LolaS26

Hello, we are planning a trip to Mexico City in Sept or Oct and have a few questions. Is this a good time of the year to visit? Will we be impacted by heavy rain? Are mosquitos a problem? I'm very allergic to mosquito bites and will be traveling with a toddler. Any suggestions on which cities to include in our itinerary? We usually go to Europe but this year I want to switch it up and explore Mexico City. I'm also curious about Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende.

emd3

You should not have heavy rains. Just use whatever mosquito repellent with DEET that you usually use. Zika is a concern.

Guanajuato is fantastic, one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Mexico. I have not been there in several years but A poster here named Stewbear spends time each year there, and hopefully will check in on your thread.

I have been all over and around Mexico City many times over the last 40 yrs. I would personally skip San Miguel de Allende. Instead, take the 2 hr nice bus to Puebla. Puebla is a magical city, very walkable in the historic area. Fantastic walking routes that cover the churches ( which should not be missed), the Calle Dulce or Sweet street where the typical candies are made and sold in shop after shop, the open air artists are where artists paint and sell their works. Also a lovely outdoor market where beautiful Talavera ceramics are displayed and aold. From Puebla, take a 30 min bus to Cholula on market day there. Roam the street markets, then go to the 2 nd largest unexcavated pyramid in the world and climb up to the lovely church at the top, and you will be rewarded with a view of the volcano right there if it is clear day. And volodares ( indigenous male pole dancers ho hang upside down from a pole in traditional dress, must see this) perform next to the church. If you go in October you should be able to order and eat chiles en nogada. Do not miss that fantastic historical dish.

kja

For mosquito repellents, you can also use ones with Picaridin rather than DEET. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbo...her-arthropods
You might consider consulting a physician who specializes in travel.

FWIW, I've found the <i>Moon Guides</i> to be especially good for Mexico.

Lau_Crul

Hi! This year has been crazy talking about the weather, but normally in September rains, not too much but occasionally, and in October it is not common to rain. In Mexico City mosquitos are not that crazy but sometimes there are some I would recommend you to visit Teotihuacán. It's an archeological site outside Mexico City (it is a really worthy place). Talking about the city, you have plenty things to do, such as museums, amusements parks, etc. obviously it depends on what you want to do. I would recommend you to go to Oaxaca City but even more to visit its archeological sites which are various, for instance Monte Albán and Mitla are the most important. You can actually go to Veracruz and visit 'El Fuerte de San Juan Ulua', go to the various beaches and visit its town Xalapa. Also another famous place to go is Papantla. Guanajuato is a beautiful place to visit. For example you can go and visit 'Teatro Juárez', 'Alhóndiga de Granaditas', its University, etc. As San Miguel de Allende is in Guanajuato you can have some time and visit it, also has various historical places where you can go. From each city you may visit their 'Mercado de artesanías' (which it may translate as handicrafts' market). I would suggest you to travel by airplane or by bus (ADO is a good one for the south, Oaxaca and Veracruz, and ETN is also good and goes to all the states I mentioned you) etn.com.mx www.ado.com.mx/
I hope all the information I gave you helps to build an amazing trip. If you have any question feel free and ask me.

baldone

2 weeks is a good amount of time.
Some thoughts.
It will still be the rainy season, so while you shouldn't experience long, extended downpours, you may get some shorter heavy cloudbursts, but those usually only last a half hour or so. Unless some tropical storm is breaking up inland.
September on the gulf (Veracruz) will be hot,rainy and muggy, and the risk of mosquito bites will be high. True even further inland in Xalapa. It is a fascinating city however, and one of my favorites in Mexico, and the state itself is beautiful.
Right now, things are really volatile in Oaxaca, and may stay that way for some time. Things will likely settle down by the time you want to travel, but until it does, I wouldn't want to plan a trip with the uncertainty. If conditions worsen, the historic center may suffer some damage that may take some time to repair. Just a sample:
http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/fuel...ades-continue/
The San Miguel/Guanajuato route after Mexico City is popular, easy and safe. I would suggest visiting both. From Guanajuato, you can do a fun day/shopping trip to Leon's leather district. Leon's historic center is nice as well. From San Miguel, you can do day trips to Queretaro, and if you can get a driver, to Mineral de Pozos, where the mine ruins make for some good pictures. From either Gto or Sma, you could visit Dolores Hidalgo, but there's really not that much going on there. Another option would be stay in Queretaro and do day trips to San Miguel and Bernal, the latter a charming town at the base of the pena, or monolith. Queretaro's aqueduct is impressive at night.
Another route would be Morelia, Patzcuaro and Uruapan. The latter is best known for it's national park (Parque Nacional Barranca del Cupatitzio) and the easily accessible water falls of La Tzaráracua. It's also known for trout, avocados, and macadamia products, including liqueurs. Some good coffee, too. Morelia is known as the pink city (because of the stone work), and it has it's own aqueduct. Patzcuaro is charming, with it's whitewashed walls and red tile roofs, and is quite scenic by the lake. You could visit some of the surrounding craft towns, probably the best known would be Santa Clara Del Cobre, where all things copper are hammered out by hand. The Morelia/Patzcuaro area gets more rain than here in San Miguel, but mosquitoes shouldn't be much of a problem. Except maybe around the lake, or if your room (in Patz) doesn't have screens. We live near the presa in San Miguel, and even though it's drier here, we do get some of the critters. But in town it's not an issue.
Puebla is worthy as well, as emd mentioned. FYI, you could take a bus directly from Mexico City's airport, and spend your first night there. But that does make for a long travel day. I was not that impressed with the pyramid at Cholula. It's mostly a big mound of dirt with a church on top. But probably worth seeing if you're in Puebla for more than a day. If you just do a day trip from CDMX, then probably not.

Stewbear

I personally have never saw or been bite by a mosquito in Guanajuato at 6,600 feet but have never been in the fall. Baldone gives good advice. I personally lost my heart to GTO on my first visit in 2012 & have still not lost the draw of this most lovely gem. Side trips to San Miguel, Leon with it's leather market, wonderful museum (near the Leather centers) a excellent zoo with human treatment of animals, excellent restaurants & professional soccer team/stadium make it a delight.
San Miguel's magnificent Cathedral alone makes a trip there well worth well along with wonderful architecture through out the city.

LolaS26

Thank you! I appreciate all of your replies.

LolaS26

We booked our trip for early September and staying 9 days in Mexico City. I know it's probably more than enough days to spend in one place but we will be traveling with our two year old so it will be a slower pace trip. We are planning on a few day trips to Puebla, Tenochitlan and perhaps Cuernavaca? Any other suggestions for day trips?

cybor

Puebla is almost 3 hrs away from DF.
When you ask about day trip suggestions are you considering taking trips that far each time or are you thinking about relocating?

baldone

Cuernavaca is not what it once was. Traffic and pollution are pretty bad. Taxco, about the same distance as Puebla, I think is a nicer destination.
Also keep in mind that Mexico's Independence Day festivities (15 & 16) may coincide with your dates.