Fodor's Expert Review El Charco del Ingenio
San Miguel's botanical garden has an extensive variety of Mexican cacti and succulents collected from different parts of the country. The area is protected from encroachment by an ecological reserve of 445 acres and was visited by the Dalai Lama, who declared El Charco one of the five "zones of peace" in Mexico. A garden area will introduce you to some of the 120 varieties of agaves that grow here.
The reserve is huge and has special pathways for walking, running, and mountain biking. If you don't have MX$40 (or are with your dog, which is not allowed in the garden), the adjacent Parque Landeta has nice walking paths as well.
Twice a month, during full and new moon phases, it opens the
temazcales, ritual herbal steam baths (MX$250). If you're driving up Salida a Querétaro from El Centro, turn left at the traffic circle and follow the signs to the main entrance. A taxi will cost about MX$45.
