Anyone cross the border from US to Mexico lately?

Everything we are hearing here is that the borders into Mexico are open.

Several people lately have entered Mexico by land from both Belize and the US with no hassles.

Here in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa we get our first international flight, Alaska Air from LAX on Saturday the 6th. First international flight in a while, the domestic flights slowed down but did not stop. The lack of international flights was NOT because of any stoppage by the Mexican government, but due to the lack of customers. Alaska is now scheduling the Los Angeles flight weekly until demand picks up. Normally this time of year it is twice weekly, ultimately building up to daily in November.

I left Mexico mid March and have been watching the border crossing we always use via webcam ever since. https://www.cityoflaredo.com/bridgesys/Cameras/bridge4cam.html
Traffic on Bridge #2 northbound dropped substantially but has been returning to pre-Covid19 levels lately. Texas reopening was the time traffic rebounded. The webcam view is a little misleading because northbound traffic goes through a very slow and tight bottleneck with customs while southbound traffic has much less restrictions due to an easier entry.
However another webcam site of locations in Mexico tell a different story. http://webcamsdemexico.com/streams
All the webcams in Mexico reveal virtually deserted streets and beaches. City squares once teeming with people now reveal just a few people.
Bottom line is yes, one can probably cross the border into Mexico - but given the present conditions what would one do once there? Hotels and restaurants are probably very limited. There have been stories of townspeople and officials trying to limit entry out of fear of travelers bringing in the virus - these stories have dropped off lately.
These are just my observations - I might be all wet, but the webcams reveal the conditions.

That's great information.

We are just turning on here in Zihuatanejo. Restaurants started opening yesterday.

AMLO opened Cancun this week, and wants the rest of the country to do the same.

Depending upon what you want to do, pharmacies are open, grocery stores are too. In the past we would often just want to cross for am afternoon for lunch and a few groceries or pet meds. That can be easily done now.

Social distancing is being encouraged, probably worldwide. Here, our two chain grocery stores, Soriana and Bodega Aurerra require that masks be worn.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like as usual it just depends on which gate you enter. Probably we'd be fine, but we may just wait until after June 22 before going across just to be safe.

As for what one would do once there, we've been in Sayulita since December. Our trailer park of mostly Canadiens mostly cleared out a month or so ago when the covid panic began to seem real, but we decided to stick around. Quarantining on a quiet empty beach with cool breezes, fresh fish, warm ocean, good waves and an empty beachside trailer park seemed preferable to all that's going on north of the border.

The beach has been officially closed since before Easter, and we see on and off patrols both by police and the marines, sometimes daily (though less so lately) to keep people from hanging around on the beach. But people behave like mice, when the cat leaves the mice emerge again. There were even a few arrests on the beach a few weeks back. An unlucky surfer emerging from the water just when the cops showed up, then a few days later a group of Euro tourists partying on the empty beach like it was all their own (they ended up just paying off the cops, so it all seemed just a revenue generating exercise).

At first they were even demanding surfers stay out of the water, but now we surf when we want. The patrols sometimes threaten and wave at us but don't do anything.

During the day the beach stays pretty quiet but we walk dogs etc. At sunset people come out to play as it seems the police have all checked out by then.

All in all most agree it has been the quietest and most pleasant time here in maybe 20 years. Like the sleepy pre-boom days. As quarantines go, we feel fortunate to be here.

Some distancing going on, some mask wearing, but less and less as time goes by and people relax about it or question what the fuss was about (in our empty trailer park we have built-in distancing). Tiendas and fish markets are open as is Costco in Vallarta so we are well stocked, but most shops and hotels and restaurants remain closed.

Word is however that Nayarit may opening for business soon. People want to get back to business, need to make some money, but it does feel too soon, like it (covid) hasn't really hit here yet. Have there been cases here? No one knows the truth it seems, but we just heard an entire family the next town south of us has tested positive. Once tourists start coming back and partying all could turn. We'll find out.

Now that we know what direction you are going.....

The US border with Mexico and Canada is closed for basically unnecessary travel. Things like crossing either border to go to a restaurant or shopping. Going to work, school or an appointment, if you are questioned, is perfectly OK.

Traveling home is considered necessary, and as a US citizen even if they wanted to they couldn't keep you out. They will welcome you back.

On that note, great decision on staying in Sayulita for now. The last two rigs left Zihuatanejo about two weeks ago, and both, one US, one Canadian said it was the easiest US entry ever.

Our beaches are still closed here and they are actively busting surfers, so we haven't used our surf SUP's since April 3. However, before 8 and after 6 there are no patrols. We still get our dog swim and play time and get our mile swim in. We just make sure that we are back home by 7:30 am.

Safe travels when you go, don't rush, and please confirm after you cross that it was no big deal.

It's interesting that you stayed in Mexico- sounds like you made a very good choice. We were in Morelia when we decided to bug out in mid March. Since we were on a motorcycle and very reliant on hotels and restaurants leaving was a good choice... But back home in Maine it's been tough living under lock down. You staying behind in an RV, now with a lot of 20/20 hindsight was a very good decision in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing!

I have crossed the border 4 times in the last month, 2 north and 2 south. Mexico is not stopping tourists entering Mexico by land.

I have seen the southbound direction to be the same process as before the so called "restrictions" I have stood in line at IMM waiting to process my FMM.

I read it twice.

These restrictions are only for Nuevo Laredo.

playaboy wrote:
I have crossed the border 4 times in the last month, 2 north and 2 south. Mexico is not stopping tourists entering Mexico by land.

I have seen the southbound direction to be the same process as before the so called "restrictions" I have stood in line at IMM waiting to process my FMM.

playaboy, thanks for that confirmation. Where did you cross the border at??