Ok, so almost everybody who visits Mexico City goes to Alameda or Chapultepec. But Mexico City has a lot more parks to offer. Let’s explore the 3 great hidden parks in Mexico City, no expats know. They don’t get the attention they deserve.
Hidden parks in Mexico City, no expat knows are:
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Parque Bicentenario (Bicentenario park).
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Bosque de San Juan de Aragón Park (Aragón Park).
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Parque Tezozomoc (Tezozomoc park).
Bicentenario Park (Parque Bicentenario)
Less famous, but still amazing is Bicentenario Park. It is located further away from most of the attractions in Mexico City near the metro station Refinería (Line 7) in the industrial zone. What it can brag about are its big size, a beautiful artificial lake, and a botanical garden. Yes, there is a really nice botanic garden in Bicentenario Park!
It is a very nice park for daybreak or a picnic. Ok, maybe it is not really a hidden park, but you can rarely see an expat here. I have been working from this Mexico City park many times, and I have barely seen any foreigners.
We were living very close to line 7 of the CDMX metro, so it was really easy to visit. For foreigners that live close to Mexico City center, this park can be far away, but for a weekend trip, could be a great option.
The park is very good for runners and enjoying different sports. There are sports fields that you can use for free and play football, basketball or another one.
It is a bit far from the popular places in Mexico City, so if you are planning to go be prepared. Get at least a few sandwiches and drinks. Parque Bicentenario has a free entrance. The botanical garden of Parque Bicentenario also has free entrance.
Something that you can really like is that this Mexico City park hosts concerts. Many big music bands like to use it as their stage. You can check Bicentenario Park's site: https://parquebicentenario.com.mx/
How much time do you need to explore Bicentenario Park?
As an expat, you will need a complete day to explore Bicentenario Park. It is big and it is located far from the typical tourist attractions. Get a whole day for it, so you can have enough to walk around, do exercises, or visit the botanic garden.
How to get to Bicentenario Park?
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Metro (subway). It is really easy to get to Bicentenario Park. You need to use Line 7 (Orange Line) and get off at Refinería station. The park is just outside of the metro station.
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Car. Of course, you can reach it by car too. There is free parking there.
How much to spend in Bicentenario Park?
The entrance is free. There are no restaurants there, so you better prepare food and drinks in advance. You can get some from the entrance to the park, just outside the metro and it will cost you less than 100 Mexican pesos per person, so less than 200 Mexican pesos for 2.
Bosque de San Juan de Aragón Park
The park Bosque de San Juan de Aragón is one of those, that rarely enters the ranking of top parks in Mexico City. Apart from the cool name, that sounds like it comes from the Lord of The Rings, it has more to offer. It is one of the biggest green areas of Mexico City. How can this be one of the hidden parks in Mexico City? Almost exclusively, Mexican people visit Bosque de San Juan de Aragón Park. Almost no expat here in Mexico knows it. Why? It is just outside of the radar of the typical foreigner in Mexico City. It is not close to any job cluster, or trade cluster, yet it is quite interesting to visit.
In Bosque de San Juan de Aragón, you can find:
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Pool for swimming. It cost just 61 Mexican pesos per person. The price was last updated in July 2023.
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An artificial lake.
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Park sculptures.
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Dog park for strolling your pet.
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Skate park.
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Track for cycling.
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Sports area for football or squash.
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The park is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 6 am to 6 pm and the entrance is free.
Bosque de San Juan de Aragón Park is very close to the Benito Juarez airport in Mexico City. If you have just a few hours to wait in Mexico City, you can get there by taxi in 5-10 minutes and spend your waiting time there. It could be a good resting place for business travelers and a nice weekend escape for expats in Mexico City.
You can check more about Balneario San Juan de Aragón here:
https://www.archivo.cdmx.gob.mx/vive-cdmx/post/balneario-san-juan-de-aragon
How much time do you need to explore Bosque de San Juan de Aragón Park?
1 day. The park is big and it is located far from the typical tourist attractions. Get a whole day for it, so you can have enough to walk around, do exercises, or even swim.
How to get to Bosque de San Juan de Aragón Park?
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Metro (subway). It is really easy to get to Juan de Aragón Park. You need to use Line B (Green and Grey Line) and get off at Bosque de Aragón station. The park is just outside of the metro station.
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Metrobus. You can use the Metrobus Line 6 (Pink Line) and get off at Villa Aragón station.
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Car. You can easily drive there and find free parking.
How much to spend in Bosque de San Juan de Aragón Park?
The entrance is free. There are no restaurants there, just a coffee place, so you better prepare food and drinks in advance. You can get some from the entrance to the park, just outside the metro and it will cost you less than 100 Mexican pesos per person, so less than 200 Mexican pesos for 2. If you want to swim too, count 61 Mexican pesos per person and that will make the account at just above 300 Mexican pesos for 2 people.
Tezozomoc park (Parque Tezozomoc)
Not so many people know about Tezozomoc Park. This is a truly hidden park in Mexico City. It is a very beautiful and large park, located in the north of the city. It is a great place to play football or other sports. You can go around on a bicycle or run. There are also water wheels, so you can enjoy pedaling in the artificial lake. It is a large lake and the environment is very pleasant.
The Tezozomoc Park is very kid-friendly and there are often children's activities organized by the municipality or local schools.
Tezozomoc Park has a free entrance and working hours from 6 am to 6 pm.
How much time do you need to explore Tezozomoc Park?
You will need 1 day. The park is big and it is located far from the typical tourist attractions. Get a whole day for it, so you can have enough to walk around, do exercises, or pedal a boat in the lake.
How to get to Tezozomoc Park?
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Metro (subway). It is really easy to get to Tezozomoc Park. You need to use Line 7 (Orange Line) and get off at El Rosario station. The park is 5 minutes by walking from there. You can also use metro Line 6 (Red Line) and get off at Tezozómoc station. From there you need to walk west for 5 minutes and you will arrive.
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Car. You can drive there and find free parking.
How much to spend in Tezozomoc Park?
The entrance is free. There are no restaurants there, just fast food, so you better prepare food and drinks in advance. You can get some from the entrance to the park, just outside the metro and it will cost you less than 100 Mexican pesos per person, so less than 200 Mexican pesos for 2.
Outro
So, now you know 3 more hidden parks in Mexico City. You can be one of the few expats to visit them. they feel a lot different than Chapultepec Park or Parque España in Condesa.
All of them are worth your time. You can swim, paddle a boat, or just go for a nice stroll with your dog. They are located a bit further from the center, but there is a good metro (subway) system, so you can still reach them.
If you are searching for good parks to have a nice experience with your family, you can also check the most famous parks in Mexico City.