Once a residence for Aztec rulers and Mexican presidents, the sprawling Bosque de Chapultepec is one of Latin America's oldest and largest urban parks. The hilltop 19th-century Chapultepec Castle, which doubles as a history museum, rises above the wooded grounds of the park's first section, where you’ll find some of the city's best museums. Don't miss the world-class Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Anthropology Museum) for a crash course in Mexican history, then wander over to the Museo de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Museum) to contemplate Las Dos Fridas, one of Frida Kahlo's most famous paintings.

Several park venues host music, dance and theater events throughout the year, most notably the Centro Cultural del Bosque and the adjacent Auditorio Nacional. In Chapultepec's second section take the kids to Papalote Museo del Nino (a fun hands-on children's museum), then hit the nearby Fuente de Tláloc, a wonderful rain god sculpture and fountain crafted by Diego Rivera. The park is also home to a zoo, a botanical garden and several lakes with waterfront restaurants. Metro station Chapultepec and Metrobús stop Antropología are two convenient public transportation stops.