Day trips · Mexico City · Mexico
6 best day trips from Mexico City
Where to go when you want a day away from Mexico City, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Mexico City is Teotihuacan (About 1 hour by bus). The closest option is Teotihuacan, about 50 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Teotihuacan (50 km)
- Most popular
- Teotihuacan
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teotihuacan | 50 km | About 1 hour by bus | Bus from Terminal Autobuses del Norte, or an organised tour | First-timers, Culture, Families |
| Puebla and Cholula | 130 km | About 2 hours by bus | Bus from TAPO or Terminal Norte | Culture, Food lovers |
| Tepoztlán | 80 km | About 1 hour 15 minutes by bus | Bus from Terminal Sur (Tasqueña) | Couples, Quiet stays |
| Taxco | 170 km | About 2.5–3 hours by bus | Bus from Terminal Sur (Tasqueña) | Culture, Shopping |
| Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve | 190 km | About 3.5 hours by car | Car or organised tour | Families, Quiet stays |
| Valle de Bravo | 150 km | About 2.5 hours by car or bus | Car or bus from Terminal Poniente | Couples, Quiet stays |
The day trips
50 km · About 1 hour by bus
1.Teotihuacan
The vast ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is laid out along the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramid of the Sun, one of the largest pyramids in the world, and the Pyramid of the Moon. Arrive at opening to avoid the midday sun, or see it at dawn from a hot-air balloon.
- Getting there
- Bus from Terminal Autobuses del Norte, or an organised tour
- Best for
- First-timers, Culture, Families
130 km · About 2 hours by bus
2.Puebla and Cholula
Puebla's UNESCO-listed centre is lined with Talavera-tiled buildings and baroque churches such as the gilded Rosary Chapel, and it is the home of mole poblano and chiles en nogada. Neighbouring Cholula has the largest pyramid by volume in the world, now a grass-covered hill topped by a church.
- Getting there
- Bus from TAPO or Terminal Norte
- Best for
- Culture, Food lovers
80 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by bus
3.Tepoztlán
A small town in a valley of jagged cliffs, Tepoztlán has a weekend crafts and food market, ice-cream shops and, when the trail is open, a steep climb of about an hour to the Tepozteco temple on a clifftop.
- Getting there
- Bus from Terminal Sur (Tasqueña)
- Best for
- Couples, Quiet stays
170 km · About 2.5–3 hours by bus
4.Taxco
A hillside colonial town of white houses and red-tiled roofs, famous for its silver workshops, with the baroque Santa Prisca church at its centre and a cable car up to a hilltop viewpoint.
- Getting there
- Bus from Terminal Sur (Tasqueña)
- Best for
- Culture, Shopping
190 km · About 3.5 hours by car
5.Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
From about mid-November to March, millions of monarch butterflies overwinter in the high fir forests of Michoacán and the State of Mexico, covering the branches and filling the air on sunny days. Sanctuaries such as El Rosario require a steep hike or horse ride at altitude; an overnight stay makes the trip easier.
- Getting there
- Car or organised tour
- Best for
- Families, Quiet stays
150 km · About 2.5 hours by car or bus
6.Valle de Bravo
A lakeside town in pine-covered hills, popular with weekenders for sailing on the reservoir, paragliding from the surrounding ridges and its cobbled centre of whitewashed houses.
- Getting there
- Car or bus from Terminal Poniente
- Best for
- Couples, Quiet stays
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Metrobús requires a rechargeable mobility card, sold at station machines.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Mexico City?
Teotihuacan. The vast ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is laid out along the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramid of the Sun, one of the largest pyramids in the world, and the Pyramid of the Moon.
+How long does it take to get from Mexico City to Teotihuacan?
About 1 hour by bus — Bus from Terminal Autobuses del Norte, or an organised tour, about 50 km.
+How long does it take to get from Mexico City to Puebla and Cholula?
About 2 hours by bus — Bus from TAPO or Terminal Norte, about 130 km.