RV Driving in Mexico
RVing In Mexico Is A Great Experience
RVing or 5th-wheeling in Mexico is a wonderful experience. With diesel and gas prices often below US prices, RVing in Mexico can be a bargain. But an RV or trailer trip to Mexico is not just about saving money. RV Mexico and you will get to meet the real Mexican people who are as friendly and warm as any in the world. Sure, you will see some spectacular sites, but the people are the greatest part of your trip. This page is a short introduction to driving your RV or trailer in Mexico.
RV camping in in Mexico is safe and driving on the toll roads is easy. Thousands of people drive RV's (motorhomes and trailers) to Mexico every year and it is a far more pleasant place to spend the winter than staring out at snow in the USA or Canada. There are enough RV parks in Mexico for both temporary and permanent RV parking. The Pacific coast and Baja have the most RV parks. The Gulf Coast has just enough RV parks. Yucatan RV parks are dwindling, due to high real estate prices, but you will get by. Boondocking can be safe, if you park near a restaurant or house. You must have Mexican insurance for your RV. For Mexico insurance, click "Car, RV insurance" above.
You will find several different products relating to driving your RV in Mexico (maps, road logs, travelogues or roadlogs) with RV parks and specific RV routes on my shopping cart, as well as a description of my trip-planning services to help you get the most out of an RV driving trip to Mexico.
RV-related Updates
The Hotel Valles in Cd, Valles no longer has an RV Park, though El Bañito, south of town still has a few spaces. Get The Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping (see ad at right) for up-to-date listings. RV'ers can now get a 10-year driving permit. My has recommendations for good RV routes through Northeastern Mexico.
For up-to-date information on dealing with less-than-straightforward permit issues related to RV's see the Church's site.
Drive The Mexican Toll Roads, But ...
Driving through Mexico by using the Mexican toll roads is your safest bet, BUT it will cost you (a fairly realistic average is one peso per kilometer). Toll roads are privately owned, so the rate you will be charged for driving an RV on a Mexican toll road will vary. At some, you are charged by the number of wheels on the ground, not by the number of axles as the signs at the Mexican toll booths suggest. At others, you pay according to axles. In general, your rate is 50% more than for a car.
Driving Mexico is an adventure, but not as much as you think. Mexican toll roads are safe, fast and similar to first-class highways anywhere in the world. Driving your RV in Mexico doesn't require any more skills than driving your RV in the United States or Canada, other than using common sense.
Bring extra long extension cords to hook up to outlets in RV parks in Mexico.
Most Mexican RV parks have 110 volt plugs, but every once in awhile, you'll be shocked to find that innocent outlet is putting out 220. Have a disposable electric appliance to plug in first to check out the plug.
Voltage in Mexican RV parks fluctuates greatly. A surge protector is mandatory and a voltage regulator is a darn good idea.
Mexican diesel fuel used to be a lot dirtier than US diesel fuel. Mexican diesel is much better now than it was ten years ago, and sometimes it is even the low sulfur diesel. However, I would still carry several fuel filters and drain water from your catch valve every morning.
Please use the toll roads. Yes, they are expensive, but the damage to your vehicle on regular highways from topes, chuckholes and potential accidents is costlier. The toll road signs say that you are charged by the axle. It depends. Often, you are charged for each tire. Thus, if you have two tires per axle, you MAY get charged a higher rate. You should not be charged for the tow vehicle, but probably will be. See note above.
Mike and Terri Church's book, Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping, is a darn good book. I have been recommending their book The Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping since it first came out and they keep improving it. It is well-researched and they are meticulous about updating it (although i think they are on a three-year schedule). Every time I give a seminar about traveling in Mexico, all I have to do is mention it and dozens of people will show their copies. That's the best form of advertising there is. They sell their book via Amazon, as do I, so you might as well buy it here. Either way, we both make a few bucks.