Title: Easy day trips you can make from CDMX | Expedia.com

![A couple wrapped in a brightly colored blanket stand outdoors next to a blue campervan. Two small dogs are at their feet.](https://a.travel-assets.com/travel-assets-manager/cmct-5053/MX-LP-Hero-D-1920x400-article3.jpg) 

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Author: Jason Heidemann

Easy day trips you can make from CDMX

Mexico City is a destination worthy of your travel bucket list. It's a place where culture and adventure abound, from touring the home where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera once lived, to boarding a gondola-like trajinera to float through the UNESCO World Heritage Site Xochimilco and joining the 23,000-person strong crowd at Areno Coliseo for a Lucha Libre wrestling match, it's a place where you can see and do it all. But there's one more thing you should do in Mexico City—leave it. Within a day's drive of the sprawling capital, travelers can find ancient Mesoamerican temples, colorful colonial-era cities, and belching volcanoes. Grab a morning churro and coffee at Churrería El Moro in Roma Norte (open 24 hours), head to one of the city's main bus stations (CDMX has four of them), and head to one of these spectacular towns for a day trip to remember.

COVID-19 travel alert: Please remember to check government advisories before booking and traveling.

![Aerial view of the city of Toluca. A snow-capped mountain is in the far distance.](https://a.travel-assets.com/travel-assets-manager/cmct-5053/MX-LP-Article3-1050x450-1.jpg)

Toluca

Travel time via bus: 1 hour

It may seem counterintuitive to leave behind one capital for another, but [Toluca](https://www.expedia.com/Toluca-Hotels.d10067.Travel-Guide-Hotels) is worth it. Located only 40 miles from Mexico City in the neighboring State of Mexico, the city is peppered with must-see gems. Start your day at Cosmovitral Botanical Garden. This is no ordinary place to stop and smell the roses. Providing shelter for more than 500 native plant species (plus numerous fountains and bridges) are more than 70 large works of swirling stained-glass murals, including The Sun Man, a fiery stain glassed image of a man, which is meant to represent mankind’s harmony with the forces of nature, science, art, beauty, and wisdom. Next, walk a couple of blocks and join the lunchtime queues at La Vaquita Negra del Portal, a beloved local deli. Famous for its varieties of chorizo sausages, including green chorizo (made with herbs and vegetables), it's a place where you can get a true taste of local cuisine. Make a full day out of your Toluca excursion with an additional stop at Valle de Bravo, a stunning Pueblo Magico ("Magic Town") located on the banks of pretty Lake Avándaro famous for its cobbled streets and outdoor activities galore.

![Aerial view of Santiago de Querétaro. A long expansive aqueduct crosses the foreground.  ](https://a.travel-assets.com/travel-assets-manager/cmct-5053/MX-LP-Article3-1050x450-2.jpg)

Santiago de Querétaro

Travel time via bus: 3 hours, 20 minutes

A stone aqueduct doesn't sound like the best reason to board a morning bus—but just wait until you see this one. Querétaro Aqueduct is crafted of pink stone and rings the city's historic center (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) like an ancient monorail system. It first started bringing water to the city in 1738 and remains a dazzling (and Instagrammable) fixture. Located in Mexico's balmy Central Highlands, [Querétaro](https://www.expedia.com/Queretaro-Hotels.d2931.Travel-Guide-Hotels) is a city of a million people and among Mexico's fastest-growing areas. More than 1,400 monuments dot the city center, and there are plenty of notable buildings to check out too, including the ornate Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo and the still-functioning Teatro de la República, where officials signed the Mexican constitution in 1917\. After some sightseeing, head to all-day favorite Tikua Sur Este for southern Mexican cooking and fruity cocktails. (Try the chapulines, made from crickets, for an exceptional culinary offering.) In the afternoon, hire a driver and head to the nearby wine country to follow the famous Ruta de Queso Y Vino (Route of Wine and Cheese), where 11 local cheese factories and 18 wineries await.

![People climb to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun via the many, many stairs leading up the side of the enormous ancient structure. ](https://a.travel-assets.com/travel-assets-manager/cmct-5053/MX-LP-Article3-1050x450-3.jpg)

Teotihuacan

Travel time via bus: 90 mins

If you've never visited an archeological site in Mexico, you will hardly believe your eyes the first time you gaze upon the imposing ruins of Teotihuacan (meaning "place where the gods were invented"). Constructed a staggering 1,000 years before the Aztecs showed up, this Mesoamerican city was once home to tens of thousands of people and is celebrated for its masterful urban design, including its geometric grid layout. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, highlights of a visit to Teotihuacan include the Pyramid of the Sun (the third largest in the world) and the Pyramid of the Moon, both of which you can still climb. There is also the Citadel, a large square area housing various pyramids and structures, and several palaces, including Palace of Jaguars and Palace of the Quetza Butterfly, plus the city's main thoroughfare, the Avenue of the Dead. At the entrance to the site, be on the lookout for traditional Papantla Flyers!

![An exterior view of a narrow street lined with buildings painted in bright colors and plants in terracotta pots.](https://a.travel-assets.com/travel-assets-manager/cmct-5053/MX-LP-Article3-1050x450-4.jpg)

Puebla

Travel time via bus: 2 hours, 15 mins

If [Puebla](https://www.expedia.com/Puebla-Hotels.d2738.Travel-Guide-Hotels) is colorful like a rainbow, this city's pot of gold would have to be its stellar regional cuisine. This capital city gains its vibrant reputation thanks to its painted ceramic tiles, known as Talavera (also found in local pottery), adorning many of the homes here. The lively Zócalo Puebla, the city's central plaza, offers a natural starting point for all exploration. Only a block away from the Zócalo is El Mural de los Poblanos, a beloved all-day restaurant serving regional cuisine in an art-filled space. Try the mole poblano (a thick sauce made of cacao and spices) or the colorful chiles en nogada (a stuffed chili covered in a white walnut sauce and topped with pomegranate seeds and parsley). Next, stroll down photogenic Callejon de los Sopos (Alley of the Frogs) and pick up handmade crafts at the Toad Alley Market. Spend the remainder of the afternoon at the International Museum of the Baroque, designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and constructed of wispy white walls and reflecting water features.

![The sun sets over the rooftops of San Miguel de Allende casting an orange glow across the city.](https://a.travel-assets.com/travel-assets-manager/cmct-5053/MX-LP-Article3-1050x450-5.jpg)

San Miguel de Allende

Travel time via bus: 5 hours

[San Miguel](https://www.expedia.com/San-Miguel-De-Allende-Hotels.d9796.Travel-Guide-Hotels) will likely add an extra day or two to your vacation, but this beloved city and expat hangout is a Mexico must. Conjuring fairytale vibes akin to Prague, it's a joy to aimlessly wander San Miguel's streets and admire its Baroque Spanish architecture though there's plenty more to see and do at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start at Parish of San Miguel Arcangel, a 17th-century church and skyline icon thanks to its perfectly pink façade and towering spires. The church faces El Jardin, the city's main plaza, and a festive social hub featuring mariachi bands and street vendors. Next, walk over to Fabrica la Aurora, a former textile mill that today is a hub for the city's art scene and houses numerous galleries, restaurants, and artist workshops. San Miguel is a hot springs hot spot thanks to four major stratovolcanoes (and several minor ones). Head to La Gruta Spa, a day spa 20 minutes from the city center and famous for its dome-shaped grotto. While in the area, don't miss Sanctuary Atotonilco, a Mexican baroque-style church decorated in stunning religious folk art.

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