12 Best Sights in Baja California Norte, Los Cabos and the Baja Peninsula

Avenida López Mateos, commonly known as Calle Primera, is the center of Ensenada's traditional tourist zone and shopping district. Hotels, shops, restaurants, and bars line the avenue for eight blocks, from its beginning at the foot of the Chapultepec Hills to the dry channel of the Arroyo de Ensenada. The avenue also has sidewalk cafés, art galleries, and most of the town's souvenir stores, where you can find pottery, glassware, silver, and other Mexican crafts.

The brainchild of Hugo D'Acosta, Casa de Piedra is part of an impressive portfolio that includes Paralelo, Aborigen, and La Borde Vieille, known for its Mexican and French blends. Try Casa de Piedra's flagship wine Contraste or their sparkling wines. The space is interesting and modern, designed by the winemaker's architect brother. Visits are by reservation only.

Considered a giant among the region’s vineyards, this winery produces 30,000 cases of wine, has its own concert venue, private villas, and the popular restaurant Latitude 32. Most stop by to sample the fine blends named after constellations in honor of the owner’s love for astronomy. Behind the barrel is winemaker Jesus Rivera, responsible for much of the success of neighboring wineries where he previously consulted. For an elegant Chardonnay, try Capricornius, or for an Italian grape blend of Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, the Perseus aged 24 months in French oak barrels is also wonderful. The Orion is one of their most popular reds. Over 75 percent of their wines are certified organic, with eco-friendly practices at the root of their production (solar power, water wells, and aqua reserves). For the jewel of El Cielo, go big with their reserved collection, Estrellas (stars) that have been preserved up to 20 years. Be sure to book the "Blend Your Own Wine Experience" that includes a tour, tasting, and wine-lab workshop where a certified sommelier will teach you how to create your own wine. 

L.A. Cetto is a giant that produces 50% of the wines that come out of Valle de Guadalupe, making it the closest thing to a California wine country experience south of the border. When tasting or buying, avoid the more affordable wines, and go straight for the premiums. Having earned over 950 international awards for their 40 labels, they are well known for their lovely Nebbiolo and Chardonnay, and their nicely balanced Don Luis Concordia. Don't miss the Peninsula Espaldera, a Sangiovese-Aglianico blend with aromas of black fruit and toffee. Tours take place daily 10–5 on the half hour.

Legend has it that La Bufadora, an impressive tidal blowhole (la bufadora means the buffalo snort) in the coastal cliffs at Punta Banda, was created by a whale or sea serpent trapped in an undersea cave. The road to La Bufadora along Punta Banda—an isolated, mountainous point that juts into the sea—is lined with olive, craft, and tamale stands; the drive gives you a sampling of Baja's wilderness. If you're in need of some cooling off, turn off the highway at the sign for La Jolla Beach Camp. The camp charges a small admission fee for day use of the beachside facilities, but it's a great place to do a few "laps" of lazy freestyle or breaststroke at La Jolla Beach. At La Bufadora, expect a small fee to park, and then a half-mile walk past T-shirt hawkers and souvenir stands to the water hole itself. A public bus runs from the downtown Ensenada station to Maneadero, from which you can catch a minibus labeled Punta Banda that goes to La Bufadora. Guided tours from Ensenada to La Bufadora will run you about $40.

For many, a visit to Baja Norte must include an afternoon drive to the cheese caves of Marcelo in Ojos Negros, just 45 minutes outside Ensenada. With Swiss-Italian roots, owner Marcelo Castro Chacon is now the fourth generation to carry on the queso tradition since it first began in 1911. A visit to the farm includes a tour of the milking facilities and a tasting of seven cheeses and their signature Ramonetti red wine. Milder selections seasoned with basil, black pepper, and rosemary are more popular with locals than their sharper cheeses, aged up to 2½ years, loved by out-of-towners. As Mexico’s only cheese cave (and the first in Latin America), this beloved factory produces 450 pounds of cheese per day. Milking takes place at 5 pm daily and the small on-site shop sells the remarkable marmalade and wine that accompany your cheese tasting. Those with time and an appetite can dine under the shade of a peppertree for a lunch menu integrating Marcelo’s cheeses and organic fruits and vegetables from his farm (expect flies in summer). The cactus salad and portobello mushrooms with melted cheese make the ideal starters to the regional trout served with roasted garlic. The fig mousse alone is worth a visit. Be aware that cell service is limited and the road here is winding.

Baja's oldest wine producers gives tours and tastings at its downtown Ensenada winery and bottling plant. Santo Tomás's best wines are the Alisio Chardonnay, the Cabernet, and the Tempranillo; avoid the overpriced Único. The winery also operates the enormous wineshop, a brick building across the avenue. The Santo Tomás Vineyards can be found on the eastern side of Highway 1 about 50 km (31 miles) south of Ensenada in Santo Tomás Valley, fairly near the ruins of the Misión Santo Tomás de Aquino, which was founded by Dominican priests in 1791. They have a third facility, Cava San Antonio de las Minas, at the entrance to Valle de Guadalupe at Km 94.7.

At the northernmost point of Boulevard Costero, the main street along the waterfront, is an indoor-outdoor fish market where row after row of counters display piles of shrimp, tuna, dorado, and other fish caught off Baja's coasts. Outside, stands sell grilled or smoked fish, seafood cocktails, and fish tacos. You can pick up a few souvenirs, eat well for very little money, and take some great photographs. If your stomach is delicate, try the fish tacos at the cleaner, quieter Plaza de Mariscos in the shadow of the giant beige Plaza de Marina that blocks the view of the traditional fish market from the street.

Halfway between Rosarito and Ensenada, this wide strand of sand is a great place to escape the masses. Palapa umbrellas line the sand making it feel more private than other beaches (local families arrive on Sunday), but you’ll still find everything from food and drinks to restrooms and parking. The dark, soft sand is perfect for long walks, but a few rocky sections mean you’ll want to bring water shoes or snorkel gear if you venture into the water. Like Rosarito, you can gallop on the beach here, and horse rides will cost you about half the price you’ll find elsewhere. Take all your personal belongings with you since car break-ins (especially closest to the bridge) are a problem. Amenities: parking; food and drink; toilets. Best for: walking; sunsets

In 1956 local Susana Diaz Plascencia first created the fried lobster recipe that put Puerto Nuevo on the map. Today more than a dozen restaurants are packed into this little five-block village that's 19 km (12 miles) south of Rosarito. Nearly all of the restaurants offer the same menu, but the quality varies drastically; some establishments cook up live lobsters, while others swap in frozen critters. Though the fried version is the Puerto Nuevo classic, some restaurants also offer steamed or grilled lobsters. 

The town itself is dated, with waitstaff standing curbside to pressure tourists in passing cars to stop in for the day’s catch. Watch your step along steep and uneven sidewalks where gaping holes can easily ruin a vacation. Still it’s the best spot along the coast to try fresh lobster at a fair price. Expect a table-side serenade of mariachi music. If you want to explore a bit, souvenir stands throughout the village sell serapes, ponchos, sour tamarind candy, and other similar items.

For a better understanding of the wine-making process, the Museo de la Vid y el Vino in the heart of Valle de Guadalupe has exhibits on wine history, viticulture, and wine-inspired art. The museum showcases a vast collection of agricultural tools and more than 100 wines from the region. Don’t miss the spectacular panoramic view of the valley and the outdoor amphitheater surrounded by vineyards.