Where We Stayed: Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel

Full Google Maps List: Link

Day 1:

Snack: Jenni’s Quesadillas (famous street food)

• Veggie Quesadillas with Cheese & Spinach

  • Green Salsa (spicy, but REALLY good)

Brunch: Café Nin

• Hot Chocolate

• Iced Cappuccino

• Guava Roll

• Coco, Macadamia & Cardamom Juice (sold out, but heard good things)

Monument to the Revolution (went to the top, worth it, 90 pesos pp)

Palacio de Bellas Artes (not much inside)

Finca Don Porfirio (best rooftop views of palacio de bellas artes)

• Java Chip Frappe (known for frappes, we got a random flavor)

Walked Around Chinatown

Dinner: Galanga Thai House (one of our mexico city favorites)

• Mimosa Lychee

• Pandan Leaf Margarita

• Cha Yen Margarita (thai tea)

• Green Curry with Veggies (no egg and blue rice)

• Pad Thai Vegetarian (soooo good)

Day 2:

Brunch: Maque

• Enchiladas Rojas

• Chilaquiles Poblanos

• Cold Brew (like my cold brews hehe)

• Chocolate Frappe (ok)

Museo Soumaya

Museo Nacional de Antropología (Anthropology Museum)

Dinner: Il Ritrovo

• Fettuccine Four Cheese

• Bruschetta

• Tiramisu (really good)

• Mezcal Margarita

Lucha Libre at Arena Mexico (must-do)

Day 3:

Teotihuacan and Tlatelolco Tour (starts at 8am & duration: 9h)

• Pickup at Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel at 8am

• Plaza de las Tres Culturas (20 minutes)

• Glass factory (40 minutes)

• Teotihuacan (Sun and Moon Pyramids) (2.5 hours)

• Mictlán Restaurante Subterráneo (Cave UNDERGROUND RESTAURANT)(80 minutes)

• Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (70 minutes)

• Ends at Barceló México Reforma at 5pm

Monument to Mothers

Dinner: Balboa Pizza

• Bilbao Pizza (interesting but worth the try)

• Spinach Ravioli (skip it)

• Balboa Sorbet

• Sonny

Day 4:

Brunch: Niddo

• Pancakes (must-try)

• Chilaquiles

• Matcha

• Cold Brew

Chapultepec Castle (one of the coolest castles)

Xochimilco Boat Tour (fun colorful party boats. 1 hr away)

Dinner: La Pitahaya Vegana (best vegetarian taco place for us)

• Tacos Tacos Tacos:

  • Tacos Bajas (best tacos)

  • Coliflor Con Requeson

  • Papas Al Curry

  • Pesto Sweet Curry

• Huitlacoche Dumplings (Really Good)

Day 5:

Snack: Panaderia Rosetta (walk-in, known for pastries)

• Guava Pastry

• Cocoa Pastry

Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela (nice gift shopping area)

Constitution Plaza

• Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral

Balcón del Zócalo (amazing views of constitution plazza, very expensive, no vegetarian food—go for drinks)

• Mezcal Paloma

Lunch: Zona Rosa (not many veggie friendly options)

• Guac & Chips (really good)

• Veggie Quesadillas

Handshake Speakeasy (2024 worlds best bar, watch our youtube video!!!)

• Once Upon A Time In Oaxaca

• Butter Mushroom Old Fashioned

And that’s a wrap on our amazing 5 days in Mexico City! This city truly has it all—from its rich culture and stunning streets to mouthwatering food, amazing drinks, and so much more. It brought back so many memories of India, especially for Himani. We’re already looking forward to coming back soon!

Hocking Hills State Park is without a doubt one of our favorite spots in the Midwest. When we visited in November 2022, we were blown away by its beauty—filled with waterfalls, unique rock formations, caves, and more. And the best part? You can comfortably experience much of what the park has to offer in just two days! Although we only had one day and missed a few things on our list, we’re excited to share how we’d plan it all again.

If you're just looking for a quick itinerary and Google Maps locations, you'll find them at the bottom.

Our Visit to Hocking Hills

We visited Hocking Hills in November 2022, which isn’t the peak season. It’s usually too cold for comfortable exploring, but we got lucky with the weather. Originally, we were on a trip to Columbus, but since Hocking Hills was just a little over an hour south and the weather was warmer, we decided to visit. If you're planning a trip, we recommend visiting between late spring and early fall for the best experience. Since Hocking Hills has become quite popular, those spring or fall months are also ideal for avoiding the crowds.

During our visit, it rained, but that’s what made it unforgettable! Normally, rain can spoil a trip, but not at Hocking Hills. The rain made the waterfalls flow even stronger, and we discovered waterfalls in places where they usually wouldn’t be. So, in a way, the rain was a blessing. We also later learned that if you visit during the dry season, you risk not seeing some waterfalls at all.

Hiking Upper Falls to Lower Falls via Buckeye Trail

We began our day with a short hike covering some of our favorite spots in Hocking Hills. If you only have time for one activity, we highly recommend the Upper Falls to Lower Falls trail via the Buckeye Trail (link to AllTrails). This 1.2-mile trail is rated as moderate, but we found it fairly easy and manageable. The hike takes about 30 minutes, but we suggest giving yourself at least an hour to sit by the waterfalls and fully appreciate the area’s beauty. The Buckeye Trail is well-marked and mostly follows a downhill path, passing through a mix of forested areas and open spaces.

The trail takes you to several key spots, including the Upper Falls, Devil's Bathtub, Old Man's Cave, and Lower Falls. If you're up for a short detour, you can also check out Broken Rock Falls. The Upper Falls appears early in the hike and is one of the most picture-perfect spots, especially with the bridge above it. Continuing down the trail, you'll come across Devil's Bathtub, a fascinating rock formation that collects water. The trail then leads to Old Man's Cave, one of the most iconic spots in Hocking Hills, named after Richard Rowe, a hermit who lived there in the 19th century. This is one of our favorite spots because of the cave's sheer size. Finally, you'll reach Lower Falls, which is usually less crowded than Upper Falls, making it a great place to relax at the end of your hike.

Whispering Cave

After completing the Upper Falls to Lower Falls hike, we drove to Hocking Hills State Park Lodge & Conference Center, where we parked for the Whispering Cave hike. We had a little trouble finding the trail, and it was somewhat difficult to navigate at the time. However, this was the quickest route we found to reach the cave. Once we arrived, Whispering Cave became one of our favorite spots. Nestled in the hills, it felt incredibly calming. There weren’t many people around when we visited, so we spent some time relaxing inside the cave. Thanks to the rain, a waterfall was flowing right in front of us, and we sat behind it, enjoying the view.

Cedar Falls

After visiting Whispering Cave, we made our way to Cedar Falls. Cedar Falls features a nice, short 0.5-mile hike (link to AllTrails). It’s a full loop, and like the other hikes, we appreciated how well-marked the route was. This is the largest waterfall by volume in the Hocking Hills region, and thanks to the recent rainfall, the flow was even more impressive during our visit.

Ash Cave

Our last stop was Ash Cave. We parked in the Ash Cave parking area and walked a short 0.5-mile paved trail to reach the cave (link to AllTrails). What we loved about this trail was that it was wheelchair accessible, making it an experience everyone can enjoy. Ash Cave itself is massive and features a seasonal waterfall. We were lucky enough to see it flowing during our visit.

Wrapping Up

After finishing up at Ash Cave, we grabbed a quick meal at La Cascada Mexican Restaurant, where we ordered fajitas. Although the reviews were mixed online, we really enjoyed our meal. Finally, it was time to say goodbye. This was our first trip together, so it felt bittersweet, but we were sure we would be back for more!

Ready-to-Copy Itinerary

Day 1:

• Hike the Upper Falls to Lower Falls Trail via Buckeye Trail (1.2 miles)

  • Parking

  • Trail

    • Upper Falls

    • Devil’s Bathtub

    • Old Man’s Cave

    • Lower Falls

• Broken Rocks Falls

  • Parking

  • Trail

• Whispering Caves

  • Parking

• Cedar Falls (0.5 miles)

  • Parking

  • Trail

• Ash Cave (0.5 miles)

  • Parking

  • Trail

Spend the night in Logan, Ohio. Here are some stay options:

• MainStay Suites Logan Ohio-Hocking Hills

• Getaway Cabins | Hocking Hills Cabins and Cottages

Day 2:

• Cantwell Cliffs (0.9 miles)

  • Parking

  • Trail

• Rock House

  • Parking

  • Trail

• Conkle’s Hollow

  • Parking

  • Trail

• Chapel Cave

  • Parking

Food/Drink:

• La Cascada Mexican Restaurant

• Oasis Coffee Shop 2.0

• Maya Burrito Co.

• Pizza Crossing Logan

• Home Tavern

Google Maps List: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ftCc8K1qKkP38fLs5

Hi there, We're Jay and Himani.

We're an Indian couple living in Chicago with a deep love for travel—especially adventure travel. If you enjoy hiking, discovering hidden gems, seeking new experiences, or need inspiration for road trips, day trips, and everything in between, you're in the right place!

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