Monterrey Travel and Things to Do Guide

The site of Latin America's first steel plant and home to more than 300,000 business offices (2,400 of which are international), Monterrey remains one of Mexico's leading cities for industry and commerce. The volume of business activity generated each day keeps meeting venues in Monterrey lively and profitable. Thanks to its excellent infrastructure, buoyant economy and sound urban planning, Mexico's third largest city of 4.2 million inhabitants was ranked fourth on Forbes Magazine list of the World's Most Intelligent Cities in 2009 (Singapore, Hong Kong and Curitiba, Brazil are 1, 2 and 3). Located in the northeast of Mexico, Monterrey is only a 2 to 3 hour flight from most U.S. destinations, and a quick a 75-minute flight from Mexico City. Its newly expanded international airport, International Airport Mariano Escobedo, receives direct flights from 10 major U.S. cities and is located only 30 minutes from the city center. As a major transit hub, Monterrey offers a wide choice of transportation options with bus and train services to various neighboring cities and urban destinations, as well as a strong public transportation infrastructure featuring Monterrey's light rail system, Metrorrey. Taxis are also a convenient, accessible and economical method of transportation. Monterrey has more than 40 hotels, with a total guest room inventory of approximately 7,000. Choices of event venues in Monterrey include convention centers, arenas, auditoriums and parks, making this city an ideal environment for conducting business and hosting events. Among these, Fundidora industrial park, a historic facility, houses the most emblematic buildings of the city's industrial heritage, such as Blast Furnace 3 and the Lewis building (which hosted the 2007 Universal Forum of Cultures). Within Fundidora Park are two of city's principal event venues: Cintermex convention center, which provides a 59,000-square-foot convention hall and 198,000 square feet of exhibition space; and the Monterrey Arena, with a capacity for up to 17,600 people. Fundidora Park also includes 39 on-site hotels with up to 4,450 guest rooms, and is located only 35 minutes from the Monterrey's international airport. As the home of Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc, Mexico's oldest and largest brewery (established in the 19th century), Monterrey can be expected to know something about hospitality. More recently the Santa Lucia Riverwalk debuted, and is a popular spot for visitors. The Riverwalk is a 1.5-mile walkway along the riverbank connecting Fundidora Park to the Macroplaza; it is lined with restaurants, shops, gardens and fountains. Visitors can enjoy the Riverwalk by foot, pedal-boats for rent, or by hopping on one of the many tour boats, which offer guided historical tours of the city.