BajaNomad

Help me create a flexible itinerary

jamesbee - 8-11-2022 at 10:02 AM

Hi guys been lurking on here and decided to sign up. We are planning a 3 week trip late October and would like advice where to stay along the way. It's me, wife and our Rottweiler. Driving a 4x4 diesel truck towing a 22ft travel trailer. Prefer to stay in RV parks. So far I'm planning to cross south at Mexicali East. Was originally thinking Tecate but would rather avoid La Rumorosa hwy.

Thinking to stop 1st day in San Felipe. We are planning to spend a few days in Bahia de consepcion and travel as far south as Loreto spending a few days there.

Where we should we stop after leaving San Felipe? Thanks in advance!

David K - 8-13-2022 at 08:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by jamesbee  
Hi guys been lurking on here and decided to sign up. We are planning a 3 week trip late October and would like advice where to stay along the way. It's me, wife and our Rottweiler. Driving a 4x4 diesel truck towing a 22ft travel trailer. Prefer to stay in RV parks. So far I'm planning to cross south at Mexicali East. Was originally thinking Tecate but would rather avoid La Rumorosa hwy.

Thinking to stop 1st day in San Felipe. We are planning to spend a few days in Bahia de consepcion and travel as far south as Loreto spending a few days there.

Where we should we stop after leaving San Felipe? Thanks in advance!



Welcome to Baja Nomad!

A 3-week trip as far south as Loreto will give you lots of time to enjoy this part of Baja and no need to rush. Stay as long as you like in places that appeal to you and leave quickly the places that don't.

Do you need full hook ups at the RV parks or will dry-campgrounds work as well? A lot of the nice places (location-wise) do not have electricity, water, or waste hookups... Just a palapa (shade) and a beautiful beach.

Mike & Terri Church wrote a nice book, Camping Mexico's Baja with several (6) editions to 2017. Their website only is updated to the 5th edition (2012), however. http://www.rollinghomes.com/baja%20book.htm



I researched campgrounds and RV parks a bit while preparing a road guide for Baja Bound Insurance in 2017 & 2018. Covid delayed its publishing, but you can see the pre-publication version I produced or the trip reports with most the details: https://vivabaja.com/baja-bound-road-guide/



Since you have the time, don't miss seeing Bahía de los Angeles. It is 40 paved miles east from Highway 1 and has several campgrounds, most are just north of town on the La Gringa paved road from the sail boat traffic circle monument.



Check out my trip photos, ask about any place that looks good to you!

*Mexicali to San Felipe: https://vivabaja.com/p317/

*San Felipe to Gonzaga Bay, Bahía de los Angeles, and Punta San Francisquito: https://vivabaja.com/p117-page1/

*San Ignacio to Loreto: https://vivabaja.com/p217/

BajaBlanca - 8-13-2022 at 06:29 PM

San Ignacio and Mulege are 2 places you should take a day or two at.

If you want the small village feel - start in Bahia Asuncion and then OF COURSE La Bocana. No full rv hookups at either but camping available at Campo Sirena (BA) and look for Shari and in front of our little hotel in La Bocana. Look for Joaquin (he has a restaurant that opens only with a reservation and oh so worth it) and we have a beach restaurant open almost 365 days a year with superb margaritas. We also have a huge grocery store that we call Costco - it has everything you could want!

Have a great trip.

advrider - 8-15-2022 at 08:46 AM

Kiki's or Victors in San Felipe are our go to campgrounds. Gonzaga bay is South on 5 on your way to Bay of LA. Try rancho Granda camping across from the store, papa Fernandez or Punta Final.
Several good spots in BOLA, Diaz's and Archelon (sp). Look at Davids travel and camp guides for all you need.

honda tom - 8-16-2022 at 08:31 AM

San Felipe .. rubens

Bay of La Archelon (nice as it is away from town 4 min)

San Ignacio Los Petates (on the lagoon down in the palms)

Concepcion ( any of those beaches works for me ) hints though. santispac has 2 beach bars with food... coyote is beautiful...
buenaventura has beach bar with good food AND Taco Tuesday is not to be missed, with live music. Requeson take a walk out the spit to the island.
I think Concepcion is Where you may want to stay several days, and use your tow vehicle to go tour Loreto and find your spot there, maybe Loreto Shores... or south to Tripui.

Lucky You!

BajaBlanca - 8-16-2022 at 10:39 PM

A local friend from La Bocana says Los Petates in San Ignacio is great! We have never stayed there but if you want a good restaurant there - go straight through town and bear right after the main square (passing the church) and turn into La Huerta which has a store, then restaurant and then hotel. Their restaurant is excellent, not expensive and easy parking.

HeyMulegeScott - 8-17-2022 at 11:19 AM

There are no hookups in Bahia Concepcion but vendors will bring you water and provide a pump out for your waste tanks. Get a portable solar panel for your power. A lot of the RV parks in Baja have pretty unreliable connections.

I have more info about the area here - https://heymulege.com/things-to-do/

jamesbee - 8-17-2022 at 05:48 PM

Hi all, thanks for the comments/help. David, I've seen your adventures looking online. Huge help! We're going to actually have just over 2 weeks in Baja, other days will be driving to and from Portland,OR.

We are not planning to visit BOLA, are we crazy? Thinking the first day to stop in San Felipe, is it reasonable to drive from San Felipe to San Ignacio in 1 day? Keep in mind, towing a travel trailer. If not I need a stop point in the middle. I found 2 restaurants on Ioverlander, 1st is Terramar at junction to BOLA, 2nd is just South, Mauricio's. Both seem to allow over night parking.

We are planning to spend a day in San Ignacio and 2 days in Mulege. Then a week in Bahia Concepcion before heading to Loreto.

Hookups are nice, our 22ft TT is pretty well setup for boon docking, IE large tanks, solar, generator

Thanks for all the recommendations, keep them coming!

David K - 8-18-2022 at 06:31 AM

You can do L.A. Bay on another trip, but it is a 40-mile paved side trip and so very popular if you like water activities or just photo opportunities. There are many campgrounds there, most on the paved road that goes north from the town's sailboat monument to La Gringa. Many here like Camp Archelon (me included), or Daggett's just beyond.






We ate at Mauricio's once (in Nuevo Rosarito), good food, but not Terramar.

With three weeks, you have plenty of time to see sites but pulling a trailer is not easy on such narrow highways... Do not try to rush and figure 40 mph average overall driving times.

Photo is the view as you near Bahía de los Angeles... The Bay of Angels (islands):




[Edited on 8-18-2022 by David K]

honda tom - 8-18-2022 at 07:43 AM

san felipe to san ignacio is easy drive if you get an early start.

lunch/fuel in Guerrero negro... find the shrimp taco truck!

San felipe to GN 5 hours

GN to san ignacio 2 hours

David K - 8-18-2022 at 07:58 AM

It was reported that the shrimp and fish taco truck relocated from the main street through Guerrero Negro to a side street to the north.







I agree with Honda Tom's driving times.
You may want to stop at Gonzaga Bay, Km. 147 south of San Felipe. Rancho Grande (2nd driveway after gas station) is easy pull in camping for your trailer. Ask in the nice market across the highway from that drive/gas station about camping there for costs, etc.


Another nice camp is Beluga, but a bit longer drive off the highway (km. 149, then 2 miles in).












[Edited on 8-18-2022 by David K]

Hook - 8-19-2022 at 10:46 PM

So, it would be November before you actually cross the border?

I would not pass up BOLA in late Oct/early Nov.

jamesbee - 8-20-2022 at 06:07 AM

That taco looks so good! Good to know on the drive from San Felipe to San Ignacio. We'll likely make an early start. We are planning to cross the border on 10/26 in the morning.

AKgringo - 8-20-2022 at 01:13 PM

It looks like your trip will coincide with four holidays. Halloween (US), Day of the Dead (MX), Revolution day (MX) and Thanksgiving (US).

The first two will be no big deal, but the third week of November will be crowded!

David K - 8-20-2022 at 03:54 PM

Remember Baja 1000 pre-running, and the race in early November!
While it is an 'off-road' (dirt road) race, the highways are used to connect to different dirt sections plus the pit support and chase teams are on the highways and have been known to drive 'amped up' on adrenalin... and not being courteous to non-race persons on the road.
The 2022 Baja 1000 is a loop race in the northern state of Baja California. Next year, it is a point to point race from La Paz to Ensenada.

jamesbee - 11-20-2022 at 12:40 PM

Thanks for the help everyone!

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=98267#pid1245...