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Alongside the Texas Department of Public Safety's boilerplate tips on safe and sober driving during spring break, is the ominous warning about marking the occasion by taking a trip south of the border. As in: Don't do it.
"The Mexican government has made great strides battling the cartels, and the department commends their continued commitment to that effort. DPS also has a responsibility to inform the public about safety and travel risks and threats, and based on the unpredictable nature of cartel violence and other criminal elements, the department urges individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time," the DPS said in a statement.
The latest travel warnings from the U.S. State Department, does come with the caveat that "millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year for study, tourism, and business, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day. The Mexican government dedicates substantial resources to protect visitors to major tourist destinations, and there is no evidence that organized criminal groups have targeted U.S. visitors or residents based on their nationality. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime that are reported in the border region or in areas along major trafficking routes."
Acapulco appears to be one of the only perennial tourist favorites still under the pall of ongoing violence. The state department urges travel to the locale only by air or cruise ship, and sticking to the central tourist zone.
Meanwhile, Cancun is widely recognized as a top spring break destination, and does not come with a State Department travel warning.
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