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TLBaja79
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Posts: 266
Registered: 10-17-2013
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Never Been on HWY 5
Been going to Baja for 30 years now and always gone down on Hwy 1. We are going to mix it up and go down Hwy 5 this time. Probably cut over from
Ensenada on Hwy 3.
I'm familiar with many hotels, restaurants, gas station rip offs, road intricacies, etc on Hwy 1
Looking for info on Hwy 5 (How far south can I count on getting gas? Good restaurants along the way? Places to stay as far south as possible, Gonzaga
Bay? etc.....)
Is Alfonsinas a legit spot to stay? Eat? What would you compare it to? Jardines? as far as cleanliness and security and quality?
Thanks for the info in advance
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JZ
Elite Nomad
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Alfonsinas is a way better location that Jardins. It's right on the beach with a spectacular view.
They have gotten a tad pricey lately and started an all inclusive style this year, where you get a couple meals.
Their food has always been very good. Service/hospitality was better in the past.
If you are just getting a room for a day or two, you should go for it.
Btw, the drive down the 5 is much better than the 1.
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rts551
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Hard to compare the 2. HWy 1 has lots of restaurants and hotels. HWY 5 haqs San Felipe and then very little below that except for Rancho
Grande/Gonzaga. We will not stay at Alfonsinas. They are very overpriced and the food has gotten lousy. There is gas there.
Nothing between San Felipe and Bahia Gonzaga with the exception of a few fishing campos, some of which rent rustic rooms.
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David K
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Location: San Diego County
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Apple and Oranges, TL.
Hwy 5 is a desert road with few population centers, just the opposite of Hwy. 1. That's in-part why it is a faster corridor from north to south. Great
ocean (sea) views.
San Felipe is the one city, with everything.
At km. 35-36 is a small town of Colonia Delicias with good food places (Chelo's) that service the many vacation homes along the coast.
At km. 73 is CowPatty, the gringo cantina for Puertecitos area vacation homes... they serve hot dogs.
At km. 74.5 is the paved side road into Puertecitos, a village on a cove. Hot Springs at in the tidal zone out near the end of the point. 200 pesos to
enter the area.
At km. 83 is Bahia Cristina with a weekend restaurant.
At km. 133.5 is the road 1 mile to La Poma, good food!
At km. 143+ is the road to Papa Fernandez', 1.1 miles, good food, Gonzaga Bay.
At km. 147 is the gas station and road to Alfonsina's, 1.8 miles.
The Rancho Grande market is just past the road, and on the right.
Last year, pavement ended in 12 more miles, at Km. 167 with construction and some paved sections on to Laguna Chapala on Hwy. 1, about 20 additional
miles by the new highway.
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David K
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Hwy. 5 photos
Nearing Km. 0, six miles/10 kms. south of San Felipe Traffic Circle
Km. 20.5+
Km. 31
Km. 32
Km. 35.5
Km. 99
Km. 114
Km. 143 (view of Gonzaga Bay)
Km. 143+
Km. 147+, from the south.
South from Gonzaga, looking north.
South from Gonzaga, looking north.
Km. 167.5 (end of pavement in 2017)
I have photos of what is on the coast, in from the signs I posted above, too. See my Trip Report #1 from 2017, as well.
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Hook
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Assuming a San Diego departure point, what is everyone's opinion on which route would be fastest and which would be slowest to the end of Hwy 5 at
Nuevo Chapala? Hwy 1 or Hwy 5? Or taking Hwy 3 from Ensenada via Hwy 1 from SD?
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JZ
Elite Nomad
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If I was already in SD I'd probably go the 1. Coming from LA the 5 for sure. Avoids SD and TJ, and all the traffic of Hwy 1. Hwy 5 is wide open,
desert driving.
[Edited on 8-14-2018 by JZ]
[Edited on 8-22-2018 by BajaNomad]
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SFandH
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IMHO, starting in San Diego and taking any other route than crossing at San Ysidro and taking highway 1 all the way down doesn't make much sense. I
think it's the fastest and shortest. TJ is no problem, there is not even one stop sign between the border and the toll road and you can sail through
Ensenada if you leave early Sunday morning.
[Edited on 8-14-2018 by SFandH]
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MMc
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Most days it's 10 to 15 minute different to Chapala from my house, I chose to take 1. I have been on 5 and find it so, so. No support, not much gas,
few hotels, I'll take to change the drive, the road itself is pretty crappy over all.
If I had not been on 5 before I would take it. Sure is better than the old road. IMHO
[Edited on 8-14-2018 by MMc]
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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Russ
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I just made the drive up Mex 1. I saw more cows on the road than I have for years. At least 12 different places. Also deer bob cat and a few coyotes.
Yes. most of those were during the dark hours and I kept the speed around 50 so I could stop within the head light range. The BAD was after San
Quintin more traffic than I can remember and the slow cars really backed up traffic around all the pueblos. The not so newly built northern check
point backed traffic up about one hour and cars were almost to the to of the hill when I started down. Oh, they wern't using the covered area at all
for their searches just did it all on the highway. I may consider hwy 5 for the next trip. Border wait was over 2 hours at TJ.
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3687
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Do a circle route!!
I always try to take a different track returning from any destination when available.
Why repeat a route when new territory is available???
See all that you can see.....
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boe4fun
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Mood: Circling the drain........
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I would not, under any circumstances, stay at Alphonsina’s. Stayed there a couple of years ago. At first they denied that I had made a reservation,
but finally they agreed to get us a room. Food at the restaurant was so so. After all of this they wouldn’t start the generator for the A/C until 8
PM. The room was like an oven and the little A/C unit underperformed. In addition they don’t have any wall plugs so no C-PAP machine that night. All
in all a most miserable experience. Never again.
Two dirt roads diverged in Baja and I, I took the one less graveled by......
Soy ignorante, apático y ambivalente. No lo sé y no me importa, ni modo.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9261
Registered: 10-3-2003
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Quote: Originally posted by boe4fun  | | I would not, under any circumstances, stay at Alphonsina’s. Stayed there a couple of years ago. At first they denied that I had made a reservation,
but finally they agreed to get us a room. Food at the restaurant was so so. After all of this they wouldn’t start the generator for the A/C until 8
PM. The room was like an oven and the little A/C unit underperformed. In addition they don’t have any wall plugs so no C-PAP machine that night. All
in all a most miserable experience. Never again. |
Take this input with a huge grain of salt op.
Agree in hot months you might want to avoid, particularly if you don't deal well with heat.
But this guy had one bad experience and is one of those types that extrapolates from there.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 10-3-2003
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| Quote: Originally posted by Russ | | I just made the drive up Mex 1. I saw more cows on the road than I have for years. At least 12 different places. Also deer bob cat and a few coyotes.
Yes. most of those were during the dark hours and I kept the speed around 50 so I could stop within the head light range. The BAD was after San
Quintin more traffic than I can remember and the slow cars really backed up traffic around all the pueblos. The not so newly built northern check
point backed traffic up about one hour and cars were almost to the to of the hill when I started down. Oh, they wern't using the covered area at all
for their searches just did it all on the highway. I may consider hwy 5 for the next trip. Border wait was over 2 hours at TJ.
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This isn't that uncommon on the 1. We drive the 5 all the time at night. Very little traffic.
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 604
Registered: 2-2-2015
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I have not driven south of Maneadero for years, but gather that the traffic is pretty heavy around San Quintin, and that is after you get past all the
traffic signals in Ensenada and twisty mountain roads. The 5 by comparison is an easy drive, very little traffic, relaxing kind of driving. (take it
slow on the vados and dirt sections) The road from Ensenada across to El Chinero on 3 is kind of sketchy for the first ten miles, narrow, twisty, and
lots of trucks; after Ojos Negros it is easy. I think faster to take the 8 to Mexicali unless you want to avoid Mexicali. The main issue with taking
the 5 is that once you are south of San Felipe there is a dearth of lodgings and services; expensive Alphonsina's with its mixed reviews is the only
hotel other than some "rustic" cabin places that may or may not be open on any given day and some Palapa campgrounds. Camping along there is nice if
you like the desert; lots of stars, quiet enough to hear the wings of the birds as they fly by, and the Sea of Cortez can stunning in its blue
brilliance. Can also be windy and buggy. Another option is to stay in San Felipe and push through to Guerrero Negro the next day. Some people don't
like San Felipe, don't know why, you can get a clean room with a pool and a bar, what more do you need?
As far as safety, there have been some ongoing theft issues in the "South Campos" but they seem to target vacant houses more than campers. A lot of
people with houses there leave them vacant in the summer....because it is HOT. I never drive at night in Baja, to me that implies poor planning, but
if I did, it would be on the 5.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
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if you've never been on hwy5 you're due, 50 mile stretch from Puerecitos to Gonzaga Bay is lovely, the rest, well you decide.
Alfonsina's? well they gotcha.
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TLBaja79
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Registered: 10-17-2013
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Thanks for the info
Sounds like the highway part is pleasant on the 5. Maybe camp on the beach somewhere down close to Gonzaga Bay...
Alfonsina's isn't the best but its the only hotel in the area. Maybe we'll camp out that night
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TLBaja79
Nomad
Posts: 266
Registered: 10-17-2013
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What about camping in Punta Final?
Or Calamuje?
Safe, Secure for the night? Nice place to camp? Are others around, camping, fish camp....
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
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I like Calamujue......but I wouldn't camp there without a group of people. Papa's campground is spartan but safe. grab a spot all the way to the
north end.
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 604
Registered: 2-2-2015
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Calamuje has a bad reputation. You can search for info on Punta Final camping on this forum, also DK posted a trip report with descriptions of the
established campos around the Gonzaga area. (Beluga, Rancho Grande, Papa Fernandez) Not many people around in the summer, the fish camps pack up and
leave. Have fun!
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