This city is known as the Capital of the North or Mountain City, because of the whimsical and impressive rock formations that surround and penetrate her.
San Pedro Garza Garcia, one of the boroughs in the greater Monterrey area, has a HDI of 0.950, reportedly one of the highest in Latin America.

According to the last report of the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness, Monterrey is Mexico’s most competitive city. As of 2008, according to America Economia magazine, Monterrey is the 6th most important city to do business in America.

Along its traditional industrial and business vocation, Monterrey is developing a tourist vocation linked to its natural attractions, its amusement parks and museums. Among the most attractive places in the city are: the Macroplaza, one of the biggest plazas in the world, it is the administrative and museum center in the city. Fundidora Park (located on the grounds of latter Steel and Iron Smeltering Company of Monterrey). Obispado Museum. Metropolitan Museum. Old City Hall. Santa Lucia Promenade has an artificial navigable canal that goes from the Mexican History Museum to Fundidora Park that was inaugurated at the beginning of the Cultures Universal Forum.

Monterrey is a cosmopolitan city with important museums, which aim to be a place for the expression and spreading of local, national and international artists’ body of work, no matter if they are renowned or the new generation of artists. Among the important museums are: Contemporary Art Museum (MARCO), Mexican History Museum, Government’s Palace, Northeast Museum, Natural History Museum, Glass Museum, Monterrey Regional Museum, Planetarium and Alfa Museum, Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. Also the Nuevo Leon House of Culture, the Center for the Arts, and the Colegio Civil Art Gallery.

There are important 19th and early 20th century buildings, like Banco Mercantil, La Reinera, Ancira Hotel, Dulces Nombres Chapel and Sacred Heart Old College, which at present is the Music and Dance Superior High School, as well as several outstanding examples of modern architecture, like Acero Building and Purisima Church.

There are also large shopping malls that satisfy the customer’s curiosity for new clothes and other high quality items.

In the south part of the city, the ride par excellence is Chipinque Park, which is part of the Cumbres National Park, above the Sierra Madre. This place is ideal for mountain cycling, jogging, bird watching and tree species typical of west mountain ecosystems, the Sierra Madre is place of impressive rock formations like La Huasteca, a rappel paradise. The “Grutas de Garcia”, Garcia’s Caves, are inner galleries that hide fascinating forms and are an authentic national treasure.

In the neighboring Santiago parish, only 30-40 minutes southeast of the city is the “Cola de Caballo”, the “Horsetail”, a beautiful waterfall that comes from water filtrations in the rocks of Sierra Madre. This place has a high level hotel. Further ahead, for those who love extreme sports, Matacanes offers rappel and hiking, and 14 meter jumps into turquoise blue ponds. On the way to “Cola de Caballo”, there is the “Presa de la Boca”, Boca Dam, one of the most visited venues by locals and tourists, who may enjoy a boat trip, on watercraft o on catamaran. Close to that place is “Los Cavazos”, a spot for small shops, where you can taste typical cuisine and buy souvenirs, art crafts and rustic furniture.

Children have a wide variety of fun places, including theme parks, like Sesame St. aquatic Park, the urbane Mundo de Adeveras and Kidzania, La Pastora Zoo, as well as Estrella Biopark. Museums in the city not only exhibit great temporary exhibits, but they offer cultural activities for children during most of the year. They are family tours.