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Best Place to Walk in Merida, Yucatan
- AcuaParque (12%)
- Estadio Alvarado (10%)
- Parque de la Paz (6%)
- Parque Ecol骻ico (11%)
- Paseo de Montejo (61%)
Loading ...In case you haven’t been following closely, the Working Gringos come from California. There is a lot of outdoors in California and so we were pretty accustomed to walking and hiking for entertainment and relaxation.
Six years ago, we found ourselves putting down roots in Merida, the oldest continually-inhabited city on the continent, a city chockful of colonial buildings, Maya artifacts, turn-of-the-century mansions, tropical gardens, museums, restaurants, art galleries, theatres, nightclubs, shopping malls, and more… a million things to do but very few nice places to take a walk in nature. Sure, you can walk down Calle 62 to get to the zocalo… we walk all over the Centro. But this activity is more of a survival sport than a means of relaxation or exercise. When you aren’t dodging low-hanging airconditioners, open holes and stray pieces of metal sticking out of a sidewalk whose width and height changes on a whim, you’re barely avoiding getting hit by one of the various brands of city buses. Not to mention the huge tour buses that occasionally stalk the downtown streets like huge, bloated caterpillars from another planet. No, walking in the Centro is not a peaceful pasttime.
We know we are not alone in our desire to walk. Walking and hiking are not a traditional activity among the citydwellers of Merida, but the Maya have always referred to themselves as caminantes (walkers). For the Maya, walking was (and still is for many) a way of life. We must be partly Maya, because walking is essential to our mental and physical health. Walking is good for the soul. To paraphrase, we walk, therefore we are.
So we have spent the last six years steadily seeking out places to indulge in our favorite form of moving meditation. We’re going to share our discoveries, and hope that by doing so, more people will be able to enjoy more of Merida. If you know of another place, please tell us about it in a comment. The poll will be open until December 31, 2007, and we will announce the winner in January. In the case of this poll, there really are no losers. We’re all winners this time!
The nominees for Best Place to Walk in Merida in alphabetical order are…
AcuaParque – A very well kept secret is the AcuaParque… at least, no one we know seems to know too much about it. We’re about to end all that. The AcuaParque is in an area of town called Vergel. We hear it was once a stone or gravel quarry. Over the last few years, it has been studiously reclaimed for both animals and humans, and now provides one of Merida’s most beautiful walking venues. You can’t walk there from downtown, but the destination is worth the drive. The park is centered around a man-made lake. There are tennis courts, palapas with picnic tables, piers and cement structures for children to play on (including a very long slide down to a sandy playground). For the bird population, there are extensive wetlands towards the south end of the park, and we’ve never walked there without seeing multiple types of egrets and ducks. As we write this, AcuaParque is still flooded from this most recent rainy season, and the lower part of the park is prohibido (prohibited). Not to worry! The upper part of the park also has paths for walking and has some beautiful views of the lake and the wetlands down below.
Estadio Salvador Alvarado – The Salvador Alvarado Sports Fields and Stadium takes up a very large city block on Calle 60 north of the Fiesta Americana hotel. In the center of the huge walled-in area are tennis, basketball and handball courts, a huge structure with bleachers for watching Track & Fields events, an Olympic-sized swimming pool for training, baseball and soccer fields and open grassy areas. We’ve seen people taking salsa lessons in there, practicing marching for parades and any number of other physical and sports-related activities. Just inside the wall is a well-groomed circular dirt track for running and walking, which is well-attended in the early morning and evening hours. We’ve been to Salvador Alvarado as early as 5 AM and the gates have been open. The track is shaded by bougainvillea and various flowering trees, and provides a cool (if somewhat circular) venue for serious forward motion.
Paseo de Montejo – The most obvious place to go in Merida if you want to go for a leisurely walk. If you go early in the morning or on a Sunday, your stroll can focus more on the old trees and mansions instead of the city traffic. Early in the morning, the sunrise shines a golden light on some of the city’s most fabulous turn-of-the-century (that’s the 18th century…) architecture. At dusk, you can see all that and be serenaded by hundreds of kau (pronounced “cow”) birds (grackles), screeching their way back home. For holidays, the Paseo is lit up like the Christmas tree that stands at one end in December. And every evening, there are ice cream shops and a few sidewalk cafes that threaten to interrupt your stroll. On Sunday mornings, there’s an Art Fair along one side (in front of the VIPS restaurant) and for ten months out of the year, the MACAY’s outdoor sculpture exhibit is on view as well. In short, there’s always something to capture your interest and imagination along Paseo Montejo, and almost nothing to get in the way of a lovely walk.
Parque Ecol贸gico- What a treasure this park is, and a hidden treasure at that! For years, we would see the signs to Parque Ecol贸gico and not have the time or inclination to follow them (in truth, they are rather unassuming signs which do not do a good job of advertising their subject). Finally, some friends gave us explicit directions and we found ourselves there early one morning. Like the AcuaParque, Ecol贸gico is a reclaimed quarry, and has both upper and lower levels. Both levels are heavily planted with trees of all kinds, and there are great expanses of grass for soccer games or just plain running around. The paths are nicely lined with rocks and are well-used by both people getting exercise and kids walking their parents to school (no, that’s not a typo, it’s a joke…). On the lower level of the park, in the center, are more paths, but also a few ponds with water lilies, wooden bridges and resident birds. Like the AcuaParque, at this writing Parque Ecol贸gico is still recovering from the rains, and some of the paths are flooded. But there is still plenty of room to walk and even some small hills to climb. We particularly enjoy the feeling of walking up a hill, something we used to take for granted in California but a feeling that is hard to come by in the Yucatan. (We always try to walk up the moving sidewalk at WalMart or Mega grocery stores, but it isn’t quite the same, is it?). In addition to hills and vales and ponds, Parque Ecol贸gico has areas that seem so remote, we probably wouldn’t go there alone after dark.
Avenida Itzaes, Parque Centennario and Parque de la Paz – On the west side of Centro, there is a lovely area along Avenida Itzaes, that includes the Centennario Zoo and the park across the street, called Parque de La Paz. This area was created during the Profiriato, that time in Mexico when the President, Porfirio Diaz, was bringing Mexico into the 20th Century and bringing many European cultural ideas to this country. This area has “culture” written all over it, and turns out to be a lovely place to spend a little time. If you can get yourself to the corner of Calle 59 and Avenida Itzaes, a lovely walk can be made by starting at the north end of the Parque Centennario, which was once Merida’s largest park, but is now the Zoo, entrance is free and it is open every day (except Monday). Stroll through the park, below some incredibly old and large trees, and exit through the other main zoo entrance on Avenida Itzaes. Cross the avenue and walk along the Bellas Artes complex of buildings and gardens. If the gate is open, go inside and stroll the grounds, taking in the children attending their dance classes and the topiary trees trimmed to look like the House of the Seven Dolls at Dzibilchaltun. Continue up Itzaes back to Parque de la Paz. Parque de La Paz (Peace Park) has a large fountain in the center, which is lit up at night. The park is flanked on one side by the former Ju谩rez Penitentiary, a formidable building which has a way of looking quite beautiful at sunset. The park is full of trees and very well groomed, and is a pleasure to stroll around and through. Sitting down on one of the benches and watching the world go by is pretty nice too. On Sundays, you can even stroll around the park and shop for a used car, as this area becomes Merida’s unofficial used car lot every Sunday morning. And if you are still feeling restless, cross the street to the north and go inside the grounds of the O’Horan Hospital. There are lovely lawns and trees behind the hospital and the area is open to the public.
These are the best places we have discovered within the Periferico limits of the city of Merida for taking a leisurely and enjoyable walk. You might even be able to walk hard and fast and far enough in some of them to call it exercise! If you are careful and respectful and go at the right time of day, you might even be able to bring along your favorite four-legged companion.
If you know of other good places to walk, we’d love to hear about them. Please send us a comment and we’ll add your suggestions to the list. And if you don’t, we invite you to take some time during these last two weeks of 2007, and check out our favorite places in Merida for a nice, healthy stroll. Then come back here to Yucatan Living and vote for the Best Place to Walk in Merida!
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Paseo de Montejo mostly because it is one block from the house I am staying in. I don’t like to drive and then walk. Guess I am lazy.
Cheers!
Dear Working Gringos,
Your Yucatan Living is the best! My husband and I, both wandering Californians who have lived in Merida for a year and one-half, are in total awe of your wonderful site and articles. A day without a “Yucatan Living Fix” is like a day without sunshine! Your wide and varied range of articles is very impressive and keeping us in touch with what’s happening in Merida is really appreciated. We just hope you don’t work yourselves into exhaustion and have to return to California to “retire.”
Happy holidays and thank you for your incredible contribution to Merida! Laura Espinosa
I can only add to what Laura Espinosa is writing …..Will and I have not even seen Merida yet but are on our way in Jan. 07 and your website keeps adding to our excitement about this place. Well…you all receive the “Best informed and updated website” from us!!!! Plus we cannot stop thanking you all for how helpful you all have been.
Karin and Will
One of the things I love about Texas is the variety in our state. From the Gulf Of Mexico to the Pan Handle area north. From the flat lands near El Paso to the Wooded areas of East Texas. In Fort Worth, we have a beautiful Botanic Garden (www.fwbg.org). I looked all over Merida for similar beauty. Paseo de Montejo and Parque Americas are great places. The many neighborhood parks are ok. Yet, none compares with the beauty of a Texas Park. In our Centro of Fort Worth, it is a place of beauty to walk, especially for Navidad. (www.sundancesquare.com) This is not an endorsement for Fort Worth or Texas. It’s great that Working Gringos have pointed out places in Merida, that I’ve searched for during my stay there.
Hopefully your excellent article will encourage tourists and expatriate residents to get out and see a little more of the real M茅rida. It is hard to understand why the Paseo de Montejo, with all its noise and racing cars, would rank way at the top. These folks must not have tried to cross the Paseo and risk being decimated by the pushy upper class Meridanos who use it as a race track.
The pediestrian infierno of Downtown M茅rida reflects the need for some firm revamping of that chaos. Don麓t hold your breath, however, as the governor麓s office has clearly shown its colors with the expropriation of the streets around the plaza for parking by state bureaucrats.
ABSOLUTLEY GREAT ARTICLE!! I had never even heard of 2 of the places you mentioned. It is the fabulous architecture that makes Paseo de Montejo so awsome, so much so that I never even notice the cars. Also a great walk on Sunday is the bici-ruta. No more crowed sidewalks, you can walk in the middle of the street all the way from La Ermita to the Burger King up on Paseo de Montejo!
We regularly take the walking track at Parque Ecologico. It’s so easy to get to from Centro. We miss walking in the woods from B.C so the Parque Ecologico is the next best thing close by.
Thanks for the great article! I’m going to be studying in Merida and am wondering what kind of hiking shoes to bring. Are there a lot of trails and nature areas outside of the city other than those listed here? What kind of nature areas are good for a day trip? Would hiking boots be my best bet to bring or casual shoes with a trail-friendly sole?
Thanks for the great site guys!
Allison,
We’re glad you’ll be studying in M茅rida, you won’t regret it
As for your shoes ( which seems to be a very important subject for ladies
), you can bring regular ones, Women’s Caterpillar style jumps to mind, but not those with the fur and stuff, just regular ones, with a thick sole and a high ankle to prevent your ankle from twisting so easily, but not so high or tight that impairs your mobility.
Also, don’t forget to bring walking/running shoes! Preferably with some lateral support (like then the sole extends slightly outside your feet, like basketball shoes). You’ll use them far more than your hiking boots/shoes.
All of the Yucatan state is as flat as Frankenstein’s forehead (before the stitches!) and the vegetation is very similar all around (mostly bushes and medium sized trees). So maybe your best shot is to go to one of the arqueological sites nearby the city, like Dzibizaltun, or of course you could just take a road map and drive around through the day, and stop-walk-take pictures when you see something that grabs your attention.
Hope this helps!
thought these photos might be of some interest.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/473883
while not in the category of the 5 sites listed in the article, walking in our neighborhood (Rinconada de Chuburna) around Christmas time was a real treat, seeing how Meridanos of all stripes decorated their homes for the holidays. Some were absolutely fabulous, but the ones I enjoyed most were the humble homes that comprised the neighborhood before the newer developments appeared; the simple decorations on many of them said a lot more to me than the elaborate displays (especially the inflatables) found on some of the more upscale homes.
I loved your article about places to walk in Merida. I’m a runner also and am hoping to do a 12-13 mile run while in Merida. Can you give me an idea of the path distances, particularly at AquaParque and Parque Ecologico? Also, how far are they from the Centro, and would it be safe and reasonable (and not unpleasant) to run to the parks and back from downtown? Thanks for your help!
This is really cool. Are there any natural bio regions though?
The Parque de las Am茅ricas in Garc铆a Giner茅s, it’s a four block park, almost as big as the Parque Ecol贸gico.
There’s also a place called Paseo de las Fuentes (Walk of the Fountains) located in the Jacinto Canek avenue, right after the supreme court building.
The Centenario (zoo) is nice too.
Though personally I prefer biking and exploring the city, and take photos
I’m not a gringo but for sure I’m going to enjoy some of the parks you mention. Sometimes we were looking for a nice place to walk in a more green environment in Merida. Thanks again for your good ideas. Regards, Jan
we finally got around to visiting the Parque Ecologico but I must say that we were very underwhelmed, mainly because so many of the ponds were littered beyond belief with plastic bottles. I’m not sure which is sadder, the cretans that consider the park their personal trash can or those in charge who seem to ignore it. It’s surprising that there’s even any wildlife there in light of the horribly contaminted habitat.
My daughter will be going to UAY for study abroad in the fall. She is a cross country runner, and runs about 45 minutes daily. Where is a safe place to go running around the university?
Thank you very much!
The Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan (known as UADY, not UAY) is located downtown and around town in various locations. Probably the best place for your daughter to run is either the Salvador Alvarado sports park or the Kukulcan Sport Park (not on this list). Kukulcan is located next to the Kukulcan Stadium and any of her fellow students can tell her where it is and how to get there.
Good article! This is a test for Me to see if I’m still logged in to YL. Is the Acua Parque safe for swimming as it gets so Hot in summer? thanks, a gringo from Maine.