I have been on a lot of group trips. I have done the all-inclusive thing in Punta Cana where the alcohol tastes like rubbing alcohol. I have done the Las Vegas weekend where you bleed money just by breathing the air. I have done the European villa thing where you spend half the trip driving a manual transmission van on terrifyingly narrow roads.
They all have their place.
But if you want the undisputed heavyweight champion of group travel? It is Mexico City (CDMX).
I recommend this city to groups more than anywhere else on earth. Whether it is a bachelor party, a 30th birthday, or just a college reunion, CDMX hits a specific sweet spot that very few other cities can manage.
Here is why it works.
1. The "Mansion Math" Actually Works
In New York or London, fitting eight people into an Airbnb means someone is sleeping on an air mattress in the kitchen.
In Mexico City, specifically in neighborhoods like Roma Norte or Condesa, the housing stock is incredible. You can find sprawling, architectural masterpieces—places with roof decks, courtyards, and four actual bathrooms—for the price of a mediocre hotel room in Miami.
This matters. When you have space to spread out, you fight less. When you have a massive living room, you actually hang out together instead of retreating to separate hotel rooms.
2. Taco Economics Solve the Money Fight
I have written before about how restaurant bills destroy friendships. Trying to split a $600 dinner check twelve ways is a nightmare.
Mexico City solves this with the taco.
The street food culture here is the ultimate equalizer. You can walk a group of ten people up to a stand like El Califa de León or a random cart in Juarez. Everyone orders exactly what they want. You eat standing up. You pay for what you ate.
It is fast. It is cheap. It is delicious. And nobody has to do any math.
If you have "foodies" in the group who want high-end dining, they can go to Pujol or Contramar. If you have budget travelers, they can eat like kings for $10 a day. The city caters to both budgets on the exact same block.
3. The "Lucha Libre" Bonding Experience
Every group trip needs one event that anchors the weekend. Something you will talk about for years.
In CDMX, that event is Friday night at Arena México for Lucha Libre.
I don't care if you hate wrestling. I don't care if you think it's silly. You buy tickets. You get the giant beers. You buy the masks outside the arena. You go in and scream your lungs out with 15,000 locals.
There is something about screaming at men in spandex doing backflips that bonds a group together instantly. It is chaotic and loud and absolutely perfect.
4. Uber is a Superpower
Logistics usually kill the vibe. In some cities, getting ten people from Point A to Point B is a military operation involving subway maps and walking shoes.
In CDMX, Uber is abundant, safe, and incredibly cheap compared to the US or Europe.
You can order three Ubers for your group to go across town, and it will cost you a few dollars per person. It removes the friction of "how do we get there?" Just call the cars and go.
The One Warning
I have to be responsible here. There is one thing that can ruin a CDMX trip fast.
The water.
Do not drink the tap water. Do not brush your teeth with the tap water. Even when you are stumbling home after a night of mezcal, you need to remember to grab a bottle of water.
If one person gets sick, the group survives. If everyone gets sick, the trip is over. Be paranoid about the water, and you will have the best trip of your life.
The Verdict Skip Tulum. It’s too expensive and crowded. Skip Cabo. It’s just a resort. Go to Mexico City. Eat the al pastor. Wear the wrestling mask. Thank me later.