Forums > General > Traveling Mexico

mrssarge

Apr 25, 2010, 5:32 PM

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travel advice

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First off let me thank all of you that have replied to my posts, I have received a wealth of information and unlike some other sites, the graciousness has been wonderful. Anyway, while thinking about our trip planning by car and with two large dogs who will need breaks, we are thinking about entering Mexico at Rocky Point (perhaps) because we are coming from Lake Tahoe and have family in Phoenix we would like to see before we go. Any other suggestions on entry points where we are coming from and why? Then we would like to head towards the coast and visit San Pancho, Sayulita, Melaque and Barra De Navidad. We are in no hurry at all and would like to see sights along the way. Our only concern is not to be stuck on any long stretches where there may be no gas stations or hotels before dark. Is there a safe route anyone might suggest that addresses our dog/gas/hotel concerns. Also, I have been to many websites and cannot find one that actually shows the highway numbers on it. Any suggestions?

Reefhound

Apr 25, 2010, 5:49 PM

Post #2 of 9 (5346 views)

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Re: [mrssarge] travel advice

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For the best Mexican road atlas get yourself a Guia Roji.

chicois8

Apr 25, 2010, 5:54 PM

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Re: [mrssarge] travel advice

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Never heard of a border crossing named rocky point,if your coming from Phoenix you should head south through Tucson cross at Nogales , spend the first night in Navajoa (best western takes dogs) continue south to Tepic, keep right signage to puerto Vallarta highway 200, I drive on to Guayabitos, but San Pancho is about 15 miles further, hope this helps

chinagringo

Apr 25, 2010, 5:56 PM

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Re: [mrssarge] travel advice

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Firstly, for plotting your route, the following site can be quite handy:
http://aplicaciones4.sct.gob.mx/...a&eligeIdioma=si
It will give you: distance in kms, approximate driving times, and toll costs.

As far as gas goes, hopefully you are familiar with your vehicle enough to know the range. You only have one choice for gas in MX and that is PEMEX. While I have never traveled the route you will be taking, I do understand that there may be some major gaps in the availability of gas. I happen to be somewhat anal about running out of gas. Anything near a half tank and I refuel even though we can cover 650 to 700 miles on a tank in our minivan. We have also become so used to traveling in Mexico that I can look at the gauge and tell the attendant $300, or $400 or $500 MXP rather than say to fill it up. We always watch to see that they fully reset the pump to zero before stand the fill.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Rolly

Apr 25, 2010, 6:04 PM

Post #5 of 9 (5335 views)

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Re: [mrssarge] travel advice

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Highway numbers are not nearly as commonly displayed as in the USA. While it is sometimes useful to know the number, it is always more useful to know the names of the major towns/cities along the route because road signs more often list upcoming towns rather than numbers.

I agree that you shoud have a map from Guia Roji. Here is a better link: http://tienda.guiaroji.com.mx/Default.aspx

Rolly Pirate

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On Facebook as Rolly Brook

(This post was edited by Rolly on Apr 25, 2010, 6:08 PM)

esperanza

Apr 25, 2010, 6:56 PM

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Re: [chicois8] travel advice

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Geez louise. "Rocky Point" is known in Mexico as Puerto Peñasco. It's definitely not a border crossing, though. I think the closest crossing point is at Lukeville, Arizona--across the border is Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

rockydog85251

Apr 25, 2010, 8:15 PM

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Re: [esperanza] travel advice

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Having travelled from Phoenix what seems a bazillion times (not really, but a LOT) the best crossing is the Mariposa crossing at Nogales. Very easy to do, especially early in the morning....the road is well marked & then it is a straight run down hiway 15, through Hermosillo, then stop overnight in Navajoa, another stop in Mazatlan, then continue down 15 to the Puerto Vallarta exit. Safe, cuota all the way. If they want to go to Rocky Point, they can take hiway 2 via Caborca, but NOT AT NIGHT, to hiway 15, then south.
Enjoy!
Willie

N2Futur

Apr 26, 2010, 3:13 PM

Post #8 of 9 (5216 views)

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Re: [mrssarge] travel advice

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We cross at Nogales/Mariposa (it by-passes Nogales, so you don't have to go through town) and make it from Phoenix to Guaymas/San Carlos the first day, Mazatlan the second day and Melaque on the third day - 8-10 hr days of driving each day. Take the toll roads, they are expensive but so worth it, and don't drive at night.

Invest in a GUIA ROJI MEXICO Atlas de Carreteras http://www.mexicomaps.com/...es.lasso?itemid=3336

Elke
___________________________
"When choosing between two evils, I always like to pick the one I never tried before." - Mae West

Hound Dog

Apr 26, 2010, 5:03 PM

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Re: [mrssarge] travel advice

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Forget all this other information including whatever anyone calls Puerto Penasco which is not material. Here is what you need to know about traveling with dogs in Mexico and this is the bible - I swear:

Mexicans in general cannot believe that foreigners travel with dogs which are creatures for whom they have zero respect and, unlike many hotels/motels in the United States, hotel proprietors and their employees will almost always tell you that they NEVER accept dogs. On the other hand, Mexicans in general hate to ever say no face-to-face so what you have to do is go physically and personally to the hotel and plaintively and humbly request lodging with your perritos always carrying along cages in which you promise to lodge your dogs even if that is not your intent. We travel several times a year in this manner and always are accepted even in hotels that have signage vowing that dogs are never, EVER, accepted.

Never take the words of anyone over the telephone in Mexico when you ask if they accept dogs. The answer is always an emphatic no over the impersonal telephone but the fact is that at at about 5:00PM when you show up in person seemingly exhausted and humble and without recourse the answer is almost always yes.

We just drove back to Lake Chapala from Chiapas and found ourselves at Orizaba, Veracruz at around 7:00PM and pulled into the La Cascada Hotel - a fine establishment with a great restaurant in an incredibly picturesque setting in that beautiful town in the shadow of the Orizaba Volcano. We asked, in this establishment, if they would take our three dogs and the desk clerk responded that they would reluctantly do so but only if we brought in the dogs after 8:00PM after the head housekeeper closed down and went home because otherwise she would kick their ass.

We complied and once we entered the hotel with our dogs, one of which is a Xoloitzgintli. a breed Mexicans in general love,you would have thought we had returned with a princess.

Another reason to adore Mexico and Mexicans.