As a fulltime resident, what I say is "Come on down". I RV during the summer months, and have been to some strange places, but never a problem other than mechanical. Even then several Mexicans stopped to see if they could help before the green angels showed up. I do drive the cuotas whenever possible. As stated above, it will be a fantastic adventure for your children, and you'll have an enjoyable time also. If nothing else, you'll have some great stories when you return. And yes, I do recommend Mazatlan as an end point, as that is where I obviously ended up.
