Puerto Penasco is a hole. A hot, dry, hole with cheap condos for cheap alcoholic Americans.

My recommendation is Algodones, Mexico for a little shopping and eating in Mexico. It's very close to I-8 and there is a place to park on the U.S. side of the border, which I recommend, so you can just walk across the border and back. It's about 2.5 to 3 hour drive East of San Diego just before you get to the Arizona border. I've been there several times during the past year for dental work. So far, it is one of the safer border towns. You can spend the night in Yuma, AZ since it is so close (about 1/2 hour drive).

'Puerto Penasco is a hole. A hot, dry, hole with cheap condos for cheap alcoholic Americans.'

The folks suggesting going one place or another because it is "less bad" -- that is a bit of a stretch. Less bad or "OK" is still not good.

Traveling many places in Mexico -- but especially anywhere along or near the border is not a very good idea and shouldn't be done on a whim

I'm glad the OP has decided not to go. I live about 200 miles north of the border and I always enjoyed a day of bargain hunting and practicing my Spanish on the Mexican side. Sadly that has ended for me and everyone else I know. We don't dare cross anymore.

My sister and her family - her family is hispanic she is not -live in CA and have always gone to TJ shopping. They will no longer go and they are familiar with the area. It is too dangerous.

My husband and I live 40 miles from the US-Mexico border and would cross over into Mexico via Douglas, AZ into Agua Prieta. When we applied for our passport cards (three weeks ago) we specifically asked the agent where a safe crossing might be, and he said Agua Prieta is still one of the safest places to cross - as safe as any border crossing into any foreign country would be. He specifically recommended not crossing over at Nogales or anywhere west of I-8, but said the relationship between Douglas and Agua Prieta remains a healthy and safe one. So if you want to cross over, I don't think a customs official would steer us wrong.

What an odd first post, Misty.

Hi greybeard

My husband and I crossed the boarder into Tecate (about an hours drive from San Diego). It is a charming and lovely town. Very family oriented with a central park smack in the middle of town which comes alive on the weekend with music, families, and little vendors. It's also home to the Tecate Beer Brewing factory.

I can recommend the best book about this charming little place:

http://www.liquors-store.com/tequila...ovefaith-magic

DebitNM-You're right. Very strange for a first post.

nanabee-I've never been to Tecate but it's not that far from me. I used to go to Rosarito all the time but obviously don't do that anymore.

For the OP, it seems there are a few places that are safe but I'm still not sure I'd take the chance.

For those who are highly recommending Puerto Penasco:

Puerto Peñasco police chief attacked

"The chief of police of Puerto Peñasco, Erick Landagaray Macías, was shot up with an AK-47 Sunday night. He took 6 bullets and his body guard took 7. They are both in grave condition."

http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEn...10/453854.aspx

"He specifically recommended not crossing over at Nogales or anywhere west of I-8"

I'm not sure how you do that as I-8 runs East-West.

why is it an odd first post?

First and only post, on a thread that had sunk pretty far down the list and look at the 2 comments above yours, tom

I assume Bill H and bigfoot Bill are the same Bill pushing a business they own. Misty Marie is probably a close friend.

Bill H is a regular and longtime, helpful poster here. He is not bigfoot Bill.

I assume Bill H and bigfoot Bill are the same Bill pushing a business they own.

nanabee, I assume you are an idiot. I'm not bigfootbill (why would I use 'bill' in a 2nd ID if I'm trying to create a hand puppet? How dumb are you?) and I don't own any business to push, especially not in Mexico. In fact I didn't see anyone pushing ANY business on this thread.

The original poster seemed only to want a peek inside Mexico and the advice I gave about Rocky Point was meant in good faith.

Placename posted
"For those who are highly recommending Puerto Penasco:

Puerto Peñasco police chief attacked"

OK, I can see how this makes it less attractive for many This happened two days after my first post, so great timing, wot? A place that used to be safe now seems to be caught up in the violence too.

Here's the Phoenix paper write-up of this shooting:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...shed21-ON.html

And here's a follow-up where they asked Arizonans if they would still go to Rocky Point, ie, if they felt safe there after the shootings. The answers range from "wouldn't go under any circumstance - it's too dangerous" (like many on this thread) to people who "don't feel any less safe than they do here in the Valley" to people who feel the recent shooting "caused them to reconsider whether they would feel comfortable visiting", a not un-wise conclusion.

http://www.azcentral.com/travel/arti...you-visit.html

Another thing to be considered is if your visa to the US allows for multiple entries. Leaving to Mexico and returning might require different paperwork than a straightfroward one stop tourist visa.

21 people killed in a gun battle between rival gangs within 12 miles of the Arizona border.

I reiterate it is a serious mistake for anyone to cross the border into Mexico at this time.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lt_drug_war_mexico

Let's refocus on a great aspect of the proposed trip: the Big Bend Region of Texas!

You will find a lot of charm and interesting things to do without ever crossing into Mexico if you explore the towns of Fort Davis, Marfa, Terlingua, Marathon, and Alpine. Presidio (across from Ojinaga) is sort of depressing and arguably dangerous, just like Ojinaga, and I wouldn't even consider crossing the Rio Grande, although I went into Mexico from the Big Bend Region a number of times before things started going south (no pun) with the closing of many informal boarder crossings in the aftermath of 09/11/2001.

Anyway, the drive from Presidio to Terlingua (known as El Camino Del Rio (River Road) is perhaps the most beautiful drive in Texas), and dining in restaurants like Cafe Cenizo (Marathon), Reata (Alpine), Starlight Theater (Terlingua) is fun and usually delicious. Also, sites like McDonald Observatory, Balmorhea Springs, the Davis Mountains, the Hot Springs in BBNP, the South Rim and Lost Mine Trails in BBNP, arts/shopping in Marathon-Marfa-Alpine, and the "mysterious" Marfa Lights are enjoyable.

I could write pages about Big Bend - I go a couple of times each year with a group of family and friends from Dallas, which seems about the same distance as it is from San Diego! If you have any specific questions or want further details on specific ideas for dining, accommodations, or entertainment, please post here, or for a quicker reply email me at [email protected].

Also, as an aside, I drove from Dallas to San Diego with my nine-year old son last month, and have a few ideas on things you might want to see beyond your shortest route along I-8/I-10, especially in eastern Arizona and the Texas/NM end of the trip.

STT