movin' around Mexico

Topic: movin' around Mexico (Read 647 times) previous topic - next topic

movin' around Mexico

February 07, 2019, 10:36:31 pm

We are getting ready for the next chapter of our Mexico experience, and we'll leave Mazatlan at the end of February to head towards Guadalajara and San Miguel de Allende.
Does anyone ( John ), have any suggestions of the best route to take ? Any concerns about roads ??
If we want to make a stop halfway there, any suggestions?
Were to camp?
What to see?
We will be in the general area for about a month, and then start our return trip starting with Texas, then Charleston SC, then Virginia, NY and then....back to Maine!!!!
Mazatlan has been just fine......we are already making plans to return, next year.
Gracias !!

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #1 – February 08, 2019, 12:02:33 am

Buy the Mexican map book Guia Roja .
Leaving mazatlan take the toll Hwy 15 south and travel till you see the sign for San Blas and stay there a night or 2. Back onto 15 thru Tepiac for Guadalajara, but turn off before Guadalajara for a trip to Tequila and do a factory tour to see how it is made, nice clean small town and someone will suggest a stop overnight there. We have parked off the road there but ask the tour guide for help. Back on Hwy for Guadalajara and once you get to the big intersection for city take the Pereferico right for sign to Colima. Busy road so keep to right and take the turn for Hwy 80/15 Colima. About 5 miles down you will see a factory on the left side called Siemens and than O your right is a turn off for the lateral, take it as it leads to the right turn for the RV PARK SAN JOSE DEL TACO. It is a turn off right just BEFORE the overpass. Wasn't a good road but minute later you will see rv park. Nice one and many gringos there.Go to office to book.
This park is on a good bus route for city centre as I would not suggest you drive it on first trip in We did but parking can be fun.
I love Guadalajara as it reminds me of Paris and European cities.. Do the marketplace and old buildings Great restaraunts in centre and try all the interesting sights.
If you stay a few days take the bus to Tlaqepaque for the massive outdoor market it will blow your mind. Thursdays and Sundays if I remember right.
JohnH

We may be going down to Maz next winter and thinking of the park you are in. We usually stay in the north end but that place looked interesting and close to old town. Will keep in touch for sure.

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #2 – February 08, 2019, 12:38:32 am

Muchas Gracias!!

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #3 – February 08, 2019, 01:29:51 am

Gleam,

John has some excellent ideas. I've made over 100 trips into Mexico since I was fourteen and drove back from there 5 days ago. The road is good and fast Maz to Tepic, a good place to stop for a day with a possible side trip to San Blas. Guad is also fast with a lot to see there. From there you could curve up to Leon and then visit Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende. Guanajuato is more up tempo with San Miguel more laid back. Lots of day trippers visit Guanajuato from Mexico City. Once there, Mexico City is an outstanding option. In my opinion, it's the greatest city in the western hemisphere. Most RVers, leave the coach at an RV park in somewhere like San Miguel and drive into Mexico City. We always stay at Hotel Cathdral (Google Maps: Report Inappropriate Image) a really excellent hotel with underground parking and the perfect location in Mexico City. Underground is French and gets you anywhere for about US$ 0.22 . Very nice and safe.

From San Miguel, I like to drive up to Matehuala. Good RV park there and then visit Real de Catorce, the old mining town. It's Mexico's highest town and coming back to life after The Mexican was filmed there. It was the highlight of one of our trips.

Guia Roja is excellent for planning. Church's book on Mexico is excellent and since Mexico is full of European tourists, iOverlander is a good site to review campgrounds in Mexico. iOverlander | Villa Celeste Hotel Boutique & RV Park is one I was just looking at. Good place to start a search.

iPhone/Android or tablet works really well with Here (we go) for GPS navigation. I just used it to find a small address in Mexico and it was flawless from NorCal to the doorstep in Mexico. Here is the Android site but iOS works too. App and all maps are FREE. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.here.app.maps&hl=en_US

Talk to Brett as he has as many miles south of the border as I do in his many years of travel.

Please PM or call as I've got lots of online photo albums of these cities.

Pierce

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #4 – February 08, 2019, 08:20:50 am

After reading John and Pierce's comments, I know who I want as a tour guide if I ever get down there

Larry

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #5 – February 08, 2019, 11:32:48 am

Pierce, good info and I was going to talk about Glens wanted visit after their time in Guadalajara today as when I posted I was on my way to bed as not feeling too great. Guanajuato is a favourite of ours too and no one should miss Mexico city. The famous Pyramidis are at the north of city and 2 rv parks too so a nice easy 40 mins in by a/c coach to Busses Norte and start of metro for city centre.
You can lose yourself for days in Mex city as it offers so much history and charm. My favorite place is Oaxaca and surrounds but that is another book sometime.
Getting the map book makes life easy for travel and is a must in my view.
Glenn can pm either of us for info should he need it.
JohnH

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #6 – February 08, 2019, 12:19:28 pm

John,

Before I went sailing, I read 50,000 miles under sail. Brett has 50,000 driving miles in Mexico alone! As I remember, he spent lots of time around Guadalajara. Chime in here Brett!

Yes, there is a entire guide book on Oaxaca. I have not been there for years but did the drive from the coast 114 miles through the jungle to get there. All in a Fiat 850 coupe. I remember a snake as long as the road was wide crossing in front of us.

iOverlander on the page I linked to already has several entries from 2019. Good to have a source with up to date info. Here is an iOverlander report on Pepe's RV park that's close to Mexico City. 300MXN pesos/night or $15 for full hookups. Last review was from a guest on 3 January. Good spot to leave a coach for a few days to visit Mexico DF. iOverlander | Pepe's RV Park

Attached are just an example of what can be seen in Mexico City. This is the city post office. Not too bad.

Pierce

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #7 – February 08, 2019, 12:33:18 pm

Yes, Guad is our favorite big city in Mexico. Sadly the land where RV park we really liked in Granja was too valuable to be an RV park and is now all high-end residential. Suspect San Jose del Tajo may go the same way.

Same happened in San Maguel. RV park we stayed in several weeks for many winters is now gone.

So, my info is really out of date. But Dianne and I enjoyed all our travels there and never had a single problem (other than gaining weight from the great food).

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #8 – February 08, 2019, 01:03:26 pm

I have about 40k klm in Mexico going around the coast (except Yucatan) and thru the interior countless times, which is my favourite part as well. Here you meet the real Mexicans and possibly not one gringo. I love seeing the plazas in every town as it is a real meeting place for locals. We got to some places that now I wonder how the heck we did it. Good reason to have your Dentist down there as it gives you an excuse to have to go.
Hey Pierce and Twig, how about us doing a convoy of FT s down there for a couple of months one winter??? With rules of course.
John
Brett,the RV parkin San Miguel we used was the one on main road across from the Ford dealership, is that the same one?

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #9 – February 08, 2019, 01:11:47 pm

John,

Behind the motel-- TIGHT corners getting in. On the road to Celaya just inside the ring road.

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #10 – February 08, 2019, 01:29:13 pm

OK, I know the one you mention but never used it. Mentioning Ceyala brings back a funny thing tome as when we had the GV I took a wrong turn and finished going thru the outside of town to get back on main road and found myself on a road that was jut enough for the tyres to pass along but the mirrors grazed past the front walls etc of houses on each side. It was funny to see the people scatter to get out of way. Luckily no damage but made sure I never drove it again. Curbs are the typical 8 inches high as in most old towns.
Queretaro is another nice town close by and another one Glenn should do in car when at San M is Guanajuato.
JohnH

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #11 – February 08, 2019, 01:39:31 pm

Ya, Celaya is one of the very few places we have gotten lost in Mexico. Yes, long before GPS.

Hwy 51 jogs in town. Miss the unmarked turn and you are in the neighborhoods. Lots of one way streets-- all seemingly going the OTHER WAY. Stopped and asked directions to Morelia and we were back on track.

Part of the adventure.

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #12 – February 08, 2019, 02:13:41 pm

Do they still have the buses with the double axle front wheels?

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #13 – February 08, 2019, 02:19:55 pm

Sure, we would be up for a trip. Two or three coaches would be perfect. More than that, the logistics get out of hand. What kind of rules? Love Yucatan but too far to drive a big coach unless you have several months. Partial west coast return in the central plateau would be nice. The area around Barra de Navidad is great with lots of isolated coves to explore. Acapulco and Oaxaca are not that much further.

Spent a few days in Morelia and the island of Isla Janitzio in Lake Patzquaro.

John, no, I have not seen any for years. Sultanas were big in Spain and Mexico.

We did have a lot of front end alignment problems in Mexico. Passing the hazards pictured below would always cause it to pull badly to the right.

Pierce

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #14 – February 08, 2019, 02:21:03 pm

Quote from: John44 – February 08, 2019, 02:13:41 pm

Do they still have the buses with the double axle front wheels?

Not in a LONG time. Tandem front axles allowed for monster buses. There used to be a pink tandem front tandem rear axle Sultana converted to an RV at San Juan del Tajo.

sultana bus - Penelusuran Google

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #15 – February 08, 2019, 02:29:02 pm

Pierce, I can see why the coach would pull to the right. Probably squatted down afterwards also

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #16 – February 08, 2019, 02:33:25 pm

Our last trip was a while back,stayed at the El Miridor in Acapulco for $20 a night,that's where Elvis sang from.

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #17 – February 08, 2019, 03:00:40 pm

Pierce,

We have also done what we call the "burnt chicken tour of Mexico". Can't go wrong at any of these chicken places.

I think our favorite is in Patzcuaro. Chickens split, on a spit and stuck in large area full of red hot coals and just a few blocks from Villa Patzcuaro Hotel and RV park. Quite a job even getting a 36' coach in there, but close to town and not on RR track!:

Google Maps

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #18 – February 08, 2019, 03:43:06 pm

Quote from: John44 – February 08, 2019, 02:33:25 pm

Our last trip was a while back,stayed at the El Miridor in Acapulco for $20 a night,that's where Elvis sang from.

That's where the cliff divers jump from. We stayed at the Hotel Al Farao, a next door cheap alternative to the El Mirador. The El Mirador is a deal at $39/night now. Book El Mirador Acapulco in Acapulco | Hotels.com

Starting to get hungry just thinking about the chickens.

Fun spot is Johnny Weissmuller's old hotel and restaurant, the Los Flamingos at the highest point in Acapulco. We had dinner up there several years ago. As I remember, John Wayne and one other movie star bought in with Johnny later. It's also a deal now at $49/night. HOTEL LOS FLAMINGOS ($̶5̶1̶) - Prices & Reviews - Acapulco, Mexico -...

Here is Mike and Terri Church's map of Mexican RV parks. Click on the city and it zooms. Takes a while to load. For those that never have been to Acapulco, it's like a seaside Mexico City, big and chaotic but fun. Mexico RV Forums We stayed just north of town almost on the beach.

Photo is Acapulco VW taxis.

Pierce

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #19 – February 08, 2019, 03:47:56 pm

Took a whole roll of slides at the bar where all the stars of the 40's branded their signatures on the wall,Luci and Desi,all the big
names.

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #20 – February 08, 2019, 06:07:13 pm

Alas Acapulco is not what it used to be as the drug idiots have made it a point to miss now, and traffic is horrible. I think we stayed at the same rv park there Pierce, a block off beach behind Walmart. Nice big park and each site had a little Casita next to pad.
Met Mike and Terri once in Mexico and spent couple of days with them in park in Oaxaca the first time. Interesting talking with them. They hail from Washington State and said they left there because of Mike L living there too!!!😎
Favorite line of theirs was every time they get over the border into Mex they kiss the ground and feel safer than USA. I laughed but they meant it
JohnH

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #21 – February 08, 2019, 06:12:01 pm

Brett. That bus was still there about 3years ago.
JohnH

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #22 – February 08, 2019, 06:54:29 pm

YUP, have met Mike and Terri and had them over for dinner on our coach. Very interesting/Renascence couple.

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #23 – February 08, 2019, 07:07:46 pm

Lots of great memories of Mexico.

One of the highlights was in the "no longer there" RV park in Granja on northern edge of Guad.

An "escape the city" for many wealthy locals who spent weekends there (large swimming pool, park-like setting, etc).

On the site next to us an extended local family started singing (VERY well) some Mexican folk tunes.

We knew that one of the newer RV'ers near us was who was from Quebec (no English, no Spanish) was interested in music. Boy were we to find out how much interest he had!

Long story short, he was the first chair violist with the Montreal symphony-- just retired. Finally, translating through his wife who spoke a little English we "made him" come out of his coach with his violin which she said he had not touched since leaving home. We pushed him into the family group. He knew none of the music, but instantly picked up the simple melody and started harmonizing.

What started out with probably 10 of us quietly (it was after dark, so you had to look outside the group to see this) became 100 as the music because "WORLD CLASS". The very musical local family was blown away.

Me, being shy, I walked up to the violinist and asked through is wife "what is your favorite type of music"-- fully expected some classic answer.

OK, Gypsy music was his favorite. And for the next hour, we were all treated (at this point virtually everyone in the CG was there ) to a totally unforgettable concert.

After that, despite a language barrier, the Quebecois were an accepted part of the "group". Boy did we have some music events.

Could happen anywhere in the world-- happened in a small CG on the north side of Guadalajara.

Re: movin' around Mexico

Reply #24 – February 08, 2019, 07:39:48 pm

Those are such special stories that we remember to this moment. We were down south of Oaxaca on our way to Guatemala. The locals let us park the coach off the town square, there were no 'parks'. They were having a celebration over the holidays and we were befriended by some musicians, who had a marching band that played through town to wake up everyone before the fireworks started. I had not spoken Spanish since my high school days, but I was told that their drummer was ill and could not play. "Ah, I might stand-in", said I. We marched through the town: horns, guitars, singing. Drank waay too much with them,afterwards, but, it was right on top of one of the best gigs I ever played!

Shot what became a album cover pic down by Tikal:

Affiliate Notice