As a regional hub for agricultural commerce, Colonia Vicente Guerrero (pop. 10,600) has a post office, police station, and medical clinic as well as a grocery store, ATMs, and several places to eat. The Pemex is open around the clock. ABC buses stop here, and there are three RV parks in town.

Migrant workers from mainland Mexico tend to crops of tomatoes and strawberries in the surrounding fields. On the coast, surf-casting is a popular pastime for locals and visitors alike.

Misión Santo Domingo de la Frontera

Padres Miguel Hidalgo and Manuel García founded the second Dominican mission (1775–1839) in Baja near the Arroyo Santo Domingo, northeast of Vicente Guerrero. Although it occupied a strategic location, with ample freshwater and easy coastal access, the mission grew slowly at first. It produced large quantities of corn and wheat and traded otter furs with ships that came to nearby San Quintín. But the indigenous people suffered from disease, and the mission was abandoned in 1839.

During its life, the mission occupied three sites in the Vicente Guerrero area. Ruins at the third and final site are among the most recognizable of all the ruins on the peninsula. Mexico’s INAH agency has protected the site by reinforcing the crumbling adobe walls, putting a fence around the mission quadrangle, and adding an entry kiosk. A building on-site now contains a small collection of items from the mission era.

Hotels and Camping

The San Quintín Valley has a new property offering outstanding quality and value in accommodations: The 32 rooms at the Mission Inn (tel. 616/166-4400, U.S. tel. 877/560-7666, www.hotelmissioninn.com, US$50, tax included) have parquet floors, comfortable beds, good lighting, a desk and chair for computer work, and fluffy towels. Other features include flat-screen high-definition TVs, remote-control air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, plenty of parking, and 24-hour security. Two of the rooms are wheelchair accessible. The attached La Misión Restaurant serves regional Mexican food 7 A.M.–10 A.M. daily.

RV caravans often spend the night at Posada Don Diego RV Park and Restaurant (Km. 174, Mexico 1, tel. 616/166-2181, www.posadadondiego.com, 8 A.M.–9 P.M. daily). Under its current ownership since 1979, this park has 100 campsites (50 with full hookups for US$11, the rest with electricity and water only for US$10), plus four motel-style rooms for US$35. There are also a three-bedroom house and four trailers for rent. On-site activities include basketball and volleyball. Its restaurant serves Mexican plates, a full lineup of steaks, baby back ribs, and seafood dishes, all at reasonable prices. Breakfast mains cost US$3.50–9 and dinners are US$7–14.

To find Posada Don Diego, go about a kilometer and a half south of the only stoplight in town and turn right (west) just before the propane plant.