Hermosillo

Understand

Hermosillo is one of the largest cities in Northwest Mexico, with a population of around 812,000 people (2015). Industry and manufacturing has been the most dynamic sector of the economy. Much of this began in the 1980s with the establishment of the automobile industry. Electronics and IT are the largest employers by both revenue and number of employees. Manufacturers employ about 30% of the population.

Climate

Temperatures can reach 52 °C (125.6 °F) in the summer months, making it one of the hottest cities in the country. Winters are generally mild to warm, but nighttime temperatures can drop as low as freezing in December and January. Rain falls mostly between July and September, with annual precipitation between 75 and 300 millimetres (3.0 and 11.8 in).

Getting there

By plane 1 Hermosillo's International Airport (General Ignacio Pesqueira Garcia HMO IATA). One of the busiest in Mexico, as it is in the center of country northwest. It has scheduled flights from the US cities of Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and a number of cities in Mexico. Also, small regional and charter airlines provide service from cities like Guasave, Guaymas, and Guerrero Negro. Americans living close to the border (Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez) should consider flights leaving out of those cities' airports in Mexico, which are generally cheaper than flights from US cities into Hermosillo. Aeromexico (and its affiliate Aerolitoral that uses smaller aircraft) has many flights to Hermosillo from national and international destinations. Low airfare providers are Volaris and Viva-aerobus. The latter is the cheapest of them all, but beware of the airline's policies for it won't give any protection for any delays or cancellations.

By car

The road from Nogales (on the border) down to Hermosillo is a paved highway. The portion of Highway 15 between Magdalena de Kino and Hermosillo is a toll road, keep your receipt as this is a form of insurance. To file a claim you will need to return to the toll booth (either in Hermosillo or Magdalena). If you are bringing a car in from the United States, or Canada (including rental vehicles) you must have insurance through a Mexican company, if you have an accident call these companies immediately, in most cases a representative from the insurance company will be dispatched to the scene of the accident, be prepared to wait for them, though no more than 2 hours, especially if you are in the middle of the desert somewhere. If you are involved in an accident which requires a police report, the vehicle may be impounded overnight. Most police officers (federal and local) are very courteous and helpful; some of them may be willing to forego the report in order to help you out. On your Mexican insurance forms there should be a number for the "Angeles Verdes" (Green Angels) which is a roadside assistance service similar to AAA in the United States. Keep that number handy when you travel, Angeles Verdes drivers are bilingual and are very helpful. Going to or coming from Hermosillo from Nogales you will encounter several checkpoints. On the north bound side there is a checkpoint staffed 24 hours a day by the Mexican military. The soldiers posted at the stop sign who speak to the drivers are almost always able to speak enough English to deal with American and Canadian tourists. They will ask you where you are

Getting around

There's a trolley bus tour that goes out just in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Hermosillo right in the city center. It will take you to the best sight seeings and landscapes of the city. Unlike most cities in the USA or Canada the bus in Hermosillo is a simple (and cheap) way to get around. The buses will run every few minutes, so if you miss one just wait a few minutes for the next one. Bus service is not recommended for tourists as you can get lost or end up in an outskirt zone. Do not use buses if you are not familiar to the routes. Some buses do not have air conditioning, so take precautions as temperatures may reach more than 40 °C (100 °F). Fares are approx. US$0.50. Taxis are widely available and are a cheap way to get around. Use those ones from a Taxi site, or ask for one in the Hotel front desk. Cheapest taxi fare in Hermosillo is US$4.50. Car rental offer several models starting about US$50 per day. If you move in this city by car take a GPS with you as some streets may have dead-ends, some wide avenues stretch suddenly to 2-lane alleys and other streets may change circulation way with no advice. Most of the city's important avenues have marked lanes for bicycles, if you choose it as a different way to go around.

See

Cerro de la Campana - This radio tower is on a road that winds up a mountain right downtown. It isn't very high, but gives a great view of Hermosillo and the surrounding countryside. It has parking space and police surveillance. Museum of Sonora (Museo Regional de Sonora), Jesús García, 62 17 25 80. Housed in a very creepy old stone penitentiary built in 1897. It is a castle-like building with big stone walls and watchtowers. You can visit the old underground cells which are especially creepy, making you wonder how many people died there in those horrible conditions. Also features a permanent show of old coins, and historical elements, showed on a timeline order. Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 09:00-16:00. Catedral Hermosillo, Blvr. Miguel Hidalgo S/N. A very lemony-looking church. Regional Museum of Sonora's University Features a small collection of historical elements, portraits, local crafts and an interesting collection of appliances, guns, photographs, money and documents from the revolution era. Also shows temporal art exhibits. The main pieces of the Museum are a group of mummies found at the sonoran sierra. Sonora Museum of Art, Centro Cultural Musas, Blvd. Agustín de Vildósola S/N. Discover modern and ancient representations of Mexican art here. Hector Espino Stadium, Blvd. Solidaridad and Blvd. Luís Encinas - Choyal area. Home of the Hermosillo Naranjeros, the best baseball league of Mexico and because they play between October and January, you can see some Major League Baseball players in addition to the best Mexican baseball players. Some notable former and current Naranjeros include Hector Espino, Fernando Valenzuela, Erubial Durazo, Curt Schilling, Vinny Castilla, Luis A. Garcia, Geronimo Gil, and many others. All of this surrounded by a great atmosphere of party as only Mexicans know how. There is a souvenir store at the stadium as well. Hermosillo at night - In the northeastern part of the city there is a small parking area where Blvd. Jose Maria Morelos meets Blvd. Juan Bautista de Escalante. Park here and bring your camera as you will see a stunning view of Hermosillo, including Cerro de la Campana. The view is especially impressive at night, as you can see lights that seem to stretch out forever. Hermosillo police officers are often posted there at night, they will not bother you, and will often chat with tourists and suggest other places to visit.

Do

Hit the trails Mountain biking and hiking are very popular activities, and the area has many amazing trails to follow in the mountains around the city. The mix of desert and mountain give these trails a very nice touch. Wild life is very interesting. You get to see from little lizards and roadrunners all around to big deer and coyotes, and if you're lucky you might be able to watch a bighorn sheep or even a rattlesnake (not considered to be extremely lucky). Visit downtown Hermosillo (El Centro). In El Centro you will find many shops, selling anything you can think of. There are also food stands if you get hungry or thirsty. Be careful though, the streets in El Centro are always crowded, and traffic is heavy. Also the sidewalks are higher off the street level than you may be used to, this will be a difficult area to traverse if you are in a wheelchair, or have a baby carriage. A heavy police presence is maintained in the area due to its popularity, and constant crowds, help is never far away.

Buy

Hermosillo is slightly more expensive than other parts of Mexico, as life quality is slightly higher than other Mexican cities. However, prices are still good compared to the United States. There are lots of American stores, including Office Depot, Blockbuster, Office Max, Costco, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and others. Also, Hermosillo is full of shoe and clothes stores (boutique). ATM & banks. Hermosillo has branches of all the major banks operating in Mexico, some of them are related to foreign banks:

HSBC. Has ATMs almost in every retail (Walmart, Ley, Soriana) and those one in their branches. Banamex. Related to Citibank/Citigroup, it is the most important bank in the country. There are several branches and ATMs in most of the retail stores. BBVA Bancomer. Related to Chase, similar number of branches to those of HSBC. ATMs in most retail stores. Santander. Associated with Bank of America. BofA users can withdrawal money from Santander ATMs with no additional fees. But, Santander has fewer branches and ATMs than other banks. Toys can cost almost 1.5 times more in many parts of Mexico than in the US, don't expect deals there. Restaurants, food, bars, liquor, hotels are excellent in price and with the average exchange difference, can cost 2/3 of the same in US. The following are some interesting stores you may find in town:

Deportes Arietta, in El Centro (downtown Hermosillo). The official uniform dealer for the Naranjeros. You can get a real jersey, the same as the players wear, for about US$60. The store also has merchandise from the other teams in the Mexican Pacific League, as well as other sports teams from throughout Mexico, and MLB and NBA merchandise. Several store employees speak fluent English and will be happy to talk sports with you. Casa de Vaquero, a store that sells cowboy hats, and boots, also the cowboy type of clothing that is popular throughout Hermosillo and northern Mexico. There are several stores throughout Hermosillo, prices range from low to high. Soriana, located throughout Hermosillo (6 stores). It's a retail store, competes directly with Wal-Mart. Coppel Department store, cheap furniture and clothes, also offers gold and other jewelry, fragrances, shoes and house appliances. Ley, More than 15 locations. Ley is a retail store. Ley is connected to the US chain Safeway. Supermercados SantaFé, a grocery store. Several locations in Hermosillo. Rebranded from a previous retail chain who went to bankruptcy. Wal-Mart, several locations throughout Hermosillo. Unlike Wal-Marts in the US, Wal-Mart is considered an upscale, expensi

Eat

Carne asada - Grilled beef (boneless chuck, rib eye, sirloin) which is the most typical food in the city. Tacos are typically around one dollar and are pretty good. Some of the best carne asada and tacos (also try caramelos which are tacos with melted cheese) can be found on the thousands of taco stands you will find on almost any street in Hermosillo. Coyotas - A flat sweet bread filled with various choices as buttermilk candy (not the chocolate bar), apple, pecan nut, strawberry jam, among others. This bake is a tradition among the city and it started in the former town called Villa de Seris, which now is part of Hermosillo. Empanadas - Another local bread which consists of a turnover style pastry filled with a sweet filling. Melcochas - Candy based on raw sugar. Tacos de cabeza - Beef tacos made from the head of the cow, typical for breakfast. Burro percheron - A variation on the traditional burrito. The difference is in the ingredients and the size, as in the south of Mexico burritos are usually thin and about six inches long and has lots of potato filling. Percheron burro in the big size are usually 30 cm (1 foot) and 5–8 cm (2-3 inches) wide, they are filled with avocado, tomato, cheese and premium beef. Cost is around US$6–8 and even more if toppings are asked (pork meat, pepperoni, ham, shrimp, anaheim pepper, bacon). Hot dogs - For a late dinner you have to go to Dogos CBC of Pami for the best hot dogs in Sonora, voted among the top 50 hot dogs in the world and one of the best 100 foods in the world, you will be able to find hot dogs here 24/7. Also check out the hot dog stand which is out at night right next to the Oxxo, located at Blvd. Lopez Portillo and Ave. Tres. Turkey hot dogs stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon.)

Restaurants Hermosillo is full of great restaurants, including American ones such as Applebee's. There are lots of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other ethnic restaurants as well. The best, though, are the Mexican-run taco stands.

Taqueria Irazema - The best and cleanest place for tacos de cabeza. El Abajillo, Bulevar Solidaridad 325, Paseo del Sol, ☏ +52 662 260 1843. This place that used to be Mariachisimo still has roving mariachi bands to serenade you while you enjoy your fajitas and margaritas, so not to worry. Xochimilco, Calle Gral Álvaro Obregón 51, Villa de Seris, ☏ +52 662 250 4052. Carne asada restaurant with very good service, taste, and quality. Window allows you to watch the chefs in action, and the enormous tortillas de harina (flour tortillas) being made. Xochimilco slogan is 'If you come to Hermo

Drink & nightlife

There are beer stores everywhere in Hermosillo. The most popular brands are Tecate, Pacifico, and Modelo (Corona). In a hurry? Look for a "Tecate Six" you can buy your beer in a drive-thru. Coke and Pepsi are available at almost every restaurant and store, DrPepper is available at Extra, Santa fe and Super del Norte stores. Tap water is safe to drink, as Hermosillo is the only city that purifies the water before it goes to the pipes. While it is safe to drink, many of the locals suggest drinking purified bottled water, as the tap water contains some minerals which after years of drinking may cause (or may not) teeth stains. Smoking is not allowed in closed public places including restaurants, night clubs and bars. Today most of the city's fun places have terraces outside to allow smoking people without breaking the law. Also you must know that bars and night clubs close at 14:00 and beer and liquor stores have to close at midnight if you plan to drink all night have this in mind when you go to buy booze, even if midnight is the time to stop selling liquor most of the stores stop selling at 23:45.

Orange Mill: two local restaurant/bar on Blvd. Colosio and Sahuaripa street. On weekends Orange mill features live Country music band, making this place an excellent options for those who are not so into pop/dance. 1 La Biblioteca. Bar and pool tables. This place is on Rosales avenue, in the front of the BMW dealer and one block away of the University of Sonora. Offers domestic and international beer, soft drinks, music and screens with music videos or sports events. Opens at 11:00. (updated Feb 2016) La Ruina Park, Eusebio Francisco Kino 9001, ☏ +52 662 103 0110. A park or space hosting food trucks and entertainment at times where people gather to socialize and have a drink. (updated Jan 2021)

Sleep

Hotels and accommodations abound around the city.

Very nice hotels in Hermosillo cost about the same as a mid-range hotel in Phoenix. For around US$50 per night, you can find a hotel that would cost around $100–200 in the U.S.

Budget Hotel Washington Dr. Noriega 68, between Matamoros and Guerrero streets. Simple rooms without TV, but free WiFi and one computer for guests. Single room US$18, double room US$20. Very friendly and helpful staff, roof terrace, clothes line can be used when washing own clothes. Very central, thus somewhat noisy. Hotel & Suites Kino, 151 Pino Suarez st. This hotel offers one-person accommodation starting at about US$30-35 and up to double and executive suites at US$70. Three-star hotel with the basic stuff and also an inside swimming pool, free coffee at nights, WiFi access and cable TV among other comforts. The only low-budget remarkable hotel in town. Operating with no interruption since 1863. Also take a look to the exhibit of 19th and 20th century items. This hotel has no bar.

Mid-range 1 Hotel Santiago Plaza, Blvd. Luis Encinas J. 545, ☏ +52 662 289 8990. Buffet restaurant and outdoor pool, popular venue for meetings/events with its on-site hall. M$597. (updated Jan 2021) 2 Hotel Plaza del Sol, Blvd. Kino N.197, Country Club, ☏ +52 662 215 5563. Hotel with somewhat of an Aztecan-looking design that has one of those fun rooftop pools as well as a restaurant. M$638. (updated Jan 2021) 3 Hotel San Sebastian, Periférico Sur 96, ☏ +52 662 259 9550. Pretty much the same thing, style and rates of Santiago Hotel. Just a bigger in size. Has a buffet restaurant and a bar with live music and comedian, plus pool to take the edge off the Hermosillo heat. M$885. (updated Jan 2021)

Splurge 4 Hotel Lucerna, Blvd. Paseo Río Sonora Nte. 98, ☏ +52 662 259 5200. 5-star amenities. Bilingual staff. It's in the southern part of the city, next to "Centro de Gobierno" or the main government offices. Modern decor, pool, and Jacuzzi. (updated Feb 2016) 5 Fiesta Americana Hermosillo, Blvd. Francisco Eusebio Kino 375, ☏ +52 662 289 2200. 5-star amenities. Bilingual counter staff. Located in the northern part of the city, as you enter from Mexico 15 south the hotel is just after you enter the city on the left in Hermosillo's finest neighborhood, "Pitic." Surrounded by some of Hermosillo's nicest (and most expensive) restaurants. The hotel has a restaurant, tennis courts and a nightclub. (updated Feb 2016) 6 Araiza Inn Hotel, Blvd. Eusebio Kino 353. Near the Fiesta Americana, a 5-star type hotel with all amenities. Includes a delightf

Go next

From Hermosillo you can access points all over Sonora, or continue south to Sinaloa. Mexico's Route 15 goes all the way down to Mexico City, though flying is the better option if you plan on heading to that area. Hermosillo is only about 1 hour east of Bahía Kino, a small town with a beautiful beach, and access to Isla Tiburon. About an hour and 15 minutes south of Hermosillo is Guaymas and San Carlos. San Carlos is more developed than Bahia Kino, with many condo/resort facilities, however there are some areas of secluded beach. San Carlos is also home to Tetakawi, a large mountain right on the water that is sometimes referred to by locals as "Goat Tits" due to its unique shape. Not far from San Carlos is the port city of Guaymas, smaller than Hermosillo, it is a bustling and growing city with excellent restaurants, and access to a largely unknown Mexican maritime culture. Continuing past Guaymas one can also reach Ciudad Obregon from Hermosillo, which is also a city on the rise, and home to a beautiful lake frequented by locals. Most American and Canadian tourists are just passing through Hermosillo on their way to one of the nearby beaches. Unfortunately for them they do not know what they are missing in this clean, modern, and beautiful city.