Howard - 3-19-2016 at 01:13 PM
The week after Semana Santa I am driving my F350 dually with a very heavy 11.5 foot dual slide cab over camper from Loreto to Borrego Springs, CA.
Normally I would go up highway #1 to Tecate and go from there.
I am feeling a bit reckless and thinking about highway #5 and up that way. I have read all about the 21-23 miles of dirt and will just slow down and
smell the cactus and try not to curse to much. I just got 6 new tires in Loreto, so that shouldn't be a problem. Out of 100s of Baja trips, I have
never been south of San Felipe on that side and haven't been to San Felipe since around 1970.
The question is, once I get to the ocean "and turn left" I will be looking for a nice beach front RV park with or without hookups. Hook ups preferred
but not needed. Location, location, location is more important to me than hookups, cantina preferred. Nice easy drive to the RV location and then
ocean front. I plan to spend a couple of nights, so where do you gurus recommend, Gonzaga Bay or ?
Thank you,
Howard
[Edited on 3-19-2016 by Howard]
willardguy - 3-19-2016 at 01:22 PM
rancho grande would be easy
Rossman - 3-19-2016 at 02:18 PM
Perfect answer willardguy! I personally would have no reservations about driving the rig you described on that stretch but it would be a slow and
tedious journey and when you reach BG, you will want "easy"
woody with a view - 3-19-2016 at 02:59 PM
Papa's
bajapedro - 3-19-2016 at 03:58 PM
If you feel like getting close to San Felipe, about 20km south is Percebu. No hook ups. clean bathrooms and showers and a cantina on the beach as
well.
Don't be there over Easter weekend though, it will be crazy.
Just North of san Felipe is Pete's camp. Can camp right on beach. Not sure about hook ups, but doubt they have them. Good cantina there as well.
nbacc - 3-19-2016 at 05:09 PM
Cantina at Pete's camp is the best.,,,,,,,,,,best margaritas around.
Worth the dusty road. Percebu is good and so is Bahia Cristina
willardguy - 3-19-2016 at 05:26 PM
like howard said, location,location,location. that view at Gbay is hard to beat, can't wait for a b-tchin palapa cantina to spring roots!
AKgringo - 3-19-2016 at 05:34 PM
I think that the camps and beaches on the northern end of highway five, will not be greatly affected by the completion of the pavement to Chapala, but
the southern end will.
I recommend checking out the Gonzga Bay, Punta Final area before it gets developed any more than it is. The pavement is closing in!
Also, remember that there are some nasty vado's north of Puertecitos. Some well marked, others not so much.
David K - 3-19-2016 at 09:59 PM
Because of the size of your rig and trailer... keep it simple and off deep sand chances... You need to turn the set up around to get out.
At 'Gonzaga Bay' (which is considered both Bahia San Luis Gonzaga and Ensenada de San Francisquito, the bigger bay there),
I would recommend:
1) Rancho Grande
2) Campo Beluga
When you head on north from there towards San Felipe... Your awesome views will be behind you... So pull over and have a look back at the Enchanted
Islands (between Gonzaga and El Huerfanito). There is a big paved pullout around Km. 100... here is that view back south:
2015
2012
2011
Before Pavement:
2008
That closest of the islands, near shore, is Isla El Huerfanito (The Little Orphan Island) as it is separate from its 'siblings'.
redhilltown - 3-19-2016 at 11:14 PM
Another vote for Papa's
dizzyspots - 3-20-2016 at 06:17 AM
Gonzaga Bay.....your back door will be 20 ft from a sandy beach...Papa's is pretty good real estate but you wont get your rig anywhere near a sandy
beach over there. Rancho has a great store...Alfonsinas has a great little cantina...we do it twice a year...almost exactly the same rig as yours!
norte - 3-20-2016 at 07:25 AM
Nbacc. Bahia Cristinas is closed.
lots of nice places between Puertecitos and San Felipe. Gonzaga Bay area is nice. only Cantina would be at Rancho Grande/Alfonsinas.
Howard - 3-20-2016 at 08:10 AM
Thank you everyone for your replies. Please keep the suggestions coming.
Anything out of the ordinary that I should know about crossing the border?
David, no trailer being pulled.
FYI, chamber of commerce weather in Loreto with the water temps in the low 70s. Cruise ship in yesterday Semana Santa is starting, lots of people,
both gringos and Mexicans in town. Yellowtail are a plentiful with lots of whales.
desertcpl - 3-20-2016 at 08:43 AM
Petes camp,, no hook ups,, but have showers and restrooms
great restaurant and great bar
http://petescamp.com/
David K - 3-20-2016 at 10:27 AM
Thanks Howard... I thought the camper was maybe a trailer or 5th wheel. You will be more mobile, but I would avoid the long driveway to Punta Final
for a quick look. That is a private home area and no RV park.
Papa's on the north end of Gonzaga has a beach camp area over the hill from the restaurant there, behind a roped driveway, for security. The
restaurant features a photo of Papa with John Wayne, who loved Gonzaga Bay.
Alfonsina's, like Punta Final, is a private home campo but has a motel, restaurant, bar and great shrimp or fish dinners.
I still think the closest RV beach camp to easiest get to is Rancho Grande, just south of Alfonsina's and then Campo Beluga, a mile + south of Rancho
Grande.
Pete's Camp is 110 miles north of Gonzaga.
