Hermosillo

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.

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.

Most people in Hermosillo speak some English and almost everybody in the service and food industry speaks English. While visiting the parts furthest from the city only some people speak some English, though certainly not enough to have a philosophical conversation with you. They will likely be able to help you find places, directions, gas stations, etc.

Young people will certainly know more than average as most of the universities here require to approve a certain level of English in order to complete their studies and title. Young ones can talk as well as you, so don't hesitate to ask for directions or just start a conversation.

• 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.

• 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.

There are many good universities here. Some of the best known are: University of Sonora, University of Valle de Mexico and "Tecnologico de Monterrey". The University of Sonora has a very good school of foreign languages, where you can enroll for a moderate price to receive Spanish lessons.

Vangtel Mexico provides opportunities for English speakers.

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, expensive store in Mexico. The Wal-Marts in Hermosillo are much nicer and cleaner than a Wal-Mart in the United States. One of the newest Wal-Marts is located at the "City Center" shopping area, in the northern part of Hermosillo on Blvd. Jose Maria Morelos.
• Oxxo, a convenience store. Literally hundreds of locations across Hermosillo. Some of them are in gas stations.

• 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.)

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.
• 🌍 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)

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.

In case of emergency, call 066 or 911. Both numbers work as emergency numbers. 911 is exclusively for tourists and you will be answered in English. State your emergency and if you know where you are give proper directions, if not, just give a general location or where you were in the past couple of hours, and if you have no idea where you are or are lost they can trace your call. Try to stay on the line for as long as possible or until help comes. If you are disconnected, having called will help since emergency services will now look for tourists and locals can usually spot you and tell them where you are. The Hermosillo Municipal Police can also be reached at☏ +52 662 250 4882.

If you need to contact US authorities, call the U.S. Consulate. The consulate is at Avenida Monterrey #141 and can be reached via telephone at ☏ +52 662 289-3500.

Hermosillo is safer than the rest of Mexico, far from being a dangerous place, but there is criminal activity in the city. Use common sense and if you wouldn't do something in your home city, don't do it in Hermosillo, lock up your car, don't wave money around, keep your purse close to you, etc. Tourist attractions are very safe and police are always close by in case of emergency. Usual response time for paramedics is under 5 minutes.

If you or anyone in your party is drunk, do not drive. Drunk drivers are easily spotted and you will get pulled over. If you find yourself in this situation, be nice, be patient, and even if taken to the police station only the drunk driver will be locked up in case he gets rowdy. If this happens, wait for him to be sober up, give him coffee, and you'll be on your way. If you visit the city in December, beware of an increase on police checkpoints all over the city, this time of the year the officers will find any excuse to try and arrest people in order to get money out of them via bribes. Be very careful.

For the most part, Hermosillo has been spared the drug violence which is plaguing much of Mexico, especially the border areas. Sporadic violence related to the drug cartels does happen in and around Hermosillo. While drug cartels are certainly active in Hermosillo, it has not seen the levels of violence that cities such as Tijuana or Ciudad Juarez have been subjected to. As a tourist you do not have much to worry about as the drug cartels mostly target rival members, the police and the military, even though Sonora had a spate of murders in 2020. But crime fears predominantly are the same as they are at home (for example, pickpockets, thieves, drunks, etc.)

Although Hermosillo is home to more and more American companies and businessmen visiting from the north side of the country's border, you will still get stares and second looks, especially if you are of African or Asian heritage. But have no fear, most people are very friendly and welcoming to tourists and business visitors and will do anything they can to make you feel at home.

Hermosillo is probably more liberal than other parts of Mexico, however, Mexico is a conservative Catholic country. If you are a gay or lesbian person, people will stare at you and your partner or may even make comments. So, if you have purple hair, a nose ring and six earrings, expect the same.

Even in the hottest of the hot Hermosillo weather, men and women will still wear jeans. You will rarely see a local wearing shorts unless they are involved in an athletic activity. Even if it is 120 °F (49 °C), wearing shorts will still expose you as a tourist. Most men wear jeans and different types of shirts, many the cowboy style with a sombrero (cowboy hat) and cowboy boots. Women mostly wear jeans and different types of shirts as well. Trying to fit in with the local population will make you less of a target for those who prey on tourists, e.g., criminals, some taxi drivers, corrupt police. After normal working hours are over you will notice this practice is relaxed and more people will wear shorts in the evening rather than the traditional jeans.

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.