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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6925
Registered: 8-5-2011
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Quote: Originally posted by MMc  | The drive time from TJ to Cabo is 20 to 24 hours, I do the drive every year or so. I do it in 2 days.
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That's hauling arse. It consistently takes me 15 hours drive time over 2 days to get to Mulege.
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MMc
Super Nomad
Posts: 1679
Registered: 6-29-2011
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Google Maps calls it 21 hours 45 minutes, this is drive time, not time driving. YMMV.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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Mother of Dragons
Nomad
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Registered: 4-30-2019
Location: California
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Mood: Waiting
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Get some Valium once you cross the border and all will be well. Advice I wish I had had after my recent road trip with kids there.
Just sayin’..
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norte
Super Nomad
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Registered: 10-8-2008
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| Quote: Originally posted by Mother of Dragons | Get some Valium once you cross the border and all will be well. Advice I wish I had had after my recent road trip with kids there.
Just sayin’.. |
. Thank yoi
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1323
Registered: 9-2-2006
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You might enjoy hopping over the border at Tecate, an easy drive east of San Diego. You could wind and dine through the Valle de Guadalupe Ruta de
Vino or carry on to Ensenada or a bit further to San Quintin. I wouldn’t go much farther within your time frame and you’d likely see enough to
catch the Baja bug. Lots of people drive down each year and many families make a year or two out of it with kids being home-schooled and even attend
Mexican schools. We’ve travelled
From Alberta to Baja for over 25 years, driving all the way down the peninsula with a trailer for the last 10 with nary problem bigger than a flat
tire. Lots of recommendations here, including books and references to help with your research and trip planning. Cabo can be entertaining, but the
rest of Baja is incredible and transformative.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1323
Registered: 9-2-2006
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Just a note - crime related cartel turf wars spiked in Cabo 2 years ago and Increased attention to tourist safety seems to be keeping Cabo booming.
It’s also true that the cost of driving is almost equal to flying. If you want savings - Westjet has good prices in the shoulder seasons (not Dec.,
Jan. or Feb.) and if you sign up with their rewards program, there are extra perks to offset costs.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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Paco Facullo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1301
Registered: 1-21-2017
Location: Here now
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Mood: Abiding ..........
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| Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666 |
My map shows Cabo in Mexico.
Perhaps you meant to say it is a resort town, and no longer a rural/dusty fishing village that you prefer.
There are many resort areas in Mexico, silly to suggest the resort areas are not Mexico. Mexico is more than rural/dusty fishing and agricultural
villages.
There are resort areas, manufacturing areas, big cities, little villages, alpine areas, jungles, deserts, etc., many types of areas.
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I stand corrected. Cabo isn't as popular as it is for not being like and loved by many......
Since I've given up all hope, I feel much better
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
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IMO, that's way too much time in the car, especially with children. If you can afford it, try flying out of Tijuana to Cabo. Park the car near the
Otay border. Cross on foot, take taxi to the airport. Easy.
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del mar
Banned
Posts: 1057
Registered: 7-23-2016
Location: the cantina of course
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Mood: lil' fuzzy
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if you can get mrs echino on board I say go for it! 
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echino
Newbie
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Registered: 8-14-2019
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Thanks all for the replies, very helpful! To clarify, I want to go, but convincing my wife is next to impossible. We are not worried about road
conditions or driving time. We could add days on both ends if needed.
The only concern my wife has is about crime, including from police. Not necessarily being targeted, maybe just being in the wrong place at the wrong
time, like accidentally witnessing a drug deal or something like that. This is the link she keeps showing me about murders:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_murder_rat...
And she also searches the internet using keywords like crime in Baja and the results look very frightening. Even on this forum there is a thread about
a woman and her dog disappearing near a tourist attraction suggesting foul play.
Advice on the internet is generally stick to the resort grounds to be safe. All this makes it very hard to convince her to go. She is refusing to
allow me to take kids to a Baja road trip. If I can't convince her in the coming months, we will need to lose the prepaid reservation for the
Christmas week in Cabo. It is a two bedroom villa at Cabo Azul, we paid about $1,400 total for the week, which is very reasonable for that kind of
almost luxury accommodation. That's why we booked it in the first place, but now with expensive tickets for the whole family we cannot afford to fly.
Does anyone want that week at cost? I would even let it go at a loss. It's transferable. But I still hope to convince her to go. It would be a great
adventure, I am sure.
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redmesa
Senior Nomad
Posts: 580
Registered: 3-12-2008
Location: Van Isle and Bahia Asuncion
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I on Vancouver Island and have been driving the Baja for 10 years with my partner and alone. The thing is bad things can happen anywhere but Baja is
not a scarey place. I was always as worried about traveling in the U. S. as Baja except there is no BCAA there to help you. If your partner is
nervous about the trip just cancel and go to San Felipe.
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Mulege Canuck
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Registered: 11-27-2016
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Your wife has “ Narco Fever”
Our first time in baja, my wife and I were very nervous. To reduce potential problems we crossed at Mexicali very early in the morning on Sunday. It
was quite through town and had no problems. Our first stop was Guadalupe Hotsprings west of Mexicali. We planned to stay 2 days and needed up
staying a week. Amazing place and great for kids.
Why not sell the Cabo all inclusive and plan a week from the Hotsprings them move down to Gonzaga Bay. It is a rough gravel road to the Hotsprings
but nothing crazy.
Don’t drive to Cabo. With the time you have nobody will have a good time.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17295
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by redmesa | I on Vancouver Island and have been driving the Baja for 10 years with my partner and alone. The thing is bad things can happen anywhere but Baja is
not a scarey place. I was always as worried about traveling in the U. S. as Baja except there is no BCAA there to help you. If your partner is
nervous about the trip just cancel and go to San Felipe.
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| Quote: Originally posted by Mulege Canuck | Your wife has “ Narco Fever”
Our first time in baja, my wife and I were very nervous. To reduce potential problems we crossed at Mexicali very early in the morning on Sunday. It
was quite through town and had no problems. Our first stop was Guadalupe Hotsprings west of Mexicali. We planned to stay 2 days and needed up
staying a week. Amazing place and great for kids.
Why not sell the Cabo all inclusive and plan a week from the Hotsprings them move down to Gonzaga Bay. It is a rough gravel road to the Hotsprings
but nothing crazy.
Don’t drive to Cabo. With the time you have nobody will have a good time. |
You guys are a riot!
Why would someone choose San Felipe, Gonzaga bay and guadalupe hot springs over cabo? 
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I have been traveling in Baja most of my life, first trip in 1965. When I got a driver's license at 16, I began driving there.
In the past three years, I have driven more roads, more times than ever before, close to 15,000 miles... Camping and motels all over the peninsula,
too.
With all these trips, not once has any harm or extortion happened to me from police or criminals. I feel safer in Baja than anywhere else.
See the trip reports forum on Nomad and read and see what Baja has to offer and what really happens there. Notice my links just below to help plan a
Baja trip.
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echino
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: 8-14-2019
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Actually, if we do somehow end up driving, then Guadalupe Hot Springs in the first place we will drive to in Mexico, for two nights. We love hot
springs, and have been to almost all of them around Vancouver, even super remote ones.
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1323
Registered: 9-2-2006
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1. Vancouverites are exposed to a lot of crime. It’s far safer in Cabo. Navigation through LA is another matter.
2. Today, WestJet Vancouver to SJD on Christmas week for 2 adults and 2 children is CAN $4200. round trip. More days of fun at the beach.
3. Cost to drive, factoring in gas, hotels, meals, visas, health insurance and car insurance with the US exchange rate, and potential repairs would be
more. And then there is the wear and tear on the vehicle and people.
4. The Cabo Azul which is actually in SJD, is a nice property and is con the beach in a dense tourist area with a bit of upscale shopping and dining.
A good town to safely explore history and the local arts and dining scene. There was security at the hotel last time the was there. The biggest danger
in the area was hurricane Odile, but you won’t be there during hurricane season. You could rent a car and explore the city and tour surrounding
lovely smaller coastal towns in a day.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by echino | | Actually, if we do somehow end up driving, then Guadalupe Hot Springs in the first place we will drive to in Mexico, for two nights. We love hot
springs, and have been to almost all of them around Vancouver, even super remote ones. |
Then you will be going south on Mexico Hwy. 5 which is the best way if some graded roads and detours for 20-30 miles doesn't freak you guys out.
Guadalupe Hot Springs is 35 miles down and back from Hwy. 2-D, west of Mexicali. It is faster to do that than the short cut to Hwy. 5 from the canyon
because of that road's condition (Baja 1000 course).
Gonzaga Bay is beautiful, so be sure to drive the 1 mile from the highway to see it. Maybe stay there on the way back north.
Study the trip reports and ask questions to design your route.
Enjoy Baja, it's great!
[Edited on 8-16-2019 by David K]
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3455
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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| Quote: Originally posted by echino |
My wife is really freaked out. She keeps showing me the news about Cabo being the world murder capital with the highest murder rate per capita of any
city in the world. This sounds very serious. So we are worried about violent crime, especially because we will have kids with us.
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Thought this post was a joke. Still get a feeling it's all made up.
OP's wife is freaking out, both are worried about violent crime, cops shaking them down. No Spanish? Driving to Cabo is a bad idea.
Don't listen to anyone here. Baja is not the place for you. Fly to Cabo, enjoy the resort living, and skip the hassle.
Seriously, the OP needs to pay attention to his wife and plan a safer vacation.
Those postings about how safe Baja has been for them is meaningless. Don't see anyone posting how to negotiate with corrupt cops. How not to
get scammed getting gas?
Don't do it.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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freediverbrian
Senior Nomad
Posts: 615
Registered: 2-24-2007
Location: Papas Gonzaga Bay
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo |
I suspect you are right! I did not notice the poll at the top of the post before. Highly unusual for a newbie, first post to start that way.
Oh well, some of the replies and advice given here may be of help to someone else with similar thoughts. |
Good observation on the poll , it has been NICE and quiet for past few days , too quiet for some troll . Not happy unless there is a controversy and
name calling.
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BajaParrothead
Nomad
Posts: 460
Registered: 12-4-2012
Location: Portola, CA / Los Barriles
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| Quote: Originally posted by wilderone | | IMO, that's way too much time in the car, especially with children. If you can afford it, try flying out of Tijuana to Cabo. Park the car near the
Otay border. Cross on foot, take taxi to the airport. Easy. |
The CBX crossing is a snap. Very easy with reasonable air fares and secure parking on the US side.
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