Baja California, Mexico
Baja California is an over 700-mile-long peninsula that runs from the California and Arizona border down to the Pacific Ocean. There are two Mexican states on the Peninsula with the Northern and more populated state being Baja California and the Southern State being Baja California Sur (Baja California South). There are multiple cities that are famous for things like great beaches, wine country, medical tourism and resorts. A few cities you might be familiar with are Tijuana and Ensenada in Baja California and Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo (Los Cabos) in Baja California Sur. We have visited Ensenada twice and have visited Los Cabos. Here is what we saw in land where desert meeting the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
How to Get to Baja California and Transportation
There are a few different ways to get to Baja California. It’s easiest to fly into Baja California Sur if you are going to fly into the region as there are three international airports. The main international airport is San Jose Del Cabo with flights from all over the US and Mexico. There is also smaller La Paz and Loreto that do have international flights. We have flown AeroMexico and Delta to San Jose Del Cabo using both the domestic and international terminals. Flying into Baja California is a bit more challenging as the international airports are along the border with Tijuana and Mexicali having airports that mostly serve domestic flights in Mexico. Ensenada is the most tourist friendly city and doesn’t have an airport. The other good option is to visit by cruise. We have currently only visited Ensenada by cruise, but cruise ships do visit Los Cabos and other cities like La Paz. In my opinion, going by cruise is the best way to visit Ensenada and Baja California. The only other option is to drive from California or Arizona but that’s not really recommended.
As for transportation, I recommend booking tours, shore excursions and transportation services to get around. There are some public transportation options, but I think tours are the best option. You can opt to rent a car as well. We used Uber in Cabo San Lucas and it worked fine for us as well.
Country Information
Most US Citizens won’t need a visa or need to fill out any paperwork to enter Mexico. You just need a valid passport. I always recommend checking the US State Department website to check entry information for a country before you go just in case things change. We had no problem getting through after we were asked basic questions. Spanish is the official language but since this is such a heavy tourist area in general English is well known. It will help greatly if you know some basic Spanish when out and about because you cannot guarantee they will know English. Our Spanish was good enough to get us through most conversations. At the time of the writing the Mexican Peso is worth about $.05 dollars so a dollar can go pretty far. Some people will take US Dollars but the Peso is preferred. As with any country situations can change so pay attention to US State Department warnings in a location.
Safety
Safety is always on the mind when people think of Mexico and Central America. Its good to be safety conscious and careful not only when traveling but anywhere you are. The US State Department at the moment of this writing gives Baja California Sur state a level 2 rating (the same as much of Europe) and does not restrict US Government personnel from visiting any area in the state. For Baja California it is currently set as a Level 3 Reconsider Travel and has restrictions for government personnel in the Mexicali area on the border and certain roads. The danger areas seem to be along the border based on the travel advisory. They do recommend being careful if you are out late at night. We visited Ensenada by cruise so were not out at night and in Los Cabos we were not out at night. I personally do not like walking around downtown Houston so I wouldn’t do so in outside of areas with a good amount of people. It’s also advisable not to be out partying late (goes for any US city for that matter) as that is not the safest thing to do. We found the area around our hotel and the places we visited to be safe in our opinion. The museums and tourist sites we visited are also safe we found. The shopping centers were no different than back home in safety. This has been our experience and is our opinion but always look into it yourself and gauge your risk tolerance as anything can happen anywhere.
Los Cabos - Baja California Sur
The cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo are great resort cities on the Pacific and Sea of Cortez. They are in the desert and the interior of the state is full of mountains and is sparsely populated. The two cities of Los Cabos each have less than 250,000 people each with Cabo San Lucas being the larger of the two. The main international airport is in San Jose Del Cabo. The area is full of great resorts and beautiful scenery. If you love marine life, then this is the place for you with hundreds of whales migrating from Alaska in the Winter and early spring. While there is water water everywhere, most areas are not swimmable beaches due to high waves and steep drop offs close to the beach that even allow whales to swim up. There are plenty of great pools and places to relax. We visited for the first time in March of 2025 just in time for whale watching season.
Hotels and Resorts we Stayed at or Toured
We are working hard to tour and get to know different resorts around the world to be able to share information with you and to grow as Travel Agents with ET Family Travel. In the Los Cabos area so far we have stayed at three different resorts/hotels at different budget levels and we toured three more resorts. We got to know some of the staff and a lot about who might like each resort or hotel. We stayed at hotels and resorts close to San Jose Del Cabo and in the Cabo San Lucas area. Here are the different places we have visited so far (we will update as we visit more).
Casa Dorada Los Cabos Resort and Spa
We stayed at the wonderful Casa Dorada resort that is in Cabo San Lucas right on Cabo Bay. It’s location on the bay gives it a very nice swimmable beach that is somewhat hard to find in the region. The resort is close to downtown Cabo San Lucas so you have plenty of shopping, dining and activities available. The resort is smaller than some of the resorts in the area so if you are someone who wants a more intimate resort then this is a great place for you. The resort has a very nice Spa that we took advantage of with a thermal suite and great treatments. The hotel has wonderful views from the balconies of the bay and the mountains that lead to the famous “El Archo” (The Arch) in the Ocean. It’s especially nice for sunset and watching all the sunset cruises head back into the marina. The hotel has multiple restaurants that give you different options. They have a sit down dining restaurant that serves Mexican food that on the night we visited was all you can eat taco night. They had many unique tacos and a salad bar on the menu. They have a sushi bar and a brick over pizzeria that makes some of the best pizza we have had in our travels. Just outside of the resort on the promenade near the beach they have the buffet that you can get for breakfast. It has a short order cook, Mexican favorites and international food. You can sit outside and enjoy the view or stay indoors. The resort has a swim up bar and a lobby bar. There are different rates that can be booked with some having a “European Plan” meaning just the room is included, just breakfast included or a full all-inclusive selection.
The staff at the resort are amazing. They are very attentive and very friendly. While waiting in the lobby we were asked if we were waiting on a pickup so they could watch for it and on arrival we were given a nice welcome drink. We got room service one night and Fernado waited on us and spent time making things great for us. He set our table for us, got us ice and then after we were done came back and took all of it away. Like all the staff, he exemplified the friendly and caring that you get at the resort. He spent some time talking with us about Mexico and the resort and if they have the time any of the staff are willing to chat. The resort has miniature golf and activities for kids. Fredy from marketing gave us a great tour of the resort. We will for sure come back and stay at Casa Dorada in the future!
Our Room and other Rooms at the Resort
Hilton Los Cabos Beach and Golf Resort
On our first night in Los Cabos, we stayed at the beautiful Hilton Los Cabos Beach and Golf Resort. It’s located in between San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas in a fairly quiet area away from the cities. It’s a luxury resort with a beautiful lobby, walking spaces, pool area and beach. The resort is another that has a swimmable beach in the area. The resort is not an all-inclusive resort but has many great dining options. We arrived after sunset direct from the airport and we were immediately greeted by the staff and helped with our bags while we checked in. There was a small ice cream cart in the lobby, and we were offered instead of a welcome drink, a gourmet welcome popsicle! They came in many different flavors such as spicy pineapple, lime, and some alcoholic options like a margarita popsicle. It was a very unique and nice way to arrive to get a cool and refreshing popsicle after a long flight in. We found out during our tour the next day that they rotate welcome amenities and were trying out welcome popsicles. I love the unique ideas they are trying. After a quick check in our bags were brought to our room and the bellman made sure all was well for us in the room. It was a great check in with once again a friendly and helpful staff.
In our very nice deluxe ocean view we were greeted to a chocolate airplane and chocolate balls with our travel agencies’ that we are agents with (ET Family Travel) logo underneath. Another small detail they paid attention to in welcoming us to the resort. We visited their Mexican food restaurant devoted to tequila and mescal and got great food with a view of the entire resort. It was more of a fine dining style with a casual dress code, so the prices were higher than a dining restaurant but were not overly high for the great food and service including a nice appetizer plate with olives, sauces and dried corn to eat that was included. It was a great meal to start off with as we had great service, and it tasted great.
The next day we headed to an awesome buffet breakfast on a terrace that overlooked the resort and the ocean. From our table we could watch many humpback whales coming up for air not too far offshore. It was an amazing breakfast with good food, good service and a very unique view watching nature. We then took a tour of the resort and saw all it has to offer which is a lot. There are multiple pools including a quiet pool, a pool with a swim up bar, 21 years of age and older adults only pool and a kid’s pool with small slides. There are plenty of beach chairs including some in a whale watching area so you can relax and watch the whales. As for dining there are plenty of great options with the Agave/Tequila inspired Mexican restaurant we tried, the buffet, a fine dining Mediterranean food, and a fine dining fresh seafood restaurant. They also have a unique concept called “La Biblioteca” (The Library) which is a small group dining experience where expert chefs pair different Mexican food with drinks like tequila in a learning experience.
In the beach area there are private cabanas for rental and on the beach itself a fire pit for smores at night. The swimmable beach is a cove near the main beach area. If you want more luxury you can upgrade to the AltaMar experience. They have people at the pools who will bring around an amenity like the popsicles or frozen fruit. As we checked out the lady who gave us the tour was waiting for us to see us off and to make sure all was well. They really do care about their customers and we got a Popsicle to go!
Our Room and Other Rooms in the Resort
Hampton Inn and Suites - Los Cabos
While on our trip we stayed and toured hotels of multiple budget levels and types to get a feel for different options. The Hampton Inn was a budget option we stayed at the night before we headed home. It’s the hotel closest to the San Jose Del Cabo International Airport we stayed at or toured while on the trip. It is not located on a beach but is just off the main road linking Los Cabos. It is in an area with a large shopping center with different restaurant options and is next door to a private hospital. Just down the street looked to be homes meant for Expats and a large and nice private school. We found the hotel very nice especially for a lower priced option. Our room was a suite and was very large with a bar and living area and a separate bedroom. It was comfortable in our room and the hotel in general was nice. The pool was on the roof so you got views of the ocean in the distance over the mountains. I was able to see some whales as well from up there. It is a fairly large are on the roof with a small bar, and lounging areas as well. A nice gym is also on the roof level. The breakfast was free like at any Hampton inn but as we find at most Hampton Inn international locations the breakfast was much more extensive, and of higher quality than you might find in the US. Don’t get me wrong I like Hampton Inn breakfast in the US but this Hampton Inn had multiple types of eggs, chorizo, Mexican sweet bread and so much more. If you are on a budget and do not mind booking tours that pick you up or rent a car, and do not have to be on a beach, this might be a good option for you.
Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
If you are looking for a unique ultra-high end luxury hotel then The Waldorf Astoria is a great place for you. We toured the resort and it is outstanding as you might expect from a Waldorf Astoria property. To get to the resort you have to pass through a tunnel through a mountain that is decorated with lights that is a unique touch when arriving. We were immediately met by staff welcoming us to the resort and were offered a welcome drink that was pretty strong. The resort is on the side of a mountain with beautiful high up Pacific Ocean views. There is no swimmable beach at the resort but they have plenty of great pools. As we waited for our tour we watched as a wedding rehearsal was going on the terrace overlooking the ocean. It would certainly be a great small wedding venue. When Estephanie from the resort started our tour she let us know that at the resort many Movie Stars, Athletes and wealthy businesspeople stay at the resort from time to time so it is a great luxury option and who knows who you might run into. The resort has an amazing spa with a stunning pool for it’s guests. The resort has multiple bars including top shelf tequila that is paired with food. They also have a large wine cellar with top notch quality wines including a house wine that is very popular. As for restaurants they have gourmet Mexican Food, a fresh seafood restaurant on the cliff side, the buffet and a coffee shop where you can learn about coffee and get deli options. There are multiple room categories including small villas. While there we also saw whales and a beautiful falcon flying within the rocks. It’s a wonderful resort that I would love to stay at and experience a full stay. It is a Hilton Property so you can use points to lower the cost a bit.
Estrella Suite with Plunge Pool
Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos (All-Inclusive)
There are not quite as many fully All-Inclusive hotels as there are in Cancun in the Los Cabos area, but the Hard Rock Hotel is a good choice if you want one. The resort is quite far from Cabo with an at least 20-30-minute drive from the city center to the resort, so it is good it is All-Inclusive as it will take a little while to get to shopping and food options. The resort is in an area that is being developed but as we took an Uber there, we passed by quite a bit of desert as we arrived. The resort itself is huge with multiple sections including an area for time-shares. Inside and outside it’s a beautiful resort, and is decorated with the trademark music artists costumes, records and of course instruments throughout the resort. If you are looking for a quiet resort, then another resort would be more suited for you, but if you love rock and a very lively vibe then this is the resort for you. The resort has a ton of activities for everyone with five different pools. They have a pool for the Legendary Guests (Vacation Club), an adult only, a quiet pool, a pool with slides for kids and the famous red diamond pool with a DJ stand in the middle. The resort has a night club and the only bowling alley in the Los Cabos area. A unique touch outside of the bowling alley is a music studio that is free to go play in but does cost extra if you want a professional recording. As for dinning they have plenty of great options that are included with no reservation needed. They of course have a buffet like most resorts. They also have an Asian restaurant with Teppanyaki and sit down, a gourmet Mexican, a unique Yucatan/Mayan style BBQ, Italian, Pizzaria, and a coffee bar. The resort also has a great Spa and a theater for different shows. This is also a resort that has a lot of weddings, and we saw one going on when we were there. There are large meeting spaces as well. There is no swimmable beach being on the Pacific Ocean, but you can walk along the beach. There is a steep drop off as we saw a Humpback Whale very close to the beach. We really like the resort and would for sure stay there ourselves someday!
Rock Royalty Ocean View Two Queen Beds Pictures and Tour
Rock Suite Ocean View Pictures and Walkthrough
Esperanza Los Cabos Resort
We visited the beautiful luxury resort of Esperanza that is on the level of the Waldorf Astoria Resort that we visited. It’s a resort where famous and wealthy do stay from time to time. We were not able to tour any rooms as they were completely sold out during Spring Break. The resort itself is beautiful with a great view of the water on a tall cliff. They don’t have a swimmable beach but have multiple wonderful pools. The resort has multiple great restaurants and fine dining. They have a wonderful spa where the staff was super friendly. The resort is a great place to go if you are looking for high end accommodations in a somewhat smaller resort setting.
Catamaran Whale Watching Tour
Since we came during the time where multiple whale species had journeyed thousands of miles to the Sea of Cortez. We went on an amazing boat ride and fufilled a bucket list goal of seeing the whales in the wild. We picked up the tour at Cabo San Lucas Marina and headed out first to the iconic “El Archo” that represents Los Cabos. There were plenty of boats enjoying the view. A Royal Caribbean Ship passed by that gave us amazing pictures. We headed out into the Pacific and could see plenty fo whales breathing with the spots of water as they come by. After a while we got some close views of whale tales as they dove back into the deep. Our catamaran got close to a mother and child Humpback whale. In March most mothers have had their babies and are preparing to head back to Alaska. We got close enough that we could hear the sounds as they breathed. A little later they dropped a hydrophone down into water where we could very clearly hear the sounds of the whales singing to each other. As we headed back on a beautiful ride back to the marina we saw dolphins and seals looking for fish from the fishermen. It was an amazing experience that we would love to do again. If you have the chance to go, absolutely take the opportunity.
Bookable Whale Watching Tours (Click Below):
Tours and Transportation Options from Los Cabos
Ensenada - Baja California
Baja California is the Northernmost Mexican State on the peninsula and is much more populated that Baja California Sur. The largest cities in the state are Tijuana, Mexicali and Ensenada. At the time of this writing there are travel warnings for areas of Tijuana and Mexicali, but none specifically for Ensenada. It’s a state that borders the US so there is a lot of trade and tourism business that goes on in the state. Ensenada is the only city in the state that we have been to and is fairly large as just under 300,000 people living there. Ensenada is a stop on multiple different cruise itineraries, including short weekend cruises out of Los Angeles like we have done twice. It’s less than 75 miles from the US border so it is drivable but I prefer cruising. It has a mild climate great for wine and outdoor activities. Here are our experiences in Ensenada!
How to Get to Ensenada and Transportation
The options in getting to Ensenada are a bit more limited than the Los Cabos area as the only true international airports are Tijuana and Mexicali with the majority of the flights to those airports are domestic Mexican flights. You can drive to Ensenada from the US or from Tijuana or Mexicali, but I recommend heading there by cruise ship. The weekend cruise options out of Los Angeles usually have a sea day and a port day in Ensenada, but they do vary in itinerary. While in Ensenada if you did not drive there then I recommend taking bookable excursions that can take you into Ensenada and beyond. Uber is available in Ensenada, and it worked out well for us when heading to a museum in Ensenada. For cruise ship visitors there is a shuttle service from the port to downtown and back that we used to get back to the ship. It cost around $2 a person for the 10-minute ride. Much of the city itself is walkable even from the port.
Safety
Much of the same safety information written about for Los Cabos applies for Ensenada as well. In our experiences we have never had any safety issues going on tours and walking the downtown area during the day on our own. You should absolutely use your normal precautions, and I don’t recommend staying out late a night if you are staying there. Baja California is rated level 3 by the US State Department with much of the safety issues are in the border cities. Going on guided tours greatly helps safety in my opinion. This advice is just from our experiences, and you should make your own judgement and research.
La Bufadora
One of the main tourist attractions in the Ensenada area is the La Bufadora. It’s a blowhole created by an ancient lava tube that when the ocean waves hit it right a water geyser shoots up into the air. It’s on a cliffside the drops into the Pacific Ocean. It’s a scenic and beautiful view. Legend has it that it’s a trapped whale in the stone and blows water to this day. Like in most sites around the world there is a large marketplace where you can buy plenty of handicrafts and there are small Mexican pharmacies throughout. We got fish tacos from a small restaurant in the market and they were some of the best fish tacos we have had. It was very fresh fish and affordable food. La Bufadora is around 20 miles from Ensenada and is a nice place to visit while you are there. We visited it on our first trip there. Do know there is a bit of a walk from the parking area through the marketplace to get to the marine geyser.
La Bufadora Tours:
Hotel Riveria del Pacifico
On our first trip to Ensenda we did a “Best of Ensenada” tour, so we went into the city to visit a historic hotel that in the 1930s to the 1950s was frequented by movies stars like Lucille Ball (“I Love Lucy”), Bing Crosby and others during it’s prime. It was a luxury resort with murals and stylish accommodations. The popularity of resorts in Mexico was due to prohibition in the US and it was a relatively close place to party and go to casinos. The hotel’s success was short lived, and it closed in the 1964. Today it has been restored, and it is a community center and museum for Ensenada. You can see the luxury and beautiful murals and art when walking through. There are many legends as to where and how the Margarita was invented and one legend states it was first made at the resort bar. This stop is a great place to see the luxury of the golden years of Hollywood and try a Margarita in a place it was said to have been invented.
Wine Tasting in Ensenada
If you don’t have the time to visit the up-and-coming Baja California Wine Route over the mountains about an hour’s drive from Ensenada, then you can visit wineries in Ensenada itself. We visited one and had the opportunity to try Mexican wine and hear the history of the relatively new wine industry in Mexico. It’s a great spot to get acquainted with Mexican Wine that before that time I was not aware of.
The Wine Route Tour
On our second trip to Ensenada, we took a Wine Route tour to go into the interior of the peninsula to visit the vineyards and factories of Mexican wine. There are many but we only had time to visit two vineyards on our quick day trip on our cruise. The drive is beautiful from Ensenada to the wine country. You pass by universities and scientific centers that are prominent in Ensenada that I was not aware of. As you leave the coast you head into the desert mountains and come out into a green and large valley named “Valle de Guadalupe” that is full of vineyards. We passed by small villages, boutique hotels and restaurants. It’s a very scenic and unique area in Baja California. We visited the largest winery that is commercial and exports to the US and an organic small vineyard on our tour.
L. A. Cetto Estate
Our first Mexican Vineyard was the L. A. Cetto Estate which is a large family-owned vineyard which sources all their own grapes from their own vines. They have a very large facility with many barrels and processing tanks for the wine. In our guided tour we got to see the vines that were starting to produce grapes and the factory that was not yet in action due to the season (hadn’t harvested grapes yet). The estate also has olives that they harvest to make olive oil and olives to eat. We then had the chance to try multiple different wine types, the olive oil they produce and cheese and bread. It was all very good, and I would recommend it to anyone. They sell their wines and olive oils at very affordable prices. We purchased a bottle of the olive oil and then the vineyard gave us a small bottle of their wine as a gift. It is a great place to visit and had great products!
La Casa de Dona Lupe
The Dona Lupe Vineyard is a small family run vineyard that has a nice restaurant and shop to visit. We were given a flight of wine from the vineyard to try, and we ordered some amazing tacos and their made from scratch pizza. The food was great, and many locals were there enjoying music, food, drinks and the nice day. It is a very peaceful place with great scenery and plenty of different products to buy. The wine and food were great, and it was a great place to relax for a bit. After our visit we headed back into Ensenada, and we asked to be dropped off in downtown so we could visit a museum and do a bit of shopping.
Ensenada Wine Tours:
Regional Historic Museum of Ensenada
After our wine tour, we headed to downtown Ensenada and to the regional historic museum that went over the history of the Baja California state and Ensenada. The museum is located in the former Mexican Military barracks for Ensenada. Inside there are exhibits about prehistoric times to the current days. It goes over the native populations and the Spanish arriving in the region. Like in most areas of Mexico, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas missions to convert the indigenous population were important to the region. The areas maritime history is displayed, and the old barracks jail can be toured. It took us around 30 minutes to tour the museum and most exhibits are in both Spanish and English. There is a small fee for entering the museum.
Shopping in Ensenada
In the downtown area that’s around a 20-minute walk from the port, there are many different shops, bars and restaurants you can visit. The vendors will semi-aggressively try to get you to visit their shop or restaurant. Many shops sell local handicrafts, but you can find plenty of other things on the various streets. We stopped at a nice shop and bought a few things. The man running the shop was very friendly and positive about life and people. He once again showed us the kindness we find in Latin America. If you are looking for more affordable medications, they also have plenty of pharmacies in the area. The city also has plenty of nice parks and areas where we saw locals relaxing and kids playing in fountains. After our shopping we caught the shuttle back to the port and headed out of Ensenada.
Ensenada Tour Options:
Marine Life and Warships in the Pacific
The Baja California state also has abundant sea life you can see from the cruise ship or on a tour. While cruising on our second cruise to Ensenada we saw dolphins, a humpback whale, seals and a great white shark swimming by our ship. We have seen more sea life near our ships off the coast of Baja California and Baja California Sur than any other we have ever sailed in.
On our very first Ensenada cruise, while sailing past San Diego which is a huge Naval hub we watched multiple Aircraft Carriers and Navy destroyers in operation off the coast. It was really interesting to see our Navy in action. If you are taking a cruise to Western Mexico, be sure and take some time to watch the ocean as you have no idea what you might get to see.
Conclusion and Tips
Los Cabos and Ensenada are wonderful places to visit. They are places of natural beauty and abundant sea life. There are also outdoor and adventure activities you can do in the rugged interior of the peninsula. The Los Cabos area is one of luxury and resorts but there are budget friendly options there. There are fewer All-Inclusive resorts compared to Cancun but there are plenty of great places to eat throughout the area. Water activities are a must and if you visit during whale watching season (Mid-December to Mid-April) heading out on a tour is a must do and bucket list type of item. You can both fly in or cruise to Los Cabos. Ensenada is a great cruise destination in Baja California with good shopping, vineyards and a unique blowhole in La Bufadora. Ensenada is a bit more difficult to get to by plane so if you want to stay there you would have to drive which is not really recommended. It’s a very different landscape than in Cancun with a semi-arid climate with less humidity but it can get hot. Be sure to drink to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. If visiting during hurricane season Baja California Sur is susceptible to hurricanes especially during the peak in August and September so watch the news to stay aware.
There is so much more to see and do in Baja California and Baja California Sur. There are cities like La Paz and Magical Cities like Loreto, Tecate and others that we have yet to explore. We have yet to visit all of Los Cabos as well. It’s a beautiful area and has more large marine life than I have seen anywhere else in my travels. Head to the Baja California region and you will love it as much as we have!
