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jm95

Dec 18, 2010, 7:24 PM

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Safer Travel Areas

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I am currently in a bit of a dilemma. Some family members with two teenage kids are coming to visit us in Ajijic in January. We have been planning this for some time and as part of their trip, we had intended to travel to the Monarch butterfly sanctuary. However, due to currrent conditions in Michoacan and associated travel warnings, I am not comfortable taking chances with the safety of the family. However, I would like to venture out of the Lakeside area to another area that offers an alternative, "more Mexican" perspective.

I understand that there are NO guarantees of safety anywhere and that things are constantly changing. But can anyone suggest an area for a one-week trip that we could take by car, or even by bus or airplane, that would take us to an area that is relatively low risk in terms of narco conflicts and crime?

I guess that there is always the fallback of one of the beach areas.

Would very much appreciate any suggestions.

Rolly

Dec 18, 2010, 8:20 PM

Post #2 of 20 (6975 views)

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Re: [jm95] Safer Travel Areas

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You could easily spend a week in México City and still not see everything.

Rolly Pirate

db52

Dec 18, 2010, 8:30 PM

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Re: [jm95] Safer Travel Areas

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How about if you take Rte. 80 northeast from Guadalajara to San Juan de los Lagos and continue on a little bit to Lagos de Moreno?

Anonimo

Dec 19, 2010, 3:09 AM

Post #4 of 20 (6944 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Safer Travel Areas

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Mexico City is great, but can be intimidating at times. How about a loop of Querétaro, San Miguel and Guanajuato? The latter is especially interesting, and I think kids would love it. Or, just Guanajuato.

Saludos,
Anonimo

DavidHF

Dec 19, 2010, 6:44 AM

Post #5 of 20 (6906 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Safer Travel Areas

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Guanajuato is my #1 recommendation.

chinagringo

Dec 19, 2010, 8:39 AM

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Re: [db52] Safer Travel Areas

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I would have to agree with the posters recommending the Guanajuato area. I tend to follow the Mexican news media fairly closely and the Lagos area has had numerous incidents. It seems that the Zetas find this area attractive and there are ongoing turf wars in that particular region.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

raferguson

Dec 19, 2010, 2:31 PM

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Re: [Anonimo] Safer Travel Areas

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I like the Queretero, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato loop, probably would add Dolores Hidalgo. You could make the theme Mexican history, a lot of history in that area, from el grito de la independencia, to the execution of Maximillion. Buy a book on Mexican history, read it before the trip, then you could more easily understand what you are looking at. Sometimes a theme makes a trip more interesting and coherent.

You could easily get there by bus, perhaps by changing buses in Leon, or getting a bus direct from Guadalajara to Queretero.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

dongringo_catemaco

Dec 19, 2010, 10:01 PM

Post #8 of 20 (6766 views)

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Re: [jm95] Safer Travel Areas

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Somehow I would not expect that kind of question from an Ajijic resident.
You are living near one of the most historic areas of Mexico, plus you you have some gorgeous beaches in your back yard.
The students would want Puerto Vallarta, while the teacher would want to spend a month around Guadalajara.
http://guadalajarareporter.com/

And you want to drive around other parts of Mexico? Waffor?
Visit Catemaco News

robt65

Dec 20, 2010, 5:29 AM

Post #9 of 20 (6746 views)

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Re: [Anonimo] Safer Travel Areas

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I defiantly agree with Anonimo. Living in The State of Queretaro and near to The City of the same name, I can tell you that one can spend months, if not years, exploring this area. Just a fantastic choice with really clean city (Queretaro) as well as others. Great friendly people and always something going on at the Central Historic Plaza. Christmas season is not a season to be missed in any of the cities Anonimo mentioned and relatively safe also.

robt65

Schap

Dec 22, 2010, 5:29 AM

Post #10 of 20 (6605 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Safer Travel Areas

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In Reply To

You could easily spend a week in México City and still not see everything.

We're leaving on a bus trip with a tour group to Mexico City tomorrow. Just wondering if there have been any recent incidents along that route (Ajijic to Mexico City). I did hear that the roads in Michoacan are to be avoided. I've checked borderlandbeat. com and blogdelnarco. org and found nothing there.

chinagringo

Dec 22, 2010, 6:30 AM

Post #11 of 20 (6595 views)

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Re: [Schap] Safer Travel Areas

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About a month or two back, I did read of some bus incidents on the highway from Mexico City to Querretaro (Hwy 57?) but I don't believe that going from Ajijic to Mexico City would take you on that highway. I am guessing that your tour bus will follow the cuota and while it does pass Morelia on the north, I don't believe there have been many incidents out in that direction.

Have a good trip!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Schap

Dec 22, 2010, 8:04 AM

Post #12 of 20 (6581 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Safer Travel Areas

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Thanks, Neil. We do take the cuota but nothing in life is guaranteed, so away we go!

robt65

Dec 29, 2010, 3:20 AM

Post #13 of 20 (6324 views)

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Re: [jm95] Safer Travel Areas

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Hi jm95,

I live over in the area of San Juan del Rio near the Fiesta Americana Hotel in the Pueblo of Galindo on Hwy 120. I am 5 minutes off the autopista (Hwy 57) that runs from the City of Queretaro to Mexico City. A lot further south of us there were two incidents of seven delinquents that heisted a couple of cars, sometime ago. They have all been caught and sent away. Other than that there have not been any incidents in our area. I have two small children and a dear wife that I protect well. If anything was happening I would be the first to tell you.

The city of Queretaro (don't miss the centro historic area) and Guanajuato are great places to take some one. The history and architecture are second to none.

Enjoy your trip with peace of mind.

robt65

cookj5

Dec 31, 2010, 12:33 PM

Post #14 of 20 (6135 views)

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Re: [jm95] Safer Travel Areas

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While I certainly agree that Guanajuato, San Miguel, and Querétaro are great choices, how about Zacatecas? It's about the same distance as Querétaro and has many of the wonderful qualities of Guanajuato: rich history and great sites to visit (both in the city and outside). It has interesting topography, very similar to Guanajuato, i.e. built in a canyon with the city built up the sides. Lots of old stairways, alleys, etc to explore, plus the great Teleferico (car suspended from a cable high across the valley over the city).

Here is a link to my multi-part series on Zacatecas in my blog:

http://cookjmex.blogspot.com/search/label/Zacatecas

(This post was edited by Rolly on Dec 31, 2010, 1:39 PM)

gpkgto

Dec 31, 2010, 1:27 PM

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Re: [cookj5] Safer Travel Areas

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What's the weather like in Zacatecas in January?

chinagringo

Dec 31, 2010, 1:57 PM

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Re: [cookj5] Safer Travel Areas

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Jim:

While i would agree with you about the scenic things that Zacatecas has to offer and the fact that it is a beautiful colonial city, over the past couple of months there have been a number of incidents there which one should be aware of. The general area has a history of "cockroaches" moving in and out depending on the pressure being exerted by the military. Maybe a month or two ago, I read about a shootout taking place on Hidalgo starting in front of the Best Western (where we stayed) and continuing on down in front of the cathedral. If my memory serves me correctly, a couple of innocents along the sidewalks were wounded. On our last trip north, we stayed at the Hotel Bosque and when talking to the bellboy, he provided me with a somewhat detailed history of the bad guys activities in the area. As I understand it, the Zacatecas region is one where the various cartels are dueling for control.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

jerezano

Jan 1, 2011, 7:56 AM

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Re: [gpkgto] Safer Travel Areas

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Hello all,

Somebody asked:.............What's the weather like in Zacatecas in January?.....................

It is cold! Did I say cold? Yes I said COLD.

The standard joke about Zacatecas city is the question: How may stations (seasons as well as station) are there in Zacatecas?
Answer is: Two, the railroad station and winter.

Remember that Zacatecas city is at a very high altitude. It is just above 7000 feet if I remember well, and the coldest place I have ever been without a coat has been the Zacatecas Central Bus Station.

But the city itself has an awful lot to offer the tourist. Museums galore, restaurants of all kinds, hotels from hostels to La Quinta Royal where a suite can cost $1000 us dollars a night. Outlying trips to the magic town of Jerez, and to the pre-conquest ruins at La Quemada and other sites.

I like Zacatecas city very much and live only 50 km from there but at a much lower elevation. I am told that the highest temperature reached in the magic town of Jerez yesterday was 50*F. I got a message from a friend there this morning who said that my house was OK and that no pipes had frozen. So you can imagine what Zacatecas city was like yesterday.

As ever, jerezano

(This post was edited by jerezano on Jan 1, 2011, 8:00 AM)

chinagringo

Jan 1, 2011, 8:17 AM

Post #18 of 20 (6027 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Safer Travel Areas

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For those wondering about the weather in Zacatecas, here are a couple of photos courtesy of Senior GOOGLE maps:
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Attachments:

ZAC SNOW.JPG (41.0 KB)

ZAC SNOW2.JPG (41.6 KB)

joan e

Jan 2, 2011, 8:26 PM

Post #19 of 20 (5880 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Safer Travel Areas

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Hello Jerezano,

I can tell you for sure that it was much warmer than 50 degrees F. today in Jerez. It was closer to 70 F...not much different in Zacatecas, the capital. The altitude of Zacatecas is 8,075 ft according to my MerriamWebster Geographical dictionary 3rd Edition. Travelers to any part of the colonial altiplano of Mexico in December, January or February are advised to carry hot water bottles to ameliorate extremely cold nighttime temperatures, often 40-45 degrees less than daytime temps!

I should add that our friend Jimmie reports sleeping in her full length down coat in Oaxaca during Christmas week.

Zacatecas is well worth a visit for the clean air, good fresh local food, architecture and great, practically unknown art and ethnographic collections in several museums. More important than those features are the delightful people.

Juana

rvcycleguy

Jan 3, 2011, 9:59 AM

Post #20 of 20 (5822 views)

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Re: [jm95] Safer Travel Areas

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Just returned from Guanajuato last week. Spent 8 days there. Wife and I drove from Houston to and from using Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras International Bridge. We love GTO area. Safe, Hospitable, very vibrant city for education, music, museums, culture, etc. Don't let the kids miss the Mummy Museum...