BajaNomad

Christmas and New Years In San Felipe

Festus - 1-5-2012 at 08:37 PM

Buenas tardes Nomads. I need the benefit of your experience. Our family has made 3 trips to San Felipe but all were during spring break. We are thinking about spending Christmas and New Years there in 2012. I have searched the past threads and haven't found much other than there is some kind of parade in SF near Christmas. Can some of you give me your insights into the following questions:

1. Is San Felipe crowded with locals during Christmas and New Years like it is the weekend of Easter?

2. Do the gringos generally vacate like during Easter or are there a lot there over Christmas/New Years?

3. Anything going on in SF around Christmas besides the aforementioned parade?

4. What is new year's eve like in SF?

5. What is the weather like this time of year? Windy? Rainy?

6. Are restaurants and stores open over the holidays? When we lived in South African most everything closed the entire week of Christmas to New Years.

7. Anything else I should know about SF during this time of year?

Thanks so much for sharing any insights you have.

David K - 1-5-2012 at 11:13 PM

Was there New Years weekend 2012 (until yesterday). The town was near deserted of tourists (Mexican or American)... Even if it ever is busy in a future time, just go south further away from the city... By 2013 New Years, it may be paved to Gonzaga Bay!

desertcpl - 1-6-2012 at 09:41 AM

I would find the weather to cold for my liking

and water temps to cold for swimming

I prefer spring and fall months

middle of summer can be very hot and humid

David K - 1-6-2012 at 01:06 PM

It was 75-80º and sunny, but the water is too cold in the winter for sure. Our favorite time is June-October... Only super hot in August. Water is awesome day and night in the summer.

Festus - 1-7-2012 at 08:03 AM

Thanks David and Desertcpl. I just realized I posted this in the wrong area. Thanks for not slamming on me for that. I appreciate the insight. Sounds like it's kind of quiet around the Christmas holidays. I was kind of hoping it would be packed with locals like at Easter. We enjoy mingling with the Mexicans. Last time we got invited to an Eater crab feed at a local's place. It was fun hanging out with 20 plus of his friends and family and eating fresh crabs.

Sad but true...

EnsenadaDr - 1-7-2012 at 08:09 AM

There is a detour right now the last time I drove to the San Ysidro Border through the center of Tijuana...sad to see most of the streets deserted...I remember the days when there was a striped burro on most street corners, Mariachis playing on the streets, when Tijuana was a fun place to visit...it now reminds me of a post nuclear holocaust remnant of a once lively and bustling city...
Quote:
Originally posted by Festus
Thanks David and Desertcpl. I just realized I posted this in the wrong area. Thanks for not slamming on me for that. I appreciate the insight. Sounds like it's kind of quiet around the Christmas holidays. I was kind of hoping it would be packed with locals like at Easter. We enjoy mingling with the Mexicans. Last time we got invited to an Eater crab feed at a local's place. It was fun hanging out with 20 plus of his friends and family and eating fresh crabs.

desertcpl - 1-7-2012 at 08:57 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Festus
Thanks David and Desertcpl. I just realized I posted this in the wrong area. Thanks for not slamming on me for that. I appreciate the insight. Sounds like it's kind of quiet around the Christmas holidays. I was kind of hoping it would be packed with locals like at Easter. We enjoy mingling with the Mexicans. Last time we got invited to an Eater crab feed at a local's place. It was fun hanging out with 20 plus of his friends and family and eating fresh crabs.





your posting mistake will cost you a fish taco and a tecate

CortezBlue - 1-7-2012 at 09:56 PM

We were there both Christmas and New Years and it was very nice.

I would tell you that it depends on where you hang out. For anyone to say that it was deserted was probably somewhere where there were few folks. We were in the north campos and the normal hangouts were packed.

Rumors and Jollymon were wall to wall with very few places to sit. I know many of my neighbors were at LaVaquita 3 for New Years and they said it was also packed.

It was warmer this year than normal. Last year it was quite chillllly and with no wind it was perfecto!

Blowin Smoke

mcfez - 1-8-2012 at 09:08 AM

1. Is San Felipe crowded with locals during Christmas and New Years like it is the weekend of Easter?

#1. We have spent the last 5 plus years in SF.....we have a lil house there. It is quiet.....peaceful. Easter is a jungle!!!! The downtown restaurants.....some are open...some not on Xmas day. El Nino is great for a holiday meal....get there before 5 on any day.....and the meal is discounted :-) My cousins are down there right now....SF is a perfect town to be at. VERY low tourist count....

2. Do the gringos generally vacate like during Easter or are there a lot there over Christmas/New Years?

#2 Dont compare Easter to any other day in San Felipe :-) Easter / Spring Break...is nuts. We go every year for Spring break. My kids demand it.


3. Anything going on in SF around Christmas besides the aforementioned parade?

#3 Lots of socials going on .....check with the El Dorado first. There is lots of volunteering going on too.....for the kids of the town. A few Poker Runs ...check with Pete's Camp. Randy's websitehttp://www.blueroadrunner.com/ has good accounting of whats happening in tow. BajaNomads do too....if you just keep coming on line here....there is postings all the time on whats happening.

4. What is new year's eve like in SF?
#4 Dont know.....we blow out of town before everyone else does!


5. What is the weather like this time of year? Windy? Rainy?
#5 This depends on where you currently reside....if you live in Montana...you be hot here :-) It's breezy and sunny. Bring a good jacket. .....and a room heater. Most hotel rooms do not have heaters. We are from Sacramento ca......We do have a small heater in the house...and jackets.

6. Are restaurants and stores open over the holidays? When we lived in South African most everything closed the entire week of Christmas to New Years.

#6All is opened. Xmas day may have exceptions

7. Anything else I should know about SF during this time of year?
#7 Rain...shine...wind.....or darkness......there is absolutely an endless list of things to do here in SF. The family spend days on the beach (water is too cold to swim BTW) ....doing the town. I'm an outdoors-man....I travel up to several hundred miles for fishing...camping...hiking.....and just plain talking to the good folks of Baja. One cannot get bored here in San Felipe.

We also visit Shell Island...if we are lucky to get permission for it's use.


When in San Felipe....you must stop by Lee's business at Blowin Smoke. The best Bar B Q in the west. Tell them Deno...and Nancy of Redding...sent you.

http://sites.google.com/site/thebajadirectory/home/destinati...



[Edited on 1-8-2012 by mcfez]

grace59 - 1-8-2012 at 11:22 AM

I was down there from about the 22nd of Until Jan. 1. The weather at that time is a mix....the first couple of days were windy, but they were having the Santa Ana Winds up in SoCal. The rest of the days were beautiful. There were a fair amount of people around, but nothing like the gaggle that is Easter (that is too much for me). Lots to do....went down to Gonzaga Bay (all is paved now except for about the last 15 miles)....spent some time at Cowpatty on New Year's Eve for the annual party. Most of the shops, restaurants in town were open....plus the Swap Meet was huge. There is a lot going on...just depends on what you like to do. It is one of my favorite times there because it gets me away from the Washington winter for a break, plus the weather is great for going out into the desert, hiking, walking the beach etc....just not great for water sports.

sancho - 1-8-2012 at 01:36 PM

Water temp. 57, too cold for me. We camp and the sun
setting before 5 pm, kinda makes for a long nite.
I'm sure you know of the site sanfelipe.com.mx,
I too have always wanted to put myself it the
thick of it 1 Semana Santa, get the real feel of it

Roberto - 1-8-2012 at 01:40 PM

Weather depends on wind. If not windy, day temps will be in the 80s, typically. Nighttime can be down to the 40s. If it's blowin' (and it can easily happen), days will be in the 60s.

Rain unlikely, but possible.

Festus - 1-10-2012 at 01:49 PM

I appreciate all the responses. You folks are the greatest!