I grew up in Mexico City and think tourists often overlook these 11 things to do, from a wrestling show to floating gardens

• I'm a travel writer from Mexico City who loves recommending local to-dos to friends and tourists.

• Besides the popular landmarks, there are also lesser-known sites that I think are just as exciting.

• Here are 11 things I think tourists should do in CDMX, from street food tours to lucha libre shows.

My hometown of Mexico City has tons to do for visitors, from food tours to historic sightseeing.

Typically, repeat visitors I meet in Mexico City (CDMX) have already been to the most famous sites, such as the Anthropology Museum, the Zocalo, the Templo Mayor ruins, and the Diego Rivera murals.

As a local, I think these landmarks, and others like Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, are interesting to see, especially for first-time visitors. But I also love recommending the city's attractions and activities that are lesser known to tourists that  locals enjoy.

These 11 things to do and places to see are among my top picks for visitors in CDMX, from exploring the Xochimilco canals to getting a bird's eye view of the Teotihuacán pyramids.

Sign up for an authentic street food tour with a women-run tour company.

I love getting to know new places through food, so I think a great way to explore Mexico City is by signing up for a street food tour.

There are many you can do, but to go a bit more off the beaten path, I recommend Eat Like a Local, a woman-owned tour company with all-women guides. They combine expeditions like food safaris and mezcal tastings with teaching visitors about the city and connecting with locals.

I went on the 4.5-hour street food tour with this company that included two markets and stops at numerous food stalls. It was fun to eat nonstop for hours. Some of the best bites I tried on the tour were mixiote tacos, made from marinated meat steamed in a pit, and green-chorizo tacos, made with a Mexican-style pesto.

I also loved having the chance to meet girls whose families work at the market, as several of them came to say hello. My tour guide explained that some often join the tour to practice their English with the tourists.

I also admired the relationship I saw between the tour guides and the market community — they personally knew the vendors and employees everywhere we went.

Hunt for clothes, jewelry, and homewares at pop-up markets around town.

There are many places to shop in Mexico City but I recommend the pop-up markets with rotating locations throughout CDMX instead of larger stores or chains. I think these markets are a better way to support the local community, and they're also fun to browse for artisanal wares and handmade items.

At Tráfico Bazar, I've seen jewelry, homewares, fashion, and toiletries from up-and-coming designers and local business owners. There are also food options and, in my experience, usually live musicians during the Christmas season.

For unique clothing, I head to Bazar Resiliente. I've bought some great denim jackets there with funky touches like sequins, fringes, and studs.

Bazar del Sábado, located in the San Ángel area and open only on Saturdays, is more upscale, in my opinion, and I like to bring out-of-town friends here to enjoy the neighborhood's historic architecture.

Bazar del Sábado is in a fixed location, but the others are not, so I recommend checking social media to confirm locations and dates. In my experience, they're usually held in central neighborhoods like Roma, Juárez, or Polanco.

Cheer on masked luchadores at a Lucha Libre wrestling show.

Lucha Libre is a boisterous match of freestyle wrestling between brightly-masked luchadores — people who compete in Lucha Libre wrestling — with an audience in the bleachers of Arena México cheering them on.

I didn't think I'd like Mexican wrestling because it always seemed a bit kitsch to me, but I've been a few times with friends and think it's a unique, authentic night out that's a lot of fun.

As an attendee, I've seen the audience is made mostly of locals, and everyone gets excited during the match, especially the kids.

Fast food items are for sale like hot dogs and popcorn; I like buying a michelada with chamoy, which is big enough to last me throughout the show.

Matches are held only on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays throughout the year, and I recommend buying tickets in advance.

Taste one of Mexico's most popular liquors at a local mezcalería.

Mezcal is my alcoholic beverage of choice, and I love introducing friends to the Mexican liquor that, in my opinion, tastes like tequila's smokier cousin.

There are so many varieties of mezcal that I think it's worth going to a mezcalería to try a few. Some are earthier, others more herbal, and a mezcal tasting is a great way to sample the differences.

One of my preferred spots is La Clandestina, a mezcalería in the Condesa neighborhood that serves some 25 varieties of artisanal mezcal. I recommend ordering a few of the smallest servings to try multiple, and remembering to eat the orange slices sprinkled with chili powder to cleanse your palate.

I've found the staff is very knowledgeable, so I always go with a few of their suggestions and I've never been disappointed.

Wander the colorful squares and streets of the Coyoacán neighborhood.

Most tourists go to the southern part of Mexico City to visit Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul, but I think the area of Coyoacán has much more to see. I think it feels like a small town instead of a big-city neighborhood, and I can easily spend a whole day here exploring the squares and markets.