Visiting The Heart of Mexico City

You can’t see all of the rich history and culture in one trip, but narrowing your choices will provide a unique and enlightening RV experience.

by

Story and photos by Dan and Lisa Goy/Baja Amigos RV Caravan Tours 

Mexico City’s metro area has a population of more than 22 million, ranking it as the most populated in North America. It’s also the oldest capital city in the Americas and was originally built on a group of islands in Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in the early to mid-1300s, under the name Tenochtitlan.  

After the Spanish arrived, Mexico City was almost destroyed in the 1521 Siege of Tenochtitlan. It was subsequently rebuilt and established as México Tenochtitlán and then officially named Ciudad de México (Mexico City).

Lisa and I first visited Mexico City in December 1985 in our camper van conversion. We stayed with Antonio and Estella Resendiz in Coyoacán after meeting their son Antonio earlier in Bahia de Los Angeles.

Antonio had just opened the Turtle Research Facility and when we camped on a nearby beach, we quickly became friends. Antonio invited us to his family home in Mexico City for Christmas and have been friends with his family since.

We arrived in Mexico City three months after a devastating magnitude 8 earthquake hit the area, followed by strong aftershocks with magnitudes of 7 and 7.5. We learned years later that more than 5,000 people were killed in Greater Mexico City as a result. It also suffered major damage given the amplification of the tremors in the ancient lake where the city was built.

While staying with the Resendiz family, we visited Coyoacán, the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan and Centro Histórico, the historic centre of Mexico City. A popular landmark includes the Plaza de la Constitución (Zócalo), the main central square with the epoch-contrasting Spanish-era Metropolitan Cathedral, The National Palace and ancient Aztec temple ruins, Templo Mayor.  

We also joined Antonio and the extended Resendiz family to celebrate the Los Posadas, a reenactment of Joseph and Mary that honours the birth of Baby Jesus Our two-week experience cemented our lifelong affection for the country, culture and people. 

Where to Stay in Mexico City with your RV?

There are only two options; Pepe’s Hotel Posada and the Teotihuacan Trailer Park. Lisa and I have stayed at both during our visits to Mexico City.

Pepe’s Hotel Posada

Located in Tepotzotlán, approximately 41 km (25 mi) north of the Historic District of Mexico City, Pepe’s is a well-run RV park and hotel. Operated by Pepe’s daughter and son-in-law, this is a spacious, secure and fully fenced 60-site RV Park that offers 30-amp power.  

Tepotzotlán is considered to be within the Hoy No Circula zone, which is a program devised to reduce the number of vehicles driving in the city and area each day. The RV parks we commonly visit here are on the outer edges of this zone but by arriving from the north on Hwy 57D and restricting driving to within the town, the regulation has never been an issue during our caravan tours.

Public transport is available in the area but Pepe’s offers a shuttle service to Mexico City, as well as Teotihuacan and Cuernavaca. Other services include laundry, propane refill, RV washing - even pet sitting if needed. All of this is very convenient for our caravan groups and individual RVers.

Teotihuacan Trailer Park

Located in San Juan Teotihuacán, which is about 48 km (30 mi) northeast of the Historic District of Mexico City, Teotihuacan Trailer Park consists of a grassy lot with access to 15-amp power, water and sewer. It’s fenced and is within easy walking distance of town.  

Teotihuacan Trailer Park has 42 sites, however, space can be limited. San Juan Teotihuacán is also located within Hoy No Circula but we have never had any issues since we normally arrive from the east on Hwy 132D and restrict driving to within the town. The city is nearby and a short distance (4km/2.5m) from the Teotihuacán archeological site. 

Popular Worthwhile Attraction

There are dozens of significant sites to visit in Mexico City but there are some really ‘must-see’ attractions. With the exception of visiting Teotihuacan, we recommend RVers book into a hotel on or near the Plaza de la Constitución (Zócalo) and use the TuriBus service. It has several routes and includes many stops located on the Zócalo. Guides are readily available on the Zócalo and at the hotels.

Plaza de la Constitución (Zócalo)

The Zócalo is in the heart of the historic centre of Mexico City. Its location was strategically chosen by the Spanish conquistadors of what was once the political and religious centre of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztecs (Mexicas).  You can easily spend a day just visiting the following sites located on the Zócalo:

Metropolitan Cathedral

This cathedral took almost 250 years to build, which began in 1573 and was completed in 1813. The original church was constructed soon after the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan. Over the centuries, the cathedral has endured a lot of damage. The last time we were there the foundation was sinking as it was built on a lakebed.  

Aztec Templo Mayor

The Templo Mayor was the main temple of the Aztec people in the capital city of Tenochtitlan. Construction of the first temple began after 1325 and was rebuilt six times. After the destruction of Tenochtitlan, Templo Mayor was disassembled and abandoned. The push to fully excavate the site wasn’t until the late 20th Century. In 1978, a massive pre-Hispanic stone disk was discovered. A large project was then planned and directed by archeologists to excavate and the temple was restored in 1982.

National Palace

Steeped in history, the National Palace origin was during the conquest of the Aztecs by conquistador Hernán Cortés and construction began at its current location in the mid-1500s. Today, it serves as the seat for the executive branch of the Mexican Federal Government, spans ​​40,000 sq m (430,556 sq ft) and was named a World Heritage Site in 1987. It was also the official residence of the President of Mexico since 2018. Tours are available and a government-issued photo ID or passport is required for entry (it will be collected at the door and returned upon leaving). 

Chapultepec Park

Commonly called the Chapultepec Forest or ‘Bosque de Chapultepec,’ this  is one of the largest city parks in Mexico and centred on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill.  During colonial times, Chapultepec Castle was built and eventually became the official residence of the Mexican heads of state until 1940.  

National Museum of Anthropology and the Aztec Calendar Stone

This is Mexico’s national museum and is the largest, most visited attraction of its kind in the country. Located in Chapultepec Park, it houses significant archaeological and anthropological artifacts from Mexico's pre-Columbian heritage, including the Stone of the Sun and the Aztec Calendar Stone. You can spend an entire day here, as Lisa and I did in 2016.

Teotihuacan

Once the largest city in the Americas with a population estimated at 25,000 - 2,000 years ago - Teotihuacan is believed by archeologists  to have been established around 100 BC and was continuously under construction until about 250 AD. Today, among the many highlights of this famed attraction are its ornate stone palaces and significant Mesoamerican pyramids - built in the pre-Columbian Americas -  namely the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. We recommend setting aside an entire day to explore this site. Be sure to bring plenty of water and hire a guide on site for the best experience. 

These are just a few of the attractions in Mexico City that we have visited on our seasonal RV caravan tours and they are all an excellent way to learn about the country, its people and rich history. For all of the details about planning your trip visit www.visitmexico.com or reach out to us at www.bajaamigos.net