Oaxaca.

The heart of Oaxaca City, this free-to-visit main square is surrounded by colorful colonial architecture and is a natural gathering point for locals and travelers alike. Multiple creators flag it as an essential first stop for soaking up the city's energy.

Famous for its Oaxacan cheeses, tlayudas, and smoky mezcal pours, this market is the go-to for authentic local eating. Taverna Travels specifically calls out the Don Juan quesillo stall here for fresh Oaxacan cheese at 20 MXN.

Ayngelina's food tour begins here, exploring traditional ingredients and pre-Hispanic food culture with local women who are actively resisting gentrification by running food businesses rooted in ancestral traditions.

A guided two-hour tour of this ethnobotanical garden costs just $6 USD and offers a deep dive into the native plants of Oaxaca's diverse ecosystems, making it a standout cultural experience for nature lovers.

A free-to-visit cultural center that Taverna Travels highlights as one of the top things to do in Oaxaca, housing art and exhibitions in a beautifully restored historic building.

Taverna Travels ate here repeatedly during a month in Oaxaca and calls it the best food stall in the city — memelas with toppings like chicken tinga, steak, or mushroom for just 25 MXN ($1.50) each, open daily 8AM–6PM, cash only.

Taverna Travels singles out La Chinita as the go-to stall for tlayudas, the giant crispy Oaxacan tortilla loaded with toppings that is one of the region's signature dishes.

The go-to spot for nieve (Oaxacan-style ice cream/sorbet), specifically called out by Taverna Travels as the best in the city for this beloved local treat.

Hands-on cooking classes covering Oaxacan mole, tlayudas, and other regional dishes are a top recommended experience across multiple creators. Eat See TV books one through GetYourGuide as part of their 4-day Oaxaca itinerary.

A photogenic neighborhood famed for its street art, cobblestone lanes, and indie cafés. Taverna Travels recommends it as a free self-guided wander, while olivia anelise stayed here on her 5-day Oaxaca City visit, calling it a neighborhood that feels alive with color.

Multiple creators recommend guided mezcal tours into the countryside around Oaxaca City, visiting traditional palenques (distilleries). Guided group tours start around $65, or you can hire a driver for a DIY version. Ayngelina's countryside tour visits Palenque Artesanal La Curva, run by a female maestra mezcalera.

The ancient Zapotec city just outside Oaxaca City and a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the most-cited day trip across all creators. Eat See TV books a guided tour through GetYourGuide; Travel w/ Jeff calls it a highlight of any one-week itinerary.

A surreal natural rock formation resembling a frozen waterfall, created by mineral deposits from natural springs. Consistently one of the top-cited day trips from Oaxaca City across creators, combinable with Mitla and Teotitlán del Valle in a single day tour.

An important Zapotec archaeological site east of Oaxaca City, frequently combined with Hierve el Agua on a single day trip. olivia anelise explores Mitla's ancient stonework on her weekend Oaxaca vlog.

A Zapotec village 30km from Oaxaca City renowned for hand-woven rugs dyed with all-natural materials including indigo, pomegranate, cactus fungus, and pecan shells. Santorini Dave profiles the Cruz family's Casa Cruz art gallery; olivia anelise includes it in her Oaxaca weekend itinerary.

A village outside Oaxaca City where artisans specialize in carved wooden alebrijes — painted spirit animal figurines that are one of Oaxaca's most iconic folk art forms. Santorini Dave visits Taller de Alebrijes Efrain Fuentes y Silvia on a guided tour.

A misty mountain town in the Sierra Sur between Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido, known as the magic mushroom capital of Mexico. olivia anelise explores and relaxes here in a dedicated vlog, highlighting the town's magical, otherworldly atmosphere.

Puerto Escondido's legendary surf beach, consistently referenced by creators covering the Oaxacan coast. México Travel Channel covers surfing here as a defining Puerto Escondido experience, and multiple creators cite the town's surf culture as central to its identity.

A sheltered, scenic beach in Puerto Escondido that Top Notch Travel Videos describes as relaxing and still relatively unknown to most tourists. Ayngelina also explores Carrizalillo, noting it involves a famous 200-step hike down and that swimming conditions here are calmer than elsewhere.

A calm bay beach in Puerto Escondido covered by Ayngelina as part of her honest look at the town's beach options, noted for gentler swimming conditions compared to the surf-heavy Zicatela.

Doen Oaxaca documents an unforgettable humpback whale sighting very close to shore off Puerto Escondido during the 2026 season, making this marine tour a top draw for nature lovers visiting the Oaxacan coast.

Mexico's first legal nude beach and a beloved LGBTQ+-friendly destination on the Oaxacan coast, with a bohemian atmosphere, mezcal at golden hour, weekly pool parties, and legendary sunset rituals at Playa del Amor. Two Gay Expats provide an extensive guide covering where to stay and eat.

A laid-back coastal village famous for its beach and Punta Cometa, a rocky headland hike that Travel w/ Jeff and Adelante Travels both highlight as a Pacific coast highlight. Adelante Travels dedicates a full video to Mazunte's beach food, swimming, and the Punta Cometa hike.

Huatulco is Oaxaca's most underrated beach resort area, featuring multiple bays including Santa Cruz, Chahue, and Tangolunda. olivia anelise calls it Mexico's most underrated beach town; Alejandro Torres captures the bays in sweeping 4K drone footage.