Dec. 22, 2005 — Since my blog was offline for a while (due to my changing webhosts and getting tangled up in various settings), I’ll catch up in a few posts.

We drove to Mazatlan, where we stayed at a small RV campground right on the beach, surrounded by bamboo groves. Had some more nice beach time, a great talk with an interesting couple of Canadian artists, and got our laundry done. (This can become a big deal when you’re roaming Mexico!)

Billie, who often posts here, started a group collection of Mexican Christmas photos at flickr.com. Kelly put some up. Here’s one I took in Mazatlan. It’s not your typical Merry Christmas picture but I thought it captured something:

Mazatlan Days is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

Mazatlan! Perfect days on sandy beaches, with plenty of time for relaxing in a fine hotel, your beachfront condo, or an RV parked among friendly folks. Not to mention fishing, snorkeling, and nightlife.

Mazatlan is an excellent Mexican vacation destination, for its beaches, good weather, and things to do. Crafts from all over Mexico are available, and there are plenty of good restaurants. You can drive or fly there quite easily from the US or Canada. Look for Mazatlan package deals if you are flying.

On a recent trip there, my husband and I stayed north of the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone), where much of the tourism-oriented activity takes place. We didn’t go into the Old City, as we’d done that before and just wanted high quality beach time. We got it! We had fun with our cameras, and I made this Mazatlan photo-collage, which admittedly was playing a bit with reality.

If you’re interested in a nice beach vacation, do also see my page about Mazatlan hotels. I’ve also got a page on Mazatlan RV parks… we stayed in two different ones and there are many more.

About Mazatlan is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

We stayed at two of the many RV parks available.

At first, we went to the Mar-a-Villa, which is probably the northernmost RV park to be right on the beach. It had mature bamboo between the spots, and the shade was welcome even in December!

The view out to the water was lovely as you approached the beach:

Later, we moved to the San Fernando RV Park, as it was closer to the Zona Dorada, where so many of the tourist activities are centered… and it had a laundromat, which we needed at the time! It was somewhat less charming (though it had a gorgeous pool) but very practical. We also appreciated the large empty lot behind it where we could walk our dog.

There are numerous other RV parks in Mazatlan. I highly recommend the book, Traveler’s Guide to Mexican Camping to any RVers. (The link takes you to my review of it.)

Mazatlan RV Parks is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico

• In all price ranges from basic budget to luxurious elegance…
• Beachside locations or not…
• In the heart of the busy city or in quieter areas.

You can find great deals at many of the top hotels, so that a Mazatlan resort vacation can be reasonably priced, especially if you don’t go around Christmas or Easter, when sometimes it seems as though all Mexico goes to the beach! If you do go then, be sure to make reservations.

Many of the hotels have swimming pools, restaurants, gift shops, and other nice touches. You won’t be suffering! The grand old Hotel Posada Freeman, built in 1949, has had a great renovation. Other top-notch Mazatlan hotels include the Aguamarina Hotel and the Pueblo Bonito. Resorts include the El Cid and the Royal Villas.

Mazatlan is full of condos, and you are likely to be approached by condo sales people. If you get interested, do plenty of homework and don’t be pressured. Some are time share situations, and others you could live in year-round. The photo shows one that we stayed near recently, right on the beach.

Mazatlan Hotels, Resorts, and Condos is a post from: Mexico with Heart - Living, Traveling, and Retiring in Mexico