(TTM) Road Trip down the Baja Peninsula - Your tips, tricks & input appreciated!

[ToTheMoon]

The Purpose
A family road trip to see the sights and “make memories!”

We really enjoy travelling with our kids, are due for another road trip, and we have always wanted to drive the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico.  Conveniently, friends are getting married in SJdC (San Jose del Cabo) on May 4th, 2019.

The Plan
A return trip driving from British Columbia, Canada to the southernmost tip of the Baja, Mexico over a period of five to six weeks, departing mid-April and returning in late May.

Myself (39), DH (43) and our DS's (7 & 9) in our 1995 Jeep Cherokee aka “Truck Norris.”

Our intention is to sleep in hotels the first few nights until we get far enough south for the nighttime temps to be a touch more comfortable (ideally overnight lows of no more than 10C or 50F - though our set up can handle lower).  After that, we plan to camp our way through the southern US and the Baja, with five nights at an all-inclusive in SJdC where the wedding is taking place.

The Approximate Route
Head south via Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, then into the Baja. Return up California, the Oregon coast, and Washington.

The only official plan is our booking May 1 - 6th at the all-inclusive, all other plans are loose.

Approximately one week down the US, another week down the Baja, a week in the San Jose del Cabo region, then two-three weeks to make our way back up the Baja and the West Coast.

The Gear
(Placeholder to add gear list as we build it :)

The Costs (in CAD)
So far:

$1136.20 for 5 nights at the all-inclusive (covered with CC points)

Some Questions (there will be lots in the upcoming weeks I am sure!)
Has anyone crossed the border at Mexicali?  How far did you drive that day/where did you stay the night?

Any tips on places to stay, places to check out, or places to avoid along the way (both in the US and in the Baja?)

[MrThatsDifferent]

I went to Baja years ago and loved it. Friends drove from LA and can’t even remember where we stayed, just remember enjoying the trip so much. Have no real tips, though. Is camping in Mexico safe? Not sure I’d risk that with kids, although I think Baja is safer than other parts. Have you asked the TripAdvisor folks? They’re incredibly helpful.

[shunkman]

I did a similar trip back in the early 1980's and I am sure a lot has changed since then. We drove down the Baja peninsula and then we took the ferry from La Paz to Mazatlán. From Mazatlan we headed north back to the US driving through the Mexico mainland. This was the best traveling adventure that I have ever experienced.  I hope the same for you and your family.

[friedmmj]

Sounds fun!

Maybe you should check your auto insurance coverage to make sure you will be insured in Mexico.  Not all policies permit that.

[ToTheMoon]

I went to Baja years ago and loved it. Friends drove from LA and can’t even remember where we stayed, just remember enjoying the trip so much. Have no real tips, though. Is camping in Mexico safe? Not sure I’d risk that with kids, although I think Baja is safer than other parts. Have you asked the TripAdvisor folks? They’re incredibly helpful.

All indications thus far are that the Baja is no more safe or unsafe to camp in than anywhere in the US or Canada, though I appreciate the concern.  If we have any really specific questions I will definitely take them to TripAdvisor (if no one here knows the answer)  - I have never posted there, so it did not even occur to me.  At the moment I do not want to get too bogged down in the vast wealth of info over there - I really appreciate the input and attitude of members on this forum. :)

Glad to hear that you enjoyed your time down there!

I did a similar trip back in the early 1980s and I am sure a lot has changed since then. We drove down the Baja peninsula and then we took the ferry from La Paz to Mazatlán. From Mazatlan, we headed north back to the US driving through the Mexico mainland. This was the best travelling adventure that I have ever experienced.  I hope the same for you and your family.

That sounds like a great adventure!  I am sure some stuff has changed since then, but I am hoping not TOO much as that is part of the draw.

Sounds fun!

Maybe you should check your auto insurance coverage to make sure you will be insured in Mexico.  Not all policies permit that.

Yes - this is one of the items on my to-do list!  A cursory look into it is that at a minimum we will need liability insurance (from an insurer in Mexico) and because the vehicle we are taking is over 20 years old that might be all the insurance we can get anyhow.  I should make some inquiries now to see how much this will set us back!

[CanuckExpat]

Sounds like a great road trip. Have fun! I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes.
I'm guessing camping in Idaho won't work this time of year, but we enjoyed our stop camping at a hot springs in Idaho. We stayed at Miracle and Banbury hot springs, that might be a detour for you. I don't think their paid fixed structure accommodations are worth the price, but the camping rates were very affordable, and it included all day admission to the hot springs. There are probably a lot of hot springs in Idaho, check it out if you can make it work on the way down or up, or both. 

[use2betrix]

In the last two years we have done two rather similar routes. In 2017 we drove from Banff/Jasper down to Yellowstone, then took the Continental Divide through Colorado, hopped West and did Ouray, then Grand Canyon.

Earlier that year, we did 3.5 weeks going 3000 miles from Phoenix to Cabo San Lucas and back via motorcycle (myself and my wife on the back). We camped on the beach every other night but stayed in a hotel in Cabo for a few days for R&R.

In May, it may start getting a bit hot the further south you go to camp. You’ll need to play it by ear, but don’t hesitate to get a hotel (they’re cheap) because nothing is more miserable, to me, then trying to tough out camping when it’s just way too hot. For reference, we went in February and even then, towards the southern part it was getting a bit warm to enjoy camping.

You’ll want a GPS that doesn’t need cell service. I used “OsmAndMaps” on my iPhone and it worked fine. No turn by turn but works everywhere. I’d honestly suggest an InReach or Spot type satellite phone/tracker. It gets pretty desolate out there unless you stick on the main highways (which you won’t want). Gas stations can be spread out, so I’d bring some extra gas.

There’s a AAA Baja Map thats the best you can find. If you can’t find it, PM me.

Go on advrider.com and start searching ride reports for Baja. It’s a motorcycle site but in my opinion it’s the absolute best resource for trip reports, locations, etc.

If I could spend the most time in any place in Baja it would be Santispac beach. We went there on the way down and back and during my next sabbatical we plan to do Baja again but with a travel trailer and spend weeks-months on the peninsula.

I would cross in Mexicali and camp the first night or two in cañon de guadalupe. It’s not cheap, but they’re awesome hot springs in the middle of the mountains. I recall it being like 30-$40/night. Do you have 4wd on your truck? Because there’s a bit of a stream with some clearance to cross. If I can do it on a 600lb bike with passenger you should be fine. There may be a different route in, not sure.

In Guerrero Negro there’s some whale watching. Unsure if it’s still going on in May. That was one of the most majestic moments of my life. They come down and breed in the spring.

We never felt unsafe and the friendliness of everyone was truly amazing. Blows away 99% of the US I’ve been to. My main safety advice would be get past the border the first night (cañon de Guadalupe is a great first night far enough away) and then the standard security measures. Lock your car, don’t leave valuables in site, etc. we never had a single issue.

A few rescources for a start..

http://www.bigdogadventures.com/1Baja2013.htm
http://www.bigdogadventures.com/Baja2016.htm
https://advrider.com/f/threads/we-need-help-picking-a-route-through-baja-with-a-gsa1200.1173656/
https://www.cycleworld.com/2015/09/16/baja-mexico-adventure-motorcycle-road-trip-with-cycle-world-photographer-jeff-allen?image=10
https://rawhyde-offroad.com/tours/north-america/big-bikes-in-baja
https://advrider.com/f/threads/baja-the-long-way.864491/page-10

[GuitarBrian]

When I was growing up I lived in Baja ever winter... That's been a while. The last time I drove Baja was 2013. I went through Mexicali and down. I highly recommend this, cuts lots of miles, but even more it cuts a ton of traffic and population. With your plans, it makes sense to do this on the way down and then Tijuana on the way up.
There are lots of beaches to camp on the way. Some are right along the road, expect to pay a few dollars at these. Some are a ways off the beaten track... And some are for the more adventurous.
I highly recommend doing a sailing charter/tour out from La Paz, gorgeous islands and beaches, great for kids and you will be there the best time to be on the water.

[ToTheMoon]

Excellent tips - this was exactly the kind of stuff I was after!

Sounds like a great road trip. Have fun! I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes.
I'm guessing camping in Idaho won't work this time of year, but we enjoyed our stop camping at a hot springs in Idaho. We stayed at Miracle and Banbury hot springs, that might be a detour for you. I don't think their paid fixed structure accommodations are worth the price, but the camping rates were very affordable, and it included all day admission to the hot springs. There are probably a lot of hot springs in Idaho, check it out if you can make it work on the way down or up, or both.

@CanuckExpat  I lost an entire evening down the rabbit-hole of Idahoan hot springs!  While I do not think we will have the time to check out any on this trip, I now have a 'discover more natural hot springs' road trip in the works.  This would be a great extension of the Hot Springs Circle Route (https://www.hellobc.com/road-trips/hot-springs-circle-route/) through the BC Kootenays!

In the last two years we have done two rather similar routes. In 2017 we drove from Banff/Jasper down to Yellowstone, then took the Continental Divide through Colorado, hopped West and did Ouray, then Grand Canyon.

*snip*

@use2betrix  Thank you for all that amazing information!

I have added Canon de Guadalupe & Santispac Beach onto my Google map, and yes, Truck Norris is a lifted redneck 4x4 that should have no problem with a small river crossing.  We are camping because good fuel economy is not going to be a feature of this trip! ;)

I also appreciated your mention that it might get too hot at some point for camping - in the middle of this winter chill, that occurrence had not crossed my mind.

I have a copy of the Nat Geo Baja map, which we have read is really great, on its way to me (I had the good fortune of meeting a gentleman in the gondola who had recently returned from the Baja who offered to send it my way.)  It is probably not necessary to have the AAA one in addition?  (Though I am making a note to keep an eye out for a copy.)

The GPS is something else to consider - we will have our (Samsung Android) phones, but I had not planned on taking another device.  I will see what Apps might work for us. . .

When I was growing up I lived in Baja ever winter... That's been a while. The last time I drove Baja was 2013. I went through Mexicali and down. I highly recommend this, cuts lots of miles, but even more it cuts a ton of traffic and population. With your plans, it makes sense to do this on the way down and then Tijuana on the way up.
There are lots of beaches to camp on the way. Some are right along the road, expect to pay a few dollars at these. Some are a ways off the beaten track... And some are for the more adventurous.
I highly recommend doing a sailing charter/tour out from La Paz, gorgeous islands and beaches, great for kids and you will be there the best time to be on the water.

@GuitarBrian That certainly sounds like a fun way to grow up! 

Thank you for your tips - with your and @use2betrix's responses, we will definitely head for the Mexicali crossing and head down that way.  A sailing charter/tour out of La Paz sounds like an excellent idea, and I have added it to our map!  Cheers :)

Next up on my list of things to look into is travel insurance for the family.  In the past, our trips have been short enough that our credit card insurance has covered us - but this time we will need additional coverage for about three weeks.  I am hoping that having to have coverage for the USA is not going to be prohibitive!

[ToTheMoon]

Things have gotten a tad bit more complicated as we prepare to leave for this trip - about 2 weeks ago our truck was stolen in the big city and taken for a short joyride before they ran out of fuel. 

It has been recovered but is now in the hands of the insurance agency who now want to write it off as the damage from the theft (door locks and ignition from them breaking in and hotwiring it) will cost more to fix than they are deeming the value of the truck.  We are currently in "discussion" with them, but it is not looking good for us having the truck back before our departure in 18 days.  We are now looking at purchasing a very similar 4x4, and hitting the road with it.  Our slightly ridiculous adventure may have gotten just a touch more ridiculous!

[dollarchaser]

Best wishes for the start of this adventure.

[FInding_peace]

I've never been to Baja (though this thread has me dreaming of a trip now), but I'd offer a caution that altitude can make a surprisingly big difference in temperature in states like Utah.  Even if you're driving south, you might find it getting colder as you go if you're also climbing in elevation.  I took a spring break trip to southern Utah a couple weeks ago and it was still snowing all day in places. 

Without knowing anything about your exact route, I'd suggest looking at the typical temperatures for this time of year all along it and seeing if it alters your plans at all.  Depending on what you find out, you might even consider perhaps reversing your loop, heading down the coast at sea level where it is warmer in April and benefitting from the cooler temperatures at higher elevations in Utah/Idaho on the way back in May/June.  Just a thought!  Have a good trip!