Mazatlan: Solar Eclipse

We went to see the solar eclipse in Mazatlan. The hotels and flights were super expensive, but Ethan figured out how to make it affordable by going to Culiacan instead of Mazatlan, and staying at a hotel in Mazatlan that does not have online booking. All restaurants were great. One note is that restaurants in this area close early (like 6pm) and may not open on Sundays, so call ahead.

Itinerary

4/4. Thursday 
Fly to Culiacan, Sinaloa (flight stop at Guadalajara) 
Hotel: Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham 

4/5. Friday 
Beach: Playita Altata 
Dinner: Restaurante Panama 

4/6. Saturday 
Visited church: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe 
Visited downtown: Catedral Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Rosario 
Restaurant Taqueria Compa Layo 

4/7. Sunday 
Drive to Mazatlan 
Lunch at: Restaurant Concha Querida. [Note: The restaurant name is "La Taberna", but on Google Map you need to use "Restaurant Concha Querida" to find the right location. ] 
Stayed at La Palapa Hotel Familiar 

4/8. Monday 
Lunch at Restaurant La Curva II 
Drive to Culiacan, Sinaloa 
Hotel: ibis Culiacan 

4/9. Tuesday 
Depart from Culiacan, to OAK (flight stop at Guadalajara)

Photos

4/4

We saw beautiful sunset on the airplane.


We got a rental car and drove to Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham. The hotel has a gated parking lot that the guests can talk over the intercom to get in. 

4/5

The hotel offered very nice hot breakfast with chicken fajitas, chilaquiles etc. After a big breakfast, we drove to Playita Altata. A nice beach. There were a lot of seafood restaurants along the beach. We ate at one and it was very good. 


We had dinner at Restaurante Panama, which was next door to our hotel. The food was very nice.


4/6

We visited the church Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Afterwards we walked around downtown and I caught some pokemon. We then decided to have a haircut.

Ethan bought to-go tacos from Restaurant Taqueria Compa Layo for lunch. We all loved the food. 

We spent the afternoon watching TV in the hotel room. For dinner, we went to Restaurant Taqueria Compa Layo because we liked our lunch food. I ordered the seafood bowl, and it was amazing! 



4/7

We drove to Mazatlan. The beach area was pretty but really crowded. Claire did not like it so we did not spend much time there. 



We found a really nice restaurant, La Taberna, and had great ceviche and arrachera beef. On Google Map, this restaurant location is somehow showing up as Restaurant Concha Querida. We liked the food so much that we went there again for dinner after spending the afternoon watching TV in the hotel. It was close to 6pm. Ethan said that restaurants in this area close early, so he called the restaurant. They were already closing but said that they would wait for us. Indeed, they waited for us and grilled BBQ ribs right there when we arrived.



There was a cat and a dog at the restaurant. Claire liked them a lot. 



4/8

We watched solar eclipse at the hotel parking lot. My cell phone camera does not do any justice of the sight.


We then checked out of the hotel and drove towards Culiacan. We stopped for lunch at Restaurant La Curva II. They had really great tacos and Claire liked their chilaquiles. 



In Culiacan, we had dinner at Restaurante Panama again. 


We flew back the next day. My only regret of the trip: one can only overeat so much.



Location: Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico

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