We're a group of volunteers who have organized ourselves in Mazatlán, Mexico to provide a warm welcome for visitors. Armed with free information, maps and our own working knowledge of the pretty port town on the Sea of Cortez, the blue-shirted Mazatlán Tourist Aide volunteers dispense smiles along with down-to-earth info about our city.

The group’s primary goal is to help cruise ship tourists with limited time experience the city and find the things they’re interested in. Whether it’s strolling the town’s Centro Historico (with its beautiful restored turn-of-the-century buildings), a lazy afternoon at one of many beaches, enjoying fantastic seafood, or walking along the miles-long oceanfront malecón (boardwalk), Mazatlán Tourist Aide volunteers provide detailed info – and lots of smiles - free of charge.

Mazatlán’s State Office of Tourism has produced special, easy-to-read “Follow the Blue Line” maps. The “blue line” refers to an actual line painted in the street from the cruise ship docks to the Plaza Machado, the historic and artistic center of Mazatlán, to help folks find their way. Volunteers in the plaza and along the way wear bright blue T-shirts printed with “Mazatlán Tourist Aide Volunteer.”

Currently there are several locations with volunteers, and more volunteers walking in the most heavily traveled areas.  The group has several dozens of volunteers, with more joining on a regular basis. Most are “second-homers” and live in Mazatlán 4-6 months a year, while others are year-round residents.

Mazatlán Tourist Aide Volunteers was created by Roger Culbertson, who owned Mazatlán Homes Real Estate, and Tom Reaney, who was the owner of Mazatlán Connection Travel Agency. The group has no commercial interests and does not promote any commercial enterprises; its sole purpose is to keep tourists from getting lost, and direct them to what they want to do: shopping, dining, sightseeing and any other areas of interest.