I’m thinking of planning a trip to Baja California. I’ve never been there so I don’t know much about it. I’d like to go Feb/March-ish.
Does anyone have any suggestion about where to go or what to do while there? Or maybe recommend a good resource for info. I’m looking for a quieter type vacation - think Corona beer commercial. Small huts or cabanas maybe. Kayaking, snorkling and just beach lounging. Safe and inexpensive would be a plus.
Thanks.
I hear good things about Rosarito. Cruise lines stop at Ensanada, so that might be ok.
I’ve been to San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez, which is a nice sleepy little fishing village (except during Spring Break). It was a nice little drive from San Diego (a few hours). We had a good time just hanging out and having a few beers overlooking the water. We also had fun taking in some night life at the local club. We swam in the water which was quite warm.
The big BC attraction, though, is Cabo at the southern tip. I’ve never been. I’ve also heard good things about La Paz.
Some day, I would love to drive from San Diego to Cabo and to La Paz, then ferry over to the mainland and drive back north. If anyone has thoughts on this, perhaps the OP would not mind my piggy backing on this thread.
[Williard Whyte] Baja…!? [/Williard Whyte] 
Eat lobster.
A few years ago, I rented a car in TJ and just drove south and wandered around for about eight days. I didn’t go any further south than Guerrero Negro, where I went whale watching, which is the only thing to do there. Went to Santa Rosalita, and Bahia de los Angeles, which were both nice. But a few days of sleeping on the beaches, eating cheap food and drinking beer, and just kind of hanging out… it was a fantastic trip. Other than the whale watching, I can’t think of anything that I really did. Just go, drive around, relax, and… uh, have fun! I camped pretty much everywhere.
I feel like I’m not really being any help, but I didn’t really do anything of particular note. And it was one of the best vacations I’ve ever had.
I wouldn’t go down there unless I was with someone who knew their way around. Rosarito may be nice, but the police station was attacked by gunmen a couple of days ago…one policeman was murdered. Union-Tribune story.
If that’s not wild enough for you, a similar incident occurred last week. Tecate policeman killed in bed.
Mexico is a beautiful country with wonderful people. But not all of them are wonderful…as a tourist, you need to be aware.
Did it with my dad maybe 15 or 20 years ago. Well, the plan was to catch the ferry to Mazatlan, but it didn’t quite work out that way. When we got to the ferry terminal in La Paz (I think), we learned at the ticket counter that agricultural trucks have priority, and that it would probably be a few days before we could get our car onto the ferry.
Who knows, might have even been true. And who knows, if we’d known who to talk to, and how to do the talking, and how to properly show our appreciation, they might have gotten us on the ship anyhow. But we didn’t, and we didn’t want to get into any trouble from any stupid indiscretions (nor did either of us speak much Spanish), so we didn’t try. Never found out how we might have made reservations, if such were possible.
My dad was not the sit-around-bored type, so we drove back to Mexicali, then down to Mazatlan. (Then through Guadalajara, Mexico City, and the east coast up to Brownsville, Texas - where we discovered on driving away that we’d gotten cheated with a $15 over-charge on the gasoline credit slip).
Mexico is a fascinating country. Very nice resorts - right next to very dirty hovels and grinding poverty. Very laid back - though with some concern that we were strangers in a strange place. But we were probably safe enough - probably.
You want quiet, with snorkeling & beach, you say? Take a look at Cabo Pulmo … definitely away from the crowds, comfortable bungalows for rent, and couple of small, low-key restaurants (stay away from Nancy’s … ), nice beach, coral reef. You pretty much have to rent a car and drive from the Los Cabos airport, but it’s a pleasant, scenic drive.
If you want quiet, stay far, far away from Cabo; it’s overrun with cruise-shippers and looks tacky as all hell. I’d recommend Todos Santos, which is a small 60’s art colony a bit further up the peninsula. It also has what is purported to be the original “Hotel California”, but is not very tourist-y.
Keep an eye on the news and the travel recommendations of the State Dept.; there’s been a string of burglaries and rapes of tourists in Baja over the last month or two. One case sounded like something right out of A Clockwork Orange. AIUI, they’re mostly in surfing spots.
Also, don’t count on the cops for anything. From everything I’ve read, the cops near the border are on the losing side of an arms race with the drug cartels, so that’s inadequacy on top of the famous corruption and indifference.
That said, I’ve heard a lot of great things, so I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun as long as you keep your wits about you. That’s true of everything and every place, really, to some extent.
I hope that you seriously look into what has been going on recently in Baja. It might not make the national news, but I’m only 2 hours from the border so I get lots of stories in the local newspapers about people being robbed by the police and worse…
It happened to me not too far south of the border. My friends and I were sleeping on the beach at a popular surf spot. Late one night a car drove up and three uniformed officers got out and started picking up the pants that some of my friends had laid out next to their sleeping bags. These men causally removed the wallets and took the cash. I was the only one awake and saw the whole thing. Fortunately, I had kept my pants inside my bag. We left the next morning, but were pulled over by the police before we reached the border. We had to hand over $20.00 for the supposed violation we committed or they said we would have to follow them to the police station.
My little story is nothing compared to what has been happening lately. You might have a great time down there, but at least be aware of the current situation.
That happened to me once in Tijuana. A cop pulled me over for the supposed violation of driving with my arm around my girlfriend. He said the fine is $20. I asked if he would write me a ticket and he said no, $20. I asked what happens if I don’t pay $20 right now and he said I go to jail. Before entering Mexico, I gave all the money to my girlfriend except $13 in my wallet. I pulled out my wallet and told him I only have $13. He said he would reduce the fine to $13. I gave him the money and drove off.