What To Do In Mexico City In September (Special Events & Activities)
Trying To Plan A Trip To Mexico City And Wondering If September Is A Good Time To Visit Or If There Is Anything Special To Do Here During This Month?
My second visit to Mexico City was during the month of September because of a special event I wanted to attend, but there are also a few other reasons why you might want to consider visiting this capital city during this fall month.
🗓️ What To Do In Mexico City In September
⭐️ Overall – What To Do In Mexico City In September:
- ✅ I think September is a fantastic month to visit Mexico City because of two particular events/celebrations (Mexico’s Independence Day and the country’s biggest soccer rivalry match), plus September is at the end of the slow season so there might be slightly fewer crowds and the average rainfall starts to drop compared to summer so you could get some really nice weather
- ❌ but average rain is still around 10 days during this month so it’s definitely possible/likely that you’ll get a little wet at this time of year, and CDMX seems to be cursed on September 19th in particular because three major earthquakes have occurred on this day in the span of 37 years (the most severe being the 1985 one), so it could be a more dangerous time of year to visit
Continue reading for more details on special things to do in Mexico City in September.
🇲🇽 The Best Things To Do In Mexico City In September
There are two particular events/celebrations that make visiting Mexico City in September a great idea, but because of possibly fewer crowds at this end of slow season month, it could also be a great time to visit and experience all the best things to do in this city.
*️⃣ What’s The Difference Between DF & CDMX? there’s no real difference, both refer to Mexico City; DF stands for Distrito Federal (Federal District), the capital of the United Mexican States, while CDMX stands for Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City)
Celebrate Dia de la Independencia
Being the capital of Mexico, CDMX is a wonderful place to visit to experience some special Mexican celebrations like Dia de Muertos in October/November and Dia de la Independencia in September.
Dia de la Independencia is Mexico’s Independence Day, which is in September, not in May on cinco de Mayo like many people think. On the night before, the president steps out onto the balcony in the main historic Zocalo square to shout the famous “Grito de Dolores”.
“Grito de Dolores” is the famous Mexican battle cry that was uttered by independence hero/martyr Miguel Hidalgo on September 16th, 1810. His mob-army and fight for independence was crushed and he was executed in 1811, but his cry remained the cry for Mexican independence.
Every year throughout the country small towns and cities repeat his cry on the eve of Independence Day (the night of September 15th), but Mexico City is the big event where the president steps out onto the balcony of the National Palace to shout this “Viva Mexico” battle cry.
Go To The Biggest Rivalry Game
One of the most important things for me to do on my very first trip to Mexico City was to go see a professional soccer game, but I never imagined that I would become a diehard fan of the team I went to see and I would need to return many times just to go their games, especially their huge rivalry game.
Besides the fact that going to any soccer game in Mexico is such a great way to really experience some of the local culture, the Chivas vs Club America match is the best of them all.
In addition to being the current top two winning teams in the Mexican League, the Chivas-America rivalry (aka El Clásico Nacional) dates back more than 70 years when the two teams first played each other in the 1940s, with tensions rapidly growing over the next 30 years and really peaking in the 1983-84 final between these two teams.
No matter what kind of season either team is having, this rivalry game held in September in Mexico City is always an exciting and intense one, plus its in the famous Estadio Azteca which is a site to see on its own.
➡️ Want To Go To A Soccer Game In Mexico City, But Confused Or Nervous About Doing It Alone? if you don’t want to figure out all of the details on how to go to a game on your own, you can find some guided soccer match-day tours
Visit Teotihuacan
Although Mexico is full of archaeological ruins (like Chichen Itza, the Tulum Ruins, the Great Pyramid of Cholula, etc.), the Teotihuacan Pyramids and archeological zone was my favorite because of its mysterious origins, its close proximity to CDMX, the ability to climb it (at least when I went), and its fewer crowds (at least when I went).
Although the Teotihuacan Pyramids get millions of visitors each year, since September is the end of the slower season in Mexico City, you might find fewer crowds at this amazing historical site.
A safe, convenient, and stress-free way to get here is to go on a guided tour. There are lots of options, but here are a few of the highest rated:
- 🛕 YouTours CDMX (5.0 stars with 2,100+ reviews) private tour to Teotihuacan
- 🛕 Yolotli Adventures (5.0 stars with 800+ reviews) hotel pickup, 3 pyramids tour, and lunch at La Gruta
- 🛕 Paseos Olmedo (4.9 stars with 10,300+ reviews) morning or afternoon tour without tourist traps
- 🎈 Tlatoani Tours (4.9 stars with 7,700+ reviews) pickup in CDMX, hot air balloon flight, pyramids, and breakfast in a cave
Go To A Lucha Libre Show
It might be a little bit cheesy, but I think because it lets you experience more of the real Mexican culture, going to watch a Lucha Libre show is definitely worth it, plus it’s easy to find a guided tour if you don’t want to go alone.
September is typically a big month for wrestling and Lucha Libre in Mexico City, so this is the perfect time to visit to find a show to add to your itinerary.
A Few Other Typical Things To Do Here
Besides the more special events or celebrations in the month of September, other great things not to miss on your trip to Mexico City include:
- 📍 Templo Mayor – Aztec ruins under the city, discovered by electrical workers in the 1970s
- 📍 Museo Nacional de Antropología – National Museum of Anthropology, which has some really cool artifacts
- 📍 Frida Kahlo Museum – museum & former home of famous Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo
- 📍 Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe – pilgrimage site to see the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe
- 📍 Xochimilco – the one remaining canal area where you can get a feel for what it was like before the Spanish arrived when locals used trajineras (boats) to get around; it’s technically still part of Mexico City, but it can take up to an hour to reach
- 🌮 Food – delicious, some healthier, and even Michelin-starred food and restaurants around the city
➡️ Concerned About Safety In Mexico City? here are a few guides to help you out on how to be extra safe here, the safest ways to get around, the best safe areas to stay, and why you shouldn’t use Airbnb here
📆 How Many Days Do You Need In Mexico City?
Mexico City is such a wonderful place to visit and there is so much to see and do here to easily fill a week, but it does depend on your interests and budget to determine exactly how long you should stay here.
I’ve been to Mexico City multiple times and still want to continue visiting, so I think with all the attractions in the city as well as other interesting nearby locations, you should plan for at the very minimum a 5 day trip.
🔁 Sum Up: What To Do In Mexico City In September
Besides the fact that Mexico City has had some disaster issues in the past during the month of September (particularly earthquakes) and you might need an umbrella for some rainy days, it’s actually a wonderful time to visit CDMX for Independence Day celebrations, the country’s biggest soccer rivalry match, possibly fewer Teotihuacan crowds, more Lucha Libre shows, and all the other fantastic things to see and do in this capital city.
