Driving around mexico, where to stay if you don't have a booking

steveh2112 wrote:

i'm planning a big motorcycle tour of mexico starting January and i will book some airbnbs but i don't want to book too far ahead because i want to keep my travel plans open.

if you just show up in a random town or city, can you find a cheap place to say, around $20 or less?

thanks

Well Steve,
I guess my answer to that question would be yes,  maybe and no, depending.

I have done it once with the advice of my native bilingual friend It was a bit nerve racking for me. What I would be  careful to do would be look the town up with special attention to safety. Like the U.S. there are areas of each town that are much less safe.  Make yourself aware of the places you might try as if you are booking. Know where you are going, A lot of time can be wasted just wandering around which you don't want to be doing at night.
Remember the peso is fluctuating , going mostly up currently. Most recently it has been 18-20. Your price range at 20$ might be about 380 pesos which at the moment could be done.

With those things in mind it is doable. If you are traveling after the 6th of January you will be more likely to find something you can live with, that will be safe. Before then you will be in the Christmas season. Which is actually quite long.

thanks, yes i'm delaying my trip until after the holidays, i figure end of dec going to booked or expensive. and i guess i need to speak better spanish than i do now but i'm working on that

Yes, it's doable so for the tourist season try to be off the coast more the mountain side like Patzcuaro, Etzatlan, Guanajuato, San Cristobal de las Casas on the coast select good areas like Perula, Aticama.

For sure, an helpfull guide could be the Lonely Planet or an equivalent for backpakers, the last time we travel extensively was in 2009 so prices change.

You could also think of bringing a tent so to camp on modest not expensive campground. Lots of time some hotel can allow you to put up your tent on their ground.

Speaking spanish even barely is appreciated from the locals. 

Adios y buen viaje seguro, GyC.

We have already had Independence day, and now some holiday activity.  Dia del muerto is coming up  fast.
It is not stopping the natividad prep though, skulls right next to ornaments, and toys of course.  So there is Christmas eve, Christmas day and new years eve, and day followed by the 3 kings on January 6th. During that time it will be very festive and very, very busy.

I replaced a broken measuring cup with a glass as well as a metal cup. The store insisted on wrapping them. I said oh no that isn't necessary but they thought it was, so they did. That should give you a good idea how it gets.

thanks mexicogc, that's really good info. i was thinking about bringing a tent too just in case but never though i could camp outside a hotel, good idea.

nice list of places to visit too, i need to start compiling a list of places to go in order. when i do, i'll post it on the forum to get some feedback from local experts such as yourself

gracias