Monterrey/Western suburbs

The Western suburbs of Monterrey consist of two municipalities - San Pedro Garza Garcia and Santa Catarina.

San Pedro Garza Garcia (often referred to locally as simply "San Pedro") is the wealthiest part of Monterrey, consisting of elegant neighborhoods, glitzy upscale shopping centers, towering high rise buildings and myriad restaurants and international hotels. This is a very modern area with most development occurring since 1997. Development continues to occur as new commercial centers and mixed use centers are in the western part of San Pedro (Valle Poniente).

Santa Catarina is a low-key, sprawling, working-class neighborhood that is a gateway to La Huasteca and the Cumbres National Park --- magnets for outdoor enthusiasts. Santa Catarina is home to many foreign-owned maquilladoras and industrial plants. Shopping centers and businesses line the main roadways, such as the Carreterra Monterrey-Saltillo. New mixed use development is happening in the eastern part of Santa Catarina, near the boundary with San Pedro.

Get in
See the main article for a more detailed discussion of urban transportation in the Monterrey area.

By plane
Monterrey International Airport is a 40- to 50-minute taxi ride in the northern municipality of Apodaca.

By bus
Monterrey's Central Bus Station (Central de Autobuses) is about a 30-minute ride, in downtown Monterrey.

Long distance buses to Saltillo and San Luis Potosi usually travel through Santa Catarina on MEX 40 (Carretera Monterrey-Saltillo). Several of the long-distance bus lines operate small stations along this highway where buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. If you plan to stay in Santa Catarina or San Pedro, you can use these stations to avoid having to go all the way into el Centro to the main bus station.

Get around
There is no metro in this area, but plenty of taxis and buses. Ride-hailing apps like Uber work well here. See the main article for details.

See
There are no tourist sites in San Pedro or Santa Catarina. Most tourist sites are in Centro.

Do
Monterrey is surrounded by mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental range. A huge swath of mountainous terrain constitutes the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, which extends many miles south. In the Western suburbs, the most popular areas of the park are Chipinque (accessed via San Pedro) and La Huasteca (accessed via Santa Catarina). This is rugged backcountry, rich in opportunies for rock climbing, canyoneering, backpacking, caving, mountain biking, and hiking. Exploring the parks can be an absolute adrenaline rush, but be careful because much of this terrain is not suitable for newbies. Best to go with an experienced guide who will provide suitable equipment and instruction. Gaia Extreme is an established company with an excellent local reputation: they can provide guides and equipment for most of the local area.





Buy
If you like conspicuous consumption, then you'll find more than your fill of name-brand shopping opportunities in San Pedro Garza Garcia. Myriad glitzy shops and large, modern department stores fill the malls. Designer brands can be found everywhere. What's lacking are any shops of genuine local color. Most of what you find are the same kind of "upscale" shopping that you'd find in any major city in the world: same stores, same brands. Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Palacio de Hierro, Versace, Fendi... yawn!

Every few weeks a new mall seems to pop up in San Pedro. Here are a few to start getting your credit cards overdrawn...



Drink
The Centrito area is centered around the intersection of Av. Rio Mississippi and Av. Rio Orinoco, it is a popular and safe option for partying and clubbing. A trendy hot spot for the younger crowd.

San Pedro Garza Garcia
Most hotels in San Pedro are new and upscale. Decent cheap lodging is rare and is better found in el Centro (with hostels in Barrio Antiguo). The Ibis is the most reliably inexpensive option in San Pedro.

Connect
The area is very well connected with broadband internet in all major hotels and restaurant (though some will charge for WiFi). Cell service is excellent with 5G service everywhere in this part of town. See the main article for Monterrey.

Go next
A few miles northwest of Santa Catarina, on Nuevo Leon highway 65, is the municipality of Garcia. There are several attractions in Garcia that make it a popular day trip or weekend destination, particularly for families.


 * , near the Garcia caves in the municipality of Garcia is a drive-through safari wildlife park. You can ride through in your own car, or a truck-like tram will take you through. Camel rides, zip lines, galapagos turtles, monkeys, giraffes, an aviary and lots more. Prices start at M$110 for a kids admission to M$180 for adults, plus safari rides.
 * ,, on the road to Garcia caves is this popular family recreation area. Quiet and peaceful. Cabins are available for overnight stays. Swimming pools with water slides, an ecological zoo with lions, tigers, monkeys, zebras, and even some lemurs (who like to move it, move it). Picnic areas with grills. Severe water shortages in Nuevo Leon during 2022 forced the pools to shut down. They will likely re-open when the water situation improves.
 * ,, on the road to Garcia caves is this popular family recreation area. Quiet and peaceful. Cabins are available for overnight stays. Swimming pools with water slides, an ecological zoo with lions, tigers, monkeys, zebras, and even some lemurs (who like to move it, move it). Picnic areas with grills. Severe water shortages in Nuevo Leon during 2022 forced the pools to shut down. They will likely re-open when the water situation improves.