I'm concidering taking a trip to Guatemala City to meet up with a friend of mine who lives there. My friend is a native and will be accompanying me where ever I go. I've read a lot about travel to Guatemala and know it's not the safest place to go. I know not to show off anything expensive and not to travel anywhere alone (espcially after dark). I was wondering if there was anyone here who has traveled to Guatemala who could tell me how dangerous it really is (or isn't) and any other saftey tips that might benefit me to know.
Another thing I was curious about is when is the best time of year to go?
I'm new to this forum and excited to hear from some of you!
Thanks,
Lauren

Your friend can advise you better than anyone here, but I've had many safe trips to Guatemala and look forward to returning. Here are my concessions to safety when traveling in CA:

:: I avoid the big cities as much as possible
:: Where recommended I take specific transportation (Hedman Alas in Honduras, for example)
:: I know where I am and where I'm headed
:: I don't wear jewelry (not even my wedding band) and try not to flash camera equipment or money around
:: I keep important documents and cash under my clothes (except what I need for shopping, buses, etc. for that time period)
:: I ask locals about safety in an area - evenings, hiking, etc.
:: I travel really light so I don't feel vulnerable getting my bag off and on buses, shuttles, etc.
:: I continue to build skills in Spanish

I always travel in the summer because I'm a teacher and that's when I have time off. It's a great time to visit though it can rain pretty hard in the afternoons and evenings some places in the highlands that time of year, and the lowland areas are hotter. At high altitudes it can get chilly in the winter. None of those factors would spoil a trip, though, so there's really no bad time to go imo.

Here's a link to my photos and travelogues if you're interested:

http://flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

Happy trails and welcome to the forum!

Thanks for all your great advise! Your pictures are amazing by the way. You have made me so excited to go! Thanks again.

I'm glad you like the photos - my secret is taking 10 times as many as I post (digital is SO much more fun than film!). Guatemala is such a beautiful and colorful country; you might have noticed that on our 2nd visit (1989) we brought back a son ,Carlos, then 4 - best keepsake EVER from a trip.

Have a great trip and a wonderful visit with your friend and please tell us all about it when you get home. Happy trails!

I agree--your friend will have the best advice. I traveled in Guatemala a few years ago.

Suggestions:
*no jewelry
*listen to locals (we had heard that some people got robbed at the top of this particular volcano, but that it hadn't happened recently. We went, and--oh, look, we got robbed.)
*Have your friend get taxis--you will probably pay more than you should otherwise.

I found Guate (Guatemala City) to feel the most dangerous; outside I felt fine.

Don't know when the "best" time to go is--I went in June/July and it was great.

I'd love to go back. Enjoy.

I think being with a local will help you out tremendously. Keep your wits about you, follow the tips posted above, and you'll most likely be fine.

We went in May last year...hotter than hell in the Peten region (but still a GREAT time), but the temps weren't bad around Antigua.

Here's some photos from our trip: http://flickr.com/photos/roscoehortonjr/collections (just look for the Guatemal collection)

I admit I was nervous the first time we went 2 years ago. We loved it so much we went back the following year and are looking forward to many more trips there. The only time I was nervous was going to the bank. We asked our hotel if there was another place to cash travelers checks and he took us to a small store in Panajachel. Good rate no problems.