Torreón, Mexico- 2025

Our trip to Torreón, Mexico was truly unforgettable. It was my first time visiting Mexico’s inner country, and I could not have asked for a more meaningful reason to go. My mother-in-law was born and raised in Torreón and this trip was planned so we could visit her siblings who still live there. For me, it was also a chance to meet extended family members I wasn’t able to meet at our wedding.

There are no direct flights from New Jersey to Torreón so we flew American Airlines to Dallas, Texas and had a two-hour layover. During the layover we went to the Capital One Lounge and ate our hearts out, as one should. The flights were simple and uneventful, and while the planes were older with no TV screens, they offered internet access if you wanted to stream from your phone or laptop. I wasn’t interested though. I just wanted to sleep. After about seven hours of travel, I was completely drained.

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But my exhaustion turned into awe as we approached the landing. From my window seat I could see the massive mountain ranges stretching across the landscape. We landed at Francisco Sarabia International Airport, a small airport where you go through immigration, customs, and baggage claim all in the same room. After we picked up our rental car, we were off.

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We stayed with family for most of the trip, but there was one night we spent at a hotel which I’ll share about later. Our very first stop was of course, food. With a three-hour time difference and arriving around noon local time, we were starving. We ate at El Cisne de la Comarca, where I tried barbacoa and chicharrón gorditas, a big glass of horchata, and finished with café de olla. I instantly fell in love with the cup my coffee came in. A traditional terracotta mug, known as a jarrito or taza depending on where you’re from. I knew right then I had to find some to bring home. The gorditas were spicy and a little dry, not my favorite of the trip but still worth trying.

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A little fun fact about Torreón: it’s located in the desert and doesn’t see much rainfall. But when storms hit the coasts, sometimes the outer skirts of the storm roll into the region. Sure enough, while we were driving, the skies opened up and it poured so hard that the streets flooded in minutes. To wait it out, we parked near Mercado Juárez, a local market that has everything you can imagine….souvenirs, shoes, food, spices, even animals and pet supplies. I began my hunt for those terracotta cups but didn’t find them on that first visit.

After exploring the market, we stopped at Ropa y Huarachería México, a tiny shop filled with handmade leather goods. Every time my mother-in-law travels home she brings me back a pair of huaraches, so I was beyond excited to finally visit the shop myself. Despite the shop being the size of a closet, the quality and variety were incredible. They had shoes for men, women’s sandals and heels, boots, and even handmade leather clothing. I walked out with four pairs! They were about 450 to 600 pesos each, which is around 30 US dollars. For handmade leather shoes, that’s a steal.

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Once the rain eased up a bit, we made our way back to the casita, with a quick stop at Plaza del Eco, a dome-like sculpture that echoes sound when you speak or walk underneath it. It reminded me of a reverse rain drum. The inside was painted with constellations and astrology symbols, interesting touch.

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That night we had tacos and music at home. Let me just say this….American tacos have it all wrong. There were no yellow hard shells, no lettuce, and definitely no shredded cheddar. Just fresh tortillas, perfectly seasoned meat, pico de gallo, and plenty of salsa verde. They were absolutely delicious but unfortunately did not sit well with me. I ended up getting sick and was down for a couple of days after that.

But the music brought me back to life. Mexico is deeply rooted in musical culture, especially mariachi and family traditions. My mother-in-law comes from a family of eleven siblings. Growing up in Mexico in the 1960s, you either picked up a new language, played an instrument, or worked with your hands from a young age. What struck me most was how talented and culturally rich the family was.

At the dinner table I listened in awe as they spoke in different languages and broke into song without warning. One of her brothers, in particular, amazed me. He taught himself to play every instrument by ear! Accordion, guitar, violin, viola, bass, and more. His home was filled with instruments and everyone in the family knew how to play. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced.

This resonated deeply with me, as I come from a musical family myself. My father was a guitarist and bassist and even in his final days he was learning to play the ukulele. My brothers play guitar, I play violin, and my mom plays piano and cello. Music connects us and seeing that same passion in my husband’s family gave me a deeper appreciation for him and his roots.

The next day we started our tourist adventures. First stop was La Puerta de Torreón, a symbolic monument located right in the middle of the highway between Torreón and Durango. It represents the entrance to the city and pays homage to its history and industrial growth. There’s a small parking area and, to my surprise and appreciation, many parts of the city including this site had handicap-accessible ramps and walkways.

From there we headed up the mountains to Cristo de las Noas, one of the largest statues of Christ in Latin America. His arms are wide open facing the city as a gesture of protection and welcome. The view from the top is absolutely breathtaking and along the way you pass by The Stations of the Cross: a series of fourteen images that represent Jesus’ path to crucifixion. At the gift shop I found a sticker to add to my travel collection, a tradition I love to keep from every new destination.

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Still in search of those terracotta cups, I did some digging on Facebook Marketplace and came across Cazos & Artesanías, a local ceramic shop run out of a family home on Del Ciclón 74 in Torreón Coahuila. The woman and her husband welcomed us and showed us their amazing handmade ceramics such as cups, plates, planters, and more. While I didn’t find the exact mugs I wanted, I did buy eleven small pots for a craft project back home.

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On our way back we stopped at Alameda Zaragoza, a charming local park with a water fountain, vendors, and photo ops with the Torreón city sign. The weather that day was about 90 degrees but with dry heat, so it wasn’t unbearable unless you were standing in direct sunlight. We cooled off with hazelnut-flavored ices from Nevería Capri, which were so refreshing.

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That night, my husband and I decided to take some time to ourselves. We checked into Fiesta Inn for a night and enjoyed some pool time. The hotel is connected to a local mall so after swimming we walked around, explored a craft fair, and picked up some handmade goods before crashing for the night. I tried to get one last swim in the next morning but the pool was closed for cleaning, so we grabbed breakfast and met up with the family for another adventure.

Tour Day 2 took us into Durango, the neighboring state. We tried to visit the state fairgrounds and Plaza de Toros, the bullfighting arena, but both were closed. As we were heading back to the main roads, we turned down a street and stumbled upon Parque Victoria! A park that just happened to share my name! Total coincidence but definitely a fun little moment.

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We made our way to Plaza Francia, a French-inspired strip of shops located near a casino called Paris. Did you know there are over 50 replicas of the Eiffel Tower around the world? I’ve seen the real one in France, and now my first replica. As much as I could have gone for some French bread, I remembered where we were. Mexico. So of course, we grabbed conchas, the sweet and fluffy bread of the country. Then came a visit to Bips, an ice cream shop for even more dessert. We did sneak in some nachos and elote while we were there….

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Later that afternoon we visited the family farm. It’s not the kind of farm you picture in the US.. no barns or tractors. Just open desert land, agave, cactus taller than me, and some fruit trees. The plants were nearly seven feet tall, maybe more.

After soaking in the desert landscape, we ended the day at Club San Isidro for more pool time. Pools in Torreón aren’t public like in the US. You have to be part of a country club or know someone. It made me appreciate the accessibility we have back home.

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On our last day we stopped by Estadio Corona, home to the Santos Laguna football team. We walked around the stadium, grabbed a few souvenirs, then made one last attempt at the marketplace to find my terracotta mugs.

And guess what? I found them. Two perfect terracotta mugs and seven white ones. They weren’t exactly what I imagined but they were beautiful. That moment wrapped up our trip perfectly.

This trip to Torreón was everything I hoped for and more. Despite getting sick from the food, I still consider it one of my favorite travel experiences. The culture, music, language, and family moments were unmatched.

I would love to come back again in October for Día de los Muertos, especially in Mexico City. I’ve heard the celebrations are like nothing else in the world.

I am so grateful to be part of such a blended family. Having now experienced both the Dominican and Mexican sides of my husband’s heritage, I appreciate him even more. Knowing where he comes from just makes him even more special!

See you next time!