Nancy - 7-14-2008 at 08:46 AM
I will be traveling with my family of ten, 5 adults (55-45 years), 5 kids (17-9 years) March 15-22 from Minneapolis. We would like to rent a house and
do a couple of days of whale watching, coming back to the house each night. I am only finding places for whale watching where you camp with the
outfitter. I am sure there are others but I haven’t found them. Is it practical to fly into Cabo, rent a couple of cars and drive to the San
Ignacio area? Or is there a better way? We also want to do a day of volunteering. The two youngest kids are fluent in Spanish, 3 older have all taken
Spanish, and the adults are ignorant. Any ideas/suggestions much appreciated.
And while it is over spring break we want to avoid drunken college students as much as possible.
Thank you for your help!
woody with a view - 7-14-2008 at 08:52 AM
try san ignacio (ignacio springs bed and breakfast) probably your closest bet to the whales.
David K - 7-14-2008 at 09:04 AM
Lopez Mateos or Puerto San Carlos (on Bahia Magdalena) are a couple HUNDRED miles closer to 'Cabo' than San Ignacio... Of course San Ignacio is a
WHOLE lot nicer place to stay... but it is an hour or two from San Ignacio lagoon to see the wales.
A closer airport is Loreto... save you 200+ miles drive.
rhintransit - 7-14-2008 at 09:06 AM
agree with Woodie, san ignacio springs, take two or three yurts.
or just travel to whale watching. you could take a house...lots available...in Loreto, drive to San Carlos, whale watch, and get back in time for
dinner. whales also in the Sea around here, local trips, not as concentrated as the lagoons, but they are out there. and lots of things to do
locally, including volunteering opportunities. or Pam and Harry's in Punta Chivato...great spot. (reserve early!) take an overnight to San Ignacio
for a day or two of whale watching and enjoy a nice waterfront spot for the rest of the time. little opportunity for volunteering there though I
think.
I wouldn't fly into Cabo for what you want. use Loreto or La Paz airports.
check calendar for spring break/semanta santa dates. I don't know where Easter falls next year. just be aware if you are falling in the semanta
santa time that things will be pretty busy at the beaches.
toneart - 7-14-2008 at 09:12 AM
Yes, as David K said, it would be a lot more practical to fly into Loreto (Alaska Air out of Los Angeles). Your focus is whale watching. There is
absolutely no reason to go to Cabo, especially during spring break! Stay in the town of San Ignacio. It time allows, visit Mulege and stay overnight.
Well worth it while you are in that part of Baja.
midwifevicki - 7-15-2008 at 12:22 AM
I AM A MOM AND GRANDMA WHO HAS TRAVELLED A LOT WITH LARGE GROUPS OF FAMILY IN BAJA. I THINK THE BEST SUGESTION WOULD BE TO RENT A HOUSE IN PUNTA
CHIVATO (FROM PAM AND HARRY ) OR SOME OTHER BEACH HOUSE. WITH THAT LARGE OD A GROUP YOU WILL WANT TO HAVE A HOUSE AND WILL WANT A BEACH WHERE THE
KIDS CAN GO OUTSIDE ANFD EXPLORE AND PLAY.
SAN iGNACIO IS AN EASY DAY TRIP TO SEE THE WHALES OR YOU COULD GO AND STAY OVERNIGHT, BUT TO STAY THERE FOR MORE THAN A DAY OR TWO COULD BE LIMITING.
iF YOU STAY IN A HOTEL, YOU WON'T HAVE A "LIVING ROOM" TO GATHER IN TO PLAY CARDS AND TELL STORIES.
PUNTA CHIVATO IS A GREAT PLACE FOR FAMILIES WHO WANT TO RELAX AT "HOME" AND BE TOGETHER TO ENJOY NATURE.
Capt. George - 7-15-2008 at 03:36 AM
I would suggest you get a good heads up on the where, at the time of year you'll be there, are the largest number of whales to be seen.
I'm sure some Nomads have good answers on this one..
We went to San Ignacio, but in February, Valentines Day and it was simply beyond description. Deborah actually had both hands on the face of a baby
whale that the mother pushed to the Panga!
A site you will never forget.
bajagrouper - 7-15-2008 at 06:33 AM
In my opinion, the best whale watching spot in Baja is at Puerto Lopez Mateos in Magdeliena Bay. If you are flying you should fly into the town of
Loreto, from there vans travel to the calving grounds. When I was there last year mother grey whales would push their calf to you and the boat, some
times for up to 15 min. as a bonus the panga driver took us to large pods of playful dolphins then birdwatching. Whales were all over the place...
quite the experience
Capt. George - 7-15-2008 at 07:46 AM
bajagrouper what time of year was that?
Bob and Susan - 7-15-2008 at 07:47 AM
you are SMART to book a place now!!!
at easter the rooms will be completely booked...
k-rico - 7-15-2008 at 07:58 AM
The title of this thread is "Family vacation over spring break 2009"
Aren't the California Gray whales out of baja and headed back to Alaska by then? Isn't an early spring break still a bit late for baja whale watcing?
David K - 7-15-2008 at 08:01 AM
March is good, I understand... April is a bit late to see much. Shari would know best!
viabaja - 7-15-2008 at 10:52 AM
Spring Break in Baja and avoiding "drunken college students" Mmmmm. Sounds like an oxymarooon. The two usually go togethor along with the crowds and
bad beahvior!
bajagrouper - 7-15-2008 at 11:07 AM
Capt. George, It was March 17th. , I remember cuz it was St. Patrick's day..
k-rico, the OP states their dates to visit are March 15-22
David K, very few left in April, but a few...I think the best time is between Valentines day and St. Patty day...suerte
Nancy - 7-16-2008 at 12:06 PM
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. This whole forum is a wonderful source of information and very easy to navigate. In researching
more I find that we will have to fly into Cabo primarily because there is a direct flight from Minneapolis (4.5 hours) as compared to 19 hours to
Loreto and La Paz isn’t much better. Therefore, we are thinking we fly into Cabo rent a van and travel north to Puerto San Carlos and do our whale
watching. What is the drive time and road condition on this route? Suggestions on a place to stay would be appreciated? Doesn’t need to be fancy,
just clean (no all inclusive please). I think I am going to have to give up my dream of a house altogether. After a couple of days of whale
watching where would you suggest we go? La Paz?
Thank you again for your comments and suggestions.
bajagrouper - 7-16-2008 at 01:03 PM
Since you have to fly into Cabo, I suggest you could do something like this:
Rent the van and drive up Highway 19 to Highway 1 through Todos Santos, continue to Ciudad Insurgentes then Puerto Lopez Mateos, San Carlos is light
years behind P.L.Mateos...There is a fairly new hotel in Ciudad Constitucion you could use as a base...upon your return you could visit La Paz then
back to Cabo via Highway 1 along the East Cape...here are your driving distances:
Cabo San Lucas---La Paz=96 miles
La Paz---Ciudad Constitucion= 130 miles
CC ---Ciudad Insuegentes= 15 miles
CI---Puerto Lopez Mateos= 30 miles
Hotel Oasis
Vicente Guerrero#284
Ciudad Constitucion,BCS
Tel-132-39-19
hosasis01@prodigy.net.mx
Puerto Lopez Mateos has for the visitor:
Secure Parking
clean bathrooms
choice of restaurants
pier to board pangas
low chance of wind/35 mile long barrier island
5 min. to be with whales not 45 like the other lagoons
you will actually see whales form the dock
good luck and have fun........
Nancy - 7-16-2008 at 02:59 PM
Thanks for the great advice!
Love the idea of little wind and close whales for my sea-sick sister! Does anyone have approx drive times? Being land locked for the majority of the
year we would prefer to stay on the ocean at least for the majority of the trip. So when you say San Carlos is light years behind P.L.Mateos. What
does that mean? We will have three teen-age girls with us so maybe I shouldn’t ask and just go with the more modern spot. On the other hand they are
all a bit spoiled so I actually like them to see a bit of the real world when they travel.
bajagrouper - 7-16-2008 at 03:18 PM
I like Puerto Lopez Mateos for the reasons above, I dislike San Carlos because:
Is at the lower end of Mag Bay, hence it open to the open Pacific Ocean which can be much windier, rougher and takes a least 45 min. to get to the
calving grounds...it is a much larger area so finding whales takes longer....At PLM they are much more concentrated and more friendly encounters, I
have never been able to pet a calf at San Carlos...you have to board the panga by entering the water...there are no bathrooms or places to eat at the
departure point...cuz sometimes you have to wait for another tour to return before you depart...I am sending you a U2U...rick