# Oaxaca city



## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

So the wife and kids (now 3) will be packing our bags and going on a 2.5 week vacation in the south of Mexico. We plan on making it down to Puerto Escondido to do some work on our property and see family in Rio Grande, but not before a 4 day stay in Oaxaca City. We plan on going to Monte Alban for a day, although I heard thats more a 1/2 day thing.

Can anyone else recommend anything else to see or do in the city?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

conorkilleen said:


> So the wife and kids (now 3) will be packing our bags and going on a 2.5 week vacation in the south of Mexico. We plan on making it down to Puerto Escondido to do some work on our property and see family in Rio Grande, but not before a 4 day stay in Oaxaca City. We plan on going to Monte Alban for a day, although I heard thats more a 1/2 day thing.
> 
> Can anyone else recommend anything else to see or do in the city?


Monte Albán is a must-see, especially if this will be your first visit to Oaxaca. I could rattle off a list of my favorite things to do in the city itself, but I don't know if they would be of interest to your children. How old are they?


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

The Church of Santo Domingo combines visit to a church and a museum. 
Cites of Santa Maria del Tula to see the big, ole tree. Teotitlan del Valle for rugs, San Bartolo Coyotepec for black pottery, and finally, Ocotlan de Morelos on friday for the really,big mercado. 
Monte Alban is worth a half day. Hit the zocalo and head down the street to visit the mercados.

After all my visits to Oaxaca, aside from the restaurants, most of the stuff to do is held outside of the city.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

conorkilleen said:


> So the wife and kids (now 3) will be packing our bags and going on a 2.5 week vacation in the south of Mexico. We plan on making it down to Puerto Escondido to do some work on our property and see family in Rio Grande, but not before a 4 day stay in Oaxaca City. We plan on going to Monte Alban for a day, although I heard thats more a 1/2 day thing.
> 
> Can anyone else recommend anything else to see or do in the city?


With children in-tow, and given the expanse of Monte Alban, I think you'll be ready to get on the next bus back to the center of the city (or drive back) after a couple of hours. Depends on how active the children are that day. More of an adult site than a young child one, IMO.

The central valley markets are interesting visits. A different one each weekday, or so it seems. I don't have the schedule anymore. But I enjoyed all of them. The plaza principal, the "Zocalo" seems always to be colorful and attractive for the kids, and the Central de Abastos and other markets are action-packed, colorful, lots of food, some small toys, etc. But it can be tough to tote the kids all over the place.

You'll probably enjoy the change in climate and some time to sit back and relax, soak things in. You're lucky the teachers and other professional protesters seem to have left town because they really disrupted the center of the city and made tourist visits unpleasant for several weeks recently.

Away from the center of the city there are parks where families take their kids and someone here might be able to point you in those directions, for "family fun" things to do. I've seen some baseball games there and enjoyed the stadium. I don't know if this is the "season" or not. 

Enjoy the trip. :clap2:


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

This won't be my first trip to Oaxaca City, however it will be the first time to the city for vacation purposes. Usually my trip consisted of landing at the airport, go to meeting, go to hotel, wake up and go to airport. This time I am looking forward to not really having a schedule and getting to know the city.
My children are probably not old enough to care about Monte Alban, but my wife and I are. She is originally from the coast of Oaxaca and has never been there...can you believe it? The fresh air and change of scenery will be good for the kids, too.

Thanks for the other suggestions on where to go! The markets and other historical locations are on the list now! I failed to mention that my wife's sister lives in the city, but she is one of those people that thinks that the neat things to see and do there are boring. I think thats because she lives there and sees these things everyday.

I am really looking forward to this vacation. Time to shut down for a bit. I may even leave my laptop behind


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I think that your kids could very well like the Zocala and adjacent plaza. Especially the plaza seems to have a lot of kids and vendors selling all sorts of toys for use in the plaza. We think that just sitting in the Zocala to people watch is fascinating. Expect your kids can have a lot of fun just running around while you sit. BTW, there is a woman, Sylvia, that sells great home made candies in the Zocala. The pecan candies are my favorite.
Monte Alban is both spectacular and very large. Expect that a good place for your kids to wear themselves out.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

My favorite thing to do in Oaxaca City is sit at a table at one of the cafes on the Zocalo and watch the world go by. The last time I was there I was treated to a colorful religious procession of women dressed in their finest Tehuana dresses. Your children would feel free to run around and play while you and your wife relaxed, hopefully with your laptop nowhere in sight!

Ooops, forgot to mention that there are band concerts in the Zocalo a couple of evenings during the week and maybe on Sunday afternoon. You can ask a local for a more exact schedule.


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