pinproject - can you elaborate on the differences in expenses? I only ask because I did not think it could get any cheaper than Baja. Also, other than the states that you mentioned - were there any times that you did not feel safe. I am interested in your post because I have not had the time to do Mainland Mexico. I have been told by others that Baja was the real Mexico. I could not find any Mexico Posts on your blog.
Living vicariously through you right now.
In terms of costs, I have to clarify this: I am travelling on a real tight budget that lots of people dont even comprehend. The last 2,5 years we (along with my partner) survive on 500 EUR (583 USD or 731 CAD in today prices) which means 17 EUR per day for ALL expenses that long term travelling involves (fuel, accommodation, food, vehicle maintenance, visas & border formalities, insurance etc). So, I am not a good example when it comes to costs, especially for a family.
But I dont want to talk about myself..
So, when I am saying that Baja is more expensive than mainland, it does not mean that it is an expensive destination. Indeed, for North American standards, I would say its an affordable to cheap destination from all accounts.
But let me give you an example: tacos al pastor might cost from 15-20 for one when in mainland you can pay 5-10. Food in general is more expensive in Baja and the variety is not that big (be aware of the difference between tex mex cuisine and real mexican cuisine).
Fuel is still regulated (they recently opened up to private gas stations, so you may find some) and you can check the price updates here:
http://amegas.com.mx/index.php/es/. Fuel for sure is cheaper than Canada and California but not cheaper than Texas.
Accommodation can be steep sometimes just because we are all Gringos and everything in Baja has been designed for Gringos from top (Tijuana) to bottom (Cabo San Lucas) (not everybody is Gringo for Mexicans who consider people from US the real Gringos but lets generalise and include every non Latino as a Gringo).
Alcohol is also more expensive than mainland but for sure cheaper than Canada and US. Expect to pay 1.5-2 USD for a glass bottle of cerveza.
During the winter season, you will meet hundreds of snowbirds and retired people with massive trailers and camper vans but you only meet a tiny fraction who cross over to Mazatlan and further inland. The reason is that Baja is a great and easy destination for people who want comfort, be rapidly familiar with their surroundings etc. The expats communities of North Americans are big also so you have lots of chances to bump into a neighbor from Alberta.. hahaha.
In general, Baja is a holidays destination. Whoever gets the ferry to go across, usually carries on until Panama and further south to Argentina (more like seasonal overlanders).
Souvenirs and activities for example is another area where prices are insanely high. Eg a handmade hat that you would find for 50-60 pesos in the mainland, it can easily be inflated to 200-300 pesos.
Mercados (open markets) for fresh produce, seafood & meat are also a bit inflated with the quality to be a mix of imports from US & Canada as well as Mexico local produce.
Real Mexico means Mexicans and in Baja everybody works to keep tourists happy and satisfied. The whole economy relies on the west coast from British Columbia to California (you will notice unfinished construction and SALE posts in north Baja as a consequence of the real estate crash in 2007-8 in the US). Mainland does not experience so much foreign tourism (except parts like Cancun) like Baja which is full of North Americans.
We spent almost 11 months in total (Feb 15-Jan 16). We felt totally safe in all cases after covering parts of the country that I mentioned (we still missed a lot though). Using common sense, skipping dodgy areas and not looking for trouble is our recipe so far and we are not the first to claim this. The vast majority of Mexicans are so proud that they would never make you feel uncomfortable. Instead, they take it really seriously when it comes to hospitality and they do their best. In Baja is more like a business, mainland is more authentic. Speaking the language is a good start as well and you can see how people appreciate it. For sure, you will meet tons of Mexicans who have been living in North America, so you will speak the same language in some cases.
Tip: I know its a family travel thread but spending time in a Mexican "dodgy" cantina (=mens bar), singing & drinking with locals was one of our highlights in the mainland. In Baja, you wont find any..
In general, places like Bahia de Los Angeles, Ojo de Liebre (if you are in season, you can spot whales and for sure kids will love it), Mulege, Playa Requeson, Loreto, and many other hidden gems will make you plan your next year adventure!
Finally, the latest political change in your common neighbor, the talks about the "wall" etc, fueled the emotions with skepticism -at least. The vast majority of North Americans think that Mexico is a super dangerous country just because they follow the news. Terrible mistake and generalization.
I must be honest.. Mexicans dont like Americans and vice versa except some exceptions of course. We experienced this hundreds of times and we saw ALL Mexicans flipping over when we were telling them we are not Americans! Fortunately or unfortunately, we can do nothing about it as we are poor travellers from Greece but only try to understand the why's and how's. My understanding is that no Mexican will harm anybody because of his origin but on the back of their head, we (or them?) are the Gringos. More like a social thing than a reason to kill you!! (and maybe to find a good reason to give you a speed ticket!!).
Remember that everything depends on our attitude when we are outside of our comfort zone. We have almost 5 years of extensive experience on that. Smile always, be polite, humble, honest, respectful, open but not invasive and just enjoy your travels.
Try to approach also the American family with the 3 kids and a cat (!) that I mentioned in my first post. We met them "deep" in the mainland in Guanajuato, a small but beautiful student city. For sure, they will shed more light in family things that I am not aware.
Having said that, I would highly recommend Baja California as a cheap and safe destination (after taking of course the typical precautions) for you and your family. You will meet a lot of families especially if you choose to go during school breaks and holidays.
p.s.: we stopped doing regional posts in our blog since Africa. We prefer to be more precise when it comes to travel info by following threads like yours and providing like minded people with our travel experiences and insight. Things are changing fast and an outdated post would be of less value. Plus, posting in forums like EP is something that stays forever, has a regular feed and audience, and it is well organised and presented. But travel blogs like mine (and some other thousands) come and go every minute..
If you need more info about the mainland, I will be more than happy to share.
Cheers from Ecuador ;-)
Nikos