Kevin K Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 My wife and I are planning a trip to Guanajuato and San Miguel, and are wondering if we'd be better off going via first class bus (ETN or Primera Plus) or driving. My impression is that both places are far better for walking than driving once you get there (and we're avid hikers and walkers) but if there are important excursions or side trips we'd miss doing without a car we'll drive. I appreciate any advice! Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajijic Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Kevin in SMA all taxis within city limits are 25p in case you wish to take one. The hot springs are about 7 miles north of town and cost 80p but generally most places you can walk. Since you like exercise drop in on Juarez park on a Saturday morning at 8:30 am for an hour of Zumba watching or participation for 20p, money to charity. There are hotels on Hildalgo just down from Starbucks and the plaza for 450 p a night or less. Keep in mind Sept 14 is a huge holiday. Gringal mentioned Mineral de Pozos which is a great place to visit about 50 minutes away. A quick search will find info on Internet. While there I recommend Posada de las Minas Hotel to eat. You will be amazed at the hotel and food. www.posadadelasminas.com When in SMA the Atencion is the weekly English paper which comes out on Fridays for 8 p and worth getting. If you like art you can walk to Aurora Shops a 100 year old fabric manufacturing center that is now 2 restauarants and about 35 art shops, studios, interior design places etc. They too have a web site. If you drive the road from Guanajuato to Dolores Hildago is breathtaking. If need more info or a quick tour of SMA just ask. When you return from SMA and \ or Guanajuato love to hear your impressions. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gringal Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 My wife and I are planning a trip to Guanajuato and San Miguel, and are wondering if we'd be better off going via first class bus (ETN or Primera Plus) or driving. My impression is that both places are far better for walking than driving once you get there (and we're avid hikers and walkers) but if there are important excursions or side trips we'd miss doing without a car we'll drive. I appreciate any advice! Kevin Once you get to San Miguel on a bus, there will be a fleet of taxis at the bus station waiting for you. Taxis around town run about 25 pesos: more if you head for the outskirts, or at night. So, you don't need a car. San Miguel is a walkers' city. However, the trip there is easy by car once you are past the Guad. traffic, and it is nice to have the freedom to just explore on your own once you get there. Delores Hidalgo is on the list, if you want to see or bring home some very nice pottery. Pozos, the old mining "ghost" town up in the hills, is worth a trip, too. The little village of Santa Rosa (?) on the way to Guanajuato is another good side trip. For a dining treat, the Hacienda Landeta, about a mile or so on the road to Pozos, open Thurs. through Sunday for dinner, is special. You'll need reservations for Andreas' there, but definitely an experience we don't have around here, and the food is outstanding. If you do go by car, take a lunch with you. The feeding stations are rare and pitiful along the way. Have a good trip, either way ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Keep in mind Sept 14 is a huge holiday. The puente (long weekend) for the Independence Day holiday is September 12-16. If you're planning to go to San Miguel over that holiday, you'll want to make hotel reservations yesterday, or even the day before yesterday! Don't wait. The Cuna de la Independencia (Cradle of Independence) is the town Dolores Hidalgo, about 30 minutes outside San Miguel. You might want to be there for the Grito de Dolores (re-enactment of Father Hidalgo's cry for independence from Spain), which takes place in Dolores and in every town in Mexico on the night of September 15. On the way back from Dolores Hidalgo, stop in Atotonilco (just a couple of minutes down a side road, and well marked) for a visit to the Santuario de Jesús el Nazareno. You will be completely amazed by the church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin K Posted August 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Thank you everyone for your detailed, extremely kind and helpful replies! I will plan accordingly, and post some impressions when we return. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 If it helps on the car versus bus question.... Parking in a garage in Central Guanajuato can be expensive - 10 or 11 pesos per hour with no discounted overnight rate. We paid 760 pesos for our car to sit, unmoved, for three nights. It was kind of fun driving in the tunnels, but it wasn't that much fun. Next time we go, I'll still take the car, but see if I can find cheaper parking outside the center and then cab in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bollox Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 If it helps on the car versus bus question.... Parking in a garage in Central Guanajuato can be expensive - 10 or 11 pesos per hour with no discounted overnight rate. We paid 760 pesos for our car to sit, unmoved, for three nights. It was kind of fun driving in the tunnels, but it wasn't that much fun. Next time we go, I'll still take the car, but see if I can find cheaper parking outside the center and then cab in. Without doubt, take the bus. ETN is the best.little more expensive. leaves Guad 9am, Premier Plus leaves Guad 7.30, 10 am also Ok but has more choices than ETN. Remember, Cervantino music festival in October, very, very busy but a must to visit if you can get a room. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newinajijic Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I don't mind driving even on two lane roads. I don't particularly care for even the nice buses you mentioned. I've driven to PV twice, 5 - 5 1/2 hours and Patzcuaro twice, 4 1/2 hours. Here's my take. I would drive even though you may not need your car in either place. You can take taxis in SM and wait in all their traffic or just walk, but you'll need good legs. If you don't have a car, how will you get from SM to Guanajuato? You should be able to park your car at the Hotel or B & B. If you don't have a car, how will you get from Guanajuato to Dolores Hidalgo? That's a must see and must shop for Telavera pottery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 We drove to Guanajuato taking the long way around the lake in 5.5 hours. Really scenic and enjoyable trip. We stayed at the Hotel Real de Mina which is an easy 15-20 minute walk to the Centro. Car parking in a secure covered garage was included in the room price. The drive wasn't difficult at all and we came back the fast way in 4.5 hours. There are other accomodations that provide parking there. The consideration about the bus is the fact that you have to go to GDL to get on it. To do this, you either spend significant money taking a cab to the new bus terminal, or you have to take a bus from here to the old bus terminal and then taxi to the new one. There were 4 of us on this trip. It was not only a lot faster, it was cheaper to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisbee Gal Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 We have been to SMA many times. In the past, we flew from the US to Leon, then took a van into SMA. Now that we live in Ajijic, we will drive to SMA for our next visit (next week, in fact!). On previous trips to SMA, we hired a driver to take us to both Guanajuato and Dolores Hidalgo for day trips (we were with another couple, so split the cost). This time we will drive to Doloros Hidalgo for wonderful talavera shopping; we are skipping Guanajuato on this trip, saving it for a separate trip next year. While we have heard many good things about Mexican buses, the extra time/hassle of getting from LakeSide to the Guadalajara bus stations for what appears to be a relatively easy drive to SMA, isn't worth it to us. We recently drove to Lake Patzcuaro and other than a bit of congestion and lack of signage in Morelia, that is an easy drive. We also drove to Tapalpa and that is a short trip, great intro for novice drivers in Mexico. Sayulita is another drive that was straight forward. We are not road warriors; would never attempt to drive to Mexico City, for example. BTW, we got a very nice house rental in SMA for $550 (including all rental taxes) for 7 nights via www.vrbo.com. It is 3BR, 3BA recent remodel, in the closest in part of San Antonio, on a very nice privada that we are familiar with. Includes vonage, wireless, w/d, 3 days of maid, gardener, etc. If you want to PM me for info on this rental, happy to pass along the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin K Posted September 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Thanks to the helpful advice of posters on this thread we had a smooth drive to San Miguel (not so lucky on the return, where we were stuck in traffic for over an hour outside of La Piedad). Anyway, it was a good first trip and we appreciated the flexibility of having a car, even if it's not much fun in San MIguel centro (we just parked it for 3 days). Since many of you have lived in San Miguel or spent extended time there I won't take up undue space with impressions, but if you're interested I did post some thoughts on my blog and will leave the address below. Long story short: liked the place very much - and it made me appreciate Lakeside more deeply as well. Kevin http://kevinanderininmexico.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookj5 Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Kevin- I would suggest you take the bus on your first visit to both places. We took our car and left it parked the whole time we were in each place. There is an enormous amount to see and do on foot, and Guanajuato in particular is a walking town that is very difficult to travel around in a car. Parking in both places is very problematic. On a later trip, you might want to find a place on the outskirts and visit the outlying sites. To get a look at what you will encounter, check out the following links: Guanajuato and San MIguel de Allende I guarantee which ever way you travel, you'll have a great time in both places. Buen viaje! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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