10 Can’t Miss Things to Do in Oaxaca, Mexico

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There are so many great things to do in Oaxaca.

While I initially wanted to visit Oaxaca because of its reputation as a culinary capital, when I got there I realized there is actually a lot of really cool history and unique culture to explore.

It’s a city packed with history and rich food culture and you could easily spend a week in Oaxaca doing something new each day.

It has ancient ruins, languages you’ve never heard of being spoken around you, food so rich and complex that you won’t soon forget it.

Where to Stay in Oaxaca

There are so many wonderful hotels in Oaxaca. One of my favorite hotels in Mexico City just opened up a boutique hotel in Oaxaca called Grana B&B and if it’s anything like their Mexico City version, then it will be wonderful.

It blends nature and that feeling of being outdoors perfectly with clean and comfortable rooms. Prices start at $80 per night. Book a stay at Grana B&B here. 

Other great options for hotels in Oaxaca are:

• Hotel Casa Oaxaca: This is such a fantastic spot and one of the first real boutique hotels to hit the scene in Oaxaca several years ago. They have an adjacent restaurant which is equally fantastic and even if you don’t book a stay at the hotel, you should definitely have a meal here one evening. Rooms start at $60 per night. Book a stay at Casa Oaxaca here. 
• Hotel Boutique de la Parra: This is a stunning boutique hotel in the central area of Oaxaca. It’s in an old converted Hacienda and in the middle of the old courtyard is now a small lap pool and plenty of reclining chairs to relax in after a day of exploring. Rooms start at $120 per night. Book a stay at Hotel Boutique de la Parra here. 
• City Centro: This Marriott is located in the colorful barrio magico of Jalatlaco. This is one of the coolest central city neighborhoods in the city this hotel is at the heart of it. In Jalatlaco you are surrounded by cafes, bars, and restaurants and then you are only a 5-10 minute walk from the other sights to explore which are listed below. Rooms start at $153 per night. Book a stay at City Centro here.

The Absolute Best Things to Do in Oaxaca

1. Monte Alban

Monte Alban is a really fascinating set of ruins near Oaxaca City.

You can easily get there on your own by using one of the many vans that leave from the city center every half an hour. Ask your hostel or hotel where the vans leave from and make sure you make note of where it drops you off so that you know where to catch it back to the city.

I took a tour of Monte Alban, which I always prefer for sites like this. I literally know nothing about it before visiting, so having a knowledgeable guide explain more about it was great.

Ther are tons of great tours to choose from when heading to Monte Alban. This is the best way to explore it not only because you get to stop at a few other locations along the way, but also because you get to visit with a knowledgeable tour guide who can explain all about the history of this incredible place. Check out all of the different tour options here.

I wrote a whole post about Monte Alban which you can read here.

2. Ethno-Botanical Gardens

This was one of the best things that I did in Oaxaca.

You can only visit the botanic gardens with a tour and as of 2025, there are no longer any tours available in English. However, even if you don’t speak Spanish, it is well worth wandering the gardens with a guide so that you can see it up close.

If you do speak Spanish, all the better. The guides are so passionate and well-informed about not only the gardens, but what’s happening in the wider region of Oaxaca and Mexico in general.

The gardens are really beautiful with so many different varieties of corn and cactus. It’s not your average botanical garden. These were designed by an artist and are very aesthetically pleasing.

3. Templo de Santo Domingo

This was my favorite church and square in all of Oaxaca. The outside of the church does not give away at all how extravagant and ornate it is inside and I love that about it.

The area around Templo de Santo Domingo has so much going on. There were dancers, musicians, and vendors plying their trade. Come here a little before sunset when it’s cooler outside and the locals head here to relax and where kids run around and ride bikes.

There are tons of great shops, bars, and restaurants around the church, and the interior is truly incredible. The first construction of this church began back in the 16th century. It was both a church and a convent, which is where the museum and Ethnobotanical gardens are now located.

4. Museum of Oaxacan Culture

This museum is attached to the Templo de Santo Domingo and gives you some of the best views over the Ethno Botanical Gardens.

The building is beautiful inside and there is a lot to see. It’s a history-lovers dream with tons of paraphernalia from pre-Hispanic times through to the present. It also allows yo to wander through what used to be the convent’s living quarters.

Most of the signs are in Spanish, but many of the pieces need no explanation. You can pay to have a guide take you through the museum if you really want to learn more about the old monastery.

5. Hierve el Agua

This is a seriously incredible place.

It was one of my favorite things to do in Oaxaca and in my opinion, if you come to Oaxaca, you need to add it to your itinerary. The best way to get there is to take a tour. 

It’s quite far from the center of Oaxaca and if you do decide to drive it yourself, you’ll have to deal with tolls, windy roads, and several unpaved areas where things aren’t well sign-posted.

It’s totally possible to get to Hierve el Agua without a tour, but just know what you’re getting yourself into and get really good directions before leaving.

Hierve el Agua literally means boiling water. The Spanish gave it this name because of the way the water seems to bubble out of the earth.

It then calcifies as it drips down the cliffside and over the years has created these incredible formations that look like waterfalls, but are actually totally solid. Book onto a tour to explore it here.

6. Mitla

Mitla is another set of ruins that are worth a visit and one of my absolute favorite things to do in Oaxaca.

If you take this tour of Hierve el Agua, the tour also includes a stop at Mitla, so you can see both in one day. Having a guide take you around Mitla is a MUST.

Just like Monte Alban, I didn’t know anything about Mitla, so to hear how it managed to remain intact after Spanish colonization was pretty cool.

The carvings are absolutely stunning and for buildings that are so old (literally thousands of years old), they are still in incredible condition. Book onto the Mitla and Hierve del Agua tour here.

7. El Tule

Call me a geek, but there’s something cool about visiting the widest tree in the world.

Most people think this is a waste of time (it’s part of the tour to Hierve el Agua and Mitla), but I really enjoyed this little detour.

While we were there we met two Mexican girls who needed to practice their English for school (this literally happens in every major tourist spot in the country, but it’s still nice) and they told us all about the history of the tree and why people in the region feel like it’s so important.

Plus, it is a seriously wide tree. It is roughly 45 feet in diameter or 14 meters.

It’s also one of the oldest trees in the world. The believe it is somewhere between 2,000 and 2,300 years old! Imagine all that has changed around it as it has grown in this spot.

8. Souvenir Shopping

The shopping in Oaxaca is amazing. There are so many artisanal craft shops, so many colorful shirts and shoes and rugs only people with a willpower of steel could leave this city without buying at least one bottle of mezcal.

My favorite places to find souvenirs in Oaxaca are:

• Mercado Benito Juarez: This is an especially great place if you want to buy leather shoes, mole, or Oaxaca-style cheese to take home with you. They’ll wrap it up so that you can take it on the plane (the food, not the shoes).
• La Casa de las Artesanías de Oaxaca: I literally could have spent all day in this store. It’s the best place to find alebrijes (folktale carvings native to Oaxaca). There are rooms full of them and they are all very reasonably priced. My advice would be to avoid buying anything on the tours you go on and come here just before you leave Oaxaca for your souvenirs instead.
• Mezcal Oro de Oaxaca: You will literally see mezcal shops everywhere. You can sample mezcal at markets around the city, on tours you go on, in restaurants. It’s so hard to know exactly what to get. If you just want a souvenir bottle of mezcal, come to Oro de Oaxaca. They’ll let you sample the most popular varieties and you can buy a bottle for a really reasonable price.
• Los Amantes Mezcalería: If your budget is slightly bigger and you want to get something more unique, get yourself to Los Amantes. They have some of the best mezcal I’ve ever tasted and it’s all made locally. If you’re not sure, you can sample several different varieties. They speak English in there, too so they’ll be able to explain all of the different flavor notes.
• Teotitlan Rug Store: This is right on the corner of the Plaza de Santo Domingo and has a beautiful selection of rugs from the nearby Teotitlan de Valle. They’re not cheap, but they are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They have scarves and other smaller pieces, too. Alternatively, take a tour to the factory in Teotitlan del Valle for the best prices and largest selection. 

9. Explore the Museums

In addition to the main Museum of Culture located adjacent to the Santo Domingo Church (mentioned in #4), the city is packed with smaller museums that are also worth you time. There are cool history museums, contemporary art museums, and even a post office museum!

These are a few to add to your list of things to do in Oaxaca if you’re a museum lover!

• The Museum of Prehispanic Art: This Museum is part of the private collection of Oaxacan artist Rufino Tamayo. It’s free to enter, although donations are accepted (and encouraged!) and is home to a large collection of prehispanic art. There are sculptures, pottery, and stone carvings dating back thousands of years. 
• Museo De La Filatelia MUFI: This is in essence “just” a stamp museum, but the way that the exhibits are laid out, this is about so much more than just stamps. This is a walk through history, through Mexico’s historical relationships with different countries, and about art from around the world. This is a fantastic and free museum that is well worth stopping into.
• The Home of Benito Juarez: Benito Juarez is one of the most beloved presidents in Mexican history. He was the first indigenous president of Mexico, a Zapotec born in Oaxaca. History buffs won’t want to miss exploring this small museum and learning more about this Mexican revolutionary.
• Museum of Contemporary Art: This free museum is located between the Zocalo and the Templo of Santo Domingo. It is home to a beautiful permanent collection as well as several rooms of constantly changing exhibits. Anyone who is a fan of modern and contemporary art will love visiting this well-laid out museum.

10. Eating All the Food

This is one of the most important things to do in Oaxaca. It is one of the gastronomic capitals of Mexico and eating the food here is an enormous part of discovering the culture.

From the early morning hot chocolate with pan de yema to the late night burgers, from the amazing tetelas to all the moles, there are so many delicious things you need to try while you’re in Oaxaca.

Don’t miss breakfast at Mercado de la Merced. There are tons of stalls there, but Florecita is my personal favorite. Their chocolate atole is outstanding. Be sure to have a Tlayuda, a dish that’s available almost everywhere in Oaxaca. Have it with the local meat, tasajo, cured beef.

I have an entire (enormous) post about all of the best things to eat and drink. You can read all about what to eat in Oaxaca here.

To find out where to have all of these incredible eats, check out our article about the best restaurants in Oaxaca. 

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