BajaNomad - Perfect quickie daytrip south of the border

Perfect quickie daytrip south of the border

GeoRock - 10-2-2004 at 09:23 AM

I've actually managed 4 day trips into Baja over the last month. Lucky me!!

If you are hosting newbies to Baja and only have one day south of the border, this is my recommendation. And it is certainly open to new ideas. I'm sorry in advance for any name butchering or questionable directions.

Up and atom early and get across that border as quickly as you can. A straight shot down the 805 and you'll be across and in TJ before your coffee is cold.

Take the toll road to Rosarito Beach, getting off the highway at the second exit for Rosarito.

There's a tortilleria on the right/west side of the free road. Stop and buy some hot tortillas. Find a grocery store and buy some pickled jalapenos and Mexican cheese. You now have breakfast.

Most vendors in the flea market open about 9:30-10 a.m. Explore the many treasures, and be sure to get some Mexican jumping beans for the newbies. There's an ATM machine at the front of the flea market. There's a bathroom at the back, it cost about 20 cents to use. Keep a grip on your wallet as you cruise through the flea market.

Next stop, walk north about a block or two to the restaurant that has a yellow square tower, not that large, on top of its building. You won't see it until at the place, but it is very obvious. It is on the west side of the street. I just know someone here knows the name of the place, so help me out by posting it. Order the chile rellenos as suggested by another poster. They are very good. So are the margaritas con sol a las rocas. The back garden room is cooler than the front dining room. And if you don't care for beans and rice, they have gladly substituted salad with avocado slices for me several times.

After lunch, mosey on foot south a few blocks to the Rosarito Beach Hotel. Cut through there and go to the beach. Relax and buy real silver (ha) jewelry, get your hair braided, and get wet. Have a fresh coconut with lots of lime juice and hot sauce.

The public bathrooms at the hotel provide a great place to change.

When you leave the hotel, walk one block north, then one block east. There is a great taco stand on the corner. Again, another poster's recommendation. A buck or two will buy you a huge taco. Enjoy dinner.

If you are up to it, you could instead have dinner at the hotel's buffet. They have a dance show to entertain during dinner. I suggest you be there when they open, eat first, and then enjoy the show without having to revisit the buffet during the show. Skip the kid's hula hoop contest at the end. If you eat here, they will validate your parking for 4 hours.

Drive south on the free road about 1/2 mile, then do a quick U-turn to get on the toll road to return to the border. Allow up to 3 hours from the time you leave Rosarito to the time you actually cross the border. Use the bathroom before you leave town!!

While waiting at the border crossing, look for the candy vendors. For a buck buy one of those skinny, tall bags of red candied peanuts. They are a nice snack while you wait.

Now I know that many of you have great ideas of other day trips. So lets have them, bring it on.

[Edited on 10-2-2004 by GeoRock]

For the newbies

jrbaja - 10-2-2004 at 09:48 AM

If you want to teach them and fit in with the local way of life, you could get off where you said and stop at mcDonalds for an egg mcmuffin and breakfast, run down to smart and final for some great deals, then head down to the am/pm minimart for some lunch and culture.
Then for some real enlightening, stop at le cousteau for some cuban/ french cuisine or the tamale inn for some chicken fried steak. :lol:

Bob H - 10-2-2004 at 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GeoRock
Relax and buy real silver (ha) jewelry, get your hair braided, and get wet.[Edited on 10-2-2004 by GeoRock]

You have a habbit getting wet.... I remember you in Matomi in February jumping in... ha ha :lol:

YUP!!!

David K - 10-2-2004 at 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H

Quote:

Originally posted by GeoRock
Relax and buy real silver (ha) jewelry, get your hair braided, and get wet.[Edited on 10-2-2004 by GeoRock]

You have a habbit getting wet.... I remember you in Matomi in February jumping in... ha ha :lol:

Photo by Mexray, Matomi Oasis Feb. '04

All Wet!!

David K - 10-2-2004 at 04:28 PM

photo by Mexray, Matomi Oasis, Feb.'04 Complete story at http://vivabaja.com/204

jeans - 10-2-2004 at 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GeoRock

Next stop, walk north about a block or two to the restaurant that has a yellow square tower, not that large, on top of its building. The back garden room is cooler than the front dining room.

That was La Cazuela Del Mole. Weren't those margaritas THE BEST?

Quote:

When you leave the (Rosarito Beach) hotel, walk one block north, then one block east. There is a great taco stand on the corner. Again, another poster's recommendation. A buck or two will buy you a huge taco. Enjoy dinner.

Tacos Yaqui. We gotta do that again Suz!

surfer jim - 10-2-2004 at 06:17 PM

cross the border ...get some pepto bismol and alka seltzer for your stomach...and continue home.....

David K - 10-2-2004 at 06:52 PM

Now Jim, don't be so negative! :lol:

I would be careful of (raw) clam c-cktails from the carts...

I almost lost my life (it felt) in Baja after enjoying one in San Felipe last year...

After a fun day off roading with the 'gilaoros', now known as the 'mcgyvers'( http://vivabaja.com/503/page3.html ), my stomach began to rumble so I returned to Shell Island.
If I was going to die, THAT is where I want to be laid to rest or have my ashes scattered. :lol:

[Edited on 10-3-2004 by David K]

Ah, shucks...

Mexray - 10-2-2004 at 09:40 PM

and here I thought this 'Perfect quickie' thread was going to be about something other than food....I'm easily misled! :no:

ha! Ray,

capt. mike - 10-3-2004 at 05:10 AM

i thought the same thing!

What do you think about the new gato casa in mulege?

jeans - 10-3-2004 at 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mexray
and here I thought this 'Perfect quickie' thread was going to be about something other than food....I'm easily misled! :no:

Hey Guys
Send Pat & Janeen down and we'll show them what we're talking about! :lol:

[Edited on 10-3-2004 by jeans]

Mindy,

Mexray - 10-3-2004 at 10:54 PM

Pat says she's read to go...maybe manana...today's her B'day, and we just got back home after a fun day with friends over SF Bay, way...

Now, about those &(^$*&$ LA Dodgers - and - Anaheim Angels.. :mad:

knocked both of our high-flyin' Bay Area BB Teams out of the playoffs yesterday! Is that any way to treat your friends to the north....you know, the ones that send you all that cool, cool aqua to fill your swimming pools in the south-land! The 49er's and Raiders are not much better, this year...it's going to be a long, hard, winter :smug:

Capn' Mike

Mexray - 10-3-2004 at 11:22 PM

I guess Mulege is getting too big for it's pants, as it were, with the recent notoriety of the 'gato casa' you mentioned...

Brings to mind an experience of some years ago...we had a few desert acres in northern Nevada, west of Battle Mt., where we went from time-to-time to ride bikes, buggies, and shoot holes in a few beer cans.

Battle Mt. had one small 'Gato Casa' at the time, called the 'Calico Club'. They had a clever logo with a pussy cat that I saw on BB caps around town, upon occasion. I told my wife, Pat it would be fun to get one of those hats and wear it at work to impress my buddies!

Pat was less than enthusiastic about my plan! She finally relented, only upon the condition I went into the 'Club' for a cap, only, and be back in two minutes - flat!

We drove to the 'Club', a marvelous example of Nevada out-back architecture...several trailers with a saloon in front! Leaving Pat, and our young child in our car out front, I went inside to fulfill my mission...er', to buy a BB cap! As I entered, three or four 'ladies' in various states of undress wandered over to ask if I desired some R & R...As I explained I only wanted to buy a BB Cap, they turned around and headed back to their 'lodgings', disappointed, I'm sure that such a fine physical specimen as myself didn't have time for some R & R that day.

I went to the bar, bought my cap, and strode back out to the car - with probably a minute to spare!

Talk about your 'quickie"... :spingrin:

Had that great cap for a couple of years till someone made off with it! Never could talk Pat into another trip out to the Calico Club!

great story Ray.

capt. mike - 10-4-2004 at 10:24 AM

see you this season. may be my last.......at least for a while - may be on a contract too far away from baja to go frequently or conveniently. plus, if the serenidad dives, well....i won't rent from the Eijido, ever!

jeans - 10-4-2004 at 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mexray
Pat says she's read to go...maybe manana...today's her B'day,

Happy birthday, Pat!

Mexray...a quickie at the Calico Club with the wife & kid in the car...have you no shame? :lol:

Perfect quickie daytrip south of the border

synch - 10-5-2004 at 08:03 AM

Forget the crowds and flea markets,
hit the Guadalupe wine country!