Museo Ruben Dario
Pick up some of his poetry azul is a good beginning. there is an art museum that has a good collection, including contemporary art. it occupies two houses. the main part on a southeast corner of the street that runs from parque ruben dario to the cathedral avenida central.
baseball game
Catch a baseball game if you are there during the season. The Leónes won the championship in 2004 and are perpetual contenders. For fifty cordobas you can sit right behind home plate, or pay less for 3rd base side where the lively crowd sits with the unofficial band. Order some vigoron, get a Victoria and enjoy. If Chinandega is visiting, it can get quite rowdy and tickets sell out. The stadium is in the northern part of the city.
Poneloya and Penitas beaches
Be careful once there though, not of the people, who are just as friendly as in leã³n, but of the surf. the waves are large and quite fun, but watch out for the currents. the surf claims a victim or two every year, including the young and fit. there are accommodations from hotel lacayo, old and historic, all wood structure, to hotel poneloya, recently refurbished rooms w/ a/c across the street. they have upgraded the beds, famous for uncomfortable before. still, the rooms have no real windows. rooms were $25 dollars a night they built some new rooms which i did not look at. there are better hotels in penitas. try the hotel suyapa beach (885-8345. rooms are a bit more expensive but well worth it if you have the money still less than $60. they have a pool and a popular beachside restaurant. besides hanging out at the beach, there's a billiard hall popular with locals at the end of the paved road in poneloya though at night it gets a little rowdy as locals get drunk on lijon - cheap sugar cane liquor, rustic restaurants past the billiard hall, and lots of flor de caã±a rum. there is also a catholic church in poneloya in case you need to make atonement for what flor made you do. buses depart from the road to poneloya on the outskirts of town by subtiava, they are quite affordable. splurging on a taxi is also an option c$150 to $250 depending. the beaches are less than 20 kilometers away.
There are free-of-charge volunteer opportunities with Quetzaltrekkers (http://www.volunteer-nica...) an organisation raising money for street kids by offering hikes to volcanoes around León. You can volunteer as a hiking guide for a minimum of three months.
Sonati also offers volunteer positions such as environmental education, art, teaching English, reception, and guiding.
Las Tias - the supported organization - also takes volunteers, taking care of the streetkids, with a two months minimum.
Ask around at the cafe run by "Edad de Oro", whether this organisation got some volunteer work for you - they're pretty cool too.
Some people find work at the Big Foot Hostel, and for long-term visitors 6 month or so it's sometimes possible to teach English.
Quetzaltrekkers Nicaragua
Offers non-profit volcano treks. they are located just around the corner from viavia and big foot. same as quetzaltrekkers bigfoot offers excellent value volcano boarding trips with an english speaking guide. rumor has it that they will be commencing climbing nicaraguas tallest volcano, san cristobal.
El Fortin
For the best view over the city and the volcanoes, go to this old somoza stronghold southwest of leã³n, best reached from subtiava. it's a 20 minute walk, ask locals for directions.