BajaNomad

Travel Guidance Needed

DBaja - 10-26-2022 at 05:38 PM

Hey everyone,

I'm driving south to my place in San Juanico on Nov 4th. Ill be there for almost 3 weeks. Ill be bringing my adventurous Mother who LOVES Baja. We have done this trip together several times but we usually grind it out over a few days. Instead I'm considering breaking up the drive to check out some recommended locations/destinations.

hot springs
whale watching
beautiful vistas
fishing (mostly for me lol)
fun lodging


Side note, sounds like the roads are clear/passable all the way down. Does anybody know differently?


All ideas/info are welcome, thanks!

Howard - 10-26-2022 at 06:08 PM

I drove to Loreto thru Otay last week and the roads were fine. There is no whale migration during your time period.

basautter - 10-27-2022 at 04:39 AM

Catavina is definitely worth a day or two. They have a great hotel and cool cave painting tours. San Ignacio or Guerro Negro are great places for whale watching, but not this time of year (late Feb or early March is best). Santa Rosalia is a bit out of your way, but also worth a day or two. Lots of history from French mining and a steel rivet church perhaps designed by Gustaf Eiffel. Have fun!

David K - 10-27-2022 at 05:10 AM

I made www.vivabaja.com to show what's there to see, give data on history, maps, kilometer markers, and lot's of photos. Check out my two interactive maps. One for my Baja Bound Travel Adventure article locations (with photos), and another for just photos taken on the peninsula... a work in progress.

Some basic questions to help us help you:
*What are you driving (is it 2WD or 4WD)
*Is camping an option or lodging only?
*Do you want to see the part of Baja that is south of San Juanico, too?

wilderone - 10-27-2022 at 08:53 AM

Check out San Ignacio - Ignacio Springs yurts. They have kayak rentals, meals served on the patio.
Also, check out Buenaventura Hostel. It's on my itinerary for my next trip (so no personal experience), but it is located at Sierra de San Francisco - some of the best views ever, plus you can see some of the nearby pictograph murals. Says they have rooms, camping, dining room, showers.
Cross in Tecate and spend a day wine tasting - overnight in Ensenada or a boutique hotel along Ruta de Vino.

[Edited on 10-27-2022 by wilderone]

DBaja - 10-27-2022 at 09:29 AM

Thank you everyone for the responses! Sound like whales are a no go, figured. We love Catavina and San Ignacio. We briefly stopped in Santa Rosalia last time we drove down, such amazing history! I would really like to explore that stretch of coastline more. Does anyone know of any worthy hot springs? Developed or not.

Ill definitely check out vivabaja, thanks David. We are in a small 2wd truck, no camping this trip unfortunately.

Hostal [sic] Buenaventura in San Francisco de la Sierra

David K - 10-27-2022 at 09:29 AM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  
Check out San Ignacio - Ignacio Springs yurts. They have kayak rentals, meals served on the patio.
Also, check out Buenaventura Hostel. It's on my itinerary for my next trip (so no personal experience), but it is located at Sierra de San Francisco - some of the best views ever, plus you can see some of the nearby pictograph murals. Says they have rooms, camping, dining room, showers.
Cross in San Felipe and spend a day wine tasting - overnight in Ensenada or a boutique hotel along Ruta de Vino.





I have one photo of the sign and two of the facility on this page: https://vivabaja.com/p617/3/

I was also there two years later with Cameron's Trail of Missions recon team and saw the painted cave nearby (El Ratón): https://vivabaja.com/p519/3/

DBaja - 10-27-2022 at 09:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  
Check out San Ignacio - Ignacio Springs yurts. They have kayak rentals, meals served on the patio.
Also, check out Buenaventura Hostel. It's on my itinerary for my next trip (so no personal experience), but it is located at Sierra de San Francisco - some of the best views ever, plus you can see some of the nearby pictograph murals. Says they have rooms, camping, dining room, showers.
Cross in San Felipe and spend a day wine tasting - overnight in Ensenada or a boutique hotel along Ruta de Vino.





WOW Wilderone, your recommendations are spot on! Sierra de San Francisco looks amazing, we love the wine country too so an overnighter there could be perfect. "Cross in San Felipe"?

David K - 10-27-2022 at 09:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DBaja  
Thank you everyone for the responses! Sound like whales are a no go, figured. We love Catavina and San Ignacio. We briefly stopped in Santa Rosalia last time we drove down, such amazing history! I would really like to explore that stretch of coastline more. Does anyone know of any worthy hot springs? Developed or not.

Ill definitely check out vivabaja, thanks David. We are in a small 2wd truck, no camping this trip unfortunately.


Hot springs are near Ensenada in a few places. The most well known are in San Carlos Canyon, just inland from the country club, 8.4 miles south of Ensenada harbor. It is 11 miles to the hot springs. The Agua Caliernte hot springs are just east of Ensenada off the San Felipe highway at Km. 26 (+ 5 miles in). They may offer lodging? There is also a hot spring in the low tide sand on the road to Punta Banda/ La Bufadora (from Km. 21+ south of Ensenada, at Maneadero). Someone can help with exactly where you park if you happen to be at a low ride and bring a shovel!

Other hot springs in the low tide area are at Puertecitos, Bahía Concepción, San Cosme (south of Loreto off the Agua Verde road).

Puertecitos hot springs (at mid-tide):


You really should get this 2004 book for excellent data on most of the Baja hot springs:


[Edited on 10-27-2022 by David K]

David K - 10-27-2022 at 09:48 AM

She means cross in Tecate (for Guadalupe Valley wine tasting)

DBaja - 10-27-2022 at 01:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
She means cross in Tecate (for Guadalupe Valley wine tasting)


Ok, that's what I figured. Thanks

DBaja - 10-27-2022 at 01:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Quote: Originally posted by DBaja  
Thank you everyone for the responses! Sound like whales are a no go, figured. We love Catavina and San Ignacio. We briefly stopped in Santa Rosalia last time we drove down, such amazing history! I would really like to explore that stretch of coastline more. Does anyone know of any worthy hot springs? Developed or not.

Ill definitely check out vivabaja, thanks David. We are in a small 2wd truck, no camping this trip unfortunately.


Hot springs are near Ensenada in a few places. The most well known are in San Carlos Canyon, just inland from the country club, 8.4 miles south of Ensenada harbor. It is 11 miles to the hot springs. The Agua Caliernte hot springs are just east of Ensenada off the San Felipe highway at Km. 26 (+ 5 miles in). They may offer lodging? There is also a hot spring in the low tide sand on the road to Punta Banda/ La Bufadora (from Km. 21+ south of Ensenada, at Maneadero). Someone can help with exactly where you park if you happen to be at a low ride and bring a shovel!

Other hot springs in the low tide area are at Puertecitos, Bahía Concepción, San Cosme (south of Loreto off the Agua Verde road).

Puertecitos hot springs (at mid-tide):


You really should get this 2004 book for excellent data on most of the Baja hot springs:


[Edited on 10-27-2022 by David K]






Amazing info, thank again David!! My mom really wants to check out San Carlos Canyon Hot Spring. She says she has fond memories of that spot as a child, before it apparently burned down and its new ownership/development. Ill get that book asap!!!

David K - 10-27-2022 at 01:32 PM

Cool... there was an older edition of that book, I think the Baja data is the same or almost, between the two.