Mexico City in May: Weather & Travel Tips 2024

Thinking of visiting Mexico City in May? We live part-time in La Condesa in CDMX, and May is one of our favourite times of the year to be in this diverse and engaging city. 

The uncomfortably hot weather of March and April has subsided, the rains are yet to start, the flowers are in bloom, and there are lower tourist numbers. It couldn’t get more perfect! For these reasons, we think May is one of the best months of the year to discover all the fantastic attractions and cultural activities that Mexico City has to offer. 

Is It Worth Visiting Mexico City In May? Our Opinion

We love being in CDMX in May. There is a buzz about it; It is hard to quantify, but we think there is something special about visiting in May. 

The Mexico City weather in May is perfect – you will have long, sunny and warm days for sightseeing with the occasional rain shower to break up the heat and build up of pollution. 

As a result of this, locals are out and about more during the day and night, and the city regains the vibrancy it lost in the previous months of soaring temperatures. It is our favourite time to revisit our favourite locations or to discover new parts of the city we call home.

Mexico City attractions and activities still have their peak season opening hours in May, so you won’t have to worry about early closing hours or seasonal closures. We are never short of things to do in Mexico City in May, plus there are several fun May events and festivals to enjoy. 

We also love the fact that May brings lower visitor numbers to the city, so you can enjoy everything Mexico City has to offer without the huge crowds of March and April. 

Pros & Cons Of Visiting Mexico City In May

✅ You will miss the uncomfortably hot high temperatures of the March-May dry season, and you will still enjoy warm, sunny days with pleasantly warm evenings.

✅ You will miss the peak season crowds of March, April and Semana Santa. 

✅ All attractions are open and have longer peak season visiting hours. 

✅ May is the start of the rainy season, so you will get the odd rain shower if you visit during this month. However, we think this is a good thing as it helps to improve the air quality throughout the city. 

⚠️ You will unfortunately miss the gorgeous jacaranda trees in bloom. If you want to time your visit for these colourful tree flowers, you need to visit Mexico City in March. 

⚠️ Although it may be possible to find an end-of-season deal, you won’t get the budget-friendly price drops that you would get if you visited from November to February. 

⚠️ There are a few festivals to enjoy in Mexico City in May, but there won’t be the same country-wide festivals that you would experience at other times of the year. A classic example of this is the Day of The Dead, which falls at the end of October. 

Mexico City Weather In May

As we’ve previously mentioned, if you’re hoping to experience the best Mexico City weather May is a perfect month to visit. We think Mexico City in May weather conditions are some of the best you can possibly experience for exploring our city. 

☀️ Temperature In Mexico City In May

The average temperature in Mexico City in May is a pleasant 27 C / 81 F. Some days will be cooler, but it can also be much hotter, peaking around 34 C / 93 F.  May is the second warmest month of the year after April, which regularly experiences temperatures in the mid 30’s C / high 90’s F. 

If you want the best sightseeing conditions possible, we think Mexico City’s May weather is some of the best. 

☔ Rainfall

May is officially considered the start of the rainy season, so you should expect to have some rainy days if you visit Mexico City in May. The average rainfall in May is 30 mm, and there will be rain showers on around 16 days during the month. 

You can expect more rain later in the month you travel. 

However, it is important to bear in mind that a rainy day in Mexico City does not mean that it will rain all day. 

Rainy days in Mexico City tend to consist of short, sharp downpours followed by sun, not hours and hours of consistent rain. Don’t worry about rainy weather in Mexico City in May spoiling your sightseeing plans; you will still be able to fit lots of outdoor activities into your day.  

🥵 Humidity

If you want to avoid the worst humidity of Mexico weather May is a good time to visit. The average humidity level in May is 51% –  though you can expect increased humidity the later in May you visit. 

Things To Do In Mexico City In May

Mexico City has a fantastic range of attractions and memorable activities for all ages and travel budgets, no matter what time of year you choose to visit. 

However, the perfect May weather conditions lend themselves better to some activities than others. The following suggestions are our top picks of what to do in Mexico City in May.

📍Take A Hot Air Balloon Flight

The cool, clear and sunny mornings of May are a perfect time to enjoy a hot air balloon ride. 

We highly recommend taking a hot air balloon flight over the ancient site of Teotihuacan, which lies just outside Mexico City. Of all the countless experiences we have had in our global adventures, our Teotihuacan hot air balloon ride remains one of our favourites. 

Soaring high above the ancient ruins during a serene sunrise with Mexico City laid out below us was an incredible and magical experience that we will remember forever.

Teotihuacan balloon rides last around one hour, and you will receive a flight certificate after your flight. You can also combine your flight with a visit to Teotihuacan or with a guided bike tour around the local area. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience Teotihuacan from above for yourself – you won’t regret it.  

📍Cruise The Xochimilco Canales

The UNESCO-listed Xochimilco Canals are an unmissable Mexico City attraction and are situated 19 kilometres / 12 miles from the city centre. 

Also called the Xochimilco Floating Gardens, the ancient canals are famous for their man-made ‘chinampa’ islands. These islands were formed from rafts built by the Aztecs from Juniper branches, which were then filled with soil and planted with crops. The rafts eventually sank, took root in the lake bed and created the islands and 170 kilometres of canalways we know today. 

You can enjoy a scenic and educational boat tour of canals, which is an important ecological biosphere. In addition, you can visit the Dolores Olmedo Museum (home to the largest collection of Diego Rivera work in the world), the haunting and quirky Island of the Dolls, plus the Archaeological Museum. 

A trip on the canals will also give you an invaluable insight into modern Mexican culture. Locals and visitors alike pile onto the colourful trajinera boats to enjoy Mariachi music with Mexican food and drink whilst cruising the canals. 

We love the Xochimilco canals and have done several trips ourselves. Each trip usually ends up being a party, especially at the weekends. 

Like any party, bad weather will spoil things, so that’s why we think May is the perfect time to explore the canalways. You will stay dry and warm (but not too hot) during your boat ride, with clear weather allowing great views of the surrounding area. Plus, the boats run for one hour longer in May than in the off-peak season. 

There are boats operating on the canals every day of the week. 

📍 Visit Chapultepec Castle 

Chapultepec Castle is an 18th century palace which sits on top of a 2,325 metres high hill in Chapultepec Park in Mexico City. The palace is currently home to the National Museum of History and boasts amazing murals and stained glass inside. 

The palace has a varied history. As well as being used as a residential palace (one of only two palaces in North America which was inhabited by a monarch) it was also a military academy. Plus, it is often used as a film set and featured in the Leonardo di Carpio movie ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ 

However, we think the highlight of the castle is its landscaped gardens and the incredible panoramic views of Mexico City you can get from the gardens and from the palace balconies. We also recommend leaving time to explore Chapultepec Park; the forest here dates back over 3,000 years! 

May is the perfect time to visit Chapultepec Castle as you will have warm weather for enjoying the gardens and clear days to savour the scenic views. Plus, it is a long walk from the ticket office to the castle, and trust us, you don’t want to do this on a cold rainy day! 

The castle is open every day except Monday. We recommend avoiding visiting on a Sunday; Mexican residents enjoy free entry to the castle on Sundays, so it is always busy. 

What To Wear In Mexico City In May?

If you are wondering what to wear in Mexico City in May, there are two key wardrobe items you should pack. 

✅ A pair of trainers – bring a sturdy, supportive and ideally waterproof pair of trainers for all the sightseeing you will do. You will be glad of the closed-toe shoe on cooler May nights. 

✅ Light jacket – CDMX in May is not cold, but the evenings can be cool. We advise bringing a lightweight (and ideally waterproof) jacket on your trip. 

Apart from the above items, you will want to pack comfy shorts and t-shirts or summer dresses for ladies. Our experience of Mexico City weather in May is mostly warm and sunny days.

When Is Rainy Season In Mexico City?

The rainy season in Mexico City runs from May to September.

If you are wondering what is the rainiest month in Mexico City, the answer is September with an average rainfall of 90 mm. Visiting Mexico City in May will mean you miss the peak of the rainy season and will get 60 mm less rain! 

What To Do In Mexico City When It Rains?

📍Go To A Lucha Libre Show

We think you cannot visit Mexico City without attending a Lucha Libre show. It is a fun, raucous, colourful and entertaining part of modern Mexico. 

This immersive form of freestyle acrobatic wrestling is unique to Mexico and is based on traditional Greco-Roman moves. It is deeply rooted in Mexican heritage, politics and popular culture. However, Lucha Libre is probably best known for its dramatic and colourful fighting apparel consisting of masks (which are never removed), capes and knee-high boots. 

There are single luchador combat fights or tag team fights of three (called trios). Each match tells a story between good and bad luchadores. You can expect a mix of martial arts, high-flying acrobatics and traditional wrestling, which together create a great night of entertainment. 

Tickets for Lucha Libre can be bought online in advance or from the ticket offices at the arenas. If you only have one night to spare for Lucha Libre, we recommend booking in advance, just in case. 

Lucha Libre arenas in Mexico City include Arena Naucalpan, Arena San Juan Pantitlan and Arena Lopez Mateos. However, we recommend visiting one of the most famous arenas, either Arena Coliseo or Arena México.

Lucha Libre is usually held on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Some venues hold a family-friendly session on a Sunday afternoon. 

📍 National Museum of Anthropology

This museum is the largest and most visited museum in Mexico, so it is a great location on a rainy day! It is located in Chapultepec Park between Avenida Paseo de la Reforma and Calzada Gandhi and can be combined with a visit to Chapultepec Castle.

The 20-acre site has 23 exhibition rooms, so you could easily spend all day here marvelling at the ancient Mayan and Aztec artefacts. Highlights include the 12-foot-wide Aztec ‘Stone of the Sun’ and stone heads from the Olmecs. 

We also think the unique building of the museum is worth visiting. Its clever design makes visitors go outside to get to the next exhibit, which we think helps avoid museum fatigue. 

There are lots of outdoor spaces and open-air exhibits to explore when the rain stops. This not-to-be-missed museum is open every day except Monday. 

📍 Visit Trotsky Museum

The Museo Casa de León Trotsky is situated in the Coyoacán neighbourhood in Mexico City. It is where Trotsky lived with his wife for the last year of his life and where he was murdered in 1940. 

The museum feels like stepping back in time; it is remarkably well preserved. It showcases the life and works of Trotsky, and visitors can tour his fortress-like home (including an art gallery and a library), his garden and the guards’ quarters. 

As the museum is also home to the Institute for the Right of Asylum and Public Liberties, there are exhibits about this topic. 

This is one of the less visited museums in Mexico City, so it is a good place to visit if you wish to avoid the crowds. A trip to the Trotsky Museum can be combined with a visit to the popular Frida Kahlo Museum, which is just a few minutes’ walk away. 

The museum is open every day except Monday. 

Events & Celebrations In Mexico City In May

🎉 Labour Day (1st of May)

Día del Trabajo, or Labour Day, is a public holiday throughout Mexico, so all schools and businesses will be closed. You can expect parades and rallies promoting worker’s rights but most people use it as a day to spend with their families and friends enjoying the outdoors before the rainy season sets in. 

Parks and plazas will be busy, but there will be a fun, convivial atmosphere.

If you plan to travel around Mexico City on Labour Day, we advise checking public transport timetables before you travel, as there will be limited services. 

🎉 Cinco De Mayo 

Every year on the 5th of May, Mexicans celebrate Mexico’s victory over the second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. 

It is not a national holiday, so banks and businesses will be open, though schools will be closed. It is, however, considered an official holiday in the town and state of Puebla, southeast of Mexico City. This is where you should go to see the best Cinco de Mayo festivities. 

Puebla holds battle reenactments and colourful parades, and you can attend traditional music and dance displays. Nighttime events usually end with a spectacular fireworks display. 

Note that Cinco de Mayo is often confused with Mexican Independence Day, but that national (and nationwide) holiday falls on September 16th. 

🎉 Dia De La Madre

Unlike many other countries, Mother’s Day in Mexico has a fixed date. It takes place every year on May 10th.

Mexico has a history of being a matriarchal society, and mothers are valued and respected in Mexican culture today. On Dia de la Madre, families gather to give gifts to their mums, to cook for her or to take her out to dinner. This is one day of the year you must make a restaurant reservation if you want to eat out in Mexico City! 

You may also be lucky enough to witness the tear-jerking ‘Las Mañanitas’.

This is a song sung by children outside their mother’s home to wake her up on Mother’s Day and is often accompanied by a mariachi band.

What Is The Best Time To Visit Mexico City?

In our experience, any time is a good time to visit Mexico City, but if we had to choose our favourite time of the year, we would advise travelling between March and May. Go in March for the tree blossoms, in April for the Vive Latino music festival or in May to enjoy the city with fewer crowds and in good weather.  

You will miss the cold days and nights of winter and the rainy days of June, July and September. You will experience consistently sunny, dry days with long daylight hours for sightseeing.

Mexico City is a vibrant destination to visit all year round, but somehow, in these spring months, it feels more alive than ever. 

Mexico City In May: The Wrap-Up

We love Ciudad de Mexico in May, and we make sure we time our regular long-term stays in the city to include the month of May. 

The weather is warm with bearable temperatures, there are spring colours everywhere, and all the city’s attractions and activities can be enjoyed with fewer crowds than March and April endure. It feels as if there is a collective sigh in the air as the city relaxes after the peak tourist season. 

But don’t take our word for it – plan your trip to Mexico City in May and discover its unique charm for yourself!