BajaNomad

Cabo plus?

travelfar - 11-18-2022 at 09:31 AM

I won't be camping in Baja this year but I have an idea. Flights to Cabo are reasonable and so are rental cars. I am thinking about flying to Cabo and driving a few hours to a town with a nice beach, good food cheap and a more authentic Mexican feel. I thought I might drive to La Paz for 2 or 3 days and then the rest of the week back in Cabo del San Jose which sounds like fun.
Comments or suggestions?

Don Pisto - 11-18-2022 at 10:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by travelfar  
I won't be camping in Baja this year but I have an idea. Flights to Cabo are reasonable and so are rental cars. I am thinking about flying to Cabo and driving a few hours to a town with a nice beach, good food cheap and a more authentic Mexican feel. I thought I might drive to La Paz for 2 or 3 days and then the rest of the week back in Cabo del San Jose which sounds like fun.
Comments or suggestions?


plan it so you'll be on the la paz malecon saturday night ;)

David K - 11-18-2022 at 11:37 AM

A "few hours" can take you far beyond La Paz, which is 2-3 hours from Cabo.
Are you thinking Loreto to Concepción Bay, which is the next paved road beach areas.
Closer, dirt road beaches include Punta Conejo on the Pacific or San Evaristo on the gulf, with others along the way.

mtgoat666 - 11-18-2022 at 11:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by travelfar  
I won't be camping in Baja this year but I have an idea. Flights to Cabo are reasonable and so are rental cars. I am thinking about flying to Cabo and driving a few hours to a town with a nice beach, good food cheap and a more authentic Mexican feel. I thought I might drive to La Paz for 2 or 3 days and then the rest of the week back in Cabo del San Jose which sounds like fun.
Comments or suggestions?


Sounds like a plan!

Dunno where you are flying from, but if in San Diego, flights out of TJ are often cheap - look at flying into loreto, la paz or cabo.

dravnx - 11-18-2022 at 03:52 PM

Consider Todos Santos. It's got that quintessential Mexico town look with great restaurants, art galleries and beaches.

mtgoat666 - 11-18-2022 at 04:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by dravnx  
Consider Todos Santos. It's got that quintessential Mexico town look with great restaurants, art galleries and beaches.


Todos santos is a tourism town, “quaint” aesthetic i admit, however primary business of the town is tourism. But as tourist traps go, TS is nicer than some others.

mtgoat666 - 11-18-2022 at 05:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by dravnx  
Consider Todos Santos. It's got that quintessential Mexico town look with great restaurants, art galleries and beaches.

And (trust us on this) there's nothing more "authentically Mexican" than art galleries!


All those art galleries owned by authentic Mexicans :lol::lol:

pacificobob - 11-18-2022 at 05:42 PM

When you see gringos selling/doing business with/to gringos you can make two solid conclusions.
1. You not in authentic Mexico
2. You are paying too much.
YMMV

JDCanuck - 11-18-2022 at 06:59 PM

"More" authentic than Cabo resorts and on a nice beach I think was the statement. Accessible by rental car, cheaper food, Todos Santos, Los Barriles or La Paz would all be improvements. La Paz has a lot of variety close by, but the saturday night music scene was a good suggestion.

bajagregg - 11-18-2022 at 07:00 PM

I would consider flying into Loreto. It's authentic Mexico with lots of good food and reasonable prices. With some research, you will find plenty of things to do including beaches, islands, and a number of really cool old missions.

David K - 11-18-2022 at 07:22 PM

Loreto any day over Cabo, which is like going to Las Vegas and thinking you've experienced real America!

JDCanuck - 11-18-2022 at 07:48 PM

Not having ever been to Loreto except to drive right by, I think I would choose to fly to Loreto as well and spend time checking it out. Have heard nothing but good things about it from everyone who visited. Depends where you are flying in from and the amount of time you have. Might be able to avoid the rental car as well except to drive north or south and do some overnights elsewhere.

mtgoat666 - 11-18-2022 at 07:59 PM

What is authentic Mexican?
What is an authentic American?

Los Angeles and NYC are authentic American, and most American nomads are fearful of LA and NYC, and most Mexicans are excited to visit LA and NYC.
Most nomads here think San Fran is a cesspool, many foreigners love to visit San Fran and see a vibrant world class city.
American suburbanites are very grumpy and conflicted Americans, perhaps?


[Edited on 11-19-2022 by mtgoat666]

mtgoat666 - 11-18-2022 at 08:01 PM

Guadalajara! Great city! Beats la paz and loreto!

4x4abc - 11-18-2022 at 08:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by travelfar  
I won't be camping in Baja this year but I have an idea. Flights to Cabo are reasonable and so are rental cars. I am thinking about flying to Cabo and driving a few hours to a town with a nice beach, good food cheap and a more authentic Mexican feel. I thought I might drive to La Paz for 2 or 3 days and then the rest of the week back in Cabo del San Jose which sounds like fun.
Comments or suggestions?


no such place between La Paz and Los Cabos

everything is expensive and pretentious

4x4abc - 11-18-2022 at 08:48 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajagregg  
I would consider flying into Loreto. It's authentic Mexico with lots of good food and reasonable prices. With some research, you will find plenty of things to do including beaches, islands, and a number of really cool old missions.


Loreto still has a pretty good feel
small town, quiet

BUT
prices for everything have tripled in recent years
no good beaches

wilderone - 11-19-2022 at 08:30 AM

Cabo Pulmo isn't far from Cabo airport for your first couple or 3 days. Spend a day at Los Arbolitos 5 mi. south. La Paz, Todos Santos and return. Despite the critics here, I had a fun 3 days in Todos Santos. The first day is walking the tourist blocks - there is one trinket store that sells some kind of chocolate tequila (other flavor too) - you can taste many of them. He's on a side street. They are expensive to buy (can't fly with liquids anyway), but fun to taste. It was at Todos Santos that I joined a turtle hatchling release at sundown which was the highlight of that trip. Ask about that. If you go south to the beaches, there are a lot of restaurants. Bring a map - just go. You'll have a blast.

pacificobob - 11-19-2022 at 10:06 AM

Real mexico?
Consider Oaxaca... Both city and state....
If you are hearing indigenous languages being spoken... You are likely in authentic mexico.

Cliffy - 11-19-2022 at 08:32 PM

If you drive to La Paz be sure to understand that it is combat driving all over the city with pot holes big enough to swallow a VW! Don't follow too close behind to give yourself time to dodge them
Every corner is a 4 way stop that is only optional for the locals For you? STOP at all STOP signs.

Also make sure your phone works on maps so it can guide you around town.
Lots of food drink and music on the melcon.

AKgringo - 11-19-2022 at 09:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Cliffy  


Also make sure your phone works on maps so it can guide you around town.
Lots of food drink and music on the melcon.


A phone or GPS is great for telling you what street you are on, but don't trust them to know which streets are "one way"!

Marty Mateo - 11-19-2022 at 09:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by travelfar  
I won't be camping in Baja this year but I have an idea. Flights to Cabo are reasonable and so are rental cars. I am thinking about flying to Cabo and driving a few hours to a town with a nice beach, good food cheap and a more authentic Mexican feel. I thought I might drive to La Paz for 2 or 3 days and then the rest of the week back in Cabo del San Jose which sounds like fun.
Comments or suggestions?


Sounds like a good plan , lots of beach options all the way to Todos via highway 19 and a good range of accommodation options. My wife and I are staying in Todos at the moment and even thought the town is busy the beaches north and south have been fairly empty . If you like live music there is usually something most nights of the week in restaurants around town.
Cerritos is a good beach if you want a beach with lots of vendors renting chairs,umbrellas, surfboards etc and food and drink options
La Paz is a good city with lots of food and entertainment options and beaches north and east of the city.
I would plan to do the loop and come back to San Jose via highway 1 .El Triunfo is an interesting town to have a walk around and the drive down through San Antonio, San Bartolo and out to the Sea of Cortez at Los Barriles is very beautiful. We drove from San Jose to Todos that way last week and it’s very lush and green right now. Lots of hiking options on both sides of the Sierra de la Laguna and the various waterfalls will be flowing well right now.
Not too hard to find authentic Mexican throughout that loop if you look for it but obviously Baja is very influenced by it’s neighbour to the north. Pretty nice that you can fly in , grab a car and explore the area so easily .

gnukid - 11-19-2022 at 11:36 PM

El Cardonal, Boca Del Alamo, Punta Arena, Tecolote, El Conejo, etc...

RFClark - 11-21-2022 at 10:58 AM

“Authentic Mexican”!

As a European Country Mexico is about twice as old as the US. Mexico also has a far longer history as a non-European country. Mexico is one of the first places where the far east met the west as a result of the overland connection to Veracruz used by the Spanish.

The result is a hybrid of people, foods and lifestyles. Rice, served in most Mexican meals comes from the far east. Corn traveled around the world after being a staple in Mexico for thousands of years. Wheat Flour came with the Spanish and stayed as tortillas.

Even now it’s not at all uncommon to see “Oriental featured” Mexicans and others who probably resemble the people who first greeted the Spanish.

Most visitors to BSC probably think the marina area in Cabo is “Authentic Mexican”!

Cliffy - 11-21-2022 at 06:25 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
Quote: Originally posted by Cliffy  


Also make sure your phone works on maps so it can guide you around town.
Lots of food drink and music on the melcon.


A phone or GPS is great for telling you what street you are on, but don't trust them to know which streets are "one way"!



YUP Right ON!!!

Cliffy - 11-21-2022 at 06:29 PM

If you are near Todos Santos just north of town on each side of the highway is a restaurant opposite each other run by the same family. Lots of cars are always there and the food is good!
You can.t miss them Just drive north of town a little way.

travelfar - 11-22-2022 at 01:08 PM

I used the term "more authentic Mexican" as comparative. I imagine Cabos as being quite similar to the US. I suspect places like La Paz or Todos Santos are less so, more similar to non-tourist oriented towns and cities across Mexico would be. I am sure American influence is significant but less than in Cabos or Cancun, for example.
At least, that's what I was asking.

Thanks for all who answered.

pacificobob - 11-22-2022 at 02:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Cliffy  
If you are near Todos Santos just north of town on each side of the highway is a restaurant opposite each other run by the same family. Lots of cars are always there and the food is good!
You can.t miss them Just drive north of town a little way.


La garita is the name... About 12 miles north of TS.
Good recommendation

JDCanuck - 11-22-2022 at 05:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by travelfar  
I used the term "more authentic Mexican" as comparative. I imagine Cabos as being quite similar to the US. I suspect places like La Paz or Todos Santos are less so, more similar to non-tourist oriented towns and cities across Mexico would be. I am sure American influence is significant but less than in Cabos or Cancun, for example.
At least, that's what I was asking.

Thanks for all who answered.


I think your suspicions are quite correct, and the travel between them will provide lots of opportunities to check out interesting stops along the way as well. Have a great trip! We enjoyed the hstory behind El Triunfo, if you are lucky you might catch the museum open, we unfortunately missed it.