k2peeps
9/29/2015 14:17 EST
Looking at current flights, the only options we have for the dates we're looking to come down (2nd week of November 2015) will be landing us in Guadalajara at about 11:30 pm.
I've heard horror stories about Guadalajara and everyone, everywhere says to not be out at night, no matter where you are. We have 2 kids (12 and 5), so that increases our anxiety even more.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what we should do and/or where we should stay for the night?
Our end destination is the Lake Chapala area (still looking at hotels/rentals in that area, but haven't booked anything yet).
Should we try getting a taxi from the airport and driving to Lake Chapala at that time of night?
Should we stay in Guadalajara that night and take a taxi the next day? If so, does anyone have any recommendations for hotels that are close to the airport so that we can minimize our time out n' about with the kids and all our luggage?
Are there taxis that would be able to handle a family of 4 with all their luggage (we're estimating a checked bag each, plus our carry-ons, each)?
Last, but not least, is there any sort of "welcome wagon" service in the area that we can take advantage of? I know they have relocation services in some of the bigger cities, but we're not relocating permanently (at least, not yet), and I haven't found any such services in the Lake Chapala area yet.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!
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jrk944
9/29/2015 17:31 EST
Just booked our flights into Guadalajara from Atlanta through Dallas and we arrive @ about 1:30 PM witth time to reach Lake Chapala or Ajijic before dsrk. From what I have heard you need to only travel in daylight hours. Suggest you change your arrival time to no later than mid-afternoon. Our hotel in Ajijic is arranging for a taxi driver to meet us at the airport upon our arrival.
Don't travel after dark. We have even had someone attempt to highjack our car in France after dark, so it not just Mexico.
Good luck.
JK
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sparksmex
9/29/2015 17:49 EST
If you have reservations to stay then take a taxi directly there. If you really believe the horror stories maybe better to stay home
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Jim123
9/29/2015 17:56 EST
Perhaps you should do an exploratory trip on your own. Looks like neglect at best and outright child abuse to me, to be making a first trip like that with small children and so many questions.
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tomwins
9/29/2015 17:57 EST
I would not say that traveling from GDL to Lake Chapala after dark is dangerous in any way especially if you have a driver from Lake Chapala. I'd rather do that than arrive in New York or many other cities after dark and travel from JFK to a hotel.
To the OP, why don't you ask the guest house, rental agent, or AirBnB host you've arranged at Lake Chapala for a recommendation for a driver. There are several in the Lake Chapala area. I don't have a nine year old, but I would be comfortable having a driver (recommended by my guesthouse) meet me at GDL at midnight and going to the guesthouse/hotel/etc.
In many ways, I'd feel more comfortable with this than arriving at a hotel in GDL after midnight. It will not take much more time to get to Ajijic than to the hotel.
Let me stress that the driver should be known by the guesthouse you are staying at Lakeside. They will know exactly how to get there and most likely live Lakeside themselves.
I would NOT take a taxi from GDL to any location Lakeside as the airport taxi drivers don't know all the small, narrow streets and how they need to get to them. Even in daylight we've had taxi drivers who couldn't find an address even after we gave them directions written in Spanish.
So my recommendation is to arrange to stay at an AirBnB or guesthouse in Ajijic and work with them to get a driver. I've known many AirBnb hosts who will be glad to meet you at or after midnight (or have their support staff do so). I'd be prepared to give a nice tip to the support staff or bring them a nice gift from the States such as a small box of chocolates as a way to say thank you for staying up late to meet you.
If you have not already arranged a place to stay, we've high success in booking on AirBnb. If you mention your arrival time in your original post to the host it will not be an issue.
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k2peeps
9/29/2015 18:04 EST
I've spent days looking at various days and airlines. Trust me - I'd Much rather arrive early to mid-afternoon, but I can't find any tickets that do that for our circumstances (I'm assuming where we're flying from and how many tickets we need are narrowing our results).
Either we get in really late, or we spend horrible layovers (8-10 hours) with kids in an airport (the 12-year-old won't be as difficult, but our 5-year-old Will be) and get in at 5:30 in the morning - which would require us to stay at the Guadalajara airport for a couple of hours more before it gets light.
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k2peeps
9/29/2015 18:11 EST
Jim123...I'm trying really hard not to take offense to your comment.
Not everyone has the ability to just up and leave their kids with someone. Unfortunately, we do not have a family support system that would allow this.
We are obviously trying to find out as much information as we can before we get there in order to keep our children safe. If I didn't care about this issue, I wouldn't have even asked.
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tomwins
9/29/2015 18:14 EST
I want to reiterate that I don't recommend a taxi from GDL (daylight or dark) as we've had very bad experience with them not being able to find the place we are staying Lakeside. Many, many other people have not had our trouble, but we tend not to stay at hotels but small guesthouses and AirBnB rentals.
In your situation, I would not take a taxi unless you are staying at a well known place that can easily be found by an airport driver who knows little if anything about the small villages along Lake Chapala.
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k2peeps
9/29/2015 18:22 EST
sparksmex - I normally take most of these stories in stride; however, when I was looking at hotel booking sites, many of them had warnings in red at the top of the screen that linked to messages similar to below:
"You should exercise caution when traveling to the areas of the state that border the state of Zacatecas, as criminal organization activity in that region continues."
Unless I'm reading the map incorrectly, Guadalajara is on the border of Zacatecas - hence, my concern.
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NOK2mex
9/29/2015 18:27 EST
I'm glad to live in PV!!!!!! Don't hear of any crime or safety problems here. Sounds scary at Guadalajara and the lake.
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k2peeps
9/29/2015 18:27 EST
tomwins - thank you! I will try contacting the hosts of a couple of the AirBnB places we've seen online. I didn't realize that was an option (since I can't see most here in the states doing that for guests).
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tsblackmore
9/29/2015 21:37 EST
I re-read your post and noticed that you asked about some sort of "Welcome Wagon" services. Trust me, once you get here you'll get all kinds of help from the expats. There is a group that meets at a restaurant on Wednesday nights that is very welcoming to visitors and newcomers. There are also a couple of web boards and a Facebook page. Message me if you'd like some details.
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Cozumeldeb
9/30/2015 07:00 EST
I Would Suggest U Book B&B or hotel with pick up service from airport..Way too late to head north..We've stayed at Don Jose Quinta B&B several times, pick up service, family owned, great breakfasts and they can set u up with a driver to take u to Chapla.
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inky313
9/30/2015 12:10 EST
I wouldn't worry to much about traveling at night, those warnings are crap, look up the UK gov web site about traveling in the US, says the same things that the US says about MX.
However for a bit less stress I would recommend just staying at the Hampton Inn near the airport. You are coming in too late for the shuttle but a taxi would be fine, 10 min ride, about 60 pesos, room is kinda pricey 125/150 dollars but in your situation I think it would be worthwhile, mornings are beautiful and arriving at the lake will be much more tranquilo
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JohnPS
9/30/2015 15:47 EST
There used to be a hotel adjacent to the airport. Not sure if it is still there. I would search for a safe hotel in a safe area very close to the airport. But not sure how you go about verifying what and where is safe.
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k2peeps
10/1/2015 02:38 EST
Thank you all! I shall look into the B&B and the Hampton Inn. I found an AirBnB host who was willing to get us at the airport that late, but we haven't confirmed where we're staying yet and options are always appreciated.
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Jim123
10/1/2015 05:57 EST
Take all the offense you want. I stick to my comment.
Surely you have other choices for arrival. And clearly you feel uncomfortable with your "only" late night choice.
You seem insecure and willing to endanger your small kids,
What does that sound like to you? Perhaps you need to seek advice from a professional family counselor at home.
9/29/2015 18:11 EST
Jim123...I'm trying really hard not to take offense to your comment.
Not everyone has the ability to just up and leave their kids with someone. Unfortunately, we do not have a family support system that would allow this.
We are obviously trying to find out as much information as we can before we get there in order to keep our children safe. If I didn't care about this issue, I wouldn't have even asked.
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innesst
10/1/2015 09:30 EST
American has a direct flight from Dallas from 10:40a arrives at 1:20p. Fly to Dallas and sirens the night at a hotel there and continue on same ticket or new booking to GDL. If you're willing to spend night at hotel in Guadalajara, a night in Dallas should be ok too.
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Coffeecup
10/1/2015 09:47 EST
k2peeps, keep one thing in mind. Some of those replying to your comment have never been in Mexico and some are jerks looking for a response. And no, it's best not to travel at night, but that is only because of livestock on the road. And yes, there 'can' be lots of cows, donkeys, goats and horses. I would relax, arrange for a pickup at the airport and stay at a hotel and travel in the day. Jim123 is an internet troll, otherwise he would have attempted to give you some help. Don't take offense at this comments, his only goal is to offend, not help.
Get rid of your anxiety and just keep alert, relax. There are always horror stories, many of them have happened, but it's not reasonable to think of them as common or that there is a likelyhood of it happening to you. The worst I've had happen here was having guys in Cabo at the airport lie to me to get me to switch to another car rental agency at 10:30 at night. I would spend a few extra dollars to arrange for a pickup at the airport. You'll be tired and stressed already, it will be money well spent.
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dungeondevil
10/1/2015 11:52 EST
Coffeecup. I agree with your remarks about the Cabo Airport. I had cabbies trying to tear my bags out of my hands, until I stopped and gave them choice words they understood. As soon as I hooked up with my bus pick-up at the curb, the cabbies left to find another meal ticket. It is a shame that a first time arrival must encounter this hoard of vultures.
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MsAlex
10/19/2015 10:12 EST
Reading this string would be funny if it weren't so destructively stupid. What ridiculous comments!
I agree with the advice to arrange for your pick up by your B&B host, and I would encourage you to relax. Seriously. Though I'm a retiree here, I know there are a number of young families in the Lake Chapala area, living very happily here. I suspect that when you go to check out the schools you're considering for your children, you'll come into contact with some of them. In this area it is amazingly easy to 'network', meeting and making new friends. These families socialize together. They've all been in the spot you're in now. You'll be fine. You're welcome to contact me off-list with other questions. I can also offer you the names and phone numbers of trusted local Mexican drivers who can pick you up at the airport, or whom you can call when you need transportation locally. Enjoy your adventure. :)
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Coffeecup
10/20/2015 00:37 EST
Is Lake Chapala really that nice? Thinking about leaving the Baja, not sure its for me.
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CoconutBowling
10/21/2015 11:43 EST
It is too bad that some people have so much extra time on their hands they feel the need to post negative comments. Perhaps you could find a hobby or just try and be helpful or as my mom told me if you can't find something nice to say just shut up.
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CoconutBowling
10/21/2015 11:46 EST
Jim mind your own business if all you have to say is negative. Please get a life and leave others alone. No one cares what you think dude
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dungeondevil
10/21/2015 13:10 EST
CoconutBowling
Life is not always a bowl of cherries and at times a negative comment can be very informative in helping somebody make a correct decision. From my point of view, scare tactics as you have made cannot be appreciated for those who want an honest appraisal on a topic.
This form needs both sides of any topic. Dictatorial postings allow no freedom of speech!.
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Coffeecup
10/22/2015 00:24 EST
Actually Jim123's comments were not negative in a constructrive sense, they were simply antagonistic with no value. He was trolling. Seems to have caught a few.
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Jim123
10/22/2015 14:53 EST
Coconuthead mind your own business if all you have to say is negative. Please get a life and leave others alone. No one cares what you think. Surely there are better times to arrive, with young children, after midnight in a strange city. But you would not understand safety for children so shut up when grown up people speak.
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tsblackmore
10/23/2015 09:25 EST
Last Saturday evening/Sunday morning I arrived at the GDL airport around midnight. Since I arrived on a full flight there were plenty of people around to help me if I needed it. I bought a ticket for a taxi and walked outside and immediately found a taxi/van to take me to Ajijic. It was a safe ride. Again, there were plenty of people around the airport at that time so I felt safe. Small animals crossing the road at night was the most dangerous part of the trip.
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tsblackmore
10/23/2015 09:26 EST
Last Saturday evening/Sunday morning I arrived at the GDL airport around midnight. Since I arrived on a full flight there were plenty of people around to help me if I needed it. I bought a ticket for a taxi and walked outside and immediately found a taxi/van to take me to Ajijic. It was a safe ride. Again, there were plenty of people around the airport at that time so I felt safe. Small animals crossing the road at night was the most dangerous part of the trip.
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CoconutBowling
10/26/2015 10:24 EST
Accusing someone of child abuse is never the "other side of the story" I am sorry you feel the need to support comments like that
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RVGRINGO
From: Mexico
10/26/2015 11:42 EST
I suspect that most of the ugly and prejudiced replies above are from folks who have never traveled much and certainly have never ventured as far as Chapala, where we lived for 13 years.
Have no fear. Just buy a taxi ticket for Ajijic at the airport stand and go to the curb with your luggage. The next taxi in the line-up will take you to your destination. He will get you into Ajijic, but will need detailed directions, in Spanish, to find your destination. You can get that from your host. Practice saying it in Spanish, as some taxistas cannot read. A sketch map might be a good back-up plan. Worst case scenario: He will stop and ask for directions from someone else.
Enjoy your visit. Wish I were back there, but have been trapped in Tucson for a year for the VA & Medicare services.
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chapala21
10/26/2015 13:13 EST
Feel no fear there are lots of taxi and private taxi services to transport you. If you go to chapala.com and click on their web board you will get the lowdown on lake chapala and the area. Also cynthia ornelas has a airport taxi service: cyntornelas@gmail.com
Relax its all going to be fine. Worst thing you will have to deal with is a bad exchange rate at the airport. You are headed to one of the best places, enjoy! Tip of the day...use paper napkins when handling ketchup bottles and condiment spoons.
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chapala21
10/26/2015 13:18 EST
as far as hotels lakeside Ajijic has a better selection of B&Bs....you will definetly want to go that route. the local magazine OJO DEL LAGO has plenty of listings.......travel light, everything you need is lakeside. it is
true that things are pretty much closed by 10 pm but that.s mexico.
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chapala21
10/26/2015 13:29 EST
relax...its really a piece of cake...its a main highway from the gdl airport to the lakeside area, the private drivers speak english, theres a huge community of gringos in the area, mexicans love kids....all the fear mongers are just that.....going through customs takes about an hour...you will be at your room @ 1 30 am local time.....and you will wake up to one beautiful place....
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MsAlex
10/26/2015 15:09 EST
I differ on just one point: In my experience getting your luggage and going through customs at the GDL airport has never taken more than half an hour. Especially at that time of night, I doubt very much your hassle-time will exceed that. Once you are on your way out of the airport, you will be at your destination in Ajijic in another half hour. (That's a total of one hour from the time your plane touches down.) Before leaving the airport, you might want to stop by one of the ATMs there so you have some pesos on you. (There's one to your right before the exit to the street from International Arrivals.) Have a good trip, and I hope you've stopped worrying about it.
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dungeondevil
10/26/2015 15:39 EST
Yes, they roll up the sidewalks by 10:00 PM. This is not Cabo St. Lucas with the nightclub noise until 4:00 AM. From my point of view, I love it that way.
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CoconutBowling
10/27/2015 18:13 EST
Jimmie From this post and others you have made you seem like a very angry and antagonistic person . I would have thought a wonderful place like Mexico might have tempered that. I am sorry for you and others it has not.
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