Where to go when Mexico City is too much: The best weekend getaways from the capital by bus or car

Anyone surviving successful a metropolis that cradles millions of radical tin relate. One day, you’re having java astatine your favourite panaderia, look successful the sun, bosom afloat of joy. “I emotion surviving here,” you deliberation to yourself. The adjacent day, you’re backmost astatine that panaderia, feeling inexplicably agitated, and idiosyncratic bumps into you. You burst into tears. 

No, it’s not your hormones.

It’s not your hormones. It’s 1 of those days successful Mexico City. (Unsplash/Jezael Melgoza)

It’s Mexico City. 

Mexico City is adjacent parts intoxicating and overwhelming. The gridlock traffic. The changeless construction. The lingering smog. The throngs of people, glued to their phones, utterly unaware of their spot successful space. I emotion this metropolis truthful overmuch — until I don’t. And past I request to permission immediately. To where? I don’t care. A spot with caller aerial and earthy landscapes. A pueblo with cobblestone streets and 1 cardinal plaza with unrecorded euphony and a angiosperm market. Another metropolis volition do, truthful agelong arsenic it’s comparatively calm and casual to navigate. 

When I archetypal moved to the buzzing superior 3 years ago, I started a database connected a integer notepad entitled “Places to research adjacent Mexico City.” It has since been renamed: “Places to flight from Mexico City — quickly.” In different words, adjacent getaways to rebalance my mind, reset my psyche and permission maine feeling caller truthful I tin instrumentality with excitement to the metropolis that I telephone home.

Criteria for the cleanable speedy flight from Mexico City

Several criteria indispensable beryllium fulfilled for a destination to marque my list, particularly if a play is each I person to spare. Here is simply a basal guide.

1. Proximity: First, determine however overmuch clip you’re consenting to put to arrive. Typically, I bash not similar to walk much than 3 hours successful a conveyance of immoderate benignant if I’m going for a play getaway, though I’ll agelong it to three-and-a-half for a municipality similar Taxco. 
2. Transportation: Next, place if you’re unfastened to flying, driving, oregon taking the bus. Personally, I lone instrumentality a formation if I spot an highly convenient enactment of an hr oregon less. Otherwise, I opt for the autobus oregon a rental car. 
3. Activities: Close your eyes and ideate yourself leaving the city. Where bash you land? Usually, the archetypal representation to travel to caput is what you’re after. Are you connected a beach? Hiking a mountain? Practicing yoga? Reading by a pool? My instinct has ne'er failed me, and I often usage it erstwhile deciding wherever I privation to go.
4. Affordability: Most destinations surrounding Mexico City fulfill immoderate budget, though immoderate (Malinalco) are pricier than others (Las Estacas).

There are times erstwhile the usher doesn’t help. Where the criteria fail, a listicle goes a agelong way.

Jump successful your vintage car and go. Failing that, champion opt for a autobus oregon rental. (Unsplash/Adam Dillon)

Top destinations for a CDMX play getaway

Six fashionable — but not too fashionable — destinations to flight the madness of Mexico City successful 3 hours oregon less.

Tlalpan

The Palacio Municipal de Tlalpan is 1 of galore charismatic destinations successful the Mexico City neighborhood. (Wikimedia Commons/Rodrisar)

Okay, good — technically, Tlalpan is Mexico City. At the aforesaid time, it’s so not. At 1 and a fractional hours successful a car oregon connected nationalist transportation, Tlalpan is acold capable from the halfway portion to consciousness similar you’ve landed successful a wholly caller place. The country is rather diverse; visitors tin research humanities Centro I, location to the main square, ​​a 500-year-old Parish of St. Agustin, and Mercado de la Paz, an awesome operation built nether the Porfiriato. Museums see the Museum of Time and the Tlalpan History Museum. Art lovers should popular into Casa Frissac Cultural Center. Nature seekers tin stroll done Fuentes Brotantes National Park, oregon thrust 30 minutes to Parque Nacional Bosque de Tlalpan, a protected wood astatine the foothills of the Ajusco mountains.

Type of traveler: Culture explorer, quality lover

Best for: Solo, couples, families

How to get there: Car, Uber/Didi, oregon bus. RTP leaves from Cetram Taxqueña to Tlalpan each 5 minutes. 

Malinalco

The Pueblo Mágico of Malinalco is simply a large destination for a play getaway. (Gobierno de Mexico)

Malinalco is simply a charming Pueblo Mágico nestled successful a lush vale that feels worlds distant from Mexico City’s municipality chaos. Things to bash successful Malinalco are varied, but the prima attraction is the Cuauhtinchan Archaeological Zone, wherever an Aztec temple dedicated to eagle warriors was carved straight into surviving stone — a uncommon Mesoamerican gem. Beyond the archaeological wonders, visitors tin rotation cobblestone streets lined with assemblage architecture and a 16th-century Augustinian monastery. In a way, it’s a quieter mentation of Tepoztlan, likewise an evolving wellness destination, yet featuring a distinctly much blase air. Split clip betwixt the museums and galleries successful municipality and the hiking and waterfalls conscionable outside, oregon opt for a resetting yoga retreat – each conscionable a two-hour thrust from the capital.

Type of traveler: History buff, archaeology enthusiast, spiritual seeker 

Best for: Couples, friends, solo

How to get there: Car oregon Flecha Roja autobus from Terminal Poniente (Observatorio) to Chalma, section taxi oregon microbus to Malinalco 

Tepoztlán

Tepoztlán is not lone incredibly beautiful, but a large spot for temazcal and different wellness options. (Visit Mexico)

Tepoztlán, Mexico’s spiritual heart, mightiness look the astir evident play escape, but its convenience bears repeating. In conscionable 1 hr (on a bully day), you’ll find yourself astatine the basal of the towering Tepozteco mountain, surrounded by indulgences: hiking to the mountaintop, eating your mode done the bustling market, admiring Mon Laferte’s creation gallery, cleansing your vigor successful a steamy temazcal. Many travelers to Tepoz, arsenic it’s lovingly called, similar to reserve a Tepoztlán luxury edifice with a spa and walk their play moving from excavation to sauna to Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant, connected repeat. And wherefore not? Sometimes the astir effectual mode to find your halfway is by doing astir thing astatine each successful a earnestly beauteous place.

Type of traveler: Hiker, yogi, foodie

Best for: Friends, couples, solo

How to get there: Car, Pullman de Morelos autobus from Taxqueña to Tepoztlán

Valle de Bravo

Lake Avandaro (seen successful the background) is simply a premier outdoor attraction for visitors to Valle de Bravo. (Unsplash/Tomas Martinez)

To unrecorded successful Mexico City is to perceive astir your friends’ agelong weekends successful Valle de Bravo and wonderment erstwhile the heck you’re going to cheque it out. It’s an perfect flight from CDMX for the mountains, civilization and abundance of outdoor activities. The historical halfway is simply a haven of cobblestone streets, a 17th-century church, vibrant markets and a assortment of eating options that scope from fund to fancy. Most metropolis dwellers travel for Lake Avandaro, Valle de Bravo’s spectacular centerpiece for sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding — adjacent paragliding if you’re up for it. Encased by Monte Alto State Park, the outdoorsy benignant volition person their capable of hiking oregon upland biking adventures. A sojourn to Velo de Novia waterfall is besides a draw. From November to March, Piedra Herrada Sanctuary showcases thousands of fluttering monarch butterflies.

Type of traveler: Watersports/outdoors, adventure

Best for: Friends, couples, families

How to get there: Car, Zumpango oregon Autovías autobus from Terminal Poniente (Observatorio) to Valle de Bravo 

Huasca de Ocampo

From verdant forests to centuries aged haciendas, there’s a crushed Huasca de Ocampo was the first-ever Pueblo Mágico. (Visit Mexico)

In 2001, Huasca de Ocampo successful Hidalgo State was named Mexico’s archetypal authoritative Pueblo Mágico. Upon arrival, you’ll recognize why. It’s 1 of the champion earthy escapes adjacent Mexico City for an enchanting countryside with basaltic prism stone formations, verdant forests and centuries-old haciendas. Huasca boasts a vibrant historical halfway complemented by galore outdoor activities. Haciendas abound: Santa María Regla, for example, is simply a time travel successful itself, bursting with archetypal chromatic archways and a chapel, and surrounded by a rocky cliff and waterfalls. Visit the Museo de los Duendes (Elf Museum), spell sportfishing astatine Bosque de las Truchas trout parkland and instrumentality panoramic photos astatine Peña del Aire canyon. It should travel arsenic nary astonishment that trout is the specialty here, and the airy food is often featured successful the accepted Mexican dishes astatine section restaurants and play markets. 

Type of traveler: Nature-lover, romantic, agrarian retreat

Best for: Couples, families, photographers

How to get there: Car, circuit van oregon ADO, Ovnibus, oregon Futura autobus from Terminal Norte to Pachuca. From Pachuca, instrumentality a taxi oregon section autobus to Huasca de Ocampo.

Las Estacas

Las Estacas is an oasis for water-based activities similar swimming, snorkeling … oregon conscionable floating. (Instagram)

For a no-frills, waterlogged jaunt from the large city, Las Estacas fits the bill. The earthy oasis is champion known for a crystal-clear, spring-fed stream with areas to swim, snorkel, and float. The mounting is lush — you’re surrounded by tropical plants and wildlife — with plentifulness of spots to soak up the sun. Many visitors opt to enactment overnight, and accommodations are constricted to 1 hotel, 2 hostels and glamping/camping, done which you tin registry for ziplining, hiking and diving tours. Within the ecopark are respective restaurants, and nutrient is permitted arsenic agelong arsenic you don’t bring solid oregon styrofoam. Outdoor grills are first-come, first-serve basis. If the stream starts to consciousness excessively chilly, the parkland features respective heated pools. There aren’t a cardinal things to bash successful Las Estacas beyond enjoying the stream — and that’s the point.

Type of traveler: Swimmer, quality lover, fund traveler

Best for: Families, couples

How to get there: Car, Pullman de Morelos autobus from Taxqueña to Zacatepec oregon Jojutla, past taxi oregon combi to Las Estacas

Bethany Platanella is a question planner and manner writer based successful Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine deed that comes straight aft booking a level ticket, exploring section markets, practicing yoga and munching connected caller tortillas. Sign up to person her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog or travel her on Instagram.