Eco-tourism
Matacanes
Matacanes is a mecca for the rugged outdoors sportsman, it's a narrow, whitewater river rushing through the sierra madres, cascading over waterfalls, and forcing its way with all due haste towards the gulf of mexico. people come to matacanes to hike the verdant green mountain trails, to swim in the cool pools, to rappel down sheer cliff faces, and to see a side of northern mexico that few guide books take the time to explore.
La Huasteca
Dramatic canyons cut through the mountains on the edge of monterrey with sheer rock cliffs and an impressive display of nature's power.
El Potrero Chico
An internationally renowned rock climbing area 1 hr ride outside the city. it is also great for biking and trail running.
Chipinque Ecological Park
Chipinque is one of the white-faced mountains towering over monterrey, this one over the suburban municipalities of san pedro and garza garcia. drive up to the mesa where you can picnic while your kids enjoy the playground. go hiking or mountain biking on the rugged trails that go up through the mountains to a fire-spotting station, or onwards toward the reservoir near the outlying town of santiago. there is a rustic mountain lodge offering affordable family lodging and a restaurant serving traditional mexican cuisine in a setting with unparalleled views of the city below. (http://www.chipinque.org.mx)
Sports
Sultanes
baseball - monterrey's aaa-level mexican league baseball team is the sultanes --- one of the best and most enduring teams in mexico. kick back in the 40,000 seat estadio de beisbol monterrey on any summer evening, have a couple ice cold carta blancas, and cheer when the sultanes smack in another jonron! (http://www.sultanes.com.mx)
Fuerza Regia
basketball - professional basketball seems to be taking off in mexico and the fuerza regia play in the massive, ultramodern new arena monterrey. (http://www.fuerzaregia.com)
Rayados
football/soccer - the rayados sometimes also called la pandilla are one of two professional soccer teams --- both very good --- playing in monterrey. games are played in the 41,000 seat estadio tecnologico. (http://www.rayados.com)
Other activities
Parque Plaza Sesamo
Popular theme park featuring all your favorite sesame street characters, from elmo to big bird. there's rides for the kids, shows, and an impressive array of water slides to help you cool off during the hottest summer afternoons. (http://www.parqueplazases...).
Rio Santa Catarina
The dry river bed of the santa catarina runs through downtown monterrey along avenida constitucion. on the river bed are soccer fields, a big go-kart track, the occasional traveling circus, and an enormous flea market, called the "pulga". however, these were destroyed in the hurricane alex.
Lucha Libre
If wwe is too tame for you, check out lucha libre --- the original professional wrestling. tuesday evenings at 7pm seem to be the best time to catch some wrestling action. it happens at the coliseo, across the street from the central de autobuses.
Bull Fights
Some people find it bloody and barbaric, but it's an authentic slice of spanish heritage and the bullfights in monterrey feature top-tier professional matadors. (http://www.monumentallore...)
Casa Tec
Monterrey's itesm is the largest and most highly regarded private university in latin america. often considered a privilege for mexico's affluent young adults, the school aggressively seeks to open its doors to talented minds of all income levels through an amazingly rich scholarship program, funded by periodic raffles of multi-million dollar mansions, fully furnished right down to his-and-her luxury cars in the garage and enough cash to pay all taxes and household maintenance for the first years. homes for the next raffle are open for public tours and its great fun to stroll through the home, seeing how you could live if only your number came up. the raffle is called sorteo tec and the home tours are in san pedro, in the valle oriente part of monterrey. (http://www.sorteotec.com)
Monterrey is a huge city, so all individual listings should be moved to the appropriate district articles, and this section should contain a brief overview. Please help to move listings if you are familiar with this city.