Day 1

Cross the U.S.–Mexico border at San Ysidro early in the day and head south through Tijuana with an optional sightseeing stop to tour the Foxploration Studios. Try a lobster roll in Puerto Nuevo (30 km from TJ).

Make your way to Ensenada by afternoon (116 km from TJ). Walk the downtown promenade and spend the night at one of the modest hotels in town.

Day 2

Spend the day tasting boutique wines in the rural Valle de Guadalupe, a half-hour drive from downtown Ensenada, then pack the car and return to Mexico 1 to continue the drive south. Before Maneadero, take the turnoff to La Bufadora to watch seawater explode out of a blowhole in the rocks.

Reach San Quintín (190 km from Ensenada) or El Rosario (374 km/3 hours) by nightfall. At low tide, dig for clams along Playa Santa María near San Quintín.

Alternate Route: If you’re in a hurry to reach destinations farther south and have the stamina for a long day of driving, you can skip some of these northern attractions and overnight at Guerrero Negro instead.

Day 3

Buy fresh tortillas and stock up on water and groceries in San Quintín or El Rosario, then prepare to make the four-hour trip across the desert. A smorgasbord of cacti—some of them 40 feet tall and hundreds of years old—extends from highway to horizon in all directions. Giant boulder piles, roadside shrines, and jagged peaks of the Sierra de la Asamblea complete the picture.

Fill up on gas in Cataviña if the station is open, and stay overnight if daylight is waning; otherwise, continue to Guerrero Negro.

Sidetrip: After Cataviña, take the paved road east to Bahía de los Ángeles on the Sea of Cortez (68 km one-way; add 1–2 days).

Day 4

Back on Mexico 1, a 145-kilometer drive from Guerrero Negro leads to the palm oasis of San Ignacio. With more time, you can tour the historic mission, arrange a guided trip to nearby cave paintings, or in winter head west to the Ignacio Lagoon to see the whales.

Sidetrip: South of Guerrero Negro at Vizcaíno Junction, take the 166-kilometer road (paved the first half of the drive) west to the Vizcaíno Peninsula and the sleepy coastal towns of Bahía Asunción and Bahía Tortugas (6 hours one-way; add 2–3 days).

Days 5–6

Today’s journey brings the first glimpse of the shimmering Sea of Cortez as you descend into the former silver mining town of Santa Rosalía (74 km). Walk the busy streets of town and note the French influence that lingers long after the mines closed.

In the afternoon, follow Mexico 1 to Mulegé, 134 kilometers farther south. Spend a couple nights at a B&B along the river in this tropical seaside town, or camp on a remote beach along Bahía Concepción. Spend the next two days wandering the town; book a day of diving through Cortez Explorers; snorkel the beaches along Bahía Concepción just south of town; or arrange a guided tour of the nearby cave paintings.

Days 7–9

Pack up for the 135-kilometer (2.5-hr) drive south to Loreto. Settle in for a few days to enjoy the wealth of outdoor recreation at your doorstep. A national marine park, historic mission, and pleasant malecón await exploration.

Excursion: Visit one of the best-preserved Jesuit missions on the peninsula in the tiny village of San Javier, a 36-kilometer (22-mi) drive southwest of Loreto.

Day 10

Day 10 is a travel day to La Paz, 367 kilometers south on Mexico 1. Allow about six hours for the trip, including a brief stop for gas and food in the agricultural supply center of Ciudad Constitución. Book a room near the malecón in La Paz in time to catch the sunset.

Sidetrip: During whale-watching season (Nov.–Mar.), Puerto San Carlos on Bahía Magdalena is worth a drive west from Ciudad Insurgentes (57 km).

Day 11

Spend at least one day at the beach or in the water. Explore the pristine beaches along Bahía La Paz, finishing the day at breezy Playa Tecolote, 30 minutes from downtown. Or book a day of diving or kayaking and snorkeling at Isla Espíritu Santo.

Day 12

Shop for souvenirs, supplies, and gifts in the morning. Stock up on groceries, and prepare to begin the Cape loop.

Next up: the East Cape. It’s a 90-minute drive through the mountains and mining-turned-farming towns of El Triunfo, San Antonio, and San Bartolo. Your particular destination depends on the activities you wish to pursue, the type of accommodations you prefer, and the amount of off-road driving you are willing to do.

Los Barriles (paved roads only) has several modest hotels, RV campgrounds, a windsurfing camp, and some private vacation rentals; a half-hour farther south, Cabo Pulmo has more primitive lodging in solar-powered casitas and three dive operators. In between are a handful of fishing lodges and private vacation rentals.

Sidetrip: During the windy season (Nov.–Mar.), drive 40 kilometers southeast from La Paz along BCS 286 to Bahía de La Ventana and the neighboring villages of La Ventana and El Sargento. Watch the colorful sails of kiteboarders and windsurfers gliding through the chop; or pile in a panga for a day of diving at Isla Cerralvo across the channel.

Return to Mexico 1 via the newly paved road that connects San Juan de los Planes to San Antonio. (Add one day.)

Day 13

Spend today playing on, in, or near the Sea of Cortez, then pack wet gear in the car and continue the Cape loop to the southernmost tip of the peninsula.

Prepare for culture shock as you enter the scenic Los Cabos Corridor. After two weeks of relative isolation, the mega-resorts and developed tourist infrastructure of San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas may come as a surprise.

Wander the streets surrounding the plaza and Boulevard Mijares to get a feel for San José. Browse the art galleries and Mexican fire opal stores downtown and splurge on a late lunch or early dinner at a restaurant that specializes in alta cocina mexicana.

Continue along the Transpeninsular Highway to Cabo San Lucas if you’re in the mood for a more vibrant nightlife.

Day 14

Snorkel at Playa Chileno or Playa Santa María on the Corridor. Book a massage at one of the five-star resorts if the mood strikes and budget allows.

Tour the marina and downtown area of Cabo San Lucas, and take a water taxi to Playa del Amor and El Arco at Land’s End. Stay the night to enjoy the lively bar and disco scene around town.

Day 15

Now it’s time to point the GPS north and explore the West Cape and Todos Santos.

Follow Mexico 19 out of Cabo San Lucas. Look for surf, or just have a picnic at one of the rugged beaches west of the highway.

Continue north to Km 64 and Playa Los Cerritos. Swim, boogie board, or surf at one of the only protected beaches along the West Cape. Then make your way to accommodations on the beach in El Pescadero (Km 62) or in the town Todos Santos, a few miles farther north.

Day 16

Head northwest across the huerta to el otro lado, the other side of town, where you can catch waves, cast a fishing line in the surf, or simply stroll the beach at Playa La Pastora. In winter, watch for flying mantas and whales breaching just offshore. Around 3 p.m., drive south to Punta Lobos to watch local fishermen unload their fresh catch, and buy some dorado or huachinango (red snapper) for dinner.

Days 17–18

Complete the Cape loop along Mexico 19 by returning to La Paz, where you’ll pick up Mexico 1 again. Now it’s time to begin retracing your steps, filling in any missed sights or optional side trips along the way.

Spend the first night in Loreto, after a seven-hour drive, and the next in San Ignacio (5 hours) or Guerrero Negro (7 hours).

Days 19–20

Leave the state of Baja California Sur early in the morning, and head back across the desert to El Rosario (5 hours) or San Quintín (6 hours).

Day 21

Today, it’s back to civilization. Follow Mexico 1 north to the last military checkpoint at Maneadero. At El Sauzal, north of Ensenada, choose between the toll road north to Tijuana, or Mexico 3, which heads northeast to Tecate (105 km).

Savor one last meal of tacos and Tecate beer. Then cross the border and leave Baja behind, for now.

© Nikki Goth Itoi from Moon Baja, 9th Edition