Dolores Hidalgo Day Trip

Planning for our trip to San Miguel de Allende, there were multiple day trips that I really wanted to do. Some, like our Querétaro day trip, were best left to the experts. Others - namely, Mineral de Pozos - proved to be too much to pack into our chill, laid-back week. The final was a trip I'd seen a lot of travelers do in two days - a day in Dolores Hidalgo, and a day at Sanctuario Atotonilco and one of the nearby spas - but I thought with some planning, it might be possible to do them all in one day. Spoiler alert: it is!

We started our day by taking an Uber from our airbnb to Dolores Hidalgo, about half an hour north. The small city was named for Father Hidalgo, a resident and one of the leaders of the Mexican Independence movement. Upon arrival, we headed straight for his home.

Later, I found out there are multiple museums devoted to different facets of the Independence movement in town, but Hidalgo's house was pretty neat. It gave insight into life in an upper-middle class home in the early 18th century, plus information about the lead-up to the war with Spain. Walking back to the main square, we stumbled upon the Bicentennial Museum, which lured us with the bright dresses in its courtyard. At only a a dollar or two, it was definitely worth the cost and time - it had more exhibits on the War of Independence, a copy of the bell from the church next door, grand historic murals, and few revolutionary mannequins you could pose with for a fun photo op.

Our last historic stop in Dolores Hidalgo was at the parish church, Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. It was here that Father Hidalgo preached and raised the call to arms. The church bell that was rung that day is now installed in the facade of the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City. The church itself was one of the largest and prettiest we visited on this trip.

Across the street, in the main square, we were ready to sample something else Dolores Hidalgo is known for - its ice cream! More ice-based than dairy, most stands serve unusual flavors like octopus, shrimp, mole, corn and cheese, and various local fruits and liquors. I had to go with tequila - it was awesome. We ate our helados in the square while enjoying people-watching and the lovely purple jacarandas that bloom around spring break each year.

Next up was the one part of the day that didn't go as perfectly planned. The Uber app showed absolutely nothing on its radar. I inquired how much a ride to Atotonilco would be at the taxi stand - it was the equivalent of $25 USD. While this is probably a fair price for a ride there, given the possible lack of a fare on the way back, when we'd paid less than $10 for a ride from San Miguel to Dolores (at least twice the distance) it stung. We walked around for a bit, and I asked for rates from a few other drivers, getting the same answer. Eventually, I caved - $25 isn't much, in the scheme of things - and we headed for Sanctuario Atotonilco.

The Sanctuario Atotonilco is a World Heritage site, known as Mexico's Sistine Chapel for its elaborate frescoes. It was founded in the 17th century by Father Felipe Neri, who was compelled to build on that particular spot by a vision of Christ carrying a cross and wearing a crown of thorns. It's also the second stop on Father Hidalgo's initial march toward Guanajuato - at the sanctuary, his followers took a banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe to use as their flag. We stopped at the small cafe next door for snacks - but mostly to use the restroom. It was run by nuns, most of whom were also on lunch break, and felt a little like stepping back in time.

Next, we started our walk. About a mile down the cobblestone road was our next stop, La Gruta Hot Springs. It was a pleasant walk, though a bit hot toward the end, when most of the tree-cover faded away. We passed local shops, with people just going about their daily business, and a couple of statues or shrines. Arriving at La Gruta, we paid for entry, stashed our clothes and other belongings in a locker, and headed for the pools.

There are two relatively inexpensive "hot springs" options in town - the other is Escondido Place. The reviews seem fairly split between the two. Both have an enclosed pool that's super photogenic (Escondido Place's includes a colorful glass ceiling), but La Gruta intrigued me with images of its blue, rocky tunnel and lush tropical fauna. It's definitely a fun place to snap a few photos - to get a good photo in the tunnel itself, either go for a cool silhouette, use your flash, or just photoshop the heck out of the final product. I got good results taking a photo facing both ways - both into the tunnel and out of it - and then 'shopped the portrait with the better lighting over the more interesting background.

Following a Piña Colada and a Margarita in plastic cups, Mom treated both of us to a half-hour massage. The price was extremely reasonable - I want to say $40 for both of us? The massage was a wonderful, relaxing way to round out the day. By the time we were done, we'd closed the place down. There were very few workers around and no one at the taxi stand. (My T-Mobile service was still pretty patchy.) After going back inside to ask about calling a taxi, someone found a driver, who arrived about ten minutes later in a red sports car. Again, the pre-agreed price was reasonable (though still not Uber-cheap), and we made our way back to San Miguel, successfully completing our day trip to all three spots.