The Goot Blog

When we were back in the States this past month, we were frequently asked (by potential visitors), “What’s the best way to get to San Miguel? What’s the nearest airport?” Assuming there are others out there who have flirted with the idea of Visiting The Crazy Goots, here, as a public service, is a Semi-Complete Guide to San Miguel Travel.

Flying
The first question most folks ask is if they fly into Mexico City to get here. The answer, in general is, “No.” Although you’ll likely find more carrier and flight options, and some attractive non-stop flights from major cities like New York and Los Angeles, Mexico City is nearly four hours from here by car or bus. So for most folks, the cost or time advantages of flying into Mexico City are usually eaten up by transportation to and from San Miguel. The exception: If you’re already planning a Mexico City excursion, and just want to piggy-back a trip to San Miguel.

The most convenient airport to us is Leon/Guanajuato (BJX). It’s a small, but new International airport about an hour and a half away from here. It’s served by Continental (usually via Houston), Delta (usually via Atlanta), and American (usually via Dallas). The other nearby option is in Queretaro (QRO), where Michelin has its Mexico headquarters. It’s an even newer airport, but at this point has fewer flights to and from the U.S.

If you fly into Leon, you can expect a full day of travel – between 5 and 8 hours flying (depending on your locale), plus the trip to San Miguel. When we fly out of Greenville in the early a.m., we typically arrive at our house my mid-afternoon.

[NOTE: San Miguel is in the Central Time Zone.]

Tickets, which obviously vary seasonally and from airline to airline, usually hover around $500-600 round-trip. A round-trip shuttle from Leon, which we can arrange for you, is around $50US per person.

While we have four seasons here, the weather is fairly mild year-round. Summer is our favorite time ‘cause it rains periodically, which keeps both the dust and the temperatures down, and makes everything lush and green. (Although the terrain is high-desert, the place explodes with wildflowers in August and September.) Autumn is great, too, and loaded with Festivals. Winter is the biggest tourist season, as many snowbirds take up residence here. The afternoons are typically warm (70s mostly) and dry, but visitors take note: it can get chilly at night (low-30s to low-40s), and no one has central heating here. We do have fireplace inserts, but typically bundle up in sweaters most of the day. Late Spring (mid-April through early June) is considered the worst time to be here. It’s the end of the dry season – dusty and often very hot (sometimes over 100). In fact, many shop owners and restauranteurs close during the month of May and head to the beaches.

[NOTE ABOUT BEACHES: San Miguel is smack dab in the center of Mexico. The nearest beach is about ten hours away via bus or car.]

Driving
We’ve never done it. But if you have time to kill and want the freedom to explore the country, it’s neither dangerous nor difficult. Friends drive from Texas (typically via Laredo) in two days, and from California (via Nogales or Juarez) in about four days.

A couple of caveats:
1) If at all possible, avoid driving in Mexico at night. Unmarked topes (speed bumps) have been known to rip out oil pans and transmissions, road work is often marked not with flashing lights but with a handful of large stones in the middle of the road, and cattle (along with other assorted critters) often wander out into the roadways.
2) If at all possible, choose toll roads over ordinary highways. While expensive, the toll roads are well-maintained, and you can minimize the adrenalin rushes you’d otherwise experience as you encounter a car that’s passed on a blind curve hurtling in your direction.

Accommodations
Casa Goot can accommodate up to five guests at a time. We have 2 guest bedrooms: 1 w/ queen and full bath; 1 w/ bunk bed (queen below, twin above) and a full bath you can reach via a short walk through our central courtyard. If you’re coming with a larger crowd, we can recommend several nearby B&Bs, owned by friends, or hotels in various price ranges.

# posted by goots @ 12:39 PM