Friends of mine are flying into San Diego and had planned to drive to Baja until I informed them they can't take a US rental car across the border, something I learned here. What are their options? They want a Mexican vacation but are using airline tickets that get them to San Diego. Can they take a bus over the border and rent a car in Mexico? Is that the best idea?

I am also posting this on the Latin American board but it seems a lot less busy. Thanks for any input you can provide.

You don't mention what kind of Mexican vacation they are looking for.

I'm not sure if there's a bus or taxi that will take you over the border unless it's from one of the border parking lots.

Will they be spending anytime in San Diego? There's a trolley that will take you to the border and then you walk across. Then they can rent a car on the Mexico side. They could probably reserve it before they leave.

If they are going directly across from the airport they will need to take a shuttle or taxi to the border.

I had this dream once too and went over the border to spend the night at the Rosarito Hotel. Horrible experience. Horse poop on the beach, children begging in the streets. Next time I would either go way south on the Baja Peninsula or STAY in San Diego!

I think their plan was to go way south in Baja, crazy4Hawaii. I'm a bit embarrassed because I don't know how far it is. This is a good friend and her husband who are very "relaxed" travellers. She just sent me an email about this and I said, whoah you can 't do that. Just trying to figure out what they should do. Staying in San Diego was not in the plan (maybe for a night). They're looking for a Mexican vacation with a ticket to San Diego. Doable?

Definitely doable. We parked in the designated lot at the border and rode a bus to the Rosarito. Surely there are rental car agencies available in Mexico just over the border.

trolley down to the border, walk across and either rent a car. the public bus service is pretty good in mexico. if they are going far south, they could always take the bus down to la paz or cabo, rent a car from there to drive around.

It was this morning in the news: a warning was issued for travelers to Mexico regarding kidnappings and killings.

Are you serious? or just pulling my leg >? Where are these reports?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145546,00.html

I am serious, it was on TV in the news, don't know which channel. Shocking, huh?

Yes, shocking

I believe Hertz rent a car lets you take rental cars over the border. Not quite sure though. Just remember to buy mexican auto insurance before crossing the border. You also will need a Tourist permit if you travel furher south of Ensenada. Buses are another option, and realitvely inexpensive.

Puerto Nuevo is a very nice quaint town 40 miles south of tijuana. Buses and taxis shuttle people down there reguarly. The town is known for its lobster meals.

I agree w/Crazy4Hawaii, I think your friends may be setting themselves up for disappointment if they're imagining an exotic beach vacation.

I also wouldn't recommend a bus to LaPaz or Cabo, unless spending 20-30 hours on a bus fits into their idea of a dream vacation.

Catching a flight from SD to Cabo, LaPaz or Loreto might be an option (La Paz & Loreto are on the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja Peninsula.)

If they want someplace closer to San Diego, then the Rosarito/Puerto Nuevo area would be the place. Las Rocas is a condo property right on the beach.

If they golf, then they might be interested in the Bajamar resort, about 1/2 way between Rosarito and Ensenada (40 miles or so south of SD). The hotel is on a golf course which is situated on a bluff above the beach.

The State Dept warning was prompted by the escalating drug gang violence in the cities that border Texas: Reynosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo and C. Juarez.
Gringos are not targeted specifically, but in a war zone, anything might happen.
M

Hi again mclaurie,
As I mentioned on the Latin America post, I would fly to LaPaz and rent a car. Unfortunately, looks like one has to fly to SJD from SAN, but Alaska and America West have i/n specials less than $200. RT (+ the confiscatory MX taxes). Auto rentals can be steep in Los Cabos, less in LaPaz. I would probably "waste" a lot of time fishing.
M

Thank you all. Mikemo, when I checked flying from SAN to La Paz, I got a price of $600-700/person with an itinerary that took 7+ hrs!

This couple are not golfers. They had to use a credit from an unused plane ticket before it expired. Leaving it to the last minute, SAN was as close as they could get to somewhere they wanted to go. They are not planners, very low maintenance, follow their nose people. They want a nice beach where they can veg out and maybe drink some margaritas and eat some good Mexican food while napping and reading.

I have suggested considering flying to Los Cabos. Any other thoughts? I think even if they stay in SAN, it won't be as warm as they'd like. This is for the end of next month.

It's probably going to be the best bang for the buck to rent a car in Tijuana and drive the long road south. Lots of beaches on the Sea of Cortez and/or the Pacific along the way.
M

They could drive down to San Felipe. It's about a five hour drive from San Diego.

I definately rented a car in San Diego last year and drove down into Baja. I don't remember which company it was, all you have to do is buy additional insurance when you rent the car. I think you have to go pretty far down because most of it's not much different than TJ. Take the tollroad south from TJ, it's worth the couple extra $$ and avoid the border at typical rush hour, it gets backed up.

I rented a car from the San Diego airport and drove into Mexico just 3 years ago. You are required to purchase additional insurance to do this.