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Practicalities
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Alaska, American, Mexicana, Aero California and Aeromexico all fly to
San JosAŠ airport
, 11km north of town, with services from several Mexican and US West Coast cities, and a few East Coast cities. Expensive shuttle-vans run into town (US$15, usually divisible by the number of people), though taxis are a decent option (US$14-16). The third, least recommended option is to walk the 2.5km to the highway and jump on one of the frequent local buses that stop on the highway near town. The
bus station
(Aquila: tel 1/142-1100) is about fifteen-minutes' walk from the centre: turn left out of the station along Gonzales then, after 1km, left onto Mijares and to the zA?calo - easily spotted by the church towers. Zaragoza crosses Mijares at this point; ObregA?n and Doblado run parallel to and either side of Zaragoza.
The tourist office was recently torn down, and although there are plans for a new office soon, no site has been declared; try your accommodation for information . Banks and other facilities are all near the centre. The post office is on Mijares on the way to the hotel zone. If you want English-language books and newspapers , try Libros Libros, at Mijares 41. Car rental is available from Avis (tel 1/142-1180), Hertz (tel 1/142-0375), National (tel 1/142-2424) and Thrifty (tel 1/142-1671). San JosAŠ has a couple of decent budget hotels : Posada San Rafael , ObregA?n, north of the zA?calo (tel 1/142-3878; US$10-15), is a lot better than it looks, while Casa de Consuelo , Morelos and JuA?rez (tel 1/142-0643; US$10-15), is a little basic, but safe and friendly, and Hotel Ceci , Zaragoza 22 (tel 1/142-0051; US$10-15), is very close to the centre, though noise is the chief problem here. Slightly more expensive alternatives include the in-no-way luxurious-style San Jose Inn , on ObregA?n (tel 1/142-2464; US$10-15), Hotel Diana , Zaragoza 30 (tel 1/142-0490; US$15-25), with a/c and TV, or the comfortable Hotel Colli (tel 1/142-0725; US$15-25), on Hidalgo between Zaragoza and Doblado. Posada Senor Manana (tel 1/142-1372, www.srmanana.com ; US$25-40), on the northeast corner of the zA?calo (two doors east of the Casa de la Cultura; look for the green gate), is run by US expats and offers spacious, palm-lined surroundings, with impeccably clean rooms. There are areas for socializing with fellow travellers and it's far more charming than its neighbour that goes by the very similar name of Yuca's Senor Manana . Casa Natalia (tel 1/142-5100, www.casanatalia.com ; more than US$100), Mijares 4, also at the north end of the square, is a new and rather striking architectural mix of European and Mexican styles, housing a classy hotel and restaurant; each room is individually decked out with Mexican works of art. Down in the hotel zone along the beach you may find bargains out of season, but on the whole most places are expensive and pre-booked. La Playita (tel 1/142-4166, laplayitahotel@mexmail.com ; 6km), a two-kilometre drive over the estuary and southeast of central San JosAŠ, is a pleasant waterside alternative that's removed from the crowds, a three-storey hotel and restaurant with comfortable, spare rooms overlooking a small pool and an outdoor dining area. The hotel can arrange fishing for you and the restaurant will cook your catch. If you're camping , head for the pricey Brisa del Mar RV Resort (tel 1/142-3999), on the beachfront southwest of town (at Km 29.5), or to Pueblo La Playa. There's a huge variety of upmarket restaurants along Mijares downtown, but it's less easy to find places with local prices - look around Zaragoza and ObregA?n. For all sorts of great inexpensive Mexican eats, head to La Picazon , on Gonzalez, just a short walk west to the main highway and buses, while El CafAŠ Fiesta , at Mijares 14, serves vegetarian and Mexican food. The best-value traditional Mexican food, however, is served at Jazmin on Morelos one block west of the zA?calo, which is also excellent for breakfasts. So too is the cozy La Casa de Java , at Mijares 8, serving them up all day; the relaxed atmosphere also makes it a perfect place to have a coffee and take time out to read the papers. CafAŠ Gourmet , Doblado and Hidalgo, is rather more impersonal, but is still a good coffee and snack spot, just off the square.
Among the more expensive options,
Tequila
, on Doblado, is the top choice with a quaint garden atmosphere and attentive (if overly attentive) waiting staff, and overpriced wines and cigars.
Mi Cocina
(within
Casa Natalia
) is mostly about presentation - meaning smaller portions and exquisite wines - but the torch-lit atmosphere is captivating. Down at the beach in Pueblo La Playa,
La Playita
serves wonderful seafood (including your own day's catch if you like) in a breezy palapa.
Trattoria Chianti
, ObregA?n at Morelos, serves up excellent Italian food in a romantic courtyard setting; the pasta dishes and wood-fired pizza oven here make it a local gringo favourite.
Tropicana
, on the zA?calo, is another favourite, serving excellent seafood, often with Cuban dancers providing entertainment.
Rawhide
, ObregA?n and Guerrero, is a new expat-run southwestern cantina serving ribs and burgers, with a menu that includes such dishes as Buckshot Macaroni and Cheese.
Cactus Jack's
, on the southeast end of the zA?calo, serves decent food, but the karaoke here is the main draw for the locals. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Mexico,
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