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walterbyrd
Junior Nomad
Posts: 70
Registered: 6-26-2009
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First timer welcomes any advice
I am planning a trip from 4/13 to 4/18. Already booked flight and hotel, took time off work.
I am thinking about moving to Baja. Have been to Mexico: Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta; but never to Baja. I do not speak Spanish.
The reasons I am thinking about moving: affordable housing, affordable health care, near the USA, near the ocean, nice weather, and cultural
experience.
What I want to do is not the touristy stuff, but to investigate the area. I am interested in everyday stuff, like shopping. For example, I would like
to see:
Los Globos: Best Open Air Markets and Second Hand Stores in Ensenada
http://landfallvoyages.com/1878/los-globos-best-open-air-mar...
I might also be interested in everyday places to eat. I am looking for casual, inexpensive, places that other Americans frequent.
I would especially like to visit places where there are a lot of other Americans. If there is any way to do that.
If possible, I would like to take a quick look at Rosarito, and Ensenada, since those are the areas that I am most interested in living.
I like the beach. If you know of any nice non-secluded beaches.
Or any advice you can think of.
BTW:
I screwed up on my flight booking, and I will be getting there at night. This scares me a little. My plane lands in San Diego, Saturday 4/12 at 10:15
PM. I plan to take the 992 to the SD trolley (I should just barely be able to make it) then walk across the border.
Getting back is going to be even worse. My flight leaves on Saturday 4/19 at 06:15 AM. I am thinking I will just spend the night at the SD airport.
Supposedly, Mexicoach will take me from Avenida Revolucion to San Diego Airport, but I have read awful stuff about Mexicoach.
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apple
Nomad
Posts: 284
Registered: 11-4-2013
Location: SD
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To clarify, you are just going to be in Ensenada/Tijuana?
Baja is a big place, and each part can be pretty different.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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To the best of my knowledge, Mexicoach does not travel much past the immediate border area. The airport is a half hour drive from the border.
How are you planning on getting around in Baja?
Playas Tijuana is a pretty nice place and is about a ten minute drive by taxi from the border zone.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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walterbyrd
Junior Nomad
Posts: 70
Registered: 6-26-2009
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At this point, I am checking out north-west Baja. I am most interested in Rosarito, and Ensenada, fairly near the Ocean.
I will be staying in TJ. Just to the west of a place called "Real Del Mar Golf & Resort" right off Hwy 1D.
I don't have a lot of time, I would be most interested in the places that I should not miss.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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stay in the airport until sunup. I wouldn't chance TJ at 1am...
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walterbyrd
Junior Nomad
Posts: 70
Registered: 6-26-2009
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| Quote: | | To the best of my knowledge, Mexicoach does not travel much past the immediate border area. The airport is a half hour drive from the border.
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Mexicoach claims they travel there, but they do not give an exact schedule, and they seem to be impossible to contact (have tried email from their
website, and their phone number). Anyway, Mexicoach is very poorly rated on yelp.com - horror stories everywhere.
| Quote: | | How are you planning on getting around in Baja? |
Cabs, I guess. I wonder if my cell phone will work in Baja? Probably not.
| Quote: | | Playas Tijuana is a pretty nice place and is about a ten minute drive by taxi from the border zone. |
Thanks, I will try to go there.
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
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Walter ,not to be rude, but havnt you asked all these questions before?
Perhaps you should revisit your past Q&A's.....
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dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
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I think you don't appreciate the distances involved here... and now I see where the other Nomads' statements about Ensenada came from.
Rosarito is 20 minutes by car south of Tijuana. Ensenada is another hour south of that. For the price of taking taxis everywhere—because Real del Mar
is not convenient to anything at all, and you will have to call a radio taxi every time you want to leave—you could just rent a car. Then you can
drive up and down the toll road (1D) all you like.
Tijuana is an enormous city. There are 2 1/2 million people living there, and the housing runs the gamut from unimaginable slums in the ravines
between the main city and the beach to enormous, walled-off estates in Fracc. Chapultepec near the golf course. You aren't going to get a 'sense' for
the city in a week, and certainly not by staying in the middle of nowhere.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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I think real del mar will serve you well with its proximity to both the playa's and rosarito, it sounds like these are the areas you would be
interested in. you'll have a couple nice bars and restaurants close by to choose from, and you can hit a few golfballs! 
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SlyOnce
Nomad
Posts: 262
Registered: 12-26-2013
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come visit us in Playas de Tijuana
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Hey, Walter
Look at your u2u inbox......upper right corner where you log in
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walterbyrd
Junior Nomad
Posts: 70
Registered: 6-26-2009
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| Quote: | | you could just rent a car. Then you can drive up and down the toll road (1D) all you like. |
You may be right. But, from what I have seen: renting the car is cheap, insurance is crazy expensive.
Even at that, it might be cheaper than using public transportation.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13212
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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trust me, you really want to rent a car to be able to really appreciate Baja. If you rely on public transportation, you may end up hating the
experience.
Best of luck,
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churro
Nomad
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Registered: 5-6-2013
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If you are in the Ensenada / Tijuana area stop for a lobster lunch/dinner at Puerto Nuevo... Have a walk around the village for the touristy shopping
stuff.... Good for a first time visit to the area...
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walterbyrd
Junior Nomad
Posts: 70
Registered: 6-26-2009
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBlanca
trust me, you really want to rent a car to be able to really appreciate Baja. If you rely on public transportation, you may end up hating the
experience.
Best of luck, |
Thanks. Problem with renting a car at the SD airport is: long lines getting in, and out, of TJ. It's cheaper to rent in TJ anyway, but I don't know if
there is place for me to rent a car at that hour.
I will look into it again. Last time I looked: it was about $30 a day for insurance - which seemed a bit much.
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dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
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I would stay in San Ysidro overnight. You don't want to be going around a new city at 1 a.m., and you'll have trouble in all but the largest hotels
finding someone to let you in. Then cross over in the morning and rent a car. $30 is about the going rate for insurance (a little expensive, but not
stupidly so).
Remember that insurance in Mexico is your first call in an accident, not the cops—they send an adjuster right away and keep you out of jail.
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBlanca
trust me, you really want to rent a car to be able to really appreciate Baja. If you rely on public transportation, you may end up hating the
experience.
Best of luck, |
 
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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EnsenadaDr
Banned
Posts: 5027
Registered: 9-12-2011
Location: Baja California
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Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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Where are you staying to the West of Real Del Mar? | Quote: | Originally posted by walterbyrd
At this point, I am checking out north-west Baja. I am most interested in Rosarito, and Ensenada, fairly near the Ocean.
I will be staying in TJ. Just to the west of a place called "Real Del Mar Golf & Resort" right off Hwy 1D.
I don't have a lot of time, I would be most interested in the places that I should not miss. |
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walterbyrd
Junior Nomad
Posts: 70
Registered: 6-26-2009
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| Quote: | Originally posted by EnsenadaDr
Where are you staying to the West of Real Del Mar? |
Here:
http://www.playasdebaja.com/Tijuana/Baja_California/Cabins_a...
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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that should suit you well, you're just
steps from gusto, a nice bar and restaurant and a short walk over the bridge is planB, very friendly bar and there's an oxxo next door, always taxi's
around. between SADM, baja malibu, down to santa monica(close to the mall) who knows, might be a fit?
[Edited on 4-5-2014 by willardguy]
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