First Trip to Mexico. Any Advice?

[threeblindmoose]

Pray and Pray again! Have an enjoyable vaca, do not mention "The Wall" and prolly best to leave a MAGA shirt or cap home

Enjoyable vaca?

[bigjohn]

and I wonder ..why dont US citizens go past Mexico to a nicer ,safer country like Ecuador or CostaRica..even Colombia is a better choice.

For me personally, flight time really makes a difference traveling with little kids. That extra layover and additional few hours of flying is very hard on little ones and even harder on their parents

[silverhead]

and I wonder ..why dont US citizens go past Mexico to a nicer ,safer country like Ecuador or CostaRica..even Colombia is a better choice.

For me personally, flight time really makes a difference traveling with little kids. That extra layover and additional few hours of flying is very hard on little ones and even harder on their parents

I wouldn't take "the little ones" to Mexico.

[highroller4321]

Great advices, very eye opening, keep them coming! We will be staying somewhere in the Hotel Zone, probably close to the middle.

So with bad water and questionable dining options, how do you find good places to eat?

Should we pay with dollars, come with pesos in hand, or exchange there?

Pesos for things outside the resorts and dollars while you are in a resort. Bring a new exchange fee credit card too!

[bigjohn]

and I wonder ..why dont US citizens go past Mexico to a nicer ,safer country like Ecuador or CostaRica..even Colombia is a better choice.

For me personally, flight time really makes a difference traveling with little kids. That extra layover and additional few hours of flying is very hard on little ones and even harder on their parents

I wouldn't take "the little ones" to Mexico.

Why? We aren’t going for an “authentic Mexico experience”. We are going to Cancun, a hotel zone peninsula with nothing but a couple hundred beach front resorts filling the entire peninsula. We might buy some touristy tours but not planning on venturing out to the city at night

[bigjohn]

Why not just fly to San Antonio, Texas, and see the Spanish missions and stay in a nice hotel on the River Walk. Texas hospitality is awesome and besides, San Antonio is the capitol of North Mexico......

Logistics + having to keep the wife happy. We have to go in the winter so options become fairly limited. Plus, my wife really likes staying right on the beach. That said, Texas is definitely on my agenda. I might be able to come out with my daughter next May for the big event

[chris6084]

Learn how to self-exam for the presence of your kidneys. Just kidding, don’t go too far off the beaten path. Also don’t use large bills (500 pesos and up), local merchants often don’t have a lot of change.

+1 about the beaten path

Mexico has a reputation for being dangerous. If you stay in touristy areas, you generally have nothing to worry about in terms of safety.

That's what this person thought too:

Police in Mexico are investigating the murder of an American tourist hit by a stray bullet in Mexico City. Tatiana Mirutenko of San Francisco was leaving a restaurant with her husband and two friends Saturday morning when she was shot. Police say two men on a motorcycle were aiming for a bar bouncer who was at the same restaurant. The bouncer was hit, but survived.

Mirutenko, 27, was in Mexico celebrating her first wedding anniversary and had just told her family how safe she felt. The restaurant where Mirutenko was shot was located in an upscale neighborhood.

"We've traveled to Mexico all of our lives," Mirutenko's father, Wasyl, said. "Tania has probably been there at least 30 times."

According to the latest figures from the Mexican government, 2017 was the nation's deadliest year on record, with more than 25,000 murders. Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department issued a travel ban to five Mexican states, the same warning issued to war-torn countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Popular tourist destinations Ixtapa and Acapulco are in those "do not travel" zones. The government also warns tourists to "exercise increased caution" when visiting Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Mexico City.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-w ... -warnings/

You can't let that isolated incident scare you from traveling to Mexico. NO place is going to be completely safe. Things can happen anywhere. How many innocent people in the US have been hit by stray bullets since this innocent US citizen got hit in Mexico City? Just the other day a 3 year old in Oakland got hit by a stray bullet from a shooting at a funeral of another shooting victim.

In touristy areas, police, security, hotel managers, everybody who can do anything will do as much as they can to make sure tourists are safe. Tourism is too big of a money maker and the only way they survive. The last thing they need is a tourist getting shot and national news in their home country blasting how unsafe tourism is in Mexico.

I'd bet touristy areas in Mexico are safer than most large US cities. I'd feel safer any day, all day walking down the street in the hotel zone in Cancun than I would walking down the street in front of my work in Oakland.

[jcz1]

How many innocent people in the US have been hit by stray bullets since this innocent US citizen got hit in Mexico City?

None where I live (since then or in recent memory), and I wouldn't vacation anywhere that this happens, or recommend that anyone else do so.

I'd bet touristy areas in Mexico are safer than most large US cities. I'd feel safer any day, all day walking down the street in the hotel zone in Cancun than I would walking down the street in front of my work in Oakland.

The US Gov't warns us to "exercise increased caution" in Cancun, but not Oakland.

[Purple and Gold]

I know of a group of guys who are planning to ride their motorcycles into Mexico and down to Central America. We used to ride down to TJ once in awhile but that was a long time ago. Never a problem and would park our bikes on the street.

[MaryB]

Pick a different country or US state! HI is nice in winter! So is the Florida Keys... or consider one of the Caribbean Islands instead...

MX is NOT SAFE for US citizens anymore.

[jcz1]

Pick a different country or US state! HI is nice in winter! So is the Florida Keys... or consider one of the Caribbean Islands instead...

MX is NOT SAFE for US citizens anymore.

+1

If you want some Spanish culture type of stuff, try Puerto Rico - they could really use the tourist dollars.

[b4/Vj()z]

Any requests for a particular type of casket?

[BotanicusRex]

Hope you enjoy Cancun and all the amenities that drugs built.

I bet you'll be back in Hawaii next year

[TallStack]

Cancun is a 3.5 hour direct flight from the D.C. area. I've gone to Cancun eight years in a row, once with my wife alone, and then seven times with family (two boys & mother/father in laws) plus other families. Earlier this year, it was 17 of us, spanning three generations, from 7 to over 70 years old.

The first year, my wife and I booked a hotel, ate out at restaurants and rented a car. I do not recommend that at all. Everyone will try to scam you. The gas station alone had 4-5 scams working at the same time and we got snagged by one. Long list, no time here. Just don't venture off on your own unless you're from an inner-city of the U.S. and you'll still lose, they have very good scams there. Here, it's a gun in your face. There, they have skill.

For years 2 through 8 we stayed at all-inclusive resorts in Cancun. All were rated 4.4 or higher on Expedia. All excursions, those mentioned already or any of the three big water parks (highly recommend Xel-ha) were all booked via Expeida or Best Day Travel. Roundtrip (hotel/airport), private van was also booked via Expedia (although taxis are generally fine). Cancun is a deal, pricing for what you get is unreal.

If you do the same, and stay at say Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula or Hyatt Ziva (formerly Dreams), you will have a top-notch experience. We have traveled the world and never had better food. The seafood is amazing (i.e., huge shrimp, smoked salmon, caviar -- for breakfast! -- lobster, fresh fish, steak, etc. all other times). Fresh guacamole at every meal! Entertainment every night is excellent (fire show, circus acts, etc.) All is included -- snacks, 24 hour room service, alcohol, etc. The pools are amazing and the rooms are too. Stocked in-room mini bar with snacks, drinks and alcohol. Water sports included. Service and daily activities are outstanding. Just read the reviews of these hotels.

It's fine to leave the hotel for a walk, day or night, but it's not that interesting. Just kind of trashy.

We've gone with 1-2 year old children, it is very safe and most places have doctors on site or adjacent to the hotel, in case someone does get sick or hurt.

Just pull pesos from an ATM, if even need any (VISA works everywhere). US dollars are great for tipping (if you desire). Do not drink the water. Bottled water is free and unlimited at every resort. Don't even brush your teeth with the tap water, not worth the risk. I'd give the same advice for France. Every country has different bacteria that you are not used to. Not worth it over a bottle of water. That also means no ice in your drinks or frozen drinks. Beer, wine, shots of liqueur are OK.

By the time your week is up, you'll wonder why there aren't any resorts like this in the U.S. Unbeatable beaches and sea. Simply amazing place. Enjoy your trip.

[bigjohn]

Well this didn’t quite go as planned.............but then again, most threads don’t anymore. Thank you everyone that responded

[bigjohn]

Cancun is a 3.5 hour direct flight from the D.C. area. I've gone to Cancun eight years in a row, once with my wife alone, and then seven times with family (two boys & mother/father in laws) plus other families. Earlier this year, it was 17 of us, spanning three generations, from 7 to over 70 years old.

The first year, my wife and I booked a hotel, ate out at restaurants and rented a car. I do not recommend that at all. Everyone will try to scam you. The gas station alone had 4-5 scams working at the same time and we got snagged by one. Long list, no time here. Just don't venture off on your own unless you're from an inner-city of the U.S. and you'll still lose, they have very good scams there. Here, it's a gun in your face. There, they have skill.

For years 2 through 8 we stayed at all-inclusive resorts in Cancun. All were rated 4.4 or higher on Expedia. All excursions, those mentioned already or any of the three big water parks (highly recommend Xel-ha) were all booked via Expeida or Best Day Travel. Roundtrip (hotel/airport), private van was also booked via Expedia (although taxis are generally fine). Cancun is a deal, pricing for what you get is unreal.

If you do the same, and stay at say Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula or Hyatt Ziva (formerly Dreams), you will have a top-notch experience. We have traveled the world and never had better food. The seafood is amazing (i.e., huge shrimp, smoked salmon, caviar -- for breakfast! -- lobster, fresh fish, steak, etc. all other times). Fresh guacamole at every meal! Entertainment every night is excellent (fire show, circus acts, etc.) All is included -- snacks, 24 hour room service, alcohol, etc. The pools are amazing and the rooms are too. Stocked in-room mini bar with snacks, drinks and alcohol. Water sports included. Service and daily activities are outstanding. Just read the reviews of these hotels.

It's fine to leave the hotel for a walk, day or night, but it's not that interesting. Just kind of trashy.

We've gone with 1-2 year old children, it is very safe and most places have doctors on site or adjacent to the hotel, in case someone does get sick or hurt.

Just pull pesos from an ATM, if even need any (VISA works everywhere). US dollars are great for tipping (if you desire). Do not drink the water. Bottled water is free and unlimited at every resort. Don't even brush your teeth with the tap water, not worth the risk. I'd give the same advice for France. Every country has different bacteria that you are not used to. Not worth it over a bottle of water. That also means no ice in your drinks or frozen drinks. Beer, wine, shots of liqueur are OK.

By the time your week is up, you'll wonder why there aren't any resorts like this in the U.S. Unbeatable beaches and sea. Simply amazing place. Enjoy your trip.

Very helpful! Thank you!!

[TallStack]

Pix - one is a food sample, one from balcony in room at RIu, Several pools -- all awesome.

P.S. Forgot to mention that kid's club is included and free.

[TallStack]

Fresh muscles the size of your fist. Seriously, it's paradise.

[TallStack]

And this is Ziva, so horrible! Dolphins on site. (Although, swimming with the dolphins is extra.)

[TallStack]

The only place nicer for a family vacation is maybe a Greek island like Naxos or Santorini, but getting there takes a long, long time. And you won't find an all-inclusive or service like you will in Cancun.