# Need route and overnight stay info



## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

My friend and I are driving down in March. We're coming across on I-10 from FL into Texas and headed to Guadalajara. Need to know the best place to cross over, and safe places to stay overnight on the way. We only want to drive during daylight hours on highways for obvious reasons, being two senior women alone, so it will likely take us two days to get there, sharing the driving, unless we see somewhere we'd like to explore along the way.

My friend is staying permanently. I'm staying a month and flying back.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

DebInFL said:


> My friend and I are driving down in March. We're coming across on I-10 from FL into Texas and headed to Guadalajara. Need to know the best place to cross over, and safe places to stay overnight on the way. We only want to drive during daylight hours on highways for obvious reasons, being two senior women alone, so it will likely take us two days to get there, sharing the driving, unless we see somewhere we'd like to explore along the way.
> 
> My friend is staying permanently. I'm staying a month and flying back.


In June I did a round trip from Guadalajara to New England crossing at Laredo/Nuevo Laredo in both directions. It is mostly cuota (toll highway) from Nuevo Laredo to Guadalajara and an easy drive. From Zacatecas if you are not in a rush, the old highway, Mex 54, is a very picturesque ride through the mountains.


----------



## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

The 'most traveled' route from that direction would be: 

+ Stay in Laredo Tx overnight (Many motels) Get some pesos 
+ Cross at Bridge II into N. Laredo
+ Get your Immigration cards and car permit
+ Drive out on highway 85D towards Monterrey
+ Bypass Monterrey to the NW and pick up highway 40D towards Saltillo
+ Outside of Saltillo, take highway 57D south
+ Stay in Matehuala SLP for the night (several hotels including Las Palmas)
+ Continue south on 57D to the outskirts of San Luis Potosi City
+ Skirt SLP to the NW following signs to Potosi, then Zacatecas on 49D, then the new road 80 towards Guadalajara
+ Continue on 80D to Guadalajara

This routing does NOT take one through Zacatecas.....

Google maps will help you 'see' this routing.


----------



## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

RickS said:


> The 'most traveled' route from that direction would be:
> 
> + Stay in Laredo Tx overnight (Many motels) Get some pesos
> + Cross at Bridge II into N. Laredo
> ...


I think that is pretty much what we did on our one and only trip south except - we at first passed Saltillo - but at the next Saltillo exit we decided we needed to visit the restroom. We went through some very seedy places but came upon 'downtown' Saltillo and it was VERY nice. We stayed at maybe the Quinta Dorado (?) which was super - and I had one of the best nights sleep in my life. 

Having said that - after a great nights sleep - we headed out before daybreak and I passed a bus stopped in a hospital zone and we got hit up for $20 USD mordida.


----------



## Zorro2017 (Jan 9, 2017)

If you need a TIP which it sounds like you will, they don't get there at exactly 8:00 or 8:30, plan ahead as they do take their time, don't get in a rush.


----------



## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Zorro, I don't know what crossing you might be talking about. Laredo Bridge II is a 24 hour crossing. The Colombia crossing does not open until 8:00 but for 'newbies', heading south, I would recommend Bridge II.


----------



## Zorro2017 (Jan 9, 2017)

DebInFL said:


> My friend and I are driving down in March. We're coming across on I-10 from FL into Texas and headed to Guadalajara. Need to know the best place to cross over, and safe places to stay overnight on the way. We only want to drive during daylight hours on highways for obvious reasons, being two senior women alone, so it will likely take us two days to get there, sharing the driving, unless we see somewhere we'd like to explore along the way.
> 
> My friend is staying permanently. I'm staying a month and flying back.


FYI, Canada just issued a travel warning advisory for all of the northern states of Mexico and warns against all "non essential travel by car."


https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/canada-issues-new-travel-advisory-for-mx/


----------



## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> In June I did a round trip from Guadalajara to New England crossing at Laredo/Nuevo Laredo in both directions. It is mostly cuota (toll highway) from Nuevo Laredo to Guadalajara and an easy drive. From Zacatecas if you are not in a rush, the old highway, Mex 54, is a very picturesque ride through the mountains.


How much should we set aside for tolls, and what denominations or coins do you need?


----------



## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

Zorro2017 said:


> If you need a TIP which it sounds like you will, they don't get there at exactly 8:00 or 8:30, plan ahead as they do take their time, don't get in a rush.


Good to know. The only hurry we have is being in a hotel by nightfall.


----------



## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

RickS said:


> The 'most traveled' route from that direction would be:
> 
> + Stay in Laredo Tx overnight (Many motels) Get some pesos
> + Cross at Bridge II into N. Laredo
> ...


What is Las Palmas? We'll be looking for relatively inexpensive lodging.


----------



## DebInFL (Dec 1, 2016)

Zorro2017 said:


> FYI, Canada just issued a travel warning advisory for all of the northern states of Mexico and warns against all "non essential travel by car."
> 
> 
> https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/canada-issues-new-travel-advisory-for-mx/


Thanks. We'll keep that in mind, but we aren't planning on sightseeing on the way down unless there is something we just have to see. We'll be on the highway most of the time, I guess. We're even taking food with us so we won't have to stop to eat. Our main goal is to just GET THERE.


----------



## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

DebInFL said:


> How much should we set aside for tolls, and what denominations or coins do you need?


Toll booths are the one place where you can use/get change for your large 500-pesos currency. When approaching each toll booth there is usually an electronic sign showing the amount of the toll... make sure you read it correctly as I sometimes misread the price for a motorcycle and not a 2-axel car....

Depends upon your route, but here is a website that you can use to get the 'exact' cost based on your route: 
Point to Point Routes 
click on English version if needed

And here is one that has the scheduled operating hours of all crossings and the 'dynamic' border crossing times/wait:

https://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/mobile.asp?action=n&pn=2304


----------



## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Just like in the States, where you pay more during peak rush hour for 'express' lane access - we have seen the same thing here on some cuotas. The day of the week, the hour of the day, the volume of traffic,... Unlike the US they don't generally have overhead real-time signs a few miles ahead of the toll indicating the current toll so you can decide whether it is worth it..


----------



## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

DebInFL said:


> What is Las Palmas? We'll be looking for relatively inexpensive lodging.


Las Palmas Midway Inn is one of the hotels in Matehuala.... probably the most frequented/known place there, used for years by US/Canadian travelers heading north or south. It is a huge complex with many one-story rooms and even a place in the back for RVs to over-night. It has a decent restaurant associated with it (although I much prefer the La Noria restaurant across the highway!).

Some say that Las Palmas is now 'dated' but if one is just looking for a good place to bed down overnight it still seems to be the most used place there. Price depends on exchange rate at the time. I stayed there a couple of months ago for $55 US.

See: http://laspalmasmidwayinn.com/en/


----------



## Zorro2017 (Jan 9, 2017)

RickS said:


> Zorro, I don't know what crossing you might be talking about. Laredo Bridge II is a 24 hour crossing. The Colombia crossing does not open until 8:00 but for 'newbies', heading south, I would recommend Bridge II.


I was talking about the ones along the east coast, Matamoros says 8:30 but Los Indios is more like 9:00.


----------

