Hi All,
We are regular travellers to Thailand who are looking to branch out and we want to take our kids to Disneyland/San Diego later this year. We also want to spend a week on a beach at a mid priced resort in an area with a similar feel to say Kata Beach or Ao Nang in Thailand. WE want to be able to access it with a short flight from LA and were thinking Mexico but are open to options.
Just somehere with a nice stretch of sand,warm clear water with good access to cheap local restaraunts, bars and shopping with maybe the odd massage girl. We dont want a party beach and dont need it to be upmarket...Any suggestions?

Well, I've never been to Thailand but from the photos I don't think the beaches in Mexico, close to southern California, will compare favorably. Also the ocean water's not clear (being the Pacific), there's no massage girls, and prices are not really all that cheap these days.

That said... beach resort towns that are a fairly short flight from LA, include Cabo, La Paz, Todos Santos on the Baja, or Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa/Zijuat on the mainland.

Thanks Suze. It looks like we will be better off on the carribean side. I just want to avoid a "Spring Break" type atmosphere. I have been reading up on Sayulita. Can I expect the water here to be warm and clear and the atmosphere to be warm and friendly?

Sayulita is great place, a small town about 1 hour north of Puerto Vallarta. It is popular mostly for surfing. Yes, the atmosphere will be warm and friendly. Local people in this general area are wonderfully welcoming. No, the water will not be clear or warm, it will be rough and cold. I don't think there's much "shopping" either.

What you keep describing is more like the Caribbean side, not the Pacific coast. All of the Yucatan is not a spring break atmosphere, only some resorts in Cancun. If you are willing to fly further to get over to that side, I think Playa del Carmen, Akumal or Tulum are closer to what you seek.

I LOVE the PV area myself, and you might too. But I think trying to find one place, that is like another you love (Thailand) will likely bring disappointment (I say this with kindness).

The things you mention wanting describe Thailand perfectly, not Mexico so much.

Thanks again Suze. I realise that I need to let go of my Thailand addiction and explore something different. As long as the water is safe to take the kids out in for a paddle, then Sayulita sounds like a much better option if we are wanting a more "authentic" Mexican experience. THe shopping wont be a big issue as we will have spent a few weeks in the States first(coming from Australia)but we want to mingle with the locals and eat local food and relax. Is there a better time of year to go. We dont mind heat and dont care if it rains a bit and would proberbly prefer to go outside of peak season.