Northern Mexico

Understand

This is not the tourist Mexico of the colonial central states or the southern beach resorts. Rather the Norte is the Mexico of popular imagination. A place of vaqueros, horses and small towns, soaring mountains and sweeping deserts. But at the same time, with some of the more modern cities in the country. Truly this is a very rich and virgin region. Visit Chihuahua or Coahuila and you will be far off the well worn gringo path. In many ways traveling to the north is like traveling through an old Western movie. Northern Mexico is one of the country's most wealthy and modern regions. Maquiladoras (foreign owned factory warehouses) are located in many northern states. America's music, television, and other forms of entertainment are present near the American border. A lot of Mexicans cross the border to shop or work.

Getting there

Plane 1 Monterrey International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Mariano Escobedo, MTY IATA), Apodaca (24 km northeast of Monterrey). Largest airport in northern Mexico with connections to most Mexican destinations and major U.S. cities. Hub for Viva Aerobus. (updated Jul 2021) 2 Chihuahua International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional General Roberto Fierro Villalobos, CUU IATA) (18 km (11 mi) southeast of Chihuahua City). Large airport with several daily flights to major Mexican hubs including Mexico City and Monterrey. (updated Mar 2025) 3 Ciudad Victoria International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional General Pedro José Méndez, CVM IATA) (20 km east of Ciudad Victoria). Smaller regional airport serving the eastern part of the region. (updated Mar 2025)

Bus Buses are an economical way to cross the border and many options are available. Greyhound has buses that will take you from southern U.S. cities to northern Mexico cities and many Mexican bus lines offer trans-border service to the interior of Mexico or destinations in the United States if heading in the opposite direction. See Bus travel in Mexico for details.

Getting around

Northern Mexico has the best highway system in the country. Additionally, the area's sparse population means heavy traffic congestion is seldom an issue (outside of the Monterrey area and at busy border crossings). As a result, taking the bus or finding a few friends to carpool with are probably the best option for getting around. If you are short on time there are many regional flights between the larger cities. If you have plenty of time buying a horse or bicycle would really allow one to slow down and absorb the region's unique scenery, culture and lifestyle; it could be the travel experience of a lifetime.

See

The Copper Canyon is an awe-inspiring network of canyons through the Sierra Madre mountains. The most popular way to see it is to ride the famous Chepe train through the canyon between Los Mochis and Creel.

Do

Explore a largely overlooked area that is several times the size of Spain.

Buy

Northern Mexico is home to several folk art traditions (artes populares) that offer meaningful souvenirs you can treasure for generations. No need for plastic junk sold in cheap souvenir shops when there are authentic pieces of local heritage at often shockingly affordable prices. Some of the most representative folk art traditions of Northern Mexico include:

pottery and ceramics - many regions of Mexico have ceramic art traditions, and Northern Mexico's most famous ceramics are from the workshops of Juan Quezada in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. Quezada is internationally famous for re-creating the ceramic techniques of ancient Paquime, a civilization dating back far before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors. The unique pottery is often sold as Mata Ortiz pottery. The pottery workshops welcome visitors, but Paquime is very remote and its more likely you will find Mata Ortiz pottery in artesania markets or in upscale decorative arts galleries throughout Mexico. It is well worth seeking out. sombreros - Northern Mexico is home of the charros --- cowboys in the English vernacular, though horsemen might be more appropriate. And where would a Mexican charro be without an impressively ornate and impossibly wide sombrero to keep the searing sun off his face and neck? Don't accept cheap souvenirs. The best sombreros are made of high quality materials and feature elaborate embroidery. The worst are made of straw, have "Mexico" stitched sloppily across the front, and are on sale in airport gift shops. Vicente Fernandez would never be caught dead in a straw sombrero! Sombreros are sold widely in Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, Durango, and Coahuila. blankets - Many travelers bring home inexpensive cotton blankets, but the most emblematic blanket in the region is the brilliantly colorful light blankets from Saltillo called sarapes. (The sarape is such an icon of Saltillo that their local AAA minor-league baseball team is the Saraperos!) baskets - baskets are widely available in markets

Eat

Coyotas - Round, flat and oversized sugar cookies filled with brown sugar and traditionally prepared at Villa de Seris, Sonora. Tortillas de Harina - The most popular tortilla in Northern Mexico. Unlike corn tortillas, a traditional flour tortilla is at least twice the size of a corn tortilla. Carne asada tacos - Grilled flank or skirt steak on corn tortillas. Machaca con huevo - Traditional scrambled beef and egg dish served with flour tortillas. Quesadillas - flour tortillas grilled with white cheese and salsa. Burritos - flour tortilla wrapped around cheese, beans and meat, the dish originated in Juarez. Cabrito - Young goat. Ensalada Cesar - originated at Tijuana's Hotel Cesar, it's a salad of romaine lettuce with croutons, mixed with olive oil, sliced garlic, wine vinegar, lemon, raw egg yolks, parmesan cheese and Worcester sauce. Asado de chile colorado - Pork with ancho and guajillo chilies and cumin. Frijoles refritos - Refried beans. Charro beans - Cowboy-style beans with bacon and chilies. Coahuila sausage - Made of pork seasoned with ancho chiles. Enchiladas de olla - Ancho chili, tortillas, poblano and grated cheese. Menudo norteño - Tripe soup with ancho and guajillo chilies. Cajeta de membrillo - Carmelized milk candy flavored with quince. Empanadas de Santa Rita - Stuffed with pork fried with onions, almonds, raisins.

Drink & nightlife

Wines: You might wish to try L.A. Cetto Wine, world-renowned wine produced in Baja California and known for its outstanding quality of Merlots and Cabernets. Casa Madero in Coahuila is the oldest winery in the Americas. Beer: Several major beers are produced in Monterrey, including Dos Equis and Tecate. See the Monterrey article for more info. Sotol: A unique distilled spirit that is similar in character to mezcal (but made from a different type of plant) is produced only in the state of Chihuahua. Bacanora: Distilled spirit similar to tequila (but made from agave pacifica, not agave weber (blue agave)) produced only in the state of Sonora.

Go next

Go south! Explore the beaches of the Pacific Coast. Head down the Gulf Coast toward Veracruz, or catch a flight to Mexico City.

Bajio