Your expert guide to the best things to do in Chihuahua City
Planning a visit to Chihuahua City, Mexico? It makes me really happy to know that you are because, honestly, it’s a great place and not that many overseas visitors spend much time here.
Chihuahua City has so much to offer its visitors: it’s stunningly beautiful, full of history, it’s the gateway city to the majestic Copper Canyon, and, of course, the food scene is top notch.
In this article you’ll find everything you need to know about this small, vibrant city in Northern Mexico.
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Is Chihuahua City worth visiting?
I think I just answered that in the introduction but let’s repeat: my answer is a resounding YES. We had a truly lovely four days there and could easily have spent a few more without being bored. I understand that for many the city might be synonymous with drug cartels and violence; we certainly weren’t unaware of this picture of the city but we were also determined to remember that everywhere is someone’s home and everywhere is full of people just being people and just wanting to do the best for their families.
We absolutely fell in love with this friendly, small city and think it’s well worth taking the time to get to know this historically important, and vibrant, city.
📚 If you want to know more about the history of Chihuahua, I’ve included a short outline at the very end of this article.
💚 Why I love Chihuahua 💚
Everywhere we went we were welcomed with smiles and kind words.
But, of course, it isn’t only about the kindness of strangers towards us: it isn’t just the street-food seller who gave me iced water when my daughter fell and banged her lip and then wouldn’t let me pay; it isn’t the uber driver who quietly cancelled our fare when I had to take our son to the hospital in the middle of the night with croup; it wasn’t the genuine concern of an entire group of people when my husband hit his head in a cave*; it wasn’t the workers at the water park 30 minutes out of town letting us in despite it being closed for a private party.
No.
It’s also about the feel of the city, how people are behaving and living. Well, what we saw, in the centre of town, was a lively city where people flock to the Plazas de Armas in the early evening (from around 5 pm) to walk and talk, to dance, watch the dancing and generally have a lovely time. There was always something going on and people were always there. We never once felt threatened, worried or unsafe.
* And yes, that’s right; my two kids and my husband all injured themselves while we were here. Not the city’s fault, just their fault. Lucky old me.
Is Chihuahua City safe to visit?
Chihuahua City is the capital of the state of Chihuahua. It has a population of a little over a million and you can definitely tell that this is a small place when you’re wandering around. It feels small, and safe.
We encountered absolutely no issues in Chihuahua. In fact, everyone we spoke with wanted to know if we felt safe. They also felt the need to bring up the notorious drug problems before we did (we wouldn’t have), I guess people feel defensive and protective of their beautiful city. Not once were we made to feel unwelcome or in danger.
And the truth is that while this region does have more crime than other parts of Mexico, it’s important to note that almost all of that crime involves drugs and the cartels. Tourists are not the target and unless you are seeking out drugs or weapons or participating in other sketchy activities, you will be fine. Just use your common sense – don’t seek out trouble, don’t flash wads of money around, don’t walk down strange streets at night, etc.
Getting to & getting around Chihuahua City
✈️ The easiest way to get to Chihuahua City is by plane. The Chihuahua International Airport (CUU) receives daily flights from many US cities, as well as from within Mexico. Dallas, Houston, and Denver in the US typically offer direct flights to Chihuahua, as well as Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tiajuana, and Cancun in Mexico. You can easily reach Chihuahua from other cities as well, you’ll likely just have to connect via CDMX.
→ Check for flights to Chihuahua now
🚌 Within Mexico, you can also reach Chihuahua via bus. The most popular route is via Ciudad Juarez, just across the border from Texas. Note that the bus station is about 10 miles from the city center but taxis are readily available there, as well as at the airport.
→ Check bus routes & timetables here
🚕 Uber does exist in Chihuahua City but they typically won’t pick you up at the airport (though they can drop you off). And there are regular taxis, of course.
🚶🏽♂️ For anything in the centre it’s easy enough to walk. Nothing is too far away and the city isn’t huge.
🚂 The El Chepe Regional serves Chihuahua, with trains leaving for Los Mochis (and all the intermediary stations) on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Trains arrive from Los Mochis on Wednesdays and Sundays. For more information on taking El Chepe through the Copper Canyon, read my series of articles about the Copper Canyon.
Where to stay in Chihuahua City, Mexico
🏨 MexicoCassie recommended hotel: San Felipe El Real – this fabulous boutique hotel is in a 19th century building centred around a lovely courtyard. It’s located right in the centre of the city and offers a delicious breakfast.
→ Check availability and book now
🏨 MexicoCassie recommended pool hotel: Hotel Posada Tierra Blanca – this beauty is that hotel with a pool is still located right in the centre of the city. There is a Mexican restaurant on site and an incredible mural in the lobby.
→ Check availability and book now
If neither of these work for you, why not use my helpful interactive hotel finder map to find something more to your liking.
When’s the best time to visit Chihuahua City?
🔆 We were in Chihuahua in early July. The temperature hovered between 25 and 30 degree Celsius. It does rain at this time of year although we saw none.
🧣 A driver told us that by November it can get really cold although winters do tend to be pretty mild. He was certainly convinced that winters are regularly around 2 degrees Celsius and that it’s possible to have snow in town. Everything I read though suggests a winter average of 17 degrees Celsius so that’s a discrepancy I can’t fix.
The best things to do in Chihuahua City
Go on a city tour
👣 Take a tour of the city – visit the main monuments and plazas of the city as well as the Pancho Villa museum and even the city aqueduct.
Explore the historic centre of Chihuahua
🏢 The first point of interest in any Mexican city is the Plaza de Armas, or main plaza. The city of Chihuahua is no different. The square is a delightful, pedestrianised area that comes alive towards early evening when people come out to stroll, eat, meet people and dance.
⛲️ From the Plaza De Armas there are two pedestrianised streets, both worth exploring, and both leading down to the Plaza De Angel and Plaza Mayor.
🛍 Don’t miss Mercardo del Centro – a non-touristy but very interesting market very close to the main plaza.
⛪️ Chihuahua Cathedral is an 18th century colonial building. People who enjoy visiting churches seem to enjoy this one too.
🖼 Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace) – This magnificent building was built in the late 19th century and is something of a landmark as it houses a shrine commemorating the execution of Miguel Hidalgo, by Spanish firing squad in 1811. In 1959 the then governor ordered that murals should be painted on the ground floor by the muralist Aaron Piña Mora. Since then more have been added and the building is now one great historical record of Mexican history.
Visit the many museums of Chihuahua City
There are so many museums in Chihuahua I doubt any short-term visitor would get to them all. Here are those I found particularly interesting.
🦣 Mammoth Museum (Av Jaurez y Calle 25, Centro)
Housed in a former school, this fascinating and eclectic museum is a veritable treasure of a museum. Begin with the mammoth in room one and work your way around marvelling at the random collection of historical artifacts: from ancient fossils to old musical instruments and an entire reconstructed old shop (my personal favourite), I defy you not to absolutely love this place.
Open: Tues – Sun 09:00 – 16:00
🔎 Museo Casa Chihuahua Museum (Calle Libertad)
It’s well worth going in to check out both the upstairs galleries and the downstairs museum of the history of the Federal Palace. The upstairs galleries are light and airy and contain a museum intended to inform visitors about the attractions of the state of Chihuahua. We really enjoyed the exhibitions here. A kind of highlight of the visit is seeing the dungeon where Miguel Hidalgo was a prisoner until he was executed in the Palacio opposite.
Open: Wed – Mon 09:00 – 17:00
🌱 Interactive Museum Semilla (Privada Progreso 1201)
Chihuahua’s science museum is one of the best interactive and child-friendly museums I have ever seen. We had an absolute blast here exploring the two enormous halls filled with fantastic exhibits, every single one of them meant to be touched, examined and played with by kids.
This museum is more aimed at children but we also did see adults without kids checking it out too.
Open: Tues – Fri 09:00 – 17:00 Sat – Sun 11:00 – 18:00
Casa De Villa
Museo Histórico de la Revolución / The Mexican Revolution Museum
This old manor house once belonged to Francisco Villa, head of the northern division of the Mexican armed forces.
Open Tues – Sun 10:00 – 18:00
Casa Juarez
The Museum of Republican Loyalty. In the former home of President Juarez, you will find this museum about the history of Mexico. I’d have loved to get here but we didn’t have time.
Open Tues – Sun 10:00 – 17:00
Ex-Hacienda El Sauz
This museum, located outside the city, is dedicated to the Apaches and Cowboys. The museum was the brainchild of residents of the village, most of them descendants of indigenous people and today, cowboys. The region here was originally Apache, and the museum is a tribute to the two cultures that could never find a way to coexist. We really wanted to get to this museum but ran out of time.
Open Wed – Sat 10:00 – 16:00
Less visited museums
Quinta Touche – Although this building is currently the Economic and Tourist Development Office, it is also home to a photography museum.
Tarike Museum – The permanent exhibition shows the stages of the city’s history.
Cultural Development Centre – Qiunta Gameros – Does what it says on the tin and shows the cultural heritage from art to culture.
Museo Sebastian – Housed in Casa Siglo XIX – This is a gallery of the works of Sebastian, one of the state’s most loved artists.
Casa Redonda – A contemporary art museum in a restored train workshop.
Sacred Art Museum – This museum is housed in the cathedral basement. Here you’ll find large religious paintings, a chair used by a former pope and other religious relics.
🪨 Visit the Chihuahua caves
There are two cave sites that can be visited from Chihuahua: Las Monas’ Caves and Nombre De Dios.
Las Monas – Here you’ll find the famous Raramuri cave paintings depicting sacred rituals, bears etc.
Nombre de Dios Caves – just a twenty-minute drive from town, these caves are a pretty popular destination for locals and tourists alike. The official visit is a 90-minute tour in Spanish taking in around 1.5km of cave in 17 rooms where you’ll see stalactites and stalagmites in some incredible shapes.
The cave can be warm and the going isn’t always easy so w were recommended to wear sensible shoes.
⭐️ Recommended Nombre de Dios tour – this tour is available in English and Spanish and visits both the caves and Quinta Carolina.
What about eating in Chihuahua City?
I love the story of why Chihuauhuan food is the way it is: apparently the colonizers who reached this area of Mexico were predominantly men who had no idea about cooking. That’s literally the story 😂. That said, modern Chihuauhuan food is actually very good and we found some truly good food during our stay in Chihuahua City.
Traditional dishes are very beef heavy and will often be served with a baked potato on the side. Look out for carne asada and arrachera. You’ll also find puchero (a beef & veg stew), beef tamales, tacos, and of course modern, international cuisine.
Machaca is a dried beef often eaten with eggs for breakfast. In addition, Chihuahua is also well known for its apple orchards and its cheese.
Here were some of our favourite Chihuahua City restaurants, that I would highly recommend checking out: Plaza Del Mariachi (Calle Juan Aldama, alongside Plaza del Angel), Ruiz Señor Gozaderia (Calle Guadalupe Victoria) & Ricky’s Tacos (there are three in town, we went to Ave Prol. Teofilo Borunda).
Day trips from Chihuahua
Creel
There is so much to see in this gorgeous little town that I really recommend spending at least a few days here but if you only have time for a day trip, I say take it!
In the pueblo magico of Creel, you can visit the Valle de los Hongos, Valle de las Ranas and Valle de los Monjes, Lago Arareko and take time to wander around the town itself.
Batopilas & Creel – 2 day trip
If you wish to see some of the best of Creel (the lake, the valleys, the caves and even the waterfalls) as well as the Batopilas valley and village, then this 2 day tour from Chihuahua is a great option.
Wine tasting adventure
There are a number of new wine tasting activities popping up around Chihuahua. Why not take a few hours to visit a winery and learn about the wine industry in this region (and, of course, enjoy a few ‘tastings’
⭐️ Recommended wine tasting tour – take a guided tasting experiences with an expert sommelier, enjoying 3 different wines.
Things to do with kids in Chihuahua City
We didn’t struggle to find things to do in Chihuahua City with kids. We took them to a number of the museums. Our kids were welcomed, and able to look around in their own way, which made the visits so much more worthwhile for all of us.
Obviously, I have dealt with museums in the section above so here I’ll outline other fun ways to entertain kids in Chihuahua.
⛲️ In the early evening, there are fountains on both the Plaza de Armas and Plaza Mayor. Local kids have a fabulous time running around fully dressed in both. We took swimming stuff and towels since hotels aren’t the best places to dry clothes and shoes.
🛝 Plaza del Angel – a huge plaza right next door to Plaza Mayor. Here the kids can run around like loons. Kids were very much enjoying using the monument as a giant slide.
🚂 Also in the early evening, there is a small train looping around the Plaza de Armas.
🌈 The city sign – I know this sounds odd. In Mexico, every city has its own name in large metal letters somewhere. These signs will always be a magnet for kids. Chihuahua’s is even better because it’s on a ramp. The kids had a wonderful time climbing the ramp and exploring around the sign. There’s a second sign on the Plaza Mayor too.
🚲 Bike racks – You read that right. Little kids will love the bike racks and will be able to spend ages playing on them – as long as you don’t tell them you want them to, obviously. We couldn’t walk past one without our kids finding some excuse to set up a game around it. And we weren’t alone. We saw many kids doing exactly the same. Personally, I’m not sure what the attraction was, but I didn’t fight it. It was free.
💦 Water Parks – we chose to visit Cabañas de Tio Alberto. It was fine with plenty of slides and pools for kids of all ages.
🛍 Malls – we didn’t visit any but I know there are a number around. Mexican malls tend to have kid-friendly activities A.C. if you’re struggling with the heat.
Interesting Chihuahua facts – for the history nerds (like me)
Chihuahua holds so much of modern Mexico’s history it’s almost unreal. I’m busy working my way through a guide to modern Mexican politics: Mexico: Democracy Interrupted and, for me, we arrived in Chihuahua at exactly the right time to help make sense of what I have been reading about.
Interesting Historical Notes To Chihuahua City
✔️ Miguel Hidalgo, often considered the ‘father of Mexico’, was held prisoner and then executed in Chihuahua in 1811 by the Spaniards.
✔️ It was the seat of Benito Jaurez’s government in exile when the French invaded Mexico between 1864 – 67.
✔️ Under Porfirio Diaz, Chihuahua’s economy grew and a railway between the city and Ciudad Juarez (Mexico – US border)was constructed. However, the wealth of the state was in the hands of the few, which did not sit well with the majority and in no small way led to…
✔️ The city and state were particularly involved in the Mexican Revolution (1910 – 17) as an operational base for Pancho Villa to lead the fight against Diaz and his elitist government. Guanajuato was also very important during the revolution.
✔️ Another incredibly important city in the history of Mexico is Guanajuato, it was in Guanajuato that the rebels won their first victory.
More Mexico adventures
🏔 Copper Canyon series
How to book your trip through the Copper Canyon
How to make the most of a trip to the Copper Canyon Adventure Park
Visiting Bahuichivo & Ceroachui
🚗 Mexico road trip ideas
An epic southern Mexico road trip through Campeche, Tabasco & Chiapas
Lesser known Yucatán adventures – 10 days
Yucatán road trip – 2 weeks
🥾 Mexico adventures – other
Everything you need to know about seeing the monarch butterflies in Mexico
Exploring the Pueblos Mancomunados from Oaxaca
Getting deep into Queretaro’s magical Sierra Gorda region
Wine tasting in Baja California
Visiting the ghost town of Mineral de Pozos (Guanajuato)
13 Comments
Mary Beth · 10/08/2018 at 5:13 pm
Oh my goodness, my kid would squeal with joy if I took him to the mammoth museum. Pinning for later!
Cassie · 10/08/2018 at 9:01 pm
It truly was a fabulous place for kids to explore.
Erin · 10/08/2018 at 8:44 pm
Oh no…I can’t believe there were so many accidental injuries during your trip! It looks like you still managed to have a fabulous time, though. Those old buildings are calling my name. I would love to visit! I think I’d add the sacred art museum and the government palace to the top of my list.
Cassie · 10/08/2018 at 9:45 pm
I wish I’d had time to visit more museums for sure. I know we will return at some point. And yeah, what’s up with my idiot family?
Kay · 11/08/2018 at 5:14 am
Omg this is awesome!! Did you fly in? I definitely want to visit! I’m so passionate about a narrative against the “mexico is dangerous” stick – especially less touristy cities and states like Chihuahua!
Cassie · 11/08/2018 at 8:29 am
Thanks so much we did fly, yes. Do visit! It is such a lovely, lovely city and people were genuinely pleased to see foreign visitors. Let me know what you think if you do go.
Hazel Joy · 11/08/2018 at 9:52 am
Chihuahua looks like a beautiful city. Thanks for the comprehensive information.
Jade Shannon · 12/08/2018 at 1:49 am
The mammoth museum looks seriously cool!! What an awesome place for kids!
David · 17/01/2019 at 1:00 pm
Thanks for this wonderful write-up Cassie. I’ll be visiting Chihuahua City in a few days from the US. In preparing, I was doing searches on how safe it is to travel there as it is a concern of mine. Finding articles like yours and forum posts from other travelers is relieving and hope to have a good time based on the suggestions and safe-guards. The caves and museums look really interesting and it is nice to see photos of locals just having a good time. We plan to do a lot of walking around. We are also looking into taking El Chepe to Creel and maybe Divisadero. I’ll be reading your other article on the El Chepe experience next. ?
Cassie · 17/01/2019 at 1:07 pm
An absolute pleasure and I’m glad to have been able to help easeyour mind . Have a great trip, I imagine you’ll also fall in love with the city.
kws · 01/02/2021 at 4:51 pm
Presa el Rejón west of town on Teófilo Borunda (aka the canal street) is also a good place for kids to burn off some energy. It has a 6km walking/biking trail around the lake, a zip line across the lake, bike & boat rentals, exercise stations, picnic areas, etc. Parque el Acueducto and Presa Chuviscar are nearby on the other side of Teófilo Borunda. Parque el Palomar is somewhat near downtown and often has events on the weekends. The main deportiva along Av Technologico also has lots to do as well. It’s also good if one just wants to sit in the shade to people watch and eat from the food trucks (Tortas el Raton!!).
IMHO, Rico’s Tacos is better than Ricky’s as far as the food and it doesn’t have a “US fast food” vibe that Ricky’s has. Tacos y Montados a la Junta is really good if you want to eat montados and Montados el Escuadrón is another good local chain. For chamorros, I like those from Restaurant Bar Coliseo, 27 y Salsas, and El Rey del Chamorro in La Cerve (an old brewery that’s converted into a drive in bar with a food court and a play area for the kids). Mesón de Catedral is an excellent restaurant downtown with an outdoor eating area with views of the Cathedral and Plaza de Armas. Enrisos is another good restaurant and has several locations in the city. The restaurants in Distrito Uno are also very good as is Época and the various La Cabaña Smokehouse locations. The La Sierra and Super Coldy locations are good places for kids for pizza and ice cream, respectively. The pizza with queso menonita is incredible. If you’re going outside of town on the road to Cuauhtémoc, the pueblo Santa Isabel is also well known for their ice cream. Los Archos in Cuauhtémoc has the best pizza I’ve ever eaten with the cheese from the local Mennonite farmers.
I’ve already mentioned La Cerve for a bar, but La Antigua Paz and Museo Bar La Roca downtown are also quite interesting. The walls of La Antigua Paz are lined with tons of photos of Francisco Villa and revolutionary era México. La Roca as the name suggests is practically a museum given all the antiques and photos is has on the walls and ceiling.
The city of Chihuahua is a great place and there are a lot more restaurants, bars, etc that I could also recommend, but those are the ones that immediately come to mind. I can’t wait to go back!
Cassie · 15/02/2021 at 8:30 am
thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with people reading this article. Appreciated.
Ester May · 04/04/2024 at 4:56 am
Loved reading it! I had no idea this city existed! Would love to go there some day!