Trying to plan a senior trip and everyone is worried that the cartel!
 

I have traveled to Mexico at least 25 times. We have never had an issue. For senior year all our kids have wanted a trip to Mexico. Cabo.

Finally thought we had this figured out and parents are freaking out.

The plan was a resort. Kids would go into town to clubs at night. Some parents wanted to hire bodyguards.
Dinners off resort. Days on resort.

Is anyone seeing that there are major problems there?

Frusstrated because we need to get this planned asap.

Your post is unclear. Is this a school trip? These are high school seniors? Would you be the teacher/chaperone?

What school district would ever allow that? I think that's irresponsible.

If the parents are concerned, perhaps an all inclusive resort with its own night club would be a better choice.

I am searching tons of resorts. It's overwhelming because you can't tell which one is a fit. And in the past I think about some of the resorts we've been to. For example Fairmont doesn't have a club atmosphere. Grand Velas does. But, at times they don't have it going when we've visited.

The trick about Cabo San Lucas is that many of the resorts are out on "the Corridor" between Cabo and the town of San Jose del Cabo. They are not walking distance to town. For being able to walk to nightlife you'd want to stay on Medano Beach or in the Marina or downtown proper. If you look at a map that will significantly narrow down your choices for appropriate lodging.

I have never heard of "the cartel" bothering tourists or visitors in Cabo. The parents are buying into false news. Hiring body guards is ridiculous. It only shows how little they know about tourist towns in Mexico. If anything "the cartel" wants tourists to be safe and spend money. Having body guards could make you more of a target because it's so darn silly. But perhaps a parent should go along on these evening adventures? Kids can get into trouble anywhere when alcohol is involved and more so in any foreign place.

Do any of them speak Spanish? In case someone does try to scam them. Wouldn't be "the cartel" but stuff does happen late at night.

How old are these "kids"? Drinking age in Mexico is 18 and nightclubs would require ID proving this.

buena suerte, suze

Also are the kids experienced in clubs? Like (especially the girls) do they know not to leave their drink unattended (possible to be slipped a roofie) or better yet drink bottled beer not cocktails. Not to talk with strangers or leave the club with handsome men who flirt with them? Do they know things like this?

Let's get back to this business of the kids going into town on their own to go clubbing at night. Seriously? Have you cleared this with the school? I'm sorry, but this sounds poorly thought out.

Jeff Costa Rica THIS IS NOT A SCHOOL TRIP. What school plans a spring break for their students? I want to hear more about that.

Yes, they are as much as 18 year olds in the US can be. I still think so much can happen though. It worries me!

Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Cartels are not an issue. Stupid, immature 18 year olds on the loose, unsupervised, drinking & partying in Mexico is the real issue. Foolish parents thinking this is a good idea is another, omg. Do yourself a favor, be responsible for your own kids and let everyone else be responsible for theirs. Looking forward to see the results of this nonsense on an upcoming episode of 48 Hours or Dateline.

I still think so much can happen though. It worries me!

As it should! That's why I suggested that an adult or two should accompany the teenagers when they go clubbing downtown. Don't let them do this on their own. Even if you wait next door or whatever. Things can and do happen.

Your original post was very unclear. You used terms like "senior year," "parents," and "kids." What would anyone think? Are you a teacher? Who are "all our kids"?

We went on a high school spring break trip to Washington, DC. That was a gazillion years ago. The Spanish classes at my high school still take a trip to Mexico every other year. There were a few chaperones and, my goodness, we were never allowed to go clubbing. Both were school-endorsed trips.

This idea seems so poorly though out. I agree with bald0one: It's a disaster waiting to happen.

Are you children allowed to go to clubs at home where this is alcohol being served?
I, personally, would NOT recommend sending 18 year old's out on their own clubbing in any foreign country. If the parents want to go with them, that's a different story.

schmerl says it perfectly above! 18-21 year olds who are inexperienced in international travel have zero business being out in a downtown club in Cabo alone as a group. There are chaperones on this trip, right? So if nightlife is involved, plan it out, which clubs are you going to, everyone walks (if you stay in or near town) or arrange a taxi from the front desk at your resort if you are outside of town. Oldsters sit nearby and have dinner or a drink themselves. Stuff does happen when inexperienced kids are let loose. A teeny bit of caution and common sense - from the adults if not from the kids / hahai - goes a long way.

Maybe its a regional thing - but where I live LOTS of high schools and even some middle schools do plan spring break trips. Sometimes by individual classes -- High school German classes to Germany, Spanish classes to Mexico or Spain, tech/math classes to Silicon Valley. But mostly open to the whole school -- camping or Disneyland or Wash D.C - something like that

BTW - 18 yo's are adults and can do anything they want really - including drinking in Mexico. So even if this is a parents/kids trip if any of them want to act up and go crazy in town they can. Your OP is very unclear -- is this a parents AND seniors trip or just the kids?? If just the kids -- one way 18yo's are not treated as adults . . . most hotels and resorts will not allow kids to check in unless accompanied by responsible adults,

Oh good point janisj!! I assumed this post was asking as a parent who was going on the trip. But as I re-read it, it doesn't say that.

Are the kids going on their own? A group of seniors in high school with no chaperones?

I wouldn't be worred about "the cartel" or hiring body guards... but I would be worried! I think 18 is too young to be doing a spring-break to Cabo to go nightclubing and drinking downtown with no adults (real adults -haha) along.

You can still be 17 at the time of your high school graduation. I was. Looking back, just because my 18 y/o senior classmates would have been of legal age in Mexico, that doesn't mean they should be turned loose in Cabo. :stress:

Yes I also was only 17 at high school graduation and into my first year of college.

Besides "the cartel" and such... are these kids 'travel savvy'? Have they ever been on their own? Traveled internationally? Of course assuming everyone has the necessary passports?

Like say something goes wrong with a flight delay or cancellation or a hotel reservation? Getting their phones on international access. How to handle if their charge card doesn't work or is hacked? Do they know how to cope? Do they know how to use local currency? Where to get it safely if peso are needed? How to get from the Los Cabos airport out to the resort and back?

But those trips are educational. A trip to Cabo for spring break …?

Disneyland - educational ?? . . . OK

A trip to Mexico could be educational. Doesn't sound like this one is set up that way.

Wonder whatever happened???

My concern is the lack of experience I am guessing, and that Mexico can be a challenging place to travel. Perhaps staying in the USA where the drinking age is 21 would be wiser than letting teenagers go alone (if there aren't chaperones, that was never clarified) to Mexico. Does everyone have passports? Speak at least basic Spanish? Does everyone know how to convert currency? Does everyone have travel insurance and international health insurance? How experienced are they dealing with emergencies? Do they know how drinks can be spiked?

Am I the only one who thinks this must be the script for Hangover 4

They never did come back to let us know how it turned out or if it even happened :-)

I think it's obvious that they met a bad end. My sources tell me that they are being held in an undisclosed location near Carlos and Charlies in Cancun.

Or worse :-)

ekscrunchy - LOL