MEXICO TRAVEL Galleries

The Copper Canyon : The Copper Canyon, or Barranca del Cobre, consists of six distinctive canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara mountain range of NW Mexico, in Chihuahua state. The Copper Canyon is four times larger than the Grand Canyon of Arizona, and is on my "short list" of things to do and see before I'll be ready to settle down.

The Copper Canyon

The Copper Canyon, or Barranca del Cobre, consists of six distinctive ...

Updated: Jun 20, 2009 1:06am PST

El Quelite : El Quelite is 33km north of Mazatlan, just across the Tropic of Cancer, between the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains and the Pacific Ocean, and alongside the El Quelite River. Agriculture, fruit, Cattle ranching and dairy herds, and a Game Cock farm are what 'drives' El Quelite, but we enjoy just driving and walking around town and studying El Quelite's "Living Museum" ... the architecture that has survived from the late 17th century. El Quelite is also well known for its Rodeo and the ancient ball game of Ulama, which is still played here. Ready to take a look?

El Quelite

El Quelite is 33km north of Mazatlan, just across the Tropic of Cancer ...

Updated: Mar 14, 2009 12:30pm PST

Puerto Vallarta :

Puerto Vallarta

Updated: Nov 27, 2008 7:39pm PST

Sonora RV Park : A welcome addition to RV travelers! Fausto Garcia, with 33 years in the RV park industry, has recently opened a new park in Hermosillo, Sonora.

Sonora RV Park

A welcome addition to RV travelers! Fausto Garcia, with 33 years in t ...

Updated: Sep 03, 2008 12:51pm PST

Laguna Bacalar : Called "the lake of seven colors" by the ancient Maya, Laguna Bacalar, with colors ranging from various shades of green to deep turquoise and blue, is the second largest fresh-water lake in Mexico.

Laguna Bacalar

Called "the lake of seven colors" by the ancient Maya, Laguna Bacalar, ...

Updated: Jul 24, 2008 7:11pm PST

Los Altos de Jalisco :

Los Altos de Jalisco

Updated: Jun 17, 2008 8:35pm PST

Travel Maps :

Travel Maps

Updated: May 27, 2008 8:51pm PST

Rosario : Rosario, dating from 1655, is located 40 miles southeast of Mazatlan. With more than 70km of underground arteries, dug over a period of 290 years, it's said that there are more gold and silver mining tunnels below ground than streets above ground. Serious mining activities ended in 1945, leaving one of the most beautiful altar pieces in the world as proof of the Colonial mining town's riches

Rosario

Rosario, dating from 1655, is located 40 miles southeast of Mazatlan. ...

Updated: May 19, 2008 4:04pm PST

Guanajuato : Nestled in the mountains of the Sierra de Guanajuato is the picturesque city of Guanajuato. Its name originates from the word Quanax-juato which, in the indigenous dialect of the region, meant "Place of Frogs" - because the indigenous tribes thought the place was fit only for frogs!

Guanajuato

Nestled in the mountains of the Sierra de Guanajuato is the picturesqu ...

Updated: May 17, 2008 5:09pm PST

Tonala : I'm not sure anyone can accurately describe Tonala. Might be better to take you there, either in person or via my photos. Introducing you to the town, though... it's a suburb of Guadalajara, and is home to many, many artisans who have shops in front of their factories. Cottage Industries for sure! Bargains can be found throughout the town. What it's best known for is the 'market day', which happens two times each week, year 'round. On Thursdays and Sundays, this town comes alive with activity. In the center of town, ten or twelve blocks square, are vendors elbow to elbow, one after another, and the crowds of people literally elbowing their way along, picking up the best of bargains at each vendor's booth. With all that, though, there's still more to Tonala. We stayed at the Hotel Tonala, just half a block from the main plaza, flanked on both ends by huge -- and very, very old -- churches. Come on... let's go take a look!

Tonala

I'm not sure anyone can accurately describe Tonala. Might be better to ...

Updated: May 17, 2008 11:25am PST

Villa Celeste RV Park : One of Mexico's well-kept secrets... Villa Celeste RV Park is located near the pueblito (village) of Celestino Gasca, about 78km north of Mazatlan, in Sinaloa State. Come meet the owners, Noe and Esthela, and take a look around their peaceful and friendly RV park, Villa Celeste...

Villa Celeste RV Park

One of Mexico's well-kept secrets... Villa Celeste RV Park is located ...

Updated: May 16, 2008 7:36pm PST

Tequila : They say this is where it all began! The word tequila itself is a mystery. It is said to be an ancient Nahuatl term. The Nahuatl were the original people who lived in the area. The word means (depending on the authority) "the place of harvesting plants," "the place of wild herbs," "place where they cut," "the place of work" or even "the place of tricks." According to some, it comes from the Nahuatl words tequitl (work, duty, job or task) and tlan (place). Other sources say it means "the rock that cuts" in reference to the abundance of obsidian found in the area by early inhabitants. Regardless of the exact origin of the word, it is the name of the spirit, the name of the town and the name of the valley. Tequila! Let's go for a tour, and I'll try to remember everything we learned about tequila... without taking a single drink!

Tequila

They say this is where it all began! The word tequila itself is a myst ...

Updated: May 16, 2008 9:54am PST

Punta San Miguel RV Park : Celestino Gasca, a fishing village on the Sea of Cortez, about an hour north of Mazatlan, has 3 new RV parks; Punta San Miguel is situated just south of Villa Celeste and north of Celestino, and is currently under development. Watch for more!

Punta San Miguel RV Park

Celestino Gasca, a fishing village on the Sea of Cortez, about an hour ...

Updated: Mar 23, 2008 8:08pm PST

Copala : Copala, in the foothills of the Sierra Madres, got its beginnings in 1545 as a silver mining town. Today, it's a laid-back pueblito best known for the tourists who visit from Mazatlan... come take a look...

Copala

Copala, in the foothills of the Sierra Madres, got its beginnings in 1 ...

Updated: Feb 02, 2008 9:28pm PST

Concordia : In the Sierra Madre foothills sits the pueblo of Concordia, best known for its finely-crafted hardwood furniture and red clay pottery. We always try to take visitors 'on tour' to both Concordia and Copala, further up the mountain.

Concordia

In the Sierra Madre foothills sits the pueblo of Concordia, best known ...

Updated: Feb 02, 2008 9:25pm PST

Maricasa :

Maricasa

Updated: May 13, 2007 7:32pm PST

Cheran :

Cheran

Updated: Apr 16, 2007 9:15pm PST

Cuidad Hidalgo :

Cuidad Hidalgo

Updated: Apr 16, 2007 9:09pm PST

Santa Clara del Cobre :

Santa Clara del Cobre

Updated: Apr 16, 2007 9:05pm PST

Iruapan :

Iruapan

Updated: Apr 16, 2007 8:57pm PST

Angahuan :

Angahuan

Updated: Apr 16, 2007 8:09pm PST

A Mexico Trip :

A Mexico Trip

Updated: Apr 13, 2007 2:50pm PST

El Walamo : A nice Sunday afternoon drive takes us to the pueblito of El Walamo, where folks from the surrounding farms gather with their families and friends at one of the local restaurants.

El Walamo

A nice Sunday afternoon drive takes us to the pueblito of El Walamo, w ...

Updated: Nov 02, 2006 5:27pm PST

Magdalena de Kino : Magdalena de Kino is a favorite on our route to and from Mexico. It is situated about 65 miles south of the US/Mexican border crossing at Nogales, in Sonora State. For a small town, there is much to see and do here, and we enjoy our restful stays.

Magdalena de Kino

Magdalena de Kino is a favorite on our route to and from Mexico. It i ...

Updated: Sep 23, 2006 11:10pm PST

Morelia : Welcome to Morelia, capital of Michoacan State. Founded in 1541, modern-day Morelia is called the 'Aristocrat of Colonial Cities'... let's go take a look...

Morelia

Welcome to Morelia, capital of Michoacan State. Founded in 1541, moder ...

Updated: Jul 12, 2006 7:30pm PST

San Carlos, Sonora :

San Carlos, Sonora

Updated: Apr 20, 2005 11:10pm PST

Colima, Colima : The smallest of Mexico's states, Colima, ranges from highlands in the north to tropical lagoons along the Pacific coastline. The climate is just as diverse, with heat and humidity along the coast and cooler temps in the highlands, where Colima, the state capital sits in the shadows of the two volcanoes, Fuego de Colima and Nevado de Colima. You can see the photos of our exciting day watching Fuego de Colima erupt in another album. Here, I'll introduce you to Colima, the city. It's not a tourist destination, but a city of over 150 thousand where life is tranquil and lively at the same time. Central Colima spreads out around three separate plazas, each one with its own personality. Come on, let's go for a walk around Colima...

Colima, Colima

The smallest of Mexico's states, Colima, ranges from highlands in the ...

Updated: Apr 06, 2005 4:09pm PST

Barra de Navidad & San Patricio-Melaque : This pair of rustic beach towns has been attracting Mexican tourists for decades, and has been recently 'discovered' by foreigners. Barra has brick or cobblestoned streets and funky beach-town charm, while San Patricio-Melaque.... er, Melaque... has good, inexpensive, hotels and its white-sand beach is the nicer of the two. In the 17th century, Bahia de Navidad was a harbor for the Spanish fleet; from here, galleons first set off in 1564 to find China. (they found the Phillipines instead!) Located on a crescent-shaped bay with curious rock outcroppings, Barra de Navidad and neighboring Melaque are connected by a continuous beach on the same wide bay. Barra has more charm, Melaque more places to stay for a night or longer. There's plenty of history here, and you know how I love learning about history, right? Well, San Patricio Melaque began with two haciendas, owned by foreigners, San Patricio on the east and Melaque on the west, along the bayfront. Settlements eventually grew up around each of the haciendas, until the two merged into one town. Come on... it took us two full days to see what we did of this area, and I have photos to share with you. Enjoy!

Barra de Navidad & San Patricio-Melaque

This pair of rustic beach towns has been attracting Mexican tourists f ...

Updated: Apr 06, 2005 2:18pm PST

Laguna de Maria, Colima :

Laguna de Maria, Colima

Updated: Mar 24, 2005 5:23pm PST

Volcan de Fuego de Colima : Overlooking Colima, the capital of Colima state, from the north are two spectacular volcanoes -- the active and constantly steaming Volcan de Fuego de Colima and the extinct snow-capped Volcan Nevado de Colima. When we left the city of Colima to drive to Comala, a small town about 6 miles away, we knew that the volcano, Fuego de Colima, had been mildly active for years. We were not at all expecting to be treated to a spectacular eruption of the volcano, though! What an amazing site! It brought back memories of May 18, 1980, when our family stood on the deck outside our home and watched Mt St Helens erupt. The photos I've posted here are in chronological order... some are close-ups, some from a distance. We were approximately 20 miles distance at our closest point. It was a great day, especially since it was so totally unexpected. Come on... take a look!

Volcan de Fuego de Colima

Overlooking Colima, the capital of Colima state, from the north are tw ...

Updated: Mar 22, 2005 7:45pm PST

Manzanillo :

Manzanillo

Updated: Mar 18, 2005 11:36pm PST

Las Playas de Nayarit & Jalisco :

Las Playas de Nayarit & Jalisco

Updated: Mar 17, 2005 12:36pm PST

La Penita & Guayabitos :

La Penita & Guayabitos

Updated: Mar 17, 2005 9:50am PST

La Noria : La Noria (the well) is named for the shape of the valley this pueblito sits in. As you descend into the valley from the west, you'll be able to pick out the church, Iglesia de San Antonio. Known for its hand crafted leather goods , La Noria retains its country and cowboy origins. You'll be able to visit some of the leather factories, walking (or climbing!) steep cobblestoned streets, stopping to catch your breath and visiting with the friendly folks who call La Noria home. As you walk around town, see if you can find the old-timey jail building.... it's still used for those occasions when necessary. Clue: it appears to be an open doorway with bars. I'm thinking the person unlucky enough to spend a night there feels a bit 'on display' come morning! Winding our way through town, along steep, narrow cobblestoned streets, we soon came to the church..... on the highest peak, overlooking the town of La Noria.

La Noria

La Noria (the well) is named for the shape of the valley this pueblito ...

Updated: Feb 02, 2005 2:34pm PST

Tepic : Welcome to Tepic, a real working city, not a tourist destination, though there are plenty of things of interest in this Colonial city. On our first morning in Tepic, I looked out and thought to myself, "hmmm, odd to have fog this far inland"... then, I learned that 'fog' was coming from the sugar refinery, not the beach, which is still nearly 40 miles to the west. Once called 'Tepique' (the Place Between the Hills) by its pre-Hispanic inhabitants, Tepic became a center for trade and commerce under the Spanish in the 16th and 17th centuries. Now housing the Nayarit State government, this city of around half a million people is still an important crossroads for those going from Mazatlan to Guadalajara, and beyond. Tepic is not a tourist destination, but there are several museums and a lovely central area to visit, as we did... come take a look...

Tepic

Welcome to Tepic, a real working city, not a tourist destination, thou ...

Updated: Jan 24, 2005 9:04pm PST

San Miguel de Allende : The wonderful colonial silver mining city of San Miguel de Allende lies northwest of Mexico City, in a hillside setting with a background of the high peaks of the Sierra Madre Occidental range. Cobblestone streets, sometimes winding around lovely colonial buiidlings that have existed for many years longer than the streets themselves, a wonderfully fanciful mulit-steepled church, arts and crafts galore, and all the ambience and friendliness we've grown to love in Mexico make this a special place to visit.... we'll be back again.... come see why...

San Miguel de Allende

The wonderful colonial silver mining city of San Miguel de Allende li ...

Updated: Dec 30, 2004 8:56pm PST

Real de Catorce : High in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains sits Real de Catorce....

Real de Catorce

High in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains sits Real de Catorce....

Updated: Dec 06, 2004 1:19pm PST

Saltillo : Saltillo is our first stop after crossing the border at Laredo, TX... and this is the park behind the Imperial Hotel, where we've stayed each year. Nice and quiet... and we're usually the only ones there.

Saltillo

Saltillo is our first stop after crossing the border at Laredo, TX... ...

Updated: Nov 30, 2004 9:10am PST

Matehuala : It is said that the large arches at either end of the city of Matehuala will serve as hand-holds for God to lift the entire city into Heaven on Judgement Day. Hmmmmmmm....

Matehuala

It is said that the large arches at either end of the city of Matehual ...

Updated: Nov 27, 2004 1:50pm PST

Dolores Hidalgo : Known as the "Cradle of Independence", the town of Dolores Hidalgo is also known for its colorful Talavera pottery. Let's go see for ourselves....

Dolores Hidalgo

Known as the "Cradle of Independence", the town of Dolores Hidalgo is ...

Updated: Nov 17, 2004 1:24pm PST

La Espina de Diablo : Durango to Mazatlan... over The Devil's Spine, La Espina de Diablo, 195 miles through the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountain range, takes upwards of 10 hours to drive!

La Espina de Diablo

Durango to Mazatlan... over The Devil's Spine, La Espina de Diablo, 19 ...

Updated: Jul 20, 2004 10:10pm PST

El Recodo : El Recodo, situated in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains, is the original home of Banda El Recodo. Banda is unique to Sinaloa State, and Banda El Recodo is Mexico's most famous Banda group. El Recodo is also the home of one of Sinaloa State's many Huaracerias, or sandal makers. Come look around with us...

El Recodo

El Recodo, situated in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mo ...

Updated: Mar 20, 2004 4:54pm PST

Siqueros : Hidden in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidentals are many pueblitos such as Siqueros, where we've visited with our friends, Miguel & Fanny at the home of Fanny's Great Aunt and her family. Come take a look around Sigueros with us...

Siqueros

Hidden in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidentals are many puebl ...

Updated: Mar 20, 2004 2:32pm PST

Alamos, Sonora : Colonial Pueblos are among our favorite places to visit, and Alamos is among the best of the best! Come on, we'll show you around....

Alamos, Sonora

Colonial Pueblos are among our favorite places to visit, and Alamos is ...

Updated: Mar 03, 2004 4:59pm PST

San Ignacio, Sinaloa : San Ignacio is another lovely colorial Pueblo 120km north of Mazatlan in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of Mexico.

San Ignacio, Sinaloa

San Ignacio is another lovely colorial Pueblo 120km north of Mazatlan ...

Updated: Feb 21, 2004 6:49pm PST

Thanks for visiting ~~ Hope you're enjoying my photos!