Before You Go
Before you go:
Enroll your trip with the state department, and receive any travel alerts: https://step.state.gov/step/
Notify your bank you will be traveling internationally, and check their policy on withdrawing money at foreign ATMs.
Check with your cell phone carrier that your phone will work in Mexico. You may need to purchase day passes from your carrier at around $20/day. If you have a “North American Plan,” then Mexico may already be included at no extra cost.
Visit your doctor and discuss health concerns. Make sure to pick up antibiotics, inhalers, allergy medicine, and any other pharmaceuticals to pack for your trip.
Make reservations at any restaurants, museums, or tours you want to enjoy.
Make copies of your passport to leave with a friend at home, and one to carry with you (but don’t carry your real passport unless absolutely necessary).
LAST THING BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE USA: Update your phone and all your important apps. Make sure to see my section on what apps I recommend!
Visa Requirements:
Citizens of the countries listed below do not require a Mexican visitor visa to enter Mexico for business, tourism, short studies (under 6 months) or transit.
You can check the list of the countries that do require a Mexican visitor visa here.
Canada
United States
United Kingdom
Japan
Any country of the Schengen Space
Apps to download before you go
Transportation:
Uber: Make sure that you have Uber updated on your phone with a current credit card. This will be your main mode of transportation around Mexico City. The reason to choose Uber is that you have the security of a US-based company, that brings with it safety, quality, and financial peace of mind. Uber is far preferable to taking a taxi. Set your Uber app to Black Car or Black SUV. Uber Black means professional drivers in upscale cars. These will be more comfortable, reliable, and safer than UberX, and the prices are not exorbitant at all for a Black car in Mexico City.
E-Scooter and Bike Shares: Bird, Lime, and many local companies. These are really great to use—convenient and fun way to get around. They're all over the city, and are easy to pop on and off for fun or as legitimate transportation. There are bikes with docks you have to pick up and return to, and some that are dockless bike shares. The dockless ones are not quite as comfortable, but are certainly very convenient. There will likely be a new company offering bikes or scooters in Mexico City, and be prepared to download those when you get there.
Eating Well:
Download the OpenTable app. This is the most common way to get restaurant reservations. You can find out what restaurants are nearby, and what their hours are. Sometimes OpenTable will feature menus, so you can get an idea of what you want to order. It's a reliable way to get reservations all across Mexico City, and very easy to use.
Communicating:
Download Google Translate and set to translate in and out of Spanish. Google Translate can be written, visual, or audio. You can hold up your phone’s camera to printed text to see it translated in real time. You can speak Spanish or English into Google Translate, and it will play a translation for you that’s pretty spot-on. Finally, you can always type in the sentence you want to say, and then hold up the text translation to whoever you are communicating with. Google Translate is a real life saver, and truly works well!
Banking:
Make sure to update your bank apps so you can do your banking on your phone. I liked to check my Wells Fargo account periodically to see how much money I’d spent, and to make sure there weren’t any fishy charges. Being able to monitor your accounts provides great peace of mind. Most major US banks have a phone app that can be used anywhere.
Other Apps:
AirBNB: If you are staying in an AirBNB or going on AirBNB Experiences, you absolutely want to download and use the AirBNB app. All communication with AirBNB hosts happens through their site, so it’s vital to have the app on your phone. That way, you can communicate with hosts, even when you aren’t at your computer.