Mexico City During Día de los Muertos (and the NBA Game!) — My Full Experience
- Bree Leaves
- Nov 13
- 3 min read
I went to Mexico City during Día de los Muertos weekend, and the energy was unreal. Everywhere were marigolds, altars, painted faces, parades, and crowds celebrating like the entire city was one big, moving festival. It just so happened that the game lined up with Día de los Muertos weekend, which made the whole atmosphere even more electric. And full honesty: because I was intoxicated after Xochimilco, I missed the big Día de los Muertos parade, and I am still slightly peeved about it.
I stayed at the Courtyard Mexico City Vallejo. It was a perfectly nice hotel—clean rooms, good service, no real complaints about the property itself. I actually went for the NBA in Mexico City game, and since I knew I’d be solo, I wanted to stay closer to the arena. But I won't be doing that again. I never stay there again for a trip like this. It’s simply too far from all the neighborhoods you want to be in if you’re visiting for vibes, food, nightlife, and easy exploring. If you want to be “in the mix,” you need to stay central—in Roma Norte, Condesa, Juárez, or along Reforma—places where you walk outside and immediately feel the rhythm of the city around you.
Next time, I’m definitely staying closer in. On my list now: the Mexico City Marriott Reforma Hotel, which sits right on Paseo de la Reforma and makes everything walkable, and the Four Points by Sheraton in Roma Norte, located in the center of cafés, restaurants, bars, galleries, and all the energy I missed out on by staying farther out. Lesson learned: convenience is one thing, but location shapes the whole trip.
Even though my visit was short, I managed some unforgettable experiences. I did the Tolantongo Hot Springs tour through Viator and let me just say this clearly: the photos do NOT do it justice at all. The warm turquoise pools carved into the cliffs, the caves, the waterfalls, and the mountain views were surreal. And honestly, Tolantongo deserves its own full blog post because it was an all-day adventure from start to finish, with so much to highlight on its own. It was truly worth getting up at 3am for. I had a wonderful relaxing time.
Then there was Xochimilco—bright trajineras, music, mezcal, tequila, floating food vendors, dancing, chaos, color, and nonstop laughter. It was a whole experience, and just like Tolantongo, Xochimilco deserves its own dedicated blog too. Did y’all know they made strawberry Jose Cuervo. ? I didn’t before I do now. Xochimilco humbled me. I had booked a Lucha Libre show for that evening, cancelled that immediately. I was not sober enough to sit ringside and drink more. I listened to my body and went to my room.
Getting around Mexico City was incredibly easy. They have Uber, but the local app DiDi was actually more convenient in my experience. It even lets you pay in cash, which worked out perfectly since I withdrew pesos thinking I’d need them everywhere. But truthfully, outside of the tours, most places accepted card, so I didn’t end up using as much cash as expected.
As far as food, I’m not giving any recommendations this trip. I did not eat around Mexico City the right way between the NBA game, long excursions, and recovering from Xochimilco. I just had decent good that was available. The real food guide will definitely come in Part 2 when I stay in a better location and plan a proper eating itinerary.
Overall, this trip felt like a teaser. Día de los Muertos made the city magical, the NBA game was fun, Tolantongo was breathtaking, Xochimilco was chaotic fun, and everything else made me realize I need a proper redo. So yes—Part 2 is happening sooner rather than later.
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SUMMARY
⭐ Where to Stay
Roma Norte, Condesa, Juárez, or Reforma.Central, walkable, full of food + nightlife. Marriott options to consider:
Mexico City Marriott Reforma Hotel
Four Points by Sheraton Colonia Roma
If you’re going for a show at Arena CDMX, then staying near the arena is convenient, but expect to be far from the main neighborhoods. Of course you can uber back and forth.
⭐ What to Do
Tolantongo Hot Springs (full-day; getting its own blog)
Xochimilco All-Inclusive (also deserves its own highlight)
Lucha Libre (go BEFORE mezcal takes over)
Hot air balloons over Teotihuacán
Frida Kahlo Museum
Diego Rivera murals + historic art sites
My some recs are below.
And as you can clearly see… I need to go back, because there is SO much I still need to do.
⭐ When to Go
For the best weather — not hot, not rainy — visit during:November, December, January, February, March, or early April.Late October/early November also gives you the bonus of Día de los Muertos.
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