If you are a lover of nature and outdoor activities, you certainly have heard about the Charco del Ingenio. This is a unique and expansive nature preserve located within an urban area. It has the most important collection of cacti in Mexico, but it also offers views that will steal your breath away. Throughout the area filled with greenery, and surrounded by canyons you will see all kinds of birds, reptiles, insects, and wild plants. The sounds of nature here are very relaxing. San Miguel has seven ravines, but probably the best preserved and the most impressive is precisely the one found in the El Charco. reserve. There is also a dam which in the past was used to collect the water that was carried by giant tubes to move the machinery at the old La Aurora Factory. The tubes are no longer used, but they can still be seen in the back drop. El Charco is particularly interesting to visit during or after the rainy season because the waters in the reservoir fill to the top and spill like waterfalls by the dam. El Charco recently celebrated its thirtieth and this might be a good time to visit to simply say hello, or wish them a happy birthday. If you happen to get hungry during your walk after taking many photos here and there, you can stop by their little open-air restaurant. Most of their products are organic, including mead and pulque. 

 

At present, large groups are not yet accepted; the maximum is five people if they are family members. If you want a quiet, unrushed dinner you can’t go wrong with Gombos on Hidalgo Street. They have great pizzas of all kinds of varieties but their special is called “el paraiso” and it has shrimp, chicken, bell peppers and onions. A meal sure to satisfy anyone’s hunger.