Surrounding Pachuca there are many interesting places to visit, such as traditional haciendas which used to extract silver or produce pulque, resorts featuring hot water springs and also quaint mountain towns with a unique beauty preserved throughout the decades. There are also important archeological sites located in the area.
There are several forests for camping and hiking, as well as fishing lakes and dams all a few minutes from the city. Even a picnic might be had by families or couples in a tranquil atmosphere, surrounded by the lush vegetation. On the other hand, there are caves and grottoes waiting to be explored by the more adventurous visitor.
Water parks and resorts
There are about 50 water parks and resorts a half hour drive from the city. Some of them offer swimming pools and water slides, and many others have mineral-enriched hot springs.
Haciendas
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the state of Hidalgo saw more than 170 haciendas built. Some of them were dedicated to mining silver, others to the fermentation of agave, to produce pulque and the rest for cattle breeding. Nowadays visitors can explore their halls, rooms and tunnels and admire their chapels and towers.
Some of the most beautiful haciendas in the area are San Miguel Regla and Santa Maria Regla. In Santa Maria you can experience the unparalleled sight of the Basalt Prisms, a cascade that falls upon black prism-shaped rock.
El Chico National Park
Within this beautiful park, there are mountains covered by pine and oyamel trees and valleys filled with impressive rock formations. El Chico was declared the first National Park in Mexico in the late 1800's. You can go mountain biking and climbing here, as well as get in touch with the wildlife that inhabit the area. Within its almost 7000 acres there's the El Cedral dam, a perfect location for fishing.
''El Chico'' is not the only national park close to Pachuca. There are other wooded areas in which lodging and dining are offered, such as the Santa Elena Ranch, El Guajolote or Penas Cargadas. Here activities include hunting, rappelling, rock climbing or the zip-lines. There's also the possibility to rent a cabin or pitch a tent for the night.
Traditional Towns
Less than 30 minutes from Pachuca, there are two gorgeous towns worth visiting: Real del Monte and Huasca de Ocampo. Both places have excellent examples of traditional colonial architecture, vibrant cobbled streets and friendly locals. In addition to the mining history of both towns, there is a mixture of public plazas, parks, temples, handicrafts, beautiful natural landscapes and regional cuisine. These elements provide the unique ambiance of these magical towns.
Archeological sites
For travelers interested in the historical aspects of Hidalgo, there are three different archaeological sites: Tula de Allende, Xihuingo and Huapalcalco, inherited from the Toltec culture that once inhabited the region. One outstanding construction in Tula is the "Atlantes' Temple", featuring statues of men 16 feet high who guard Quetzalcoatl's temple.