Day Trip: Heading to Ensenada
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/06/26/special_reports/t...
June 25, 2005
By: MARGA KELLOGG
ENSENADA ---- Want to take a short drive and feel like you've taken an exotic vacation? The 90-minute drive south from San Diego through Tijuana,
Mexico, and along the breathtaking vistas of the Scenic Ensenada Toll road will take you there.
It's not hard. Just get on Interstate 5 south to the San Ysidro border crossing, navigate the signs through Tijuana, and you've got a clean shot down
the coast --- except for three toll booths at about $2.25 (25 pesos) a pop.
The only other stops you'll have to make are those that you just can't pass by. Spots like Puerto Nuevo, where if you can find a parking place, you
can also find reasonably priced, mouth-watering lobster dinners, vendors selling everything from Mexican blankets to pottery, and a spectacular view
of the ocean.
Farther south, you can't miss the La Fonda Hotel, Restaurant & Bar. Perched on cliffs above a sandy white beach, the margaritas are almost as
spectacular as the view.
And take time to pull over as you cruise the coast, sit for awhile, and buy some nuts, saladitos (dried plums), chicle (gum) or mango on a stick from
the local street vendors.
If you are planning to spend the night in the Ensenada area, there are many hotels and motels to choose from, but one in particular offers an
exceptional experience.
Perched on the rocks at the edge of the Pacific just two miles north of Ensenada is the Punta Morro resort, an intimate 24-suite gem that has studios
and one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, all with fireplaces. There are tide pools to explore, a beach-side pool, spa services and an unforgettable
dining experience waiting for you at the restaurant at Punta Morro.
And that's all before you get to Ensenada!
Known as the "Cinderella of the Pacific," Ensenada was founded in 1542 when Portuguese navigator Don Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed in what is now
Ensenada harbor and named it San Mateo, according to the city's tourism committee.
In 1602, Sebastian Viscaino arrived and named the area Ensenada de Todos Santos (All Saints' Cove). In 1897, the town became just Ensenada.
Today, Ensenada offers a wide variety of cultural and sensory experiences for just about everyone --- whether it's historical Hussong's Cantina, home
of the first margarita, bargain-hunting on First Street, walking along the harbor front to the Ventana Del Mar Plaza with its huge Mexican flag, or
wandering through the Mercado de Mariscos for fish tacos.
If you want to trek south about 6 miles, you'll find La Bufadora, a spectacular sea geyser that shoots spray 50 feet into the air as the waves crash
into caves in the rocky shoreline.
On the way, try the homemade tamales sold at a variety of roadside stands.
If you're into wine, Ensenada has an industry that's just beginning to capture U.S. attention. You can tour Ensenada's Bodegas de Santo Tomas winery,
and tastings and winery tours can be found at several of the Guadalupe Valley and Ensenada wineries.
And don't forget to sit and listen to the mariachis. For a small token, they'll sing you a song that will "vivira para siempre" (live forever).
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