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nraia
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-16-2012
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Road Trip - Nor Cal to San Jose del Cabo
We are planning our first road trip (we usually fly) to visit friends in San Jose del Cabo. I see there are MANY posts about road trips but so many
to sort through. I figured I would ask the Nomad "experts" what/where are the best places to go/stop/see/stay/eat all along the way. We are planning
on taking at least a week to get south, maybe longer, with no more than 4-5 hours of driving each leg since we will have a 5 year old with us.....I am
trying to plan the trip somewhat and then from there we would play it by ear.
Thanks
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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well you're in luck, turns out theres 48,000 nomad "experts"
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nraia
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-16-2012
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Awesome...hopefully some will reply so I don't have to sort through the 48,000 experts and their gazillion posts. I have spent the last few hours
reading them and totally enthralled because they are so interesting but really getting nowhere with my trip planning 
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
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Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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A few things might help us plan your life, oops, trip for you.
Will you be staying in hotels/motels or camping?
If staying in hotels, what is your price range?
Will you be doing any cooking or eating out?
Are you talking about taking approx. a week once you cross the border or from your house?
What type of vehicle will you be taking?
Lots more questions but this will get all the "experts" going.
By the way for starters, look up San Ignacio, that is a must for one of your nights on the road and if camping, Bay of Conception, just South of
Mulege is a must see.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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nraia
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-16-2012
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Mostly hotels/motels - but we are not opposed to some camping
Prefer $100 per night or less on lodging
Prefer to cook meals ourselves but will eat out when necessary
We will have 3 weeks total from Northern California (Sonoma County) and will drive straight to San Diego on day 1. We would like to spend some time
in San Jose del Cabo since we have friends that live there but the rest of the time is open
We will be in a 2007 Nissan Murano
Thank you for helping plan my life...I mean trip. We are such rookies I don't even know where to start
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1662
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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First get a map.
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nraia
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-16-2012
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I know Southern Baja very well, San Jose, Cabo, Todos Santo, La Paz, Los Barilles, etc and would be very excited to share what I have seen, what I
love to do, all the things people don't know about, it would be very cool to pass that along to someone who has no idea and have never been here. If
you are not interested in passing your knowledge along, or I am wasting your time with my rookie post, please just ignore me and move along.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Not opposed to some camping, and want to cook your own meals?
Hotels with kitchen facilities are few along the Baja Highway.
That said, inasmuch as you really don't want to drive more than 4-5 hours per day, I have a few recommendations.
San Quintin will find the Jardines Baja Hotel that is just a bit less than a mile off the main highway and has a sign posted. Really great hotel, and
there is a camping facility just next door, if you wish. They have a really good restaurant operated by family members adjacent.
From there, a reasonable drive on the Guerrero Negro. I favor two hotels there, Cowboy and Caracoles, both on the West side of town as you enter. They
are almost just across the street from each other. They both have free wifi. From my perspective, the only real difference is that Caracoles takes
credit cards, and Cowboy does not. They each have a restaurant adjacent. Asadero Cowboy is low cost. Nautilus by Caracoles, a bit higher. Then, just a
block farther into town there is Malarrimo. But, I have to comment that although I have really enjoyed meals at Malarrimo for almost two decades, the
past couple of years, it hasn't been as good.
From Guerrero Negro, it's an easy shot to Mulege. But we often just go on for a couple of hours more to Loreto. Always found a wider choice of hotels
and restaurants in Loreto. Not that Mulege isn't a wonderful place to stop. Just not so many decent flops.
Once in Loreto, you are a day trip to San Jose Del Cabo. I haven't gotten an update on road conditions with the construction on the highway from
Pescadero to Cabo for a couple of months. But that last time I drove it, it was awful, with detours on and off the whole drive. I'd suggest staying on
Highway One straight to San Jose.
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nraia
Newbie
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Registered: 4-16-2012
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Thank you VERY much for your suggestions, that is really helpful. I only said cook my own meals because it was one of the questions someone asked, we
will go along with whatever is available/appropriate/convenient which could be just eating out of our ice chest for a few days, no biggie.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
.....San Quintin will find the Jardines Baja Hotel that is just a bit less than a mile off the main highway and has a sign posted. Really great hotel,
and there is a camping facility just next door, if you wish. They have a really good restaurant operated by family members adjacent.......
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Jardines is beautiful and very, very nice. However, as you have a young child with you, I might suggest the Mission Santa Maria Hotel at the south
end of San Quintin---fairly close to Jardines. It is a bit further off the main highway, but it is right on the beach-----a good place for the
little to play. Restaurant is quite good.
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BajaDixon
Junior Nomad
Posts: 71
Registered: 10-30-2011
Location: NORTHERN BAJA
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You may wish to stay in Catavina as opposed to driving from San Quintin through to Guerrero Negro. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth and
has a nice hotel on the right. That breaks up the drive very nicely. If time allows I would also suggest a detour out to Bahia de Los Angeles. Often
called the jewel of Baja. Many hotels to choose from. Costa del Sol is where we usually stay.
Where in So. Co? I live in Sebastopol and Duncans Mills.
[Edited on 4-22-2012 by BajaDixon]
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nraia
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-16-2012
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Thank you so much for the suggestions. (BajaDixon) we are in RPark
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Fernweh
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 2-24-2011
Location: Centenario, BCS
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I would prefer San Ignacio way over Guerrero Negro.
Especially, if you stayed in Catavina at the nice Mission Inn, the Trip to SI is only 1-1/2 hours more.
Not only the wonderful town square in front of the Mission invites you to stay here longer, your 2007 Nissan Murano can take you for small day trips
to the Lagoon, to see some pinturas at Santa Martha or drive up the road to the mountain village of Francisco de la Sierra.
There are also some B&B's in La Bocana and Bahía Asunción, along the Pacific Coast just North of San Ignacio.
Lot's of stuff to see and to venture out to, before getting to the Sea of Cortez (Santa Rosalia, Mulege and Loreto)
AAA has a great Baja map for free.....
[Edited on 4-22-2012 by Fernweh]
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6700
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Since everyone will have their favorite places..may I suggest you look at the map, plan your trip and then ask for suggestions.
otherwise I will give you enough to keep you occupied for a year on your way down.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65307
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Just go and make your own discoveries...
You will have a great time, I am sure... It is really about attitude! Most Baja Nomads have a good attitude and enjoy the adventure of not knowing for
sure where they will be the next night, or eat the next day...
Because we have differing likes and desires on our Baja trips, sometimes seeing what is in various places helps.
I have a special web page on VivaBaja.com with photos of several sites of interest, grouped by the nearest destination point: http://vivabaja.com/tours have a look!
These are in the northern state of Baja California. We don't get into Baja Sur very often, but try and see as much as we can that interests us when we
do! Please enjoy our trip from July, 2009 to just south of Loreto, and see many places you may read about here on Nomad: http://vivabaja.com/709
Two years earlier, we stayed a bit at Bahia Asuncion with the great host Shari and her husband Juan... http://vivabaja.com/707 as well as traveled along the Seven Sisters 4WD Coast Road, Bahia Concepcion, and started the vacation at the great Baja
Cactus Motel with the El Rosario Cultural Festival.
If seeing historic sites is of any interest, than the California Spanish missions should not be missed (some of them are impossible to miss on your
drive south). The mission chain started in Baja, afterall... and Baja was California first! See the missions: http://vivabaja.com/bajamissions (from 1697 to the mid 1800's)
Here is the second California mission, San Javier (1699):
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
.....San Quintin will find the Jardines Baja Hotel that is just a bit less than a mile off the main highway and has a sign posted. Really great hotel,
and there is a camping facility just next door, if you wish. They have a really good restaurant operated by family members adjacent.......
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Jardines is beautiful and very, very nice. However, as you have a young child with you, I might suggest the Mission Santa Maria Hotel at the south
end of San Quintin---fairly close to Jardines. It is a bit further off the main highway, but it is right on the beach-----a good place for the
little to play. Restaurant is quite good. |
''
I kinda agree and disagree at the same time. We've stayed at that hotel over the years under a number of different names. Most recently, the Los Pinos
people bought it and did some upgrading. The beds are better. The restaurant is better.
But, the whole facility has always seemed a little creepy to me. I recall someone on this site once posted that it reminded them of the hotel in "The
Shining". I get that. It just feels cold.
That, and although there is a beach, the weather is so often cloudy and overcast. The beach is often riddled with debris and litter.
The Los Pinos folks did a really great job in upgrading the Catavina property. They hit a home run with that one. I only wish they would buy the
Loreto Desert Inn and do the same.
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windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1336
Registered: 9-2-2006
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Get vehicle, vehicle insurance, health insurance, passports, Mexican visas in order before departure. Get enough pesos to get to Cabo before you head
down. The advice to get a map and plan a route is excellent. The CAA version, Baja Almanac and a GPS are helpful. You can drive your route virtually
using Google Street View and print more detailed maps if you need them. A GPS is nice for entering your stops/coordinates and monitoring your
progress, but is sometimes goofy navigating urban routes. We used our GPS to find a bank when we ran out of pesos due to road repairs. Watch for
directional road signs carefully. Navigator's job is to watch for cows, potholes and road/stop signs, etc. Many Baja hotels are on Tripadvisor hotel
ratings once you have a few names. Have your navigator become famiiar with navigation tools and metric measures (kms and litres) beforehand! Stop and
buy gas regularly. Bathroom supplies can be scarce. Some Spanish helps and a simple Spanish/English dictionary and other guides, e.g. Lonley Planet is
handy. Even better is travelling with someone who has driven Baja before.
My recommendations:
Stay overnight in near Rancho San Diego. Cross at Tecate as early as possible. Drive to Catavina. San Ignacio is delightful, so take a break here
overnight and enjoy the town square, mission, museum and tea across from the museum. There is so much beauty and interesting things to to do in this
area, you might forget about going to Cabo. Rooms with breakfast included at the Desert Inn San Ignacio (walking distance to town square) were about
$80. There is a good small grocery store just past the museum. Drive to Pureto Escondido just past Loreto and stay at the Hotel Tripui. Very pretty
setting, good place to walk around and rest and there is a great little store nearby to stock up on food, water, etc. You can get to Cabo by
mid-afternoon from there if you turn east after La Paz and go through Los Barriles to avoid the construction on the western loop.
Enjoy the trip - it's amazing. Be guided by your child's needs and take time out to smell las floras...after driving the peninsula more slowly and
enjoying longer stops we enjoyed a much better experience.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Try and prepare a list of questions like these:
What are the truly indispensable books that will help my journey?
Speaking Español
Negotiating Tijuana and Ensenada. Step by step instructions
What do i need to know about big city driving? Stoplights? Cops?
Where is the best place to get pesos anywhere
Places where you *must* fill your tank as the next station is a long way away
Where am I likely to get distracted and by impulse want to stay nearby?
Why do I need to never ever daydream while driving down?
Especially hairy sections of roadway, hills, grades, curves, dropoffs?
List of "must see" places and things, and explanations "why"?
El Rosario is especially cool, ask for clothing recommendations.
Hotels do not have good reading lamps. Bring a 100 watt bulb?
Washcloths, bar soap, and large towels.
Why shouldn't I leave my shoes on the floor overnight?
Special and unique shopping places
Why do I need a flashlight at my bedside?
How common are internet cafes and wifi hot spots?
Is it really true that Oxxo convenience stores have excellent steaming coffee?
For that matter where can I breakfast along the way and find real brewed coffee?
What shouldn't I bring and why?
The above will at least give you some starting hints.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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nraia
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: 4-16-2012
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I know most of you are experienced Baja Nomads, but I just want to address the safety issue of driving the entire Baja. What are the safety concerns
or risks with driving my family, other than vehicle maintenance issues. Are there any things we should be concerned about? Please give your honest
and sincere comments, we are still trying to make a decision whether to drive down or not. We have friends that do it all the time, but we are far
more cautious now that we have a child with us then we ever were before.
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by nraia
I know most of you are experienced Baja Nomads, but I just want to address the safety issue of driving the entire Baja. What are the safety concerns
or risks with driving my family, other than vehicle maintenance issues. Are there any things we should be concerned about? Please give your honest
and sincere comments, we are still trying to make a decision whether to drive down or not. We have friends that do it all the time, but we are far
more cautious now that we have a child with us then we ever were before. |
Very fair and legitimate questions. Children do change our perspectives.
Other than the normal precautions of driving the highway never too fast, real slow around the blind curves and never at night, the only extra
precaution I can think of is stopping to help disabled vehicles.
As old people, we are apt to stop for lots of people, but if I had one of my grandsons with us, I would think twice before stopping. I do believe
that most disabled vehicles are legit, but there have been some set-ups. Even on the Vizcaino road out to Bahia Asuncion, we have had locals warn us
about set-ups. So with child in tow---I would not stop.
Other than that---have the vehicle in good repair and have a great time.
[Edited on 4-24-2012 by DianaT]
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