Recommend Albert Coffee tours--he helped process this site and engaged in specialized studies in…read moreMeso American archeology from LSU. He's also super funny. His assistant Eric is very attentive as well, which came in handy as we had two young children with us (discounted rate for the littles). Kids enjoyed it. Ask to see the comic book on your way back. No matter who you tour with--check this out. It's incredible to get an up close lesson on Meso American culture at this northernmost MA pyramid. They are, in effect, still discovering and unlocking it's treasures and significance.

Like the others here, I'll give the nod to Albert Coffee, an archeologist whose tour of Cañada de…read morela Virgen I booked through TripAdvisor (about $60US per person). For reasons explained but not retained, one cannot just take themselves on a self-guided tour of this pyramid and the structures that surround it. Albert Coffee is one of the people authorized to guide you and he does so knowledgeably and efficiently. Any tour of this pyramid will have you coming to the site via shuttle then taking another shuttle to the nearest possible point. From there, it's about a 1 mile walk, moderately uphill, to the entrance to the site. You'll leave by walking the same 1 mile portion of road in reverse. Alfred Coffee arms you with a bottle of water, most appreciated. You can bring nothing else with you as those who run the site want no trace left behind. So travel light, as all bags, fanny packs, and day packs must be left in the shuttle you arrived in. The whole experience, start to finish, ran 5 hours, and was interesting. I've been to both Teotihuacan and Pompeii though, and there's a reason you have heard of those and not this. Relatively, this pyramid was only recently discovered, is evidence of a much smaller civilization having lived here, and there's presumably a whole lot left to be revealed. The location - seemingly the middle of nowhere - will leave you wondering what else is out there still unknown. There's likely a lot more even at this site but visible excavation appears to have ceased for now. Still, if you enjoy visiting the structures of ancient civilizations and harbor an appreciation for Mexico's willingness to allow you to climb all over these structures, Cañada de la Virgen should be on your checklist. The tour departs from San Miguel de Allende.

Listen, I'm no triathlete, not by a long shot, but I was surprised how often the walk up to the…read morecity's defining vista point had been described online as "challenging". Jamie W and I were staying close to Parque Juarez, so we walked up a series of stairways built in the quiet El Chorro neighborhood. With several rest stops along the way, we felt relatively comfortable with the incline. It took us less than twenty minutes to get to the observation area. From here, we could take in the panoramic views of the city (Photo 5). We followed the main road to get us back down to Zona Centro. Beyond the narrow walkway, the biggest challenge was the noise from the nonstop traffic. Make sure you look left to the side streets to capture even more photogenic views of the parroquia (Photo 8). While we were here on a sunny morning, the cobblestone paths might get hazardous in the rain. Just be mindful. RELATED - Exploring San Miguel de Allende? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/ae-Cyc9uNi

The views the attentive service absolutely enjoyable And…read morethis was during the daylight hours. I just can't wait to see it at dusk or later Mescal was delish

Fans of botanical gardens will likely enjoy El Charco del Ingenio, a 170+ acre garden/ecological…read morereserve in San Miguel de Allende. It's a serene, safe place to wander pathways and explore, even if it lacks anything as colorful, vibrant, or artful as (my favorite), the U.K.'s Kew Gardens. Between the attractive gift shop one enters through, the building that functions as a museum for what you'll see here, and the al fresco cafe where fresh-squeezed juices are well-priced and delicious, you might mistakenly think you're in the Bay Area, with far cheaper prices. It's very aesthetically pleasing. The actual botanic gardens are somewhat less so. A map of the grounds will show you the trails and the layout but it's easy enough to just wander. There's some art (very little), some created habitats (e.g. medicinal plants), a greenhouse, and a lake/pond to cross and see some historic relics. Whether any of this appeals to you really depends on your mood. If you decide to come here I'd recommend you walk from wherever you are. The hilly walk here from central SMA takes you through a really lovely neighborhood of high end homes before suddenly navigating a dirt path with tumbleweeds and cacti. All of this nicely satisfies the desire you have to see things because, once on site here, what you'll see is - I have to admit - less exciting. Finish up with a green juice and purchase some organic honey for those back home. Then enjoy the walk back to where you came from.

This place was great, not only was it affordable but we really enjoyed the hike and the fresh air…read more Some people mentioned walking from the city center but I don't recommend it unless your ready to be tired when you get there. Just park directly at the location or get a taxi to drive you up there. Also it can be a bit challenging for kids and the elderly so I wouldn't recommend making the full circle. I would say to at least cross the mini dam since it was the most beautiful thing there. I also loved the abandoned villa with its ancient oven. The entrance was very nice and it had well kept bathrooms inside as well. Lastly, I would recommend bringing a bottle of water and to add some sunscreen.

San Miguel de Allende is more than tacos and tequila and the tourists who subsist on them. It's got…read morea lot of intriguing history, so naturally there's a historical museum right across from the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel. The evocative museum is housed in an 18th-century, two-story colonial mansion owned by Mexican independence war hero Ignacio Allende. There's a bucolic central courtyard where you can find the way to the restroom. The furniture is authentic to the period. It gave us an idea of what life was like for a Creole family before the revolution. There's bilingual signage in Spanish and English, though it's more convenient to follow the audio tour available. It took us less than an hour to walk though the building. There are other museums in the city devoted to local crafts like toys and decorative masks, but this struck us as the most essential one. Admission was MX$70. RELATED - Exploring San Miguel de Allende? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/mNfHj1axEC

Lots to read and see. We only had 3 hours in town, so checking out this place gave us a quick…read moreoverview of the town. I appreciated the short video playing in the tiny media room. I had a chance to sit and enjoy a quick 10 min overview of San Miguel. This is an old building and you can finish the self guided tour in as little as 30 mins. It depends on your desire to read all plaques.

If you're looking for more of the upscale Carmel-by-the-Sea vibe, you can find it here in spades…read more It's far enough from Zona Centro for you to avoid most of the tourist congestion but close enough to stroll over. Arresting pieces of public art come into view before you get to the entrance of this former textile factory. Too bad they've been placed rather unphotogenically in the parking lot (Photo 8). They've done an excellent job renovating the buildings and sprucing up the grounds. There are three upmarket components to this expansive complex: art galleries, retail stores, and cafes. It can make for a pleasant browsing experience should you be in the mood for it, but if not, it illustrates a rather polarizing divide between the haves and have-nots in San Miguel de Allende. If you're seriously considering a purchase here, you know which camp you're in. There's certainly enough outdoor furniture and ornate bric-a-brac here to fill your summer home. The only items Jamie W and I bought were a pair of iced coffees and an artful slice of apple pie at Geek & Coffee, a charming terrace cafe on the grounds (Photo 16), a pleasant break before we headed back to town. RELATED - Exploring San Miguel de Allende? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/4NSK-pc5tS

We arrived for a great breakfast at the outdoor cafe and then visited all the galleries and shops…read morethe rest of the morning. What an amazing venue and lovely way to spend the morning. Although we were there on a nice sunny day, this would also be a great spot to visit if the weather wasn't cooperating. I wish I had brought an extra suitcase, so much great art, items and unique and inspiring pieces.

Beautiful Museum. Everyone should stop by just to see the architecture. Everything is very well…read morepreserved and worth capturing in a photo. This is a very popular tourist spots for other who live in Mexico. There was a constant flow of tourists. They also have restrooms to use by their guests. I'm glad we stopped by.

There's nothing in here except business offices and a few shops. I was expecting a museum…read morecontaining artifacts from the area.