Hey Everyone! I'm starting to plan the road trip down in July - and I'm wondering if anyone knows any good towns along the Gulf Coast to stay in? I don't need/want touristy, the smaller/more interesting the better - but big enough to be safe (I'm not a pansy though - it takes a lot to make me nervous). I know some spanish (likely enough to get by if they don't speak english), and would probably stay in cheaper hotels - but I have the dog with me, so I may be stuck camping. I'm looking for an experience of a road trip - the more I can stay off of major highways (and still be safe) the better - as well as stops in beach-side towns. I'm not in any hurry! Ideas?
Roxie, There is a similar post about a roadtrip by Hallie further down the board. Along with some helpfuls tips and hints by some board members: http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/living-cancun-riviera-maya/19483-making-my-vehicle-legal-cancun.html Have fun and enjoy your stay on the the beautiful Island. Cheers, Nico
Thanks for that link - Lots of good information. But, I do want to be clear - my goal of driving to Cancun is not to get to Cancun - it's to experience the drive in Mexico. I realize there are lots of things I have to worry about (and I am worrying about them, don't worry!) - BUT - I am also going to make the drive and want to make it as informed as possible. Here's a list of cities that are along my route that I read other things about - I'd love any feedback on any of them (good/bad/ugly). Ciudad Victoria Tampico Tuxpam Veracruz Catemaco Villahermosa Ciudad del Carmen Campeche Merida Anyone know anything of (or better even - know anyone IN that I could stay with?) these towns?
I don't know much about any of those cities. Here's the little I DO know... Villahermosa: Drove through this city once. From what I saw, it's not very "hermosa" haha Ciudad del Carmen: Also drove through this city once. It looked like a very cool place and I wish I'd had time to explore it. Merida: Ok, I know this city pretty well and I LOVE it! Make sure to walk along Paseo de Montejo where the mansions are. For what it's worth, I don't think you should have many safety concerns in any of these areas. Obviously be alert and use common sense as you would anywhere else, but they are not dangerous areas.
We once took 3 months to drive down the Emerald Coast from Texas to QRoo and explored so very many nooks and crannies of the various states. These days the with the Zetas and teh CDG along the Gulf Coast I'm not sure I'd even risk the drive at all, especially with my kids in the car. The war is only escalating and I personally, after 4 years of traveling the small towns and libres of Mexico, no longer feel comfortable doing so. YMMV, obviously but the dead are piling up and innocents are travelers are no longer "hands off".
Camperche is reported to be The Safest City on the peninsula. CV is a death zone. Tampico is full of transitos just looking to make your life miserable and is a rather dirty port town. Just ignore the transitos and watch them hop up and down in anger when you refuse to stop. Catemaco is magical and check the coffee plantations if you can find them. Campeche is one of my favorite cities followed by Merida for architecture, culture and history. Ciudad del Carmen is lovely and small for a nice short stay. We mostly explored the small towns around your list of large towns, but that is my lasting impression of them.
Thanks so much for the read. I'm currently trying to find couchsurfing homes to stay in while on the road in mexico, so that should help with the issues of where to sleep - but I will keep those hotels in mind!
thanks so much for the ideas on the different cities - I am already looking to alter my original run-throughs on the cities so that I can skip sleeping in tampico
