Why we went…
Ainsley decided not to do sleep away camp this year. This gave us the opportunity to go somewhere and do something special while Spence was away. I found a Spanish immersion school in Oaxaca with fantastic reviews. And, as an added bonus, we got to explore this amazing city for a full week.
How we go there…
Volaris has a direct flight from LAX to Oaxaca. We were carry-on only and were able to procure the second row on the plane so the flight was very easy and comfortable.
Where we stayed…
For the first five nights, it was just Ainsley and me. We opted for a hotel to have the security of a front desk attendant and concierge. We stayed at the Na Na Vida Hotel which happened to be an easy 10 minute walk on the same street to our school. It was the perfect spot for the two of us. The price was right. It was clean and felt very safe. The staff was great, and the hotel offered amenities like free bottled water, a casual breakfast in the courtyard each morning, and a spa with reasonably priced massages and facials.
We moved to an AirBnB for a little more space when Rick arrived. We found a great spot with a little plunge pool on Melchoir Ocampo not far from the Zocolo. The location was great and the space was perfect for the three of us.
What we did…
Our week at The Spanish Immersion School was fantastic! We each had our own tutors for four hours of classes per day for five days. It was a lot of Spanish and a lot of work but really fun and educational. We did most of our classes at the school in their beautiful outdoor space. We could also choose to have class at a cafe or walking around the city. We not only really improved our Spanish but also learned a lot of about Oaxaca and Mexican culture.
The best thing to do in Oaxaca is to walk around. The historical center is pretty small and easy to navigate. It’s fun to pop into different museums, galleries, cafes and churches. Below are some of our favorite spots and must-sees.
The Zocalo is a vibrant part of town. Every evening, there were gatherings and celebrations in the square, and the church provides a spectacular background.
Santo Domingo church and the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca is a must-do! The museum is one of the most beautiful spaces, and the content is really interesting. It is mostly in Spanish so if you want to understand more about the contents of the museum you can hire a local guide when you enter. You also get beautiful views of the botanical garden from the museum.
Other great smaller museums that we popped into were the Textile Museum and the Centro Cultural San Pablo. These were beautiful spaces and free to enter.
After visiting the Centro Historico, continue straight north along the aqueduct to the beautiful neighborhood of Xochimilco. We loved wandering the streets. The street art is stunning and colorful and provided a backdrop for many amazing pictures. We also stopped in a wonderful cafe and a chocolate shop. We want to return to try the restaurant Ancestral on our next visit.
Jataltaco is another beautiful neighborhood a ten minute walk to the east of Santo Domingo. More beautiful cobblestoned streets, charming cafes and restaurants and gorgeous murals. Here we did the Mexcal and Mole experience that was fantastic. We enjoyed a guided tasting of 7 moles paired with 7 mexcals. It was one of the best tasting experiences we have had.
We took a fantastic day trip to Hierve el Agua, a mezcal palenque, Teotitlan, and a market in a small town. It was a great day and nice to see some of the countryside.
Where we ate…
Casa Oaxaca – We will start with Ainsley’s favorite! We loved everything about this restaurant from the setting on the terrace next to Santo Domingo to the amazing insect tostado, fish crudo and Ainsley’s favorite mole dish of the trip. They also do a table side salsa with chapulines which is so good.
Criollo – This was probably my favorite meal of the trip. The restaurant is beautiful. I loved the use of Oaxacan ceramics at every restaurant, but Criollo’s dishware was perfection. The indoor outdoor dining area is dreamy. The coursed out meal was spectacular, and Ainsley’s no cheese preference was not a problem for them to accommodate. We got the drink pairing which was a lot of fun and very reasonably priced. It is hard to choose my favorite dishes, but the Romanesco salad, tamale and short ribs stood out!
La Cosecha Mercado Organico – The setting is beautiful and every stall offers plenty of wonderful options for eating, drinking, and shopping. This is a great spot to stop for lunch when exploring the city. Ainsley loved the aguas frescas and hot chocolate, and I really enjoyed the unique flavor of the aguamiel (an agave probiotic drink). One day for lunch, we picked out dishes from different stands to share. Guacamole, torta, chicken tinga tacos, and a chocolate tamale. All were fantastic! The price is also right! Bring cash.
Crudo – Japanese/Mexican fusion – count me in! I loved this experience from beginning to end. Chef Richardo was a fantastic host and spoke to us through out the entire meal while preparing the dishes. The first bite which was a oyster in oaxacan cheese was one of the most unique and best tasting dishes I have ever had. Every dish was unique and the flavors were amazing.
Levadura de Olla – The tomato salad did not disappoint! We loved the beautiful setting, creative cocktails (Rick’s cilantro mojito was really delicious and fresh). The pork tamale with melted Oaxacan cheese was really good too and, of course, Ainsley devoured the guacamole con chapulines.
Muss Cafe and Boulenc – We always love to find the best coffee in a new city. Muss Cafe was our favorite. The coffee and hot chocolate is excellent and the setting is gorgeous. We also enjoyed Boulenc which had great coffee and really wonderful pastries and breads.
Las Quince Letras – We ate here the first night. It was a good introduction to Oaxacan food. This was Ainsley’s first time having the guacamole con chapulines (grasshoppers). Her favorite Oaxacan food! The tres moles is also a great item to share.
There are a few restaurants that we want to try the next time we are in town! Los Danzantes, Ancestral and Asador Bacanora.
Where we drank…
Oaxaca is known for its Mezcal so we had to try a few along the way. Rick absolutely loved the tasting at Mezcaloteca. He had a private tasting with a very knowledgeable mezcal professional. I also did a couple tastings before Rick arrived at Mezcalillera and Cuishe. Both were great though probably not as in depth as Rick’s experience at Mezcaloteca.
Where we shopped…
We don’t normally do a lot of shopping when traveling, but Oaxaca has some of the most beautiful handicrafts. The textile stand at La Cosecha Mercado Organico has the most beautiful purses, and we loved strolling the street markets for good finds. Through online research, the overwhelming spot to buy beautiful pottery in town is Colectivo 1050. I could have purchased the whole store. We love the pitchers and cups that we purchased this trip.
Traveling Lyons 