Thinking about an overland trip to Mexico, but don’t know where to go? In this article, I share with you why the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site of Zacatecas, Mexico should be on your destination list.
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VanLife in Zacatecas, Mexico
Why VanLife in Zacatecas, Mexico?
When I was planning our vanlife sabbatical through Mexico, I did a lot of research. Eventually, I chose Zacatecas as our first vanlife destination in Mexico because it has everything that makes it a great “starter” city for VanLife Mexico.
Zacatecas has excellent weather.
At 8,200 feet above sea level, it’s significantly cooler than many of the surrounding cities. This makes a world of difference when living in a vehicle! We visited in October, and the temperature was absolutely heavenly. There was no humidity and the days averaged around the mid-70s, which makes for very happy van living.
Zacatecas is a cultural gem.
I know, I sound like the tourism board. But in the case of Zacatecas, I truly believe it! Zacatecas was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993, primarily for its beautiful historic city center. Having now moved on from Zacatecas, I can truly appreciate how special this city is. Between the charm of its colonial architecture, its history of prosperity and embattlement, and the weekly celebrations of public callejoneadas, I feel a culture that has not been lost to modernity and touristy gimmicks. After all, you didn’t come to Mexico to experience more of the same!
Zacatecas is a clean, navigable city.
Compared to more popular and over-populated cities in Mexico, Zacatecas is relatively easier to navigate. The streets are easier to drive, with less pedestrian and vehicle congestion. And yet, Zacatecas still has the good infrastructure of a thriving, well-developed city. The city center is dense and compact, making it accessible and enjoyably walkable. This means you can park your oversized, cumbersome vehicle and let your legs do most of the work.
Zacatecas has a reputation for being safe, friendly and not overly touristic.
Security and safety are always a concern in vanlife, all the more so when you’re a stranger in a foreign country. The more touristic a destination is, the higher the chance of scams, inauthentic sales pitches, and inflated prices. In our experience, Zacatecans are courteous, welcoming, and friendly. They usually assumed that we spoke fluent Spanish, and graciously relented when we asked them to repeat themselves, sometimes more than once!
Where to Park Overnight in Zacatecas, Mexico
Choosing where to park is among the most important decisions in vanlife. You want it to be safe, quiet, allowed, and cost-efficient.
In Mexico, signage is a “nice to have,” so it’s not always clear where you can or cannot park overnight. When possible, ask first. It’s always safer, more convenient and more polite, otherwise you risk getting woken up by a knock on your door.
The below are the places I recommend to spend the night in Zacatecas. These locations will be marked with a bed icon on the Google Map that I put together just for you.
Walmart & Sam’s Club Parking Lots – FREE
Our favorite spot for overnight parking in Zacatecas (or, really, anywhere) is the Walmart parking lot. Since we prefer not to do our “business” inside the van, parking at Walmart makes this part of vanlife very convenient. We stayed here for almost a week, without asking, and did not have any issues.
Both Walmart and Sam’s Club parking lots are very convenient to a neighborhood park. In vanlife, especially with a dog, you cannot underestimate the value of a nice place to walk at the beginning and end of each day.
At Walmart, to the right of the parking lot are stairs leading down to a lovely, long stretch of park. In the mornings, there are dog walkers, joggers and pedestrian commuters on their way to work. In the evenings, there are children on the playgrounds, necking teenagers, and families picnicking.
At Sam’s Club, there is a pedestrian bridge that leads right down to another narrow stretch of park. Sam’s Club also gets major bonus points for being across from a Starbucks, for when you need a reliable source of Wi-Fi.
Both Walmart and Sam’s Club are open from 7 am-10 pm. If you do not have a Sam’s Club card, there are other businesses in the parking lot too, and the Starbucks across the street.
- Pros: restrooms, nearby park, free
- Cons: no security
Stealthy Street Parking – FREE
We stealth parked on three different streets just south of the city center. We had no issues and very much enjoyed the convenience of being so close to the action. We parked near the Moñumento de Los Niños Heroes, near the Iglesia de Fatima, and near the Parque Sierra de Alica.
Why did we move so much? It is more of a precaution; when near private property, we try not to stay in the same place twice. It is 1) less predictable, and 2) more polite, we believe, not to stay overstay our welcome. When stealth parking, you take a slight risk that someone doesn’t like you parking overnight, as there are both businesses and homes here. But that risk may be worth it, in exchange for being so conveniently close to the city center.
- Pros: free, convenient to center
- Cons: no security, no restrooms, a little loud at night (loud vehicles, dogs barking, trains squealing)
VanLife with a View – $
The Cerro de Bufa is the highest point in the City of Zacatecas. From here, you can see over the entire city. The parking lot is popular with sunset-viewers and it is one of two spots to access the city’s Teleférico, or cable car. After the cable car closes at 6 pm, however, the lot settles down.
To park here, ask the night guard “Puedo pasar la noche aquí?” (Can I stay overnight here?) and casually tip him $50 MXN.
- Pros: cheap, secured parking, great view
- Cons: busy with tourists, paid restrooms up until sunset, when they close
VanLife with Amenities – $$The Hotel Baruk has two properties with built-in amenities and secured parking, for $450 MXN a night:
The first property is Hotel Baruk Teleférico. You get restrooms with a shower and a parking spot with a fantastic view over the city. There’s only one 20-amp electrical plug-in source, accessible only for the vehicle at the end of the driveway. There is also no dump or water source, so you’re essentially dry camping. I also would not recommend this for long or very tall RVs. Our vehicle is 10 ½ feet tall and we barely scoot under the entrance. The main reason you would want to stay here is to have access to a restroom/showers, secured parking, and a reasonable walking distance down to the town (15 minutes with good shoes for cobblestone trekking). From our spot, we could hear music from the callejoneada bands drifting through the cool night air. Bonus: you can take the Teleférico (cable car) from this property (the Cerro de Grillo) over to Cerro de Bufa. See below for more on Cerro de Bufa and the Teleférico.
The second property is Hotel Spa Hacienda Baruk. You get electrical plug-in (20, 30 and 50 amps), a hole for dumping, and a water spigot. Just past the lobby, you get access to the restrooms, an indoor pool (unheated), a gym, and a shower. While the amenities here are lovely, especially compared to the other Hotel Baruk, the location leaves much to be desired. You’re in the middle of a highway; there is nothing to do!
While these places may have what you need in terms of security and amenities, $450 MXN a night is on the costlier end of the spectrum.
- Pros: secured parking, various amenities
- Cons: pricey, location
Working in Zacatecas, Mexico
Starbucks
Our preference for working while on the road is to find a Starbucks. We know, there are internet cafes and other sources of wi-fi. But, when you need to get s**t done, and independent businesses (yes even in the U.S.) can have spotty wi-fi, it’s just more efficient to try a Starbucks first.
In Zacatecas, there are two. One is in the city center, and the other is across the street from Sam’s Club. In Mexico, your Starbucks connection is limited to one hour. It will kick you off, but reconnect itself. I just disconnect and re-connect.
A note about the Starbucks at Garcia Salinas: if you have a large vehicle, don’t bother with the tiny parking lot. It gets really busy there and you will be blocked in. Park in the Sam’s Club lot across the street.
About Zacatecas, Mexico
A Very Brief History of Zacatecas
While this is a gross understatement of Zacatecas’ history, the City of Zacatecas is generally known for two very different reasons:
- Zacatecas was founded in 1546 as a mining settlement by the colonial Spanish. It was second only to Mexico City in its export of silver, leading thousands of prospectors, entrepreneurs and laborers to move in over the 16th and 17th This enormous, well-endowed mine was the major source of the city’s prosperity. Today, this is the only mine in Mexico that allows visitors to enter, for a real glimpse into the life and conditions of miners under colonial Spanish rule.
- During the Mexican Revolution, Zacatecas was the site of the bloodiest battle in the campaign to overthrow Mexican President Victoriano Huerta. The City of Zacatecas was taken by Pancho Villa and his Dorados in the famous battle “La Toma de Zacatecas,” (The Taking of Zacatecas). It is said that 7,000 soldiers died, 5,000 were wounded, and a significant number (unspecified) of civilians were injured or killed. Huerta resigned less than one month later, on July 15, 1914.
Best Things to See & Do in Zacatecas, Mexico
Chances are, you may not be very familiar with Zacatecas, Mexico as a tourist destination. Zacatecas is easily down the list from more conventionally popular destinations like Mexico City, Oaxaca, San Miguel de Allende and, of course, the beach cities like Cabo, Acapulco and Cancun.
But Zacatecas has its own interesting gems that warrant discovery, sightseeing, and good old fun. Plus, it has an atmosphere of an old colonial town without much of the modernization of larger cities. This is certainly not an inclusive list, but these are my favorite experiences in the city, in no particular order. For each recommendation, I also tell you where to park your beast of a vehicle, if you are overlanding as we did.
For the Best Historical Tour: The Eden Mine (Mina del Eden)
The Eden Mine is the foundation of the City of Zacatecas, both literally and historically. As cliché as this sounds, I truly believe a visit to Zacatecas would not be complete without experiencing this unique museum. Though there are several mines in Mexico, only Mina del Eden allows visitors inside. You’ll don a hard hat, take a short train ride into the middle of the mine, see a beautiful collection of gems, minerals, and fossils from around the world, and then take a walking tour deep into the mine. The mine is made up of seven levels – the tour takes place on the fourth floor. On this captivating tour, you’ll learn of the awful working conditions, identify the remains of massive silver veins and other materials, and look down into hundreds of meters of crystal clear, frigid and minerally toxic water, the remains of a flood that eventually shut down the mine in the 1960s. It’s mine blowing! (Get it? 😊)
If you’re familiar with the rest of my website, you know that I believe gratitude is key to having a healthy mindset. Well, I can say that after everything I learned on this tour, I—we all—have much to be grateful for!
Tickets: Adults – $100 MXN. Students – $80 MXN. Children 4-11 – $50 MXN.
Where to Park: Parking (even for a vanlife-sized vehicle) is fortunately easy. There are two entrances to the mine:
- The main entrance, which I recommend, takes you into the mine via a small train. The main entrance is located in the city center, so street parking is difficult. Fortunately, there is a parking lot called Estaciónamiento El Pilar Pension, just down the block, across from the hospital. Parking for 3 hours is $20 MXN.
- The other entrance is up on the Cerro de Bufa (see below for more on this) where you descend into the mine via elevator. If you’re entering from the Cerro de Bufa, parking up on the bufa is free.
Tips for a great visit:
- Try to go when others aren’t likely to. Weekends are busy for many reasons. Vacationing tourists usually visit in the late morning. School trips are usually weekdays until 3 pm during the year. We went on a Wednesday at 4 pm and we got a private tour with an English-speaking guide, Paulina. It was fantastic!
- Bring a jacket. The mine is cold, drafty and kind of creepy, all of which can be helped with a comfortable jacket.
- There are two entrances to the mine. From the city center, next to the hospital, is the entrance with the train ride. The other entrance is from the Cerro del Bufa, where you take an elevator down. You can always walk from one entrance to the other if you get out at the wrong end, but going up to the bufa can be a strenuous stair climb.
- The mine is also a night club! They claim to be the only nightclub in the world that is in a mine, 180 meters below ground. Open Thursday and Friday from 4 pm – 10 pm as a bar, and on Saturday as a nightclub from 10 pm-3 pm. Just make sure you take the regular mine tour as well, so you understand the context of this historical space. Perhaps the spirits of the former miners will join you as you enjoy your spirits!
For the Best View: El Cerro de Bufa & El Teleférico (Cable Car)
The Cerro de Bufa is a hill overlooking the City of Zacatecas at an altitude of 2,657 meters. Remember those two significant events I mentioned above? The founding, or crowning, of the city, and the Battle of the Taking of Zacatecas both took place on this Cerro de Bufa. Historical significance, check!
If you want to stretch your legs, there is a long, gently downhill walking path, as well as a short uphill path to get to the tippy top of the rocky point. There are coin-operated binoculars available from the Plaza de la Revolución Mexicana. Outdoor physical activity, check!
Depending on your interests, you could also spend at least a couple hours here by visiting the Taking of Zacatecas Museum, the Meteorological Observatory, and the Mausoleum of Illustrious Men. Educational tourism, check!
As if all of this wasn’t enough, from the Cerro de Bufa, you can catch the two major tourist activities in Zacatecas: the Eden Mine and the Teleférico.
The Eden Mine I described above. The Teleférico is Zacatecas’ cable car. The Teleférico goes from Cerro de Bufa to Cerro de Grillo, about 642 meters. For a little more thrill, you can pay extra to ride the carriage with the glass bottom.
Tickets: Adults – round trip $160 MXN, one way $100 MXN. Children – round trip $80 MXN, one way $50 MXN.
Where to Park: Free parking, although the spots are kind of tight for large vehicles.
For the Best Art Collection: The Rafael Coronel Museum
The Rafael Coronel Museum (not to be confused with the Pedro Coronel Museum just down the street) is most known for its collection of more than 10,000 traditional Mexican masks. It also contains famous works from Diego Rivera and Rafael Coronel, and is housed in the beautifully restored Convent of San Francisco, a sight in its own right.
The mask collection is impressive – the volume and variety are quite striking, and worth a slow perusal. They span across centuries and continents, made of everything from animal bones to clay and wood. You can see motifs of death, dance, immortality, fear, the magical and the mystical.
Tickets: Adults and children 10+ $30 MXN.
Where to Park: Fortunately, the museum has an open parking lot just behind it with no height limitations. Street parking in this area is tough! Parking closes at 5 pm.
Tips for a great visit:
- Closed on Wednesdays!
- No bags allowed, including purses! I don’t like the idea of leaving my phone, wallet, or keys in a locker, so I recommend keeping them with you (wear something with pockets). You’ll also want to keep your ticket with you – you’ll need it to enter the main building with the mask exhibit.
- All signs are in Spanish. Use the SpanishDict app to translate unknown words.
For the Best Cultural Experience: Join a Callejoneada
The callejoneada is among my favorite of Mexican traditions. A “callejon” is a small street. A callejoneada, therefore, is a community jaunt along the streets of the town, on Friday and Saturday nights, with brass bands, tequila or mezcal, and the occasional burro. The tradition is to wear a shot glass, usually made of ceramic, around your neck so that you may conveniently share shots of mezcal with your fellow celebrators.
I was worried we wouldn’t be able to find one, or that we had to sign up for a tour to partake, but that is absolutely not the case. In fact, you can’t miss them!
The tourism board sponsors a public callejoneada on Saturday nights at 8:30 pm, starting at the Plaza de Armas in Zacatecas. (Unfortunately, we could not partake in this ourselves, as on our Saturday night in town, it was raining in sheets.) But, luckily for us, there were informal callejoneadas everywhere. Just follow the sound of the music!
It happened to be our 5th wedding anniversary on this particular Friday night, so we got dressed up (with comfortable shoes) and headed down from the Hotel Baruk Teleférico into the city center, about a 20-minute walk. I got progressively more excited as we got closer to the music.
We turned a corner and saw a mass of people heading down a narrow street. So, we followed. A man quickly noticed the “gringo” and the “Chinita,” and handed each of us a small fabric purse with a tiny clay pitcher on a ribbon and a bag of pumpkin seeds.
We did it! We found ourselves part of a public callejoneada!
It was quickly evident that multiple callejoneadas were going on at the same time. In one plaza, we were sitting by the fountain eating tamales from a nearby stand when ten men in matching periwinkle suits, holding instruments, sat down next to us. We relinquished our seats and the band began to play – even though there was another band just 20 feet away, on the other side of the plaza! It was a friendly rivalry.
Important note: I do not want to portray the callejoneada as drunken debauchery. In fact, I didn’t see much tequila or mezcal out at all. There were ample police and security guards to monitor the crowd, and it was a very family-friendly affair. Children were running around, crews of teenagers gossiping amongst each other, couples dancing on the plaza, and elderly folks out to enjoy the traditional band music.
If you can stay near town on a Friday or Saturday night, this is an experience you cannot miss!
Food & Drink in Zacatecas, Mexico
Admittedly, Zacatecan cuisine is not as well-known as Oaxacan or Michoacán cuisine, but that does not mean it is without its charms. Below are our recommendations, among them some distinctly Zacatecan dishes:
Zacatecan Specialties
Tacos Envenados –
“Poisoned Tacos” are a specialty in Zacatecas. No, there is nothing poisonous about them, unless you count cholesterol. Tacos envenados are corn tortillas, typically stuffed with potatoes, fried beans, onions, chorizo, and cheese, deep-fried in butter. Yep – the entire taco is fried in butter! They are sizeable tacos, served with salsa, limes and sometimes grilled chilies.
We tried four different tacos envenados businesses and noticed they had the same prices – from $13 MXN for a normal taco to $28 MXN if you want to add steak and cheese. Our favorite, hands down, was Tacos Envenados El Minéro. Delicioso!
Birria de Chivo –
The recipe for birria (stew) de chivo (of goat) actually originates from Guadalajara, but it’s been here long enough to be deemed a Zacatecan specialty. Jose de Jesus, known to friends as “Pepe,” apprenticed for the recipe’s original creator. Then, in 1979, he started his food cart in the much smaller town of Zacatecas.
Today, Pepe’s Birrerria is the best-known place that specializes in birria de chivo. You can order your birria wet like a stew, drained in a taco or on bread, or “normal,” which is something in between. We ordered it “normal,” and assembled it into warm, juicy tacos. The stewed goat was incredibly tender and moist, unencumbered with excess spices so that the delicious goat flavor could shine through.
Asado de Boda –
Asado de Boda (literally translated as wedding stew) is another uniquely Zacatecan dish that we got to try. It is chunks of pork cooked in a sweet red chile sauce, served with rice and tortillas. As the name implies, it’s a specialty usually reserved for weddings.
Even though we ordered this at The Acropolis, what seems to be a very touristic restaurant in the city center, it was delicious. It has a depth of flavor made from a mix of chiles, tomatoes, onion, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, and orange juice. Ours may have had chocolate as well, though overall it was a very savory dish. My next visit to Zacatecas, I would love to try more versions of this comforting, delicious dish!
Helado el Nilo –
We can’t forget dessert now, can we? Invented back in 1940, you can find helado el nilo around every corner in Zacatecas. You can recognize them from the distinct wooden barrels they are housed inside, where they are kept on ice. These elongated popsicles were designed to represent the iconic towers of the Catedral de Zacatecas, but the resemblance is pretty sparse. They’re instead likened to pencils or, for the more vulgar or immature (like Jon), they resemble lipstick… namely of the canine variety. Whatever they conjure in your head, these popsicles are made of raw milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, topped with a bit of strawberry jam. They taste like frozen condensed milk, so basically incredibly delicious – and a very inexpensive snack for those hot days wandering the centro!
Specific Businesses we Loved
Carnbritos Carnitas Estilo Michoacan –
We were racing back to the van, with our arms full of freshly laundered clothes, when a delicious smell stopped us in our tracks. At the window facing the street was a large glass box with a pile of fatty roast pork. We bought ¼ kg of pork for $70 MXN, which came with small bags of pico de gallo and our choice of salsa. Had we known how delicious this pork was going to be, we would have ordered more of what they offered. Highly recommended!
MiDalí Café Tacuba –
Live jazz was the last thing I expected to find in Zacatecas, but there we were. MiDalí Café Tacuba showcases excellent live jazz performances on Friday and Saturday nights. The atmosphere is fantastic, fun, and intimate, a lovely date night in the centro. I can highly recommend their mezcal and pepino (cucumber juice) cocktail – it was delicious!
Buen viaje en Zacatecas!
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With sincere gratitude,
Lien & Jon
