Walk It Out: Unique Things to Do in Monterrey

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There’s plenty going on in this bustling metropolis. But with five million people crammed into a valley with limited space, transport can be anything from mildly confusing to downright terrifying. Luckily Monterrey is surprisingly walkable for a large city. Park the car, grab some walking shoes and discover the best things to do in Monterrey Mexico on foot.

In the short time, we spent in this lively city its diversity, color and energy drew us in. That being said, the eight-lane roads in the middle of the city, tangled flyovers and seemingly ever-changing road rules had us stressing behind the wheel.

The mountain city is Mexico’s wealthiest, though rising tides haven’t lifted all boats. Rambling slum neighborhoods, obvious by their vibrantly colored shacks, abruptly end where they meet the strip malls, golf courses, hotels and restaurants of the wealthier barrios. The class divide is very apparent and firmly established by area. This division while stark seems to have given rise to a city that caters to many walks of life. Mimosas and art galleries for breakfast, street tacos, and mariachi for lunch, you can do it all in Monterrey.

Located in a basin between three mountain ranges, Monterrey is bordered on all sides by dramatic peaks, soaring granite cliffs, and cloud-topped plateaus. It makes for incredible views that shift as you make your way through the city.

While the mountainous backdrop provides some fantastic vistas, it also means space is not in huge supply. And with 1.1 million people in the city, and closer to 5 million within the metropolitan area, that space comes at a premium. Nowhere is this more evident than on the crowded roads. Rather than compete with the daily traffic, we decided to discover the best of Monterrey on foot. Here are the best things to do in Monterrey Mexico.

things to Do In Monterrey

Power Walk the Parque Fundidora

Start your day with a brisk walk through this impressive green space in the heart of the city. The Parque Fundidora is a great place to exercise, wander or picnic.

Converted from a disused steel factory, the sustainable park covers an area of 142 hectares. Now an archeological industrial site, impressive rusted metal monoliths rise up periodically from the green park.

The park has three and a half kilometres of road and tracks for walking, jogging and cycling. It also sports a number of sections with exercise equipment, playgrounds for children as well as food stalls, paid attractions and rides. Fundidora has plenty of tables, sunny grassy spots and cool shaded areas to relax or picnic.

Home to an arena, man-made lake, arts and expo centre the park is host to many events and exhibitions throughout the year. You can find out what’s happening at Fundidora here.

The park offers all day parking (between 6am and 11pm) for 100 MXP.

Amble Along the Santa Lucia River Walk

Completed in 2007, the Santa Lucia Riverwalk is a man-made canal and green corridor that connects Parque Fundidora and the city’s central (and enormous) plaza Macroplaza.

The walk features murals, fountains and sculptures alongside the meandering man-made river. You can also find bars, cafes, restaurants and food stalls along the way to take a break and grab a drink.

You can either hoof-it the entire 2.5km or jump aboard one of the small tour boats that make their way along the canal. We walked, using it to navigate from the Parque Fundidora, where we parked our car, to the central district where you can find most of the action in Monterrey.

Saunter Up and Down the Macroplaza

Right in the heart of heart of downtown, you can find one of the largest town plazas in the world. The Macroplaza offers 400,000 square metres of statues, fountains, monuments, gardens and squares.

Aside from a great place to wander, relax and photograph, the plaza is where many of Monterrey’s cultural and historical landmarks are found. Historical and modern government buildings, churches, and museums can all be seen on and around the plaza.

We decided to escape the midday heat by ducking into Monterrey’s contemporary art museum, MARCO, located at the southern end of the plaza. A journey into the weird, wonderful, and downright bizarre. Many exhibits had us scratching our heads, but perhaps we just don’t get it. The MARCO offers free admission on Wednesdays.

The surrounding area has many attractions as well including the Morelos walking street, Barrio Antiguo and Santa Lucia River Walk making the Macro plaza a great place to start, end or rest during your exploration of Monterrey.

March to the Mercardo Juarez to Sample Cabrito (and Waddle Home)

Cabrito, roasted goat kid, is a regional delicacy and a must try when in Monterrey. The most common style is the cabrito al pastor, whole baby goat, spit roasted over charcoal, though a number of other styles are also popular. You can find goat braised in sauce, oven roasted goat with seasoning or the more adventurous cabrito sangre, roast goat basted in blood and served with various bits and pieces of offal. We decided to keep it traditional and track down some cabrito al pastor.  

There are plenty of restaurants synonymous with this local dish, the most famous being the gaudy El Rey del Cabrito. However, we opted to eschew table cloths and silverware for a more stripped-back dining approach. We headed toward the plastic tables and chairs of the Mercardo Juarez.

On the second floor of the Mercardo, where most of the restaurants are found, you can find Cabrito El Pipiripau (they also have an area downstairs serving the same food). A portion of cabrito al pastor served with tortillas, fresh vegetables, and salsa was plenty for the two of us and set us back 200 pesos or $10 USD.

The succulent goat is mouth-watering on its own but dressed in a tortilla with salsa and lime it is perfection. The water in Monterrey is treated so you should get away with eating the fresh vegetable accompaniments. Of course, there is always an element of risk at street and market vendors, but that’s part of the fun.

While you may have marched here it will be a waddle home so plan accordingly and wear your stretchy pants.

Strutt Your Stuff in Barrio Antiguo

This colorful, colonial, historic quarter can be found in central Monterrey, just to the east of the Macroplaza. The area dates back to the city’s founding in the 16th century, and buildings here date back as far as the 18th century. Since then, the Barrio’s cultural significance to the city has waxed and waned several times. Most recently it has been earmarked for restoration as a cultural center, following a decline in the 90s and 00s due to the violence that plagued the city.

Aside from walking the suburb to take in the architecture and color of the buildings, this is a great area to find some of Monterrey’s best, restaurants, bars, and cafes. The barrio comes alive in the evenings when the heat of the day has subsided and the locals come out to play. Most popular amongst the city’s young affluent local crowd. We took the opportunity to sample some of what this local dining and drinking precinct had to offer.

La Casa del Maiz

Authentic food in an eclectic, semi-restored historic building. Latin MTV blared from televisions throughout the restaurant during our meal, but seemed to fit the vibe. The food was delicious, the portions generous and price fair. Grab the house enchiladas or the quesadillas and you won’t be disappointed. 

Above the restaurant is the Akbal Lounge, a cozy bar with great decor and attentive service.

Skip Me Muero de Hambre on the main walking street of Barrio Antigua. If the three different floors dedicated to three different cuisines wasn’t enough of a red flag, the tacky attempt at kitsch decor should have been. Besides the location, there is very little to recommend this restaurant. The restaurant boasts average food, an army of disinterested waiters, awful wine, and high prices. Head off the main street for more authentic food and better service.  

Almacen 42

Housed in what looked to be an empty lot between two buildings, someone has capitalized on this space using old shipping containers. The decor is fun if not groundbreaking. The atmosphere is friendly and busy in the evenings. Most importantly there is a wide variety of delicious cold beer on tap and decent prices.

Almacen 42 offers an array of 42 Mexican beers from a variety of breweries and pour sizes for sampling (180ml) through to enjoying (500ml). Settle in for an evening of tasting locally crafted beer. If you’re staying for dinner they have a American menu with real smoked meats, burgers and comfort foods like mac n’ cheese.

Almacen 42, like many local bars, doesn’t open until 5 pm.

Skip the Sierra Madre Brewing Co. nearby. Sierra Madre’s beers are more expensive without the selection, or quality to match. With its tired sports bar format, you won’t be missing anything in regards to the atmosphere here either.

Mercado Barrio Antiguo

Not your typical Mexican market, this Mercardo is in fact an upmarket food hall with numerous small eateries and bars serving up everything from paella to sushi to burgers. A great place to grab a snack or go for dinner with a group who can’t agree on what to get.

Head upstairs for two upscale restaurants with outdoor dining and a view of the bustling street below.

Hike (Climb or Bike) the Parque la Huasteca

Ok, perhaps this isn’t walking distance from Monterrey’s city center, but you can hike once you get here. Exploring the breathtaking granite cliffs of the Cerro San Rafael was definitely a highlight of our time in Monterrey.

Just twenty minutes from downtown this ecological park can be explored at your leisure. Rent bikes, book tours, hike, or rock climb this incredible natural park.

We spent a weekend camping at the entrance to Cañon de Guitarritas. Completely undisturbed but for a couple of cyclists who came to inspect the ancient rock carvings that adorn the canyon.

If you plan to camp in the park, it can get busy and even dangerous overnight around the entrance. Make sure you continue driving to the end of the road where an older man, operating a fence will take a small donation (20 MXP or so) to allow you to continue to the quieter less explored areas of the park.

You can find our campsite here.

Explore Grutas de García – How to See the Garcia Caves

Another popular attraction outside of the city is the Garcia Caves. This impressive cave system is located 30 kilometers outside Monterrey near the town of Garcia.

The caves are found under the stunning Sierra del Fraile mountains in the Grutas de Garcia State Park. The system is many kilometers long and a portion has been opened to the public.

You can self-drive to the Garcia caves and access the caves, via cable car for just $4per person. Alternatively, tours from Monterrey take about 6 hours and cost around $50 per person.

The caves are open from Tuesday to Sunday.

Where to stay in Monterrey

Overlanding and Camping

In Monterrey, it is very difficult to camp in your vehicle. Expensive parking lots with complicated times and rules dominate the city. We opted to stay further outside the city in nearby Guadalupe. Here there is a Walmart where you can camp overnight and use the bathrooms when the store is open between 7 am and 11 am.

During the day we drove into Monterrey and parked the car at the Parque Fundidora for 100 MXP (6:00am – 11:00pm).

You can also wild camp just outside the city is the Parque la Huasteca. We camped at a beautiful campsite outside the entrance to the Cañon de Guitarritas which can be found here.

Hotels

Verging on a global city, there are hundreds of hotels to suit all tastes and budgets. Check out these great options downtown near the majority of attractions and avoid the traffic in Monterrey.

Fiesta Americana Monterrey

Krystal Monterrey

Hotel Monterrey Macroplaza

Hostal Hare Krishna

What Services there are in Monterrey

Connectivity

4g is available throughout the city.

Water

The water in Monterrey is treated and should be safe to drink. However, some areas may use older plumbing where contamination from older pipes is a risk. In the city center, tap water should be fine and modern hotels and restaurants are safe to eat and drink at.

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