Suggestions for traveling to Nuevo Laredo/Laredo Texas
 

I am planning a trip down to Laredo,Texas and also Nuevo Laredo,Mexico and was wanting to know of any advice from those that have been down there before.

BE CAREFUL! Please read the State Department's advice regarding travel to Mexico. Specifically, there has been a lot of crime and violence recently in border towns, especially in Nuevo Laredo. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...s/cis_970.html

Why do you want to go there? Is this on business? Neither city is really attractive. Laredo is a collection of strip malls and chain restaurants where people from Monterrey shop on weekends. Nuevo Laredo is your garden variety border town: dirty, cheesy and a little dangerous (think TJ Jr.)

If you are looking for something in the area, I'd either stay in San Antonio (150 miles north of Laredo) or go all the way down to Monterrey (150 miles south). Both cities will keep you busy for a few days.

IMHO, Monterrey is much more interesting than San Antonio. You can get a good sense of what Monterrey offers from Daniel Williams' excellent trip reports in the Latin America forum:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...Text=monterrey
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...Text=monterrey
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...Text=monterrey

You dont remember this guy from yesterday???

Nope, I wasn't here yesterday... what happened?

His member name was 'iwanttobeatexan" or something like that.Exactly the same well B.S., stirring up trouble.But The Posse ran him off....

:o I see... too bad. Daniel's reports are really very good.

well. jean valjean..im wanting to go to a bordertown that is close driving to San Antonio. From what I see there are 3, which are: Nuevo Laredo, Piedras Negres, and Cuidad Acuna. The research I did identifies each town being about an equal driving distance from San Antonio. The perception I am getting is that Nuevo Laredo is prone to excessive crime, which is fathomable being that its a large city of around 500,000. Any ideas?

Ok, I'll bite.

Why would you want to go to a border town? Border towns in Mexico are good for two things only: cheap _______ (fill the blank with booze, pills, sex, whatever) and to give visitors the worst possible impression of what Mexico is like.

I would definitely invest an extra couple of hours and drive to Monterrey.

If you go to Monterrey, you will need extra insurance for your car because what you have is only good for 12 miles into Mexico. Also you will need to stop at the border to get a permit to take the car past the 12 mile zone. To get this permit you must have either the title or registration for your car. I've waited in line for over an hour to do this, but Monterrey is a lot nicer than any border town. Bribes will speed up the process. (speaking from experience)

If you still want to go to a border town, go anywhere but Nuevo Laredo, and use EXTREME caution. Or better yet, just skip it.

because a border town does not require a visa. i have been to los algodones, another border town, it was great.

Wow, so you need a visa now to get into Mexico?

it requires a special permit to go further south than a border town in mexico ;)

You need a special permit for your car. For yourself you only need proof of citizenship, assuming your're American or Canadian. That's what I was referring to in my post.