Whether you are in the Golden Zone, or shopping in the Centro Historico, you will be in sight of a policeman 80% of the time. There are regular police patrols, and they do a good job of keeping everything safe, day and night. You really can walk freely in the streets at night, with no problems.
Driving down to Mazatlan may seem like a long and dangerous task, but it is surprisingly easy if you are armed with a little information. Our family of 4 drove down from Edmonton, Alberta, many times, and it was all trouble-free.
You will have to buy Mexican auto insurance, as your policy will not cover you while in Mexico. There are many insurance brokers on the U.S. side of the border, but Sanborns is one of the best. They have offices on almost any border town, or you can buy the insurance online, before you take your trip. This will be one less stop on your way to Mexico. http://www.sanbornsinsurance.com
Crossing the border into Mexico is very easy, and you may not even know that you are in Mexico. Up to 20 kilometers south of the border is the Free Trade Zone, and there are virtually no restrictions. Leaving this zone, you will be stopped and required to complete some paperwork and pay some fees to enter Mexico. You will be required to register your vehicle, declare any imports, and pay any duties.
You can also use this handy map and information produced by the Pacific Pearl, Mazatlans premiere monthly magazine for tourists and English speaking residents. The Pacific Pearl benefits both tourists and residents, as it provides reliable information for us, and promotes businesses in Mazatlan that have been proven to be trustworthy that many American and Canadian expatriates use every day.