Where will we go next? We are going to let YOU decide!

We are quite happy relaxing for the month of October (and possibly a few days more!) and exploring the area around Hacienda Contreras. However we’ve been thinking about where we want to go when we’re ready to move on and we’re going to let you make the choice for us!

Below are three different possible routes. We’ve pretty much decided that we would like to return to Hacienda Contreras for Christmas so all of these three choices include a return to our starting point. We would leave the first week of November, and return mid December. Read over the choices, and leave a comment below (or send us an email) stating which route you would like us to follow! At the end of October, we’ll add up the votes, and we’ll be off on the most popular route!

(I) is our current location, and our return point.

Your first choice is a trip to Mazatlan. We have been to Mazatlan before, for a short visit in February of 2008. However, we have never done the coast south of Mazatlan so we would like to see that. Apparently there are quite a few RV’ing spots on that section of coast. Also, we would again like to visit our friend Lee who lives in Mazatlan. This trip would start out with a visit to Villa Corona Hot Springs which is a good spot for a couple of days, and then visit the city of Tepic. From there, we would take the toll road all the way to Mazatlan. Then, on the return we would go down all the little coastal roads to the coastal villages before heading back to the Hot Springs and then Hacienda Contreras.

Positives: Villa Corona is a fun Hot Springs Water park. And, we would like to see Lee in Mazatlan again. And, the area south of Mazatlan would be new for us.

Negatives: At 1,486 kms (921 miles) this is the longest of the three choices, and probably the most expensive. Also, it’s not a circular route. And, heading to Mazatlan feels like we’re going North!

(H) is our current location, and our return point.

Your second choice is a trip to Puerto Vallarta. We’ve never been to Puerto Vallarta, or the coast south of there to Manzanillo. I have been to Manzanillo before, but Ruth has never been. This trip starts off the same as the first one with a visit to the Villa Corona Hot Springs. From there it continues to Tepic, but then it cuts towards the coast where it heads south to Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo. Then just north of Colima, we want to hike up the Colima volcano. We have been to Colima before, but don’t mind visiting again. This route is 1,087 kms (674 miles).

Positives: Villa Corona is a fun Hot Springs Water park. We think this route gives us the most new experiences. We know we would enjoy the climb up the Colima volcano.

Negatives: This route also may be more expensive due to costly RV parking in the Puerto Vallarta area. Puerto Vallarta is more of a resort area, which is not normally our thing.

(H) is our current location, and our return point.

Your third choice includes both beach time and visits to the cities of Uruapan and Patzcuaro. We would head south to Colima, and do the hike up the Colima volcano. Then a side trip to Manzanillo since Ruth has never been there. Then head to the beach community of Maruata, where we would spend at least a week. We’ve been there before, and we love it. Then a toll highway takes us north through the mountains to Uruapan. Near there is a volcano that erupted in the 1940’s and buried several towns. You can still hike to where there is a church buried in lava with only the steeple showing. Both Uruapan and Patzcuaro have a lot to see.

Positives: Maruata is a beautiful beach. And, this is probably the cheapest route, although the distance is the same as choice number two. And, we would probably experience the most Mexican culture on this route.

Negatives: We’ve done most of this route before, the only new experience would be Uruapan and Patzcuaro. We could technically visit these two cities when we leave Hacienda Contreras after Christmas. 

So leave a comment below and tell us which route we should take!