Having traveled independently to many of Mexico's colonial cities, I highly recommend this tour. I offered some insight on a different thread about this same new tour. Mexico City is rich in culture and the Arts—and the people are very welcoming. The cuisine and crafts in Oaxaca de Juárez are amazing in my opinion. Based on the interest of this tour, I suspect Tauck will add more cities and a longer tour length.
We went on this tour in November, the 4th tour. It was GREAT! We never felt uncomfortable or unsafe even when we were on our own a couple of afternoons and for dinners. Especially liked Teotihuacan but all of the places we went to in Mexico City were interesting.
LOVED LOVED Oaxaca. Especially the walking tour thru the northern colonial area. The food was great everywhere but normally when Tauck takes you to a restaurant for dinner, you get to chose from the whole menu ; not on this trip, they had preselected a few items in appetizer, main & dessert. Many people complained about the choices so I think that will change.
My suggestion is to GO! And there is enough to see to add at least 1 day at the beginning in Mexico City and a day at the end in Oaxaca.
For Mexico City I suggest going to Chapultepec Park, it's a 5 minute walk from the hotel. There are museums there and you can go up to the Castle which is free for those over 60 plus you don't have to walk up the hill, there is an elevator for those over 60 also.
In Oaxaca we went to see Mitla which was about 30 to 40 minutes outside the city. The hotel has a tour desk so they can arrange it.
I’m not understanding why an adult can’t choose from three items of each course on a menu. One of the reasons why Tauck meals, especially lunches, take so much wasted time must be the extra time it takes to prepare many different choices. As long as people with diet restrictions are catered for, surely that is enough.
Dinner menus vary on Tauck trips. I've been on some where you have a limited set menu as you describe and some where you can order off the entire menu. I doubt it's Tauck's doing, but the restaurant/hotel that decides.
Limited menu choices make sense for Tauck provided lunches because they do need to get the group done and on their way. Or the group dinners like welcome/farewell. It doesn't for dinners at the tour hotel where there isn't a time crunch. The last two land tours we've taken those limited menus were the norm at all the hotel restaurants. Usually when I compare the full menu with the Tauck version I find things I would much prefer (lighter, simpler, etc not more expensive). This feels more like part of a strategy to keep overall hotel prices lower. On the evenings we are on our own we always opt for something lighter and simpler. I don't see much point in paying for a meal that isn't what I want to eat.
We had a man who became very upset when the tour director refused to have the coach driver stop at a McDonald’s just so he could have his junk food. He yelled out that she wouldn’t be receiving a tip from him. The individual traveling with him told him to ‘shut up.’
Comments
I looked at it and put a deposit on it. Then switched to a different Tauck tour that I preferred. I think it will be an interesting tour.
I've visited both places many years ago - about 1974.
Having traveled independently to many of Mexico's colonial cities, I highly recommend this tour. I offered some insight on a different thread about this same new tour. Mexico City is rich in culture and the Arts—and the people are very welcoming. The cuisine and crafts in Oaxaca de Juárez are amazing in my opinion. Based on the interest of this tour, I suspect Tauck will add more cities and a longer tour length.
We went on this tour in November, the 4th tour. It was GREAT! We never felt uncomfortable or unsafe even when we were on our own a couple of afternoons and for dinners. Especially liked Teotihuacan but all of the places we went to in Mexico City were interesting.
LOVED LOVED Oaxaca. Especially the walking tour thru the northern colonial area. The food was great everywhere but normally when Tauck takes you to a restaurant for dinner, you get to chose from the whole menu ; not on this trip, they had preselected a few items in appetizer, main & dessert. Many people complained about the choices so I think that will change.
My suggestion is to GO! And there is enough to see to add at least 1 day at the beginning in Mexico City and a day at the end in Oaxaca.
For Mexico City I suggest going to Chapultepec Park, it's a 5 minute walk from the hotel. There are museums there and you can go up to the Castle which is free for those over 60 plus you don't have to walk up the hill, there is an elevator for those over 60 also.
In Oaxaca we went to see Mitla which was about 30 to 40 minutes outside the city. The hotel has a tour desk so they can arrange it.
I’m not understanding why an adult can’t choose from three items of each course on a menu. One of the reasons why Tauck meals, especially lunches, take so much wasted time must be the extra time it takes to prepare many different choices. As long as people with diet restrictions are catered for, surely that is enough.
Thanks for your informative summary of your experiences, scubawife. I had forgotten about the beautiful park until you mentioned it.
Dinner menus vary on Tauck trips. I've been on some where you have a limited set menu as you describe and some where you can order off the entire menu. I doubt it's Tauck's doing, but the restaurant/hotel that decides.
Limited menu choices make sense for Tauck provided lunches because they do need to get the group done and on their way. Or the group dinners like welcome/farewell. It doesn't for dinners at the tour hotel where there isn't a time crunch. The last two land tours we've taken those limited menus were the norm at all the hotel restaurants. Usually when I compare the full menu with the Tauck version I find things I would much prefer (lighter, simpler, etc not more expensive). This feels more like part of a strategy to keep overall hotel prices lower. On the evenings we are on our own we always opt for something lighter and simpler. I don't see much point in paying for a meal that isn't what I want to eat.
For lighter, simpler I usually just order two appetizers and skip the main course.
I do exactly as you do, Goddess.
And I've had the experience of seeing people forego the set Tauck menu because they didn't like the choices to slip out to McDonald's.
Wow! I’m speechless.
That's because you're chewing on your big mac
Ina word, Yuck!
😀😂
We had a man who became very upset when the tour director refused to have the coach driver stop at a McDonald’s just so he could have his junk food. He yelled out that she wouldn’t be receiving a tip from him. The individual traveling with him told him to ‘shut up.’