You will hit at least 30 different places. On Nuevo Leon there is ArticBar, a disco, and across the street is Xampaneria, a restaurant that draws a upscale crowd later in the evening. Parallel to Nuevo Leon is Calle Tamaulipas, with Celtic Pub and Zydeco which are both packed on weekends. Also go to Polanco, with most of the action on Avenida Presidente Masark.
Daygame: Women are everywhere, don't be limited about where you can make approaches. Reforma 222 on Paseo de la Reforma is an upscale mall, and where I found my first Mexican flag. Avenida FC Madero in the Centro Historico is a long pedestrian street with lots of restaurants and shopping. Plaza de Madrid in Condesa is lined with swanky restaurants and also good nightime. El Palacio on Durango is another good mall. Cuidad Universitaria is a huge campus with about 200k students, I went there one day and got lost. Girls tend to be from poor families so the quality was not as good as I imagined, but you can see for yourself. Ride the Metro Bus around 6pm-8pm and you will see tons of women.
Women: Are friendly and approachable, especially if you are a tourist. Then run from cute hippie chicks with nose rings to professional, classy girls who travel and have jobs. You will see it all, from the poorer darker skinned ones to white women with wealth and status who never leave the house without heels in Polanco and Condesa.
Summary: Mexico City is a first class city with plenty of opportunities for meeting girls. They rarely see Americans and you will automatically have a DHV, more so if you speak some spanish. The quality of life is good and it is easy to reach other parts of Mexico for short excursions. I could see myself spending more time there in the near future.
