wendy17

Hi all,

My husband, boys (8 and 10) and I will be travelling to Guanajuato, arriving January 1st in the morning and leaving January 12th for a long weekend elsewhere. We are currently signed up for a few hours of language classes in the mornings. I've done language programs in the past and they give me an opportunity to focus a bit on the city I am in and I thought it would be fun for the boys.

So, we will have every afternoon free and one weekend as well. I would love some insight on what to do in Guanajuato. I've researched a lot, but any insider tips would be great. We will travel one weekend day to San Miguel (if we don't end up spending our long weekend there), but I'd love a suggestion for the other weekend day. Dolores Hidalgo or Irapuato maybe? Also, any must eat at restaurants, etc would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Weekender

Was in Guananjuato a few months ago and highly recommend the restaurant Los Campos:

http://loscampos.mx/

Stewbear

Brisas de la Presa is one of the best restaurants in the area. Great food and service at very reasonable prices.
For your boys Leon has a wonderful zoo and the huge leather market for you and your husband.The "frog" park is fun for the kids, along with the mummy museum. The Diego Rivera Museum is high on m list. The real joy of GTO is just wandering the many, many back ways, alleys and hidden pleasures.

wendy17

Yes! The zoo is on our list. We fly into Leon at 6am and I was hoping that we could have breakfast and go to the zoo before heading to Guanajuato. But, I'm not sure what to do with luggage...can't check into our apartment til later anyways.

I am very much looking forward to lazy days just wandering around for sure.

Thank you both for the restaurant recs....also looking forward to eating my way through our trip.

Stewbear

You might drop your luggage at the Bus station in Leon for a small fee. Buses every hour or so to GTO from there plus it abuts the leather market.
The airport is actually south of Leon so the Zoo and other attractions are north including a nice art museum but a few blocks from the bus station. You will be just a few days early for The Guanajuato State Fair also near that same bus station.I go every year enjoying it.
PS check to make sure the Zoo is open New Years Day.

Christina

I don't have any special tips for Guanajuato that you couldn't find in any basic guidebook or their website as to attractions. But I did visit Hildago for a day trip and did really enjoy that a lot, so I highly recommend that.

I'm not clear on how you intend to do these day trips, if you have a car or what. There are companies running small group day tours, you can get brochures at the tourist office in the center, but the one I took was only in Spanish, I don't remember them having many options in English, but might be forgetting. If you don't understand Spanish at all, that wouldn't work so weel.

baldone

Of all the cities in the area, Irapuato is the least attractive. If you had a month, well then maybe, just to say you went.
Leon has what I think to be the most attractive plaza in the area. And now a recently opened aquarium:
https://www.acuariodelbajio.com.mx/
Dolores is OK for a day trip, but no more. 2 hours and you've pretty much seen everything it has to offer. A decent Italian restaurant however, Damonica. You could visit Dolores on the way from GTO to SMA. The pottery shop in Santa Rosa is on the way, and their product is far superior than the stuff sold in Dolores. Although it might be difficult to stop using public transportation.
If you end up spending more time in San Miguel, I can give some restaurant recs. Also in the immediate area (on the road to Dolores) is the Santuario De Atotonilco, some call it the Sistine Chapel of Mexico. Near there are some hot springs the kids might enjoy.