Yes, all cell phone providers in the states will work in Mexico. However, we suggest you call the cell phone provider or visit your local store to ensure your individual plan will work. If you have T-Mobile, every plan automatically comes with talk and txt in Mexico. If you have Verizon or AT&T you should verify to make sure you still get coverage while in Baja. Once you ensure you have talk and text in Mexico, make sure you have your "Data Roaming" turned on.
Yes, dollars are accepted everywhere on your commute down. We suggest you convert some money at your local bank to pesos to make purchasing items easier. The peso to dollar convert at about 20:1, but some places will only honor the dollar at 17:1 so to get the best bang for your buck, we recommend having pesos. Having small bills (20 pesos or $1) will be very helpful with tipping those who help you park, wash your car while you are getting some tacos, or you wanna buy some candy while at a red light.
Yes. Just about every business in Mexico accepts Visa and Mastercard. American Express is only accepted at a few businesses here and there and Discover is only accepted at some hotels. We suggest you take a look at the fees associated with your cards of choice to see if there are any "Foreign Transaction Fees". Being the points junky Nick is, he suggests you maximize your money spent on travel to help fund a future vacation. Most "Travel" or "Rewards" credit cards do not have these fees associated with them. Also - please let the banks know you will be traveling out of the county so they do not think there is any unusual spending patterns on your accounts.
No, you will need to get a separate policy. BUT - good news... We have just the person for you to contact. Elena Bretts is our insurance agent in Mexico and covers just about everyone we know who crosses the border to spend time with us in Mexico. She has helped us in a number of situations and we trust her and recommend you all adding a policy for your car while you are in Mexico. If you are interested, you can email her a copy of your drivers license and car registration and she will take care of you. She is bi-lingual and very attentive to her customers. elenabretts@yahoo.com
We recommend using Google Maps. Set your destination while still in the states and i will stay active while you cross the border. Once you cross through San Ysidro, you will stay in the right lane for "Playas (beaches)". You will continue along towards the playas and right as you can start seeing the beautiful Pacific Ocean, you will start to see a sign for "Cuota". This is the toll road that will take you to Ensenada. This is a well paved road that is very safe and has 3 bathrooms located around each toll booth. It is about an hour and 15 minutes from the start of the cuota to downtown Ensenada so if you need to use the facilities, one of these 3 restrooms would be the best place. You will also pass through Rosarito, Puerto Nuevo, and La Salina in case you are feeling adventurous and want to exit and grab something to eat or drink. The toll booths take both dollars and pesos. 1st toll is : 40mxn or $2.00 2nd toll is: 40mxn or $2.00 3rd toll is: 43mxn or $2.15. Be careful to avoid the far right lane at each toll plaza. These are for vehicles with transponders and you will not be able to pass through this lane and will be required to back up and create one heck of a traffic jam.