Baja Travel Guidebook

Travel from the border of California to Land’s End at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula along the Transpeninsular Highway.........

TIJUANA with its tourist shops, skyscrapers and sprawling slums give a wild first impression. Shop here on your way home. Good bargains and entertaining bargaining not to be found between here and Cabo San Lucas.

ENSENADA is a seaside resort town with a near constant party atmosphere. Baja's third largest city offers tourist entertainment, fresh seafood and quiet Mexican suburbs.

ENSENADA TO SAN QUINTIN takes you along 118 miles of winding road through rich farm land and vineyards. Small farming towns sell tamales, olives and tomatoes. Watch for killer speed bumps at Santo Tomas.

EL ROSARIO is home to the Espinosa family. Mama Espinosa's restaurant is right next to the PEMEX and serves the best lobster.

EL ROSARIO TO CATAVINA takes you through a desert garden rich with odd shaped cacti, colorful wildflowers in the spring and multi colored rocks and boulders Prepare for some exquisite photographs of the boulders and cactus at sunset or sunset. Camp among the rocks at any one of the pull-offs or stay at the only hotel in town.

GUERRERRO NEGRO marks the 28th parallel separating the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur. January to March is the breeding season for the gray whales. Tours available.

SAN IGNACIO takes your breath away with the sight of date palms, citrus trees and vineyards. The Jesuit mission faces a plaza shaded by huge laurel trees. Tours for whale watching and cave paintings from here.

SANTA ROSALIA on the Sea of Cortez, offers another surprise with its wooden frame French Colonial buildings. This 19th century mining town boasts one of the best bakeries on the peninsula. Ferry to Guaymas and mainland Mexico.

MULEGE is the second oasis-like town we come to. With its lush vegetation and neat, narrow streets this town offers kayaking, fishing, SCUBA diving and trips to nearby cave paintings.

LORETO may at first appear to be a dusty little town but is a favorite spot for kayaking, offshore fishing, tennis and golf.

CIUDAD CONSTITUTION is a farm center just 45 minutes from Bahia Magdalena where the gray whales can be seen January to March.

LA PAZ, the city of peace, is home to divers, kayakers, mountain bikers, sailors and those in search of sandy beaches and warm waters. La Paz retains the feel of a Mexican town while offering activities for the outdoor enthusiast.

TODOS SANTOS is a small experimental agricultural center with a slowly emerging artists' community. Quiet and tranquil with an excellent bakery and close to the beach, it's definitely a place to linger.

CABO DEL ESTE - The East Cape's dramatic location invites windsurfers, mountain bikers and beach walkers alike. Historic towns dot the area among the fruit farms.

LOS CABOS - The two Cabos are two different stories:
CABO SAN LUCAS is at the fabled tip where the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific meet. The town is geared to tourist whims: shopping, arts and crafts, eating, drinking and entertainment. A highlight here is the boat trip to the tip where the arched rock looms.
SAN JOSE DEL CABO is located 10 miles south of the Los Cabos International Airport and 21 miles from Cabo San Lucas. San Jose is the larger of the two] Cabos and offers a comfortable blend of the Old and the New in architecture, services and amenities. The downtown church and the plaza are the focal points of Old Town. The beach is lined with modern resort hotels and a golf course. The small but busy public market abounds with fresh fruits, vegetables and juices.