Plan your trip
Build a checklist for travel documents, your vehicle, overnight stops, pets and a realistic driving schedule. Allow time for border formalities and aim to arrive before dark.
A practical starting point for Canadians travelling south by car, pickup, camper van or RV. Plan your journey through the United States, prepare for the Mexican border and explore Mexico with help from experienced travellers.
Start with the essentials, then use our Mexico guides and community reports to build a journey that suits your vehicle, destination and pace.
Build a checklist for travel documents, your vehicle, overnight stops, pets and a realistic driving schedule. Allow time for border formalities and aim to arrive before dark.
Explore the border-crossing directory and check current opening hours and procedures with the relevant authorities before departure.
Explore coverage options for your trip. Describe your vehicle and any camper conversion accurately, and check the policy terms before buying.
Compare a Pacific-coast or inland journey through the United States with your destination in Baja California or mainland Mexico.
Choose your southbound corridor and Mexican entry point together. Break long distances into manageable days with overnight stops.
Allow for the journey across the United States, weather and city traffic. Plan your border day with time to complete formalities.
These are planning starting points, not verified turn-by-turn itineraries. Check current road conditions and crossing information before travelling.
On the Road in Mexico grew from a digital camping guide into a resource for road logs, destinations and travel planning. Our Facebook communities add first-hand experience from travellers making the journey.
Visit ontheroadin.com for RV and camping resources, destinations and cultural discoveries. French-speaking travellers can also explore the site’s French section.
Open the Canadian RV and camping guide →
Use our five regional directories to shortlist stops for your route. Listings include recently researched pages and historical planning leads. Confirm opening status, access and services directly before making a detour.
Baja California and Baja California Sur: desert roads, Sea of Cortez towns and Pacific beaches.
Sonora and the Pacific route through Sinaloa, Nayarit and Jalisco, with onward coastal connections.
Highland cities, colonial towns and inland connections. Consider elevation, weather and access for your vehicle.
Destinations along the Gulf and nearby inland stops. Research the complete corridor and each overnight destination.
Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo: cities, archaeological sites, cenotes and coastal stops.
RV driving guide · Campground basics · Overnight planning and safety · Send a campground correction
Connect the .com destination guides with Drive Mexico Magazine’s regional routes. Use the free worksheet to record your daily route, fuel stops, confirmed accommodation, backup overnight stop and important contacts.
Older maps and road logs provide orientation and historical context. Check current navigation and road conditions before using them for travel-day decisions.
Our reports bring together dated traveller experiences and clearly identified notices. A trouble-free trip by one driver is useful context, but it does not confirm conditions for a later journey. Check the report date, the exact route and current advisories before leaving.
Ask your Canadian insurer what applies in the United States and Mexico. Review the Mexican quote and policy for liability limits, protection for your own vehicle, deductibles, legal assistance, towing and any trailer or towed unit. For a camper conversion, describe the registration, use and installed equipment accurately.
Have your travel dates, vehicle details and values ready. Check every name, VIN and plate before departure, then save policy documents and assistance contacts offline.
We may receive a referral commission through insurance links at no additional cost to you. Coverage and claims are determined by the insurer and policy terms.
Build time into your journey for the destinations that make Mexico memorable. Our regional guides connect coastal towns, inland cities, cultural stops and the Bells’ photography and field notes.
Find destinations by region, then connect them with realistic driving days and overnight stops.
Explore Bill and Dorothy Bell’s archaeology field guides and photographs. Confirm current access, opening hours and visitor information before travelling.
Research shopping stops and local celebrations as part of your itinerary.
Retrouvez nos guides pour voyager du Canada au Mexique en auto ou en VR : documents, frontières, assurance, itinéraires, campings et bulletins routiers.