Anybody Know How To Get To Mexico?
Posted on Jan 10, 2012 | 35 comments
It's a bit hard to imagine that by this time next year we will be in Mexico! Exciting, right?
We had planned to go cycle Europe first, but once I saw my 3 year old son try and ride a bike, I smiled and moved on to plan B. There is always time for bikes and Europe.
Instead we are going to drive south. Boston to Mexico to Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua . . . Costa Rica!
I know it's a ways away, but we could sure use some ideas and recommendations from those of you have wandered south of the border.
Here's what we have to work with:
- We have no time limits. We can stay in one place for a week or 6 months.
- We have two kids, 6 and 3, and they are both up to the challenge.
- We have a car, so that should help get us to those hard to reach places.
- We are brave travelers. We like it all. We will camp, explore, and flop in the pool as needed.
Here's what we love:
- We love culture: Food, People, Places.
- We love the outdoors: Mountains, Jungles, Fresh Air.
- We would love to live near the beach.
- We would love to see the rain forests.
- We would love to stay away from the places that will get us into BIG trouble.
Here's what we need from you:
- Do you have favorite towns or cities in any of these areas?
- Do you have any secrets, tricks, or advice for us?
- Do you know of any must-see places, foods, festivals?
- Do you know of any great places to stay?
- Do you have any books or blogs you would recommend we read before we go?
I know when I travel I can't wait to share what I have experienced. So for you travelers who consider Mexico, Honduras and Costa Rica your home away from home - your help is muy apreciado.
We are set to start traveling the world forever on December 1st of 2012. We would love if you would follow our journey on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.
And please feel free to SIGN UP HERE and get all our posts and articles delivered via email.
Thanks to Dr. Rawhead for the Photo
Well, you've pretty much described camping around Australia. You could see temperate rainforests in the Gippsland region of Victoria, or proper rainforests like the Daintree in tropical north Queensland. The coastlines in some areas are lovely.
Mountains might be a bit of a problem as we are the flattest continent, but there are the Snowy Mountains, and Australian Alps in New South Wales, and places like Cradle Mountain in Tasmania.
Jungles we might struggle on, though.
Fresh air? Well, we make up for it in that. We are the most urbanised country on earth, meaning that most of the population live in only 3% of the land mass. That means that 97% has no one.
(See, I'm still trying to entice you over here
)
Amy recently posted..South Australia For Families
I have only one issue with Australia - MONEY! I can't see affording it yet. And I want to stay there for a year! But you guys have exposed me to a whole new side of Australia. Seriously, the shots you guys get are awesome!
Yes, Australia is really, really expensive. You do need at least a year (in my opinion, anyway) to see Australia properly. It is just a ridiculously expensive, spaced out country.
Amy recently posted..Coastal National Park with Kangaroos and Emus
We're traveling with our 7 and 4 year olds on the Pacific coast of Mexico by sailboat and loving every single minute of it! I would put Chacala, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Yelapa, and Barra de Navidad on your list. I have mixed feelings about San Blas because of the terrible bugs but the jungle tour may have even been worth a couple hundred bites (the rest of the family did better). I think of a dozen reasons every day why I love Mexico. People even thank me for bringing my kids, often!
I remember when you hadn't started sailing. You're from San Fran area right? This is great advice and so helpful! I love the coast. I really wanted to visit the San Blas, but your not the first to tell me that. This is great! Thanks!
Right! We sailed out under the Golden Gate Bridge on October 1st. We blogged about La Cruz once and will definitely post more about the other places. Tucker's sorting through photos now. Hopefully we'll have a Yelapa post soon. It's a little village reached by horseback or boat only!
Looking forward to it! Thanks! Amazing trip you guys are having!
One thing about San Blas and the jungle nearby (La Tovara). It is a very nice place and if you can try taking the tour to "La Tovara". It is well worth it.
In order to avoid the mosquitoes make sure the sun is out. Between sunset and sunrise or when overcast it is better to stay indoors or use quite a bit of bug repellent (but there are times that even the bug repellent won't help).
Mexico: Oaxaca, Chiapas, Cozumel, and Valladolid are my fav places.
Guatemala: Flores was absolutely lovely. Make sure to go to the Petencito Zoo.
Honduras: Utila is a very nice, small Caribbean island. You'll have to leave your car on the mainland as it's only a passenger ferry and few roads here, but it's a wonderful place and super safe. Copan is also a very nice town. Def worth a visit.
Awesome! This helps so much! I have been following you guys as you know. Will you still be there in early 2013?
Hi Justin,
I've been to a few places in Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in the last 10 years. I've enjoyed every country for different reasons. I traveled with my two children (4 and 6) for the first time last summer in Mexico. We stayed in a condo in Puerto Morelos for 3 weeks and it was everything we hope for: right on the beach, quiet, pool, village at 20 minutes walk, we were cooking our food, snorkeling with the kids, siesta... The children learned to swim in 3 days in the pool. When they went to sleep, my wife and I would take a cold beer, enjoy the sound of the waves crashing endlessly on the beach, watching the stars in the dark night sky, and just enjoying life.
Great places I've been in Central America and that I would recommand with children: Antigua in Guatemala, Lago de Atitlan, Semuc Champey; Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos in Mexico; Monteverde, Matapalo, Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica; Utila, Copan in Honduras; Isla de Ometepe, Granada, Leon in Nicaragua.
Greatest outdoor activities: Costa Rica (most expensive country though). Greatest beach: Honduras. Greatest cultural experience: Guatemala. Greatest people: Nicaragua. Puerto Morelos in Mexico was our only experience with our children but we had such a good time!
I could give you more details about those places, just email me. With a car, you could go all the way down to Panama and you'll have much more freedom to explore at your rythm. I must admit though that the chicken bus and all the vendors hopin in and out along the way are quite entertaining...
Take care.
Ian
Ian you're GREAT! These is the GREATEST advice I have ever . .
Ok, I'll stop. Seriously your making me wish I was there right now. So nice to get this kind of help. I keep hearing Antigua. Utila. Copan. I have also heard how nice people in Nicaragua are. I can't wait.
And tomorrow I head back to finish our conversation on GREATNESS!
Great!
By the way, on the bike issue ... have you seen the trailgators? Seriously, they are great for riding with kids. We can do three or four hours, and when the kid gets tired I just tag them along again.
Amy recently posted..Photo Friday - Desert Botanical Gardens
I've been told that the trailgators are great for day rides, but aren't strong or stable enough for long term touring. Some friends used the Follow Me - same idea as the TrailGator, but different way of connecting the bike. They used it from Bolivia down to Ushuaia, so it should be plenty strong.
And they carried all their gear? That seems so tough with a 4 year old. I think I am waiting 'til we are tandem ready. I want the kids to learn to love travel first and not struggle so much physically, then we bring on the challenges!
Yeah, I use stuff like that a lot. But carrying all our gear would be a serious challenge with those. I am wondering if we should get them for day trips though.
Oh wow! Where do I even start? In Mexico, a MUST is El Tajin in northern Veracruz near Poza Rica. It's the best Mayan ruin we saw (and we saw LOTS). Outside the gate you'll see the Voladores performing. It's magical. Here's a video of it: http://www.youtube.com/user/vogel5290#p/search/0/ZVm8z6eWlik
Farther south, in Villahermosa near Palenque, there is an incredible museum with HUGE ruins from the Olmecan people. Here's info about that: http://www.familyonbikes.org/educate/lessons/olmecans.htm
In Belize, the key is to get off the road into the jungle. We had some fabulous experiences, but it was because of people we met. Just be open to meeting people and to getting off the road.
In HOnduras, as Talon suggested, the Bay Islands to the north of the country are incredible. There are lots of small towns in the country that are pretty cool.
WAY too much all over!
Way too much, but this gives such great ideas! Thanks!
There are some great opportunities on Helpx.net if you decide to stay in one area for awhile. Some looked incredible, but I haven't been to Mexico since joining Helpx, so I can't vouch for any specifically. I can't wait to follow the trip, it sounds amazing!
Dayna recently posted..The Fortified Peasant Church of Prejmer
Helpx.net? I'm all over that. Thanks guys, that is a great tip!
Also check Workaway.info to see if there are more that interest you, but I think Helpx at the moment has more listings to pick and choose from!
Dayna recently posted..The Fortified Peasant Church of Prejmer
If and when we book something i will let you know. Great info. Huge part of why we want to travel is to get out there and lend a hand a bit - and learn as we do it!
Well... having spent two winters of my childhood in Mexico and MUCH time since... the last two years half the year each in Central America... I have a recommendation or two, and some books to suggest... why don't we get together and have a Central America fest!! I'll make you some Guatemalan food to get you ready!! Seriously... when can we get together?
Jenn Miller recently posted..What is an Independent Traveler?
I know you know. I'll email you! I'll go anywhere for food!
Hi Justin,
Can't give you any specific advice re Central America as it is on our bucket list still - I have spent a year in South America and imagine it would be similar. Very cheap (comparatively to Europe of Australia) and the people love kids. Agree with the previous posts on Australia - it is my home country - we pulled the kids out of school for a year to travel around and it was more expensive than Europe! We did end up doing it for about $100 a day, however, that excludes the initial cost of vehicle/trailer and mishaps along the way (blown tyres, maintaining vehicles, couple of hospital admissions!). There are lots of free camps though and a great free camp book if you ever do make it down this way! My advice is very general regarding travelling with a family. We found during the planning phase for extended travelling we spend all the time thinking and planning for how great it's going to be (and it was) - we didn't spend anytime thinking about the fact that the kids might still like to argue, I would still have to do the washing (on the road!), cook and shop, do a minimum of school work with them (we didn't do much), get PMS etc. etc. All those things were harder to deal with on the road and if I had thought about it ahead of time and acknowledged that they would definitely happen, life would have been easier. Also, when you go from both working to everybody in each others' company all the time, you can get on each others' nerves. We found it helpful to occasionally do things separately - eg. my husband would go overnight for a hike alone for a couple of days and I'd take the kids and vice versa. The most difficult thing with kids is they still want other kids to play with. I think with your kids being 3 and 6 though it will be easier. We had a small one person tent with us to allow for those times - sometimes too, kids are just too small to participate and you don't want everyone to have to miss out. Eg. my husband and I had always wanted to walk the Milford Sound Track in New Zealand but at the time we were there the kids were 2 and 5. He walked it alone for 3 days and I took the kids on a boat trip on Milford Sound instead and we met up again 3 days later. I think it's good to think/plan for these possibilities ahead of time. Bikes are great - we hire bikes for day trips usually as found the distances too long for small kids - mine are 8 and 11 now but I think the 8 year old would still struggle. Also, we cycled around Tasmania for our honeymoon - we saw lots of couples with trailers behind with small children and everytime a logging truck would pass them my heart would be in my mouth! Hope these tips are helpful.
Cheers,
Linda
Man Linda! Between you and Amy I would have a guidebook on Oz. This is so helpful. I can't wait to get out there. My kids would go crazy in Australia.
We plan on meeting so many people along the way. I know having other kids to play with was a huge concern of ours, but I think by having this website and meeting so many people, we have solved that problem a bit.
We're not there yet, but we're headed south of the border on February 1st! We'll definitely share more in a few weeks!
Kate recently posted..Baja? I thought you were moving to New Zealand…
You must be going crazy! Just a few weeks and you will be off. Please fill us in Kate when you jump the border - great for you guys! I will be following along!
Justin, My wife and I, along with our 3 year old and 1 year old, currently live in Belize on Ambergris Caye. We have lived here for 2 months and previously lived in Costa Rica for 1 1/2 years. We explored most of Costa Rica and could give you some great places to see. We are still getting to know Belize but you can check out our adventures on our blog. I will work on those places for Costa Rica and get it to you. This is such an amazing experience and I cannot wait to hear about your adventures when you start.
Keith recently posted..Sugar Beaches & Seaweed Shakes of Placencia
Thanks so much Keith. I will definitely be following you blog. You guys are my guidebook! And beyond that, I just really enjoy seeing people turning the ideas into reality. Nice work!
Melissa and I spent a little time driving around Costa Rica and had an amazing time. For the most part, driving there is pretty straight-forward. Soon after renting our car we realized that many of the roads do not have names, and quite often the signage that would indicate which way you should turn towards a particular destination had been strategically removed – replaced by a local who would conveniently wave you down to let you know that you have lost your way. After a small monetary contribution in appreciation for their assistance, we would be back on our way. Words of wisdom from others who had travelled there before us also helped – do not lock your car, just make sure you leave it empty. It is a pain to replace a smashed window, much easier to bring your stuff. We only had one instance where people went through our car, but we were glad we didn’t have to buy a new window. Costa Rica has an incredible bio-diversity. We really enjoyed the hot springs of Tabacon and seeing a live volcano at Arenal, and hiking in Monteverde. Horseback riding there was absolutely incredible! The highlight was probably Manuel Antonio National Park, so much to see and enjoy.
I love that Greg - don't lock your car - that's actually a really good idea. I think we're screwed though. We'll have everything we own in our car. I'm gonna keep it looking like a piece of crap so at least we will have that going for us. Thanks for the tips. I'll have to talk to you more about before we go. I've only heard good about Costa Rica.
What an amazing experience for your children! They're remember this trip for the rest of their lives. Congratulations on fostering a great sense of adventure within them at such a young age!
Thank You Colleen!