Let’s start with the first questions that those new to Oaxaca ask: how do you pronounce the name of that city and where is it? Oaxaca is pronounced as “wah-HAH-kah.” It’s both the name of a Mexican state and a city. The state is located in southern Mexico and bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the south. At 5,100 feet above sea level, the city is centrally located within the state of Oaxaca about 40 miles inland from the coast and surrounded by the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains. The city is the culinary, cultural, and historical center of the region — and some would say, the soul of Mexico.
Oaxaca surprises visitors in the most delightful way. I can’t remember the last time that I visited a city with such vibrancy. It’s bursting with color, hospitality and energy — even on a random Tuesday! But is it a family destination or just a fabulous couples or girls trip? If you have teenagers who are foodies, who appreciate artistic expressions like street art, artisanal handicrafts and music, who love delving into a new culture, or who love to shop, Oaxaca is an ideal destination. If your teens are more into adventure, beach or nature vacations, this spot is probably not for them.
Here are some suggestions for how to spend your time in Oaxaca, including what not to do.
1. Stroll Calle Macedonio Alcalá
“Andador turístico” is a Spanish term that translates to “tourist walkway” in English. It refers to pedestrian-friendly, car-free streets or pathways in popular tourist areas. Oaxaca boasts one of the most colorful and vibrant in all of Mexico — Calle Macedonio Alcalá. The pedestrian street starts near the Zócalo de Oaxaca, the main square on the south end, and leads north to Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, a stunning baroque church. Along the way, you’ll find plenty of shops, artisan collectives, restaurants, and museums. For a perfect photo, don’t miss the colorful papel picado (decorative paper flags) overhead on the south end near the intersection of Calle Macedonio Alcalá and Calle Hidalgo.
And if you’re lucky, you’ll get caught up in a calenda, a festive wedding procession through the streets of Oaxaca. It features traditional music, giant puppets representing the bridal couple, and Chinas Oaxaqueñas, dancing women dressed in traditional embroidered dresses carrying baskets of flowers. Wedding guests often carry bottles of mezcal to toast the couple. But this procession is not just for the happy couple and their wedding guests; locals and tourists often join in the celebration. The energy, music, and tradition make the calenda one of the most unique wedding experiences in the world!
If not a calenda, you likely will see some sort of comparsa, a procession down the streets of Oaxaca for a holiday or other occasion. During our visit, we watched three comparsas, one of which celebrated two schools’ participation in a UNICEF project. There were young girls dancing with flowers, large puppets, tap dancing diablos, and a live band. It was all very festive!
KidTripster Tip: This is the area where you’ll want to base your stay. There are dozens of hotels within blocks of Calle Macedonio Alcalá, but I’d highly recommend Hotel de la Parra. Along with typical singles and doubles, this boutique hotel features a junior suite that can accommodate a family of five. The hotel has a lovely pool — a welcome retreat from the afternoon heat of Oaxaca.
2. Roll through a living art museum
When my family and I arrive in a new city, we often take a biking tour as a way of orienting ourselves to our unfamiliar surroundings. In Oaxaca, we joined a bike tour focused on urban art, architecture and history, booked through Viator. Our English-speaking guide, Daniel, was knowledgeable and very proud of his hometown. We biked through popular neighborhoods like Xochimilco, with its pre-colonial architecture, and Jalatlaco, known for its colorful murals. Make sure to have your camera or cellphone handy as some of these murals are real stunners.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re traveling with younger kids, I would not take this bike tour. Because you’re riding in the busy streets of Oaxaca, you need to pay attention. You’re also riding over cobblestone much of the time, which requires some extra concentration.
3. Appreciate Oaxaca’s many handicrafts
In the villages surrounding Oaxaca, residents create beautiful handicrafts. Know that each of the crafts that I’m about to describe can be purchased in downtown Oaxaca in various shops; you don’t have to travel outside of Oaxaca for a good selection. The reason to do so would be to see the process in person and get a better understanding and appreciation for the artistry.
We actually visited the workshops that I’m about to describe as part of two separate day tours that included stops at Hierve el Agua and Monte Albán, which I’ll talk more about below. If we were to do it again, we wouldn’t take the group tours. Instead, I’d suggest hiring a taxi for the day. Negotiate with the driver in advance so that the fare includes round-trip transportation plus wait time. If you need assistance, ask your hotel to make arrangements. This way, you spend exactly how much time you want at each location, and you’re not waiting on others. And because most of the workshops are open to the public and have their own informal English-speaking guides, you don’t need to hire your own.
Teotitlán del Valle is a village known for traditional Zapotec weaving. The Zapotec people have a rich cultural heritage that stretches back over 2,500 years with one of the most advanced pre-Columbian civilizations in Mesoamerica. This village is about a 45-minute drive outside Oaxaca. A taxi ride will likely run you around $50 round trip, not including wait time. You’ll find a dozen workshops including some that offer free, no-appointment demonstrations for visitors. We visited Taller Artesanal de Nelson Pérez Mendoza. At this workshop, a member of the Pérez Mendoza family walks you through the entire process — from carding and spinning the raw wool on traditional spinning wheels to dying the yarn with natural materials like marigolds, mosses and insects. You’ll witness family members working the looms — sometimes taking up to three months to complete a single, intricately designed rug. And then, you’ll be escorted to their store where there are hundreds of bags, pillow covers, rugs, table runners, and more. I’m not going to lie — it’s a pretty hard sell, and after seeing the amount of time and effort that goes into a single piece, you likely will be tempted to buy. But bring your credit card, as these weavings are not cheap — nor should they be.
About 20 minutes from Oaxaca, you’ll find the village of San Antonio Arrazola, known for its alebrijes. Alebrijes are brightly colored, intricately painted fantastical creatures. In Mexico City, you find them made from papier-mâché, but in this region, they’re hand-carved from wood. This art form was widely depicted in the Disney-Pixar movie Coco, and I admit to being absolutely obsessed with it! Taller de Alebrijes Armando Jiménez Casa Tlacuache is the studio where it all began. The alebrijes that we saw here were of the highest quality with prices to match. In addition to an orientation, this workshop does offer the opportunity for you to paint your own souvenir. Nearby Taller de Alebrijes Autóctonos is a collective of 50 families selling alebrijes at a more affordable price though a lower quality. The store is huge with thousands of pieces representing every animal imaginable.
The third Oaxacan handicraft is barro negro, referring to the black clay pottery from San Bartolo Coyotepec, about 30 minutes outside of Oaxaca. In the 1950s, a local artisan named Doña Rosa discovered that by polishing the surface before firing, the pottery would turn a glossy black. You can visit Alfarería Doña Rosa where her family carries on her legacy by demonstrating the art form and selling their creations.
It would take about three hours in driving time alone to hit all three locations. Throw in lunch plus a mezcal tasting, and you’d have a very full day. If it sounds like too much for your kids, skip one or two, or plan to do your shopping in Oaxaca.
4. Sample the region’s official drink (for the grown-ups)
Mezcal is a traditional Mexican distilled alcohol made from the agave plant, and it is everything in Oaxaca. It’s often compared to tequila, but while tequila is made specifically from blue agave, mezcal can be made from a variety of agave species. So all tequilas are mezcales, but not all mezcales are tequilas. Mezcal can be consumed straight or in cocktails. A well-known ritual involves drinking it with worm salt, or sal de gusano, which is made from crushed worms that live on agave plants. I passed on that one.
There are more than 600 mezcal distilleries, or palenques, within the state of Oaxaca. Most are family-run, specializing in artisanal, small-batch production. We stopped at El Rey de Matatlán near Teotitlán del Valle for a brief explanation of the process followed by a tasting of different mezcales and mezcal creams, which are more approachable, flavored versions. While the mezcal is for the adults, teens can still enjoy the visit by tasting the agave that the distillery also produces before getting a fruity ice pop, called a paleta, from the stand on the property.
If you don’t make it to a distillery, it’s no problem. Nearly every restaurant in Oaxaca serves mezcal, and there are tasting bars, as well.
5. Taste Oaxacan specialities
Oaxaca is truly a food lovers town. Its location plays a significant role in its food variety and quality. Surrounded by mountains and valleys, the geography creates microclimates, allowing for a variety of crops to be grown in different regions. The freshness of the produce is amazing. Oaxaca also is home to multiple indigenous groups, including the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, whose culinary traditions have shaped Oaxaca cuisine. Here are just a few foods to try during your visit:
- Mole: Oaxaca is known as the “Land of the Seven Moles,” each with its distinct flavor: amarillo, chichilo, coloradito, manchamanteles, negro, rojo, and verde.
- Quesillo: This cheese is soft and white with a stringy texture. It’s commonly used in tacos, tlayudas, and other traditional dishes.
- Chapulines: These toasted grasshoppers are typically seasoned with garlic, lime, and salt. I had them as part of a salad, cased in quesillo. I liked them so much, I ordered them at a second restaurant in a quesadilla.
- Hot chocolate: Oaxacan hot chocolate is made with chocolate (often in a tablet form) plus ground cinnamon, almonds, and vanilla. It’s traditionally whipped with a wooden whisk, called a molinillo, to create a frothy texture. It’s delicious! I also really enjoyed Oaxacan coffee and coffee drinks, which lacked the bitterness of some coffees in the United States.
- Tejate: This traditional Oaxacan drink is made from cacao, maize, and variety of seeds. It’s slightly bitter and typically served cold.
KidTripster Tip: Before you travel to Oaxaca, I’d recommend watching Eva Longoria’s Searching for Mexico show (episode 3) on Oaxaca. It streams on Max.
6. Dine at Michelin-quality restaurants for a fraction of the cost
Dining in Oaxaca is incredibly inexpensive as compared to the United States, so bring your appetite when visiting!
For breakfast, your family must try one of the bakeries, or panaderías. Bodæga was our favorite. The breads and pastries here are divine, as are the hot chocolate and coffee drinks.
For lunch, consider grabbing some street food: fresh-cut mangoes, elote (corn on the cob), tlayudas, empanadas, tacos, tamales Oaxaqueños and more. You’ll find carts on street corners or step into one of the many food markets, like Mercado 20 de Noviembre.
But eat a light lunch so that you have an appetite for dinner. I highly recommend Las Quince Letras under the guidance of award-winning Chef Celia Florian. Here, grasshoppers, or chapulines, are featured in a number of dishes. And don’t miss Michelin-starred Levadura de Olla Restaurant and Chef Thalía Barrios’ signature salad. It showcases a medley of locally sourced heirloom tomatoes, each offering a unique taste profile. The tomatoes are presented like a work of art atop a beetroot purée. Honestly, I’m still dreaming about this salad!
KidTripster Tip: Most people know that it’s best to drink only bottled water while visiting Mexico. But if you’re having a dinner at a nice restaurant in Oaxaca, it’s typically alright to have a drink with ice. Just ask if the water used is filtered, ”¿Están los cubitos de hielo hechos con agua filtrada?” We did have drinks with ice and experienced no stomach issues.
7. Take a cooking class from an Oaxacan family
The highlight of our trip was the day that we spent with Chef Alfonso and his parents at their family home where they run the Que Rico es Oaxaca cooking school. The experience starts at the Mercado Sánchez Pascuas where Alfonso introduces you to a bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and meats. After gathering all the necessary ingredients, Alfonso drives you to his family house, where his welcoming parents are waiting. Over the next few hours, you’ll learn how to make a full Oaxacan meal. Ours included (tailored to allergies and preferences) freshly made corn tortillas, two salsas, garnaches, red mole with chicken and vegetable rice, and lechesilla for dessert. Throw in some mezcalitas and salsa dancing lessons from Alfonso, Sr., and you have the makings of a delightful afternoon.
KidTripster Tip: Again, this activity is ideal for teens who really enjoy cooking and learning about food traditions. Participants should be at least 8 years old.
8. Visit Monte Alban
While I’m including a visit to the ancient Zapotec city and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte Albán, I suggest that you tour it in an entirely different way than we did. In other words, learn from our mistakes.
We signed up for an all-day, English-speaking tour through Viator which included Monte Albán, plus the artisan villages of San Antonio Arrazola and San Bartolo Coyotepec, mentioned earlier. It ended up being a 20-person tour where we were the only English speakers. The guide did her best to impart all the information in both English and Spanish, but that meant while she was speaking to us, our fellow Spanish-speaking tour participants were waiting in the hot sun and vice versa. It also meant there was a lot of wasted time throughout the day waiting on other people.
Here’s what we should have done: Monte Albán is only six miles west of Oaxaca, an easy taxi ride. Once there, you can hire an English-speaking guide at the entrance gate to take you on a private tour. That way, you can go at your own pace (which is likely faster than a group of 20) and ask questions relevant to your interests. It’s a large archaeological site, and how long you linger will likely be influenced by your family’s attention span and the heat.
If you’ve been to Chichén Itzá, the Mayan ruins a few hours’ drive from Cancun, Monte Albán is similar but not nearly as large or impressive.
KidTripster Tip: Arrive when the site opens at 8 a.m. Bring sun protection and plenty of water. This site is probably too much for younger children, and the grounds are not stroller-friendly.
9. Spend the evening like a local in Zócalo de Oaxaca
What I find so unique about Oaxaca is its authentic. While it’s a highly touristed city, what goes on there day in and day out is not solely for tourists. Take, for example, evenings in Zócalo de Oaxaca, the main square. Everyone — from families with children to senior citizens — are strolling the square in the evenings and not just on the weekends. Every night, there seems to be something going on — a free concert, a salsa dance competition or kids comedy act. There are street performers, food vendors and musicians performing at the outdoor restaurants that surround the square. In short, it’s a vibe and a perfect way for your family to soak up Oaxaca’s charm at the end of the day.
[ Related: A Day-by-Day Journal with UnCruise in Mexico ]
And then there’s the spot that I would not recommend…
I read a lot about Hierve el Aqua before booking a full-day tour that also included the village of Teotitlán del Valle and mezcal tasting. It features petrified waterfalls, which are rock formations created by the calcification of mineral-rich water flowing over the cliffs for thousands of years. One stands 95 feet tall, and the other is 40 feet tall. On top of the cliff sit natural pools of water that you allegedly can swim in. The view of the Sierra Madre mountains was described as “breathtaking.”
I’m going to disagree. First, the landscape was nice but not stunning. When we arrived early in the morning (which is imperative because of the intense heat), a crew was power washing one of the pools. Yes, it was a bit strange for a “natural wonder.” And while people were there with towels, no one was in the other pools. I thought that perhaps the policy regarding swimming had changed, but a check of the All Trails app suggests that you can indeed swim. There’s a moderately strenuous 1.7-mile hike that loops the cliff, but at the time, we weren’t confident that it indeed did loop. Without proper signage and a strong cell signal to check a map, we turned around at the bottom and retraced our steps. Overall, if you’ve seen the calcified Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park, I think this natural wonder would be disappointing.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re still keen on going, make sure to have a driver. Getting there is tricky. It takes about 1.5 hours. Bring sun protection and plenty of water. And if you hike the trail, do it counterclockwise. It would be difficult for young children.
Oaxaca is a city that ignites the senses and sparks curiosity. From its vibrant streets and mouthwatering cuisine to its rich cultural heritage and warm hospitality, this destination offers families with teens an unforgettable journey into the heart of Mexico.
