BajaNomad

San Felipe (Newbie needs help) El Dorado Ranch?

zbaja - 1-9-2004 at 10:09 PM

We are thinking about spending our Easter week vacation at El Dorado Ranch RV park in San Felipe. This our first trip rv-ing to Baja and we are looking for time spent on the beach reading and sunning. Would like to know if anyone has been there, the web site pictures look really good. We have a 30 ft. fifth wheel and two children. Thanks for your input.

[Edited on 1-10-2004 by zbaja]

[Edited on 1-10-2004 by zbaja]

SF

Chris Holmstead - 1-9-2004 at 11:15 PM

don't know anything about Eldorado, I quit San Fliippy years ago, but my daughters still insist that Rueben's is the best, probably because it's easy to stumble down hill to there from the Mir Mar. Ruebens is close to town, has showers, bar, cafe, and beach. Around twenty bucks a night.

Have fun...Chris

Hey Chris

Ski Baja - 1-9-2004 at 11:39 PM

"I was at the bank learning how to use online bill pay and it was sugested that being down south for six months I should take along an ATM card for emergencies and I wouldn't have to carry as much cash. My questions are does the standard US card work in Baja, if so which towns have them, how much you can you take out at a time, and how reliable they are? I've never used an AMT anywhere least of all Mexico, is there a fee (I should have asked at the bank), and do they use the official exchange rate."
You might consider letting "The Baja Connection" or someone who knows San Felipe" answer the questions.

Anonymous - 1-10-2004 at 12:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ski Baja
"I was at the bank learning how to use online bill pay and it was sugested that being down south for six months I should take along an ATM card for emergencies and I wouldn't have to carry as much cash. My questions are does the standard US card work in Baja, if so which towns have them, how much you can you take out at a time, and how reliable they are? I've never used an AMT anywhere least of all Mexico, is there a fee (I should have asked at the bank), and do they use the official exchange rate."
You might consider letting "The Baja Connection" or someone who knows San Felipe" answer the questions.



Ski - I'm not quite sure why you bothered to respond to this thread as your answer served no useful purpose other that to take a dig at "The Baja Connection". If this person you quoted was asking about San Felipe, there is a Bancomer, the only bank in town across from the Rockodile on Mar De Cortes.

My experience was that my bank charged $3 or $4 per transaction. I never wanted more than $200 at a time, so I don't know what the limit would be. It may vary with different banks.

When traveling internationally, I always like to have two different ATM cards from two different accounts just in case there is a problem of some sort. When at all possible, use an ATM at a bank instead of a stand-alone kiosk in case the machine eats your card. At least you have a place to go report it. ATMs usually give the best excahnge rate.

As to your question about whether a standard bank card will work, there are several different banking networks...see the symbols on the back of your card. Star & Cirrus are the two most common. Your card should work anywhere you see those symbols.

Hope this helps...

Misunderstood

Ski Baja - 1-10-2004 at 12:13 AM

That wasn't a dig at the Baja Connection, it was a dig at Chris. And I admit it was very juvenile. At least it got his question answered though. Sorry.

El Dorado Ranch

Brian Hadcock - 1-10-2004 at 10:31 AM

We were there a couple of years ago with a group of RV's, we stayed for a week and had a great time. There is a little resturant/cantina below the camp ground on the beach. There was a nice pool and hot tub. The operators were very friendly and helpful. The only down side for us was that in the main town was a few miles. But it is really not a problem if you only want to sun and relax. The thing we really noticed was the change from our first visit in 1974, it had gone from a small fishing village to a busy little town. Hope you have a goodtime enjoy yourselves.
Brian

Why???

thebajarunner - 1-10-2004 at 11:51 AM

Well, you certainly validated my credibility!
Two days ago my friend Bill (ZBaja) took me to coffee to begin prepping for a future Baja excursion.
I told him that I would forward some relevant sites and introduce him to the Nomad forum.
I told him that there was a vast amount of helpful information on this forum.
But, I warned him, that there is also a lot of personal drivel, backbiting, sniping and totally irrelevant stuff.
"Bill, if you can get past this childlike stuff you will get great value from the site."
So, Bill sends his very first query, and lo, the "junk" starts to flow.
Well, at least you validated my point!
Thanks to the Brian who did give some honorable help. Thanks!!
To the rest, hope you have a great Saturday.
By the by, in private communication with David K around Christmas he commented that he had not seen my posts of late.
"David, I just get so tired of the cheap stuff."
Yikes, still there.
Happy New Year to the good guys.

Baja Arriba!!

Runner, and all

Ski Baja - 1-10-2004 at 01:14 PM

I take full responsibility for the thread taking this turn. It was stupid and I realize that. My apologies to everyone.

Really ?

Ski Baja - 1-10-2004 at 02:00 PM

El Dorado Estates

bajagrouper - 1-10-2004 at 02:35 PM

I haven't been there for some time but as I remember it the area of their campground was not on the beach but across the highway near the lots and home sites...enjoy
P.S. don't fall for their sales pitch,and that area,will be full that week...

I just want to say

Chris Holmstead - 1-10-2004 at 03:06 PM

It was just an opinion, and it was accurate as far as opinions go: I try to get my daughters to come to Concepcion with me but they still like SF for their own reasons, they like the crowds I don't anymore, and their old enough to do what they want.

On the subject of negativity here and what went on at another board recently where I got involved. It was fun at first, getting in to hot debates, but I've already had enough, I promise to try to play nice and leave the back and forth to others, and remember that most everything on these boards are opinions and not worth argueing over when charaters start being questioned and the insults start to fly.

At the risk of going on too long and starting something that doesn't follow this thread I will explain that Ski Baja does not respect my opinions because I plan to do new things and go places I haven't before or haven't in a few years, so I've been asking a lot of questions, and while I've been at it I've responded where I have an opinion that I don't think has been expressed (Besides getting into fights). And here is another opinion: a reason to stay at Rueben's is that it is closer to town and if you're into the night life, you can enjoy yourself and not have to drive or depend on a taxi, that's why I used to stay at Ruebens, that and the upper decks at the camp spots.

If someone has a different opinion about where to stay in SF, good, it's one more option for the people that started this thread, I feel like it belongs to them, and it's been interupted by what some of us have carried over from somewhere else.

Thanks...Chris

Not true

Ski Baja - 1-10-2004 at 04:11 PM

"Ski Baja does not respect my opinions because I plan to do new things and go places I haven't before or haven't in a few years".

Not in the least bit true but nevertheless, shall we let bygones be bygones since we really don't even know each other ? I'm game.

try Pete's

ArvadaGeorge - 1-10-2004 at 06:31 PM

We just spent 2 week at Pete?s camp. 14 families great camping on beach. No hookups
They have a dump clean , bathrooms at beach level showers ($1.50 each) up at cantina dancing on Friday night good food $10.00 per night. More info. Petescamp.com

El Dorado

dbrooks - 1-10-2004 at 07:32 PM

I have been to El Dorado several times over the years. It is clean, nice, friendly - and very Americanized (not necessarily a bad thing). The mention above about camping on the "other" side of the highway is true for tent camping. They allow motor homes and 5th wheels in a very nice area near the beach. They also strongly discourage rabble (rebel?) rousing after hours, and have very tight restrictions on ATV's, etc.

Great little restaurant on the premises, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, etc.

As for the recommendation of Pete's...Pete's is great if you don't mind a bit of noise, ATV's...that type of thing. Pete's has good showers and a nice restaurant/bar, and I have been there many times as well.

I guess it boils down to this - if you want to party, go to Pete's. If you want something a little more sedate (and blue haired) go to El Dorado. It's not a place the "real" Baja people tend to frequent, but it serves a purpose for those who go that route.

D. Brooks
San Diego

San Felipe?

meme - 1-10-2004 at 10:15 PM

Zbaja! I live in el dorado in San felipe. Please email me if you are interested in info about Eldorado? Or if you have questions about San Felipe? I will be glad to help you all I can! Obviously some on the board here do not know what the answers are? Some ofcourse do! Think there are some who just like to read what they write? Maybe you would like also to check out some of the other Baja Boards? Will be glad to show you the way!!!meme

Rubens to the Miramar ??

MrBillM - 1-11-2004 at 09:57 AM

Stumbling DOWNHILL from Rubens to the Miramar Bar would be a real feat.
In addition to being a fair distance apart, the elevation at Rubens is a
lot higher than the Miramar downtown. Having said that, I've always liked
Rubens, though I never stayed there because of the crowds back in the 70s
when I was still camping. We always stayed next door at Playa Bonita and ate,
drank at Rubens.

Correction

MrBillM - 1-11-2004 at 10:01 AM

The quote I commented on was "stumbling downhill TO Rubens
FROM the Miramar". I note in my original reply that I reversed
that. I assume that Chris did the same in his original statement.

zbaja - 1-11-2004 at 08:46 PM

To
dbrooks, meme, ArvadaGeorge, bajagrouper, Brian Hadc-ck and Chris Holmstead

Thank you for your help and information. I think this being our first trip like this SF is a good place to get our feet wet.

We are not into crowds so this place being out of town and might fit that bill.

I understand this is not the real Baja but maybe on a furture visit we can explore further down.

Again thank you all.

Bill

FrankO - 1-11-2004 at 08:50 PM

Real baja is subjective. There are many different flavors south of the border but they are all baja. Just depends what you like.

thanks for all the help

thebajarunner - 1-11-2004 at 09:11 PM

I too, would like to echo Bill's note of thanks.
When we had coffee last Thursday I introduced him to this board and encouraged his participation.
Many of you came through with flying colors.

See Bill, sort through the "stuff" and it really does work!

As to the last post, yeah, it is all Baja, unfortunately "The Real Baja" for me starts just South of the last Los Pinos lettuce field past the San Quintin Parador.
All else is still somewhat tainted by us Northerners, or over run by civilization (whatever that may be)

Thank God for Catavina, Gonzaga, San Ignacio and some similar spots.

Again, welcome ZBaja and enjoy!

Baja Arriba!!

See how easy it is

Ski Baja - 1-11-2004 at 10:16 PM

To get off the original topic. Topography seems to be a problem for many of us.:lol:
Humor guys, humor!:lol: