Driving in "inner" mexico; is it safe?
 

My husband is really trying to convince me to go to Mexico with our 2 young children for the Christmas break. We would either go visit his family in Veracruz or my family in Michoacán. We would be driving in our family Ford F150 with Texas Plates. I really missing going but am really concerned with the safety on the roadway. Any advice on whether or not to go considering all the news?

I also live in TX and back in the 80's and 90's I did quite a bit of driving in the Mexican interior but I wouldn't do it today. I still think the resort areas are OK but I would be uncomfortable driving from TX to Veracruz. JMO.

Often take the bus including over nighters through Michoacán with never a problem. My wife & I will be doing it again in March.

See here:

http://www.yucatanliving.com/destina...to-yucatan.htm

Thanks for posting that article; I found it interesting.

Thank you for the information and link.

You should have absolutely no problem driving to central Mexico via 57. It is well traveled, and I do it a handful of times each year. A good number of cars and trucks on that route have TX plates, so that should not be an issue. Personally, I feel driving in Texas on the I-35 corridor between Dallas and San Antonio is a heck of a lot more dangerous due to the traffic. If you do decide to drive, there are decent hotels in Saltillo, Matehuala & San Luis Potosi along the route. There is a new City Express right on 85 outside of Monterrey also. That said, if you have family in Michoacan and Veracruz, they would be the best source of information on local driving conditions in those states.

Will you be taking Christmas presents and other good to your families in MX? There are hotels along the routes in MX where you pull your car into an iron fenced area (completely protected on sides and top) that is attached your hotel room. You drive into the fenced area, park, step out, and from inside the locked fenced area you go into your hotel room door. So the only persons who have access to you car or truck are you and your travel mates. I think that is a safer way to go if you will have presents and items for your MX family that you want to leave in your vehicle at night while driving your route. I think that article mentions those hotels.

Hi emd, I have to admit I've never seen what you describe. Doesn't mean they don't exist, not saying that. But as a frequent traveler to the border/US might be handy for me. Anything like that along 57?

Baldone, see the comments to the article I linked above. Several people commented on using the auto hoteles.

Also see here:
http://rollybrook.com/motels.htm

This is what the auto hotels are like. You can see that in this one, you drive your car into a garage, then you close you garage door and enter the room from the garage.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/t...el-paraiso-inn

That's kinda what I was thinking, the type of place that also rents by the hour.

Baldone, those hotels are not sleazy. As you know, many people in MX live with 3or4familes under one roof, often times sleeping in one room. That is similar to Japan where they have stimulate social structure. Both countries solve the problem of giving couples a place to have privacy with these hotels. They are clean and I have friends who stay in them at a nightly rate to protect their vehicles packed ith their belongings, and they get an overnight rate, are safe and thir cars and belongings are safe, it works out very well for them. As you can see from the comments to the article. I linked, many others do the same thing when driving U.S. To MX.

If you google "mexico Auto hotels" you will see that many of those hotels can be booked on booking.com and other hotel reservation systems. My husband and I intend to stay in them along the route I am driving next Spring, as our car will be full of items for our condo in Playa. It is a very viable and real option.

Hi emd, yes I realize that. We've stayed at some in Mexico City while visiting friends. I guess what confused me was the description of the caged/fenced area. I've just never seen those; only the ones with garages. That said, the main reason they have garages is for privacy, not security. No one cares if mom and dad want to get a little frisky, but if mom or dad want to get with someone else, then they don't want to publicize it. So, if the OP has never or rarely been to (or driven in) Mexico and has 2 kids in tow, it might make a family a little uncomfortable if they're caught unawares.

Many years ago as a backpacker, I stayed in one of those hotels in Veracruz for four or five days when my travel companion was recuperating from an illness. It was extremely bizarre. There was room service, but the food arrived via a lazy Susan to ensure privacy. And the bathroom had two bidets.

I knew of such in the US years ago. They were considered sleazy by many. Use to stay in such in Sioux City. Iowa when my GF traveled with me. We always enjoyed them.
Of course that was 45 years. Smile
Just another example of how better Mexico handles/accepts such things.

Sioux City? My wife's from Sioux City...don't tell me...

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