October 27 - November 3, 2024
¡Bienvenidos a CDMX! 🇲🇽
This isn't your typical Cancún resort style Mexico vacay, and that's by design!
Prepare yourself to see a whole new side of Mexico that you didn't know existed! Serving as the capital of Mexico and the 5th largest city in the world, CDMX is super rich in history and offers a vibrant art and foodie scene! Fully immerse yourself in Mexico City’s unique culture as you spend seven days in the heart of the city, exploring the local culture, drinking mezcal and tequila, and eating as many tacos as your heart desires.
Plus, we will be there for Halloween and Day of the Dead—it’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to see this amazing city come to life during one of the most eventful times of the entire year!
WE WILL COME TOGETHER
AS A GROUP OF STRANGERS
BUT LEAVE WITH FRIENDS
WE’LL HAVE FOR A LIFETIME.
Nervous about coming alone? Don’t be! Most people who come on my trips are solo travelers just like you. You might show up alone, but you’ll leave with so many new friends. Together, we will explore the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacan, ride in a hot air balloon, watch a lucha libre fight, celebrate Halloween and Day of the Dead, and so much more!
Itinerary
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Fly into Mexico City Airport (MEX)
Transport to our accommodations
Celebratory welcome drinks
Taco tour and lucha libreWelcome to Mexico City! Upon arrival, we will transport you to our accommodations - a beautiful art deco Mexican home in the historical center of CDMX. Once settled in, we will have celebratory drinks and head out for a taco tour and Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling match!
Dinner included
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Breakfast at house
City center walking tour with local guide
Lunch
Free time in afternoon/eveningToday we’ll walk around the historical center of CDMX with a local guide, and see all of the beautiful architecture, such as la palacio de las bellas artes, zócalo square, and more! If you've never been to Europe but love old architecture, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the European vibes of Mexico City!
Breakfast and lunch included
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Hot air balloon ride over Teotihuacan pyramids
Breakfast buffet
Teotihuacán tour
Lunch in a cave
Free time in eveningWe’ll start out our day bright and early with a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacán, a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
After our hot air balloon ride, we will have a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant and then tour the ancient pyramids. We will follow with lunch in an actual cave!
You’ll have time to rest up back at the house, and then the evening is yours to explore the city.
Breakfast and lunch included
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Breakfast to go
Day trip to Grutas Tolantongo
Return home in eveningToday we're heading to one of the most Instagrammable spots in Mexico and spending the day at Las Grutas de Tolantongo, a turquoise water playground full of hot springs, caves, and underwater thermal pools.
We’ll hit the road early to drive into the picturesque mountains of Hidalgo, Mexico. After stopping at a roadside stand for delicious micheladas and piña coladas, we’ll head to Grutas Tolantongo. After a few hours of exploration, we’ll have a late lunch before we head back to Mexico City.
On the drive back, we’ll watch one of my favorite movies about Día de los Muertos, Coco. Make sure you rest up, ‘cause tomorrow is a trip highlight!
Breakfast and lunch included
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Breakfast at house
Coyoacán neighborhood tour
Xochimilco canal tour with lunch, drinks, and mariachi
Free time in evening
After a bit of time to rest, we’ll head south of the city to tour the Coyoacán neighborhood, which is home to Frida Kahlo. We’ll stop at a famous local market to try some traditional tostadas, aguas frescas, and churros before we head onward to Xochimilco.In the afternoon, we’ll kick off our trajinera party boat through the canals of beautiful Xochimilco, where we’ll have drinks, singing, dancing, live mariachi, and a late lunch prepared right on the boat!
We’ll return back to the city in the evening, and the rest of the night is yours to explore or relax.
Breakfast, snacks, drinks, and lunch included
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Breakfast at house
Free time during the day
Dinner at Pujol
Option to go out to bars in Roma, Polanco, or CondesaIs there something in Mexico City that you’ve been wanting to see that isn’t on the itinerary? Today’s the day to do it! Whether you want to explore Chapultepec Castle, take a tour of Frida Kahlo’s house in Coyoacán, get a tattoo to commemorate your trip, or just do some shopping at el Mercado De Artesanias La Ciudadela—there’s no shortage of things to do in the city.
In the evening, we’ll reconvene at the house and head to our private dinner at Pujol, one of the top restaurants in the entire world (so popular, you have to make a reservation months in advance)! We’ll explore their 7-course tasting menu in their private dining room and try “Mole Madre”—their infamous mole dish that has been aging for over 8 years!
After dinner, if you’re still keen to explore CDMX’s vibrant nightlife, we’ll hit up the bars in some of the most popular neighborhoods.
Breakfast and dinner included.
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Breakfast at the house
Face painting and ofrenda
Día de los Muertos Celebrations
Free time in eveningAfter some time to relax, we’ll be getting our faces painted by local Mexican women, who will do sugar skull makeup application and transform us into Mexican catrinas.
After we get dressed in our Día de los Muertos outfits, we’ll create our own authentic ofrenda to remember our loved ones before heading out to the festivities.
Then we’re heading outside the city to visit a cemetery, where we will get to see how the locals celebrate and commemorate their loved ones.
Breakfast included. -
Sadly, it's time to say goodbye to Mexico. You can stay in the accommodation until 11:00 am, and we’ll be coordinating shared Ubers to the airport (included).
Hasta la próxima!
Breakfast included
Accommodations:
One of the best parts of this trip is that we stay together as a group in a historic home in the Centro area of Mexico City. This not only allows us to experience Mexico more authentically, but it allows our group more time to bond and socialize instead of being separated in a hotel. And don’t worry, introverts—you can still have your alone time!
This five-story art-deco home has 10 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and a private rooftop with views overlooking the city. The house has both private and shared bedrooms to accommodate your rooming preferences. It also has a full kitchen, living room, dining room, and several hangout spots throughout the house. Please note that the majority of the bathrooms will be shared. Laundry services are available on-site and free of charge.
It’s like adult summer camp, Mexican-style!
INCLUDED:
✓ Airport pickup and drop-off at Mexico City Benito Juarez International Airport (on official trip dates)
✓ All activities and tours listed in the itinerary
✓ Local ground transportation to all listed activities
✓ 13 meals (7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners)
✓ Exclusive private group dinner at Pujol (Rated best restaurant in North America 2021—$200 value)
✓ Accommodations in 4-story art-deco home in city center
✓ Spanish/English guide on all tours
✓ Trip travel guide with everything you need to know regarding safety, currency, packing, and preparing for your trip
✓ Group orientation call via Zoom 1 month prior to trip
✓ On-site support from Laura before and during trip
✓ Recommendations for restaurants and activities during free exploration time
✓ Professional photos and videos of the entire trip (provided upon return)
NOT INCLUDED:
X International flight to Mexico City. Details will be provided after you register.
X Travel insurance (optional, but highly encouraged)
X Meals not specified above (we have a full kitchen in the house and are surrounded by many amazing restaurants)
X Most alcohol (some tours will include complementary drinks)
X Gratuities for guide and driver (optional, but highly encouraged)
X Personal shopping
X Any extras not listed above
Why Travel With Me:
I believe in transformative and sustainable travel. Travel truly changes you for the better, and I believe that by immersing yourself in a culture, you’ll leave a better person than when you arrived. We’ll meet locals, have authentic experiences, and donate our time and resources to those in need so our tourism has a positive impact on this beautiful country.
I document everything. I LOVE taking photos and videos, and I’ll make sure to take plenty of flattering Insta-worthy photos of you!
You get built-in travel buddies. No more waiting on other people for travel plans that never come to fruition. The dates are set, the itinerary is made, and I am ready to go.
I keep my groups small. I prefer traveling with a small group (think 10-15 people max) who have time to get to know each other to keep things intimate.
I will prepare you for travel. I prepare my peeps every step of the way. That means providing information on everything from purchasing flights, Covid requirements, visas, currency, weather and safety to the more exciting things like what to wear and fun things to do in your free time.
You get to just show up. That’s the whole point of doing this, right? You buy your flight and pack your own bags (I might give you a tip or two), but I handle almost everything else! My goal is to make travel as easy and seamless as possible so you can just enjoy your vacation!
FAQs
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In order to ensure our group is a good fit for the activities we will be doing, all participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the trip.
While my groups vary in age, most are 30-50 years old. -
I tend to focus on my trips on locations that are often overlooked or have the perception of being unsafe--especially for women. These locations are often misunderstood, or the information found on the internet or by the media just isn't true.
Enter group travel. Traveling in a group setting along with a professional driver and trip leader gives you the confidence to see places that are often undiscovered by other travelers.
I vet and curate all my trips to make sure they are safe as possible. That being said, safety isn't guaranteed anywhere--even in your home city.
It is still important to use precautions whenever traveling, and that's why I prepare my groups with safety information that's specific to each country we go to.
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Absolutely not! Most people come on group trips alone, and it’s the best way to meet people!
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Yes, you will need a passport valid for 6 months beyond the trip (May 3, 2025).
If you do not have a passport, I recommend you start the process right away, as it can take several months to receive it. If you need assistance with this, feel free to reach out!
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This trip requires a moderate level of physical activity, with most of it being walking. There will also be several days that we will travel by van for an hour or more.
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While this trip is very on the go (we’ve got a lot of ground to cover), there are several days that have free time built in so you have time to wander, shop, and explore CDMX.
In addition, all planned activities are optional, so you are free to opt out at any time if you choose.
All that being said, this trip is designed to show you the best of the best of Mexico City, and all activities have been personally vetted by me to ensure you’re only seeing things worth seeing. If something isn’t generally liked by the entire group, I don’t include it in the itinerary and leave it for free time.
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I sure hope that’s not the case, but I also realize that life can be unpredictable, and things happen.
All trip payments are non-refundable.
Filling trip spots is incredibly time-consuming. I am a small boutique travel company, and I unfortunately do not have the ability to refund people if their plans change. Your deposits go directly to my local partners, and they are non-refundable to me as well.
For that reason, I highly recommend looking into travel insurance (see next FAQ for more details).
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Travel is booming at a time that staffing shortages are also at play, causing the travel industry to struggle to keep up with demand. Add in unpredictable weather, lost luggage, unscheduled absences of pilots, flight attendants, and tour guides, and you have a recipe for a disaster in the making if anything goes wrong with your trip.
While it’s optional, I always recommend getting travel insurance for large investments such as a trip like this. A few hundred dollars is well worth the peace of mind knowing you will have travel and health coverage should something go wrong before or during your trip (and I have had several people have to use it—they were SO glad they had it).
I always tell people to ask themselves, “am I willing to lose thousands of dollars should I not be able to go on this trip?” If the answer is no, consider getting insurance.
If you do want to learn more about travel insurance and are looking for a recommendation, you can learn more about my travel insurance partner, Wanderwell, here.
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Wait until you get the green light from me to purchase your flights—I typically recommend 3-6 months prior to the trip, or as soon as I’ve finalized our group and arrival details.
I will be in contact with you regularly with reminders and assistance on purchasing fights, visas, insurance, packing, and more.
In the meantime, feel free to set up a flight alert on Google Flights to start monitoring prices. You will be flying into Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX).
Do you have additional questions about traveling with us?
Fun Facts
Mexico City (CDMX) is the most populous city in North America, and the 5th largest in the world.
We will be visiting during one of the best times of the year! The weather is warm, but we will avoid the scorching heat and cold nights. The highs reach 80 and lows are in the 50s at night.
The Mexican peso is the official currency of Mexico.
“I absolutely loved going on Laura's CDMX group trip. Every day we had activities planned out for us that I would have never thought of on my own to go and do. We got into the culture of Mexico City that allowed us to to mingle with the locals and enjoy places other than tourist attractions. It honestly was all so amazing. I could never pick out one favorite day or activity, because every day there was something amazing. The entire trip created so many memories with a great group that are now friends. I can't wait to go on another one of Laura's future trips that is planned out from beginning to end and be able to get into the heart of where we are visiting. Hands down I will continue to recommend Laura's group trips to everyone I know that is looking to take a trip, but doesn’t know where or how to start.”
-Kathleen, Wisconsin
Ready to make it happen?
INVESTMENT: $2,999
I offer a free payment plan, so you can spread the payments across 6 months. A $500 deposit is due at time of booking with the following additional payment schedule:
$1000 due on February 1, $1,000 due on April 1, and the remaining amount due on June 1.
PAY IN FULL DISCOUNT: $249
Get $249 off for paying in full using code PAYINFULL at booking.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT ADD-ON: +$500
Limited single rooms are available for an extra $500. If not elected, you’ll be paired with someone of the same gender based on compatibility.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need a different payment arrangement.
I have been running group trips for 2 years now, and I’ve taken over 100 travelers to 7 countries all over the world. In that time, I have learned that while group trips are an amazing, life-changing adventure for most, they aren’t for everyone.
Here’s some general guidelines to help you determine if group trips are a good fit for you:
Like any travel experience, group trips require flexibility, self-awareness, and an open mind. Things don’t always go as planned during travel (sometimes that’s part of the adventure!), and if you can keep a positive attitude, perspective, and stay open-minded, it will make for a much more enjoyable experience for everyone.
Group trips are highly scheduled and organized (that’s the appeal, right?!). While you aren’t required to participate in activities that don’t interest you, it also still requires you to be on time and respectful of others.
Traveling in a group means sometimes we need to do what’s best for the group vs. the individual, and that things need to be organized in a way that the group can travel efficiently to make the trip go smoothly. It also sometimes means sharing meals, accommodations, and transportation with your trip mates—this brings a feeling of community and allows you to bond with your fellow adventurer buddies. It’s like adult summer camp!
Group trips involve lots of personalities—again, that’s part of the appeal! While I do my best to ensure everyone on the trip is a good fit, you might not become best friends with every person in your group, and that’s okay! I guarantee you’ll make some lifelong friends, and I ensure you can learn something valuable from everyone you meet.
These trips are usually international, which gives you the privilege of learning about other cultures. Often that means things might be different from what you are used to at home—again, that’s the whole point, right? Being open-minded, flexible, and willing to experience life in a different way will make for a transformative travel experience.
Still have questions?
Want to check out flight prices?
You will be flying in and out of Mexico City International Airport (MEX).
Laura Ericson Group Trips is not responsible for any costs related to flights. You can use this tool to gauge flight prices, but please wait until you get an email from us approximately 3-4 months prior to your trip to book your flights to ensure you have all of the information needed for booking. We recommend always booking with the airline directly and not from an online travel agency (OTA) like Kayak, etc.
“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown.”
— Anthony Bourdain