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devinecopy5
Newbie
Posts: 5
Registered: 12-12-2018
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So many newbie questions - trip to San Ignacio in Feb
Hi - my husband and I and two giant dogs are driving down in a 24-foot RV in February for whale watching. I have been lurking and picked up some good
advice (thank you all!) but have a few questions about our trip. We are coming in late February and already have whale reservations.
We have one week, and do not plan to drive at night. Is this itinerary doable, and what campgrounds would you recommend? (I like to make advance
reservations.)
Sat Drive Orange County to San Quintin or nearby to spend night. Suggestions?
Sun: Drive San Quintin to San Ignacio Lagoon
Mon:: Stay San Ignacio Lagoon
Tuesday Drive San Ignacio Lagoon to San Ignacio town (suggestions for campground?)
Wednesday Drive to San Ignacio to Mulege (campground suggestions?)
Thursday: Stay Mulege
Friday Drive Mulege to Estero Beach
Saturday: Drive Estero Beach to Orange County
Is that amount of driving too taxing? Suggestions?
Also would like advance on where to cross the border. Thank you!
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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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The RV park/camping at Estero Beach (Ensenada) has been closed for at least two years. Suggest you try: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Villarino-Rv-Park/30698858611...
Also, Mulege to Ensenada is a long haul for one day in an RV
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Mulege Canuck
Nomad
Posts: 386
Registered: 11-27-2016
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In San Ignacio we stay at Los Petates. It is just after the bridge on the way into town. Manuel is a great host there. Nice place next to a lagoon.
There is a pink taco stand in the town square. I had the best tostados de carne there.
For whale watching we go to Antonio’s. It is a family operation. Very nice people and you get a great lunch with the tour. If you drive out there
and pay on site it is $50 US. If you pay in town ahead of time it will be a lot more. The road out there has some washboard. If your RV is not up
to it, Manuel drives people out there in his van for a fee.
In Mulege ( My home town) you can stay at Don Chanos. To get there you drive through the arches into town and head out along the river. Some crazy
one way streets in Mulege, go slow. Go right at the first major junction with a supermarket. If you follow that road it will take you through town
to the campground. It is right off the river and a close walk to explore town. They have showers and wifi there.
You might want to see the whales in Guerro Negro instead. It would give you a little more time to enjoy your trip. Driving on those roads for the
first time in an RV can be stressful when you pass your first semi.
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10015
Registered: 10-3-2003
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Drive down to San Quintin will be pretty easy going.
The 2nd day is going to be a little stressful. Right after El Rosario the road gets wicked curvy and narrow w/o a shoulder. Do able tho.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64722
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Welcome to Nomad!
If it can add some pleasure to your planning, I have photos and details of most of Baja's popular routes and sites in my 8 Trip Reports here on
Nomad's Trip Reports forum.
In the San Quintin region for overnighting RV parks, there is:
*Posada Don Diego (popular restaurant there) Km. 173, 0.6 mi in.
The kilometer markers from Ensenada go to 196 and reset there to Km. 0 where the highway narrows to just 19 ft. wide at the beginning of the 1973
final section of Mexico #1 to be built.
*Los Olivos (popular restaurant Jardines is next door) Km. 1.5, 1 mile in.
*El Pabellon (popular restaurant Parcela 12 near the entrance road) Km. 16. 1.2 mi in.
*Fidel's El Pabellon Km. 16.5, 1.3 mi in.
The two El Pabellon campgrounds are on a wide sandy beach. The two others are in orchards and not near the beach.
The road to San Ignacio Lagoon is nearly all paved now (30 miles from San Ignacio are paved) and the final 10 miles to Antonio's tour camp is flat,
wide and easy graded dirt.
The Huerta Don Chano RV Park in Mulegé looks great, and near town. It is 1 mile from Mexico 1, go under the arches on the paved street and it turns
into the north river road, just beyond town. 1.1 miles beyond the RV park is a most excellent, casual food place, called Casa de Pancho Villa. It is
on a hill above the road. Just past Pancho Villa's is another great restaurant on the beach, El Patron. Love their shrimp dinner! You are on the beach
there!
Take advantage of seeing the great California Spanish missions you pass by in Baja California, which was the first California!
Mulegé, founded in 1705
San Ignacio, founded in 1728
El Rosario, founded in 1774
San Vicente, founded in 1780
Santo Tomás, founded in 1791
There are more, but located more than a mile off the highway.
The first two are preserved stone churches built in the mid-1700s and the second two are stabilized ruins of adobe buildings set in a park setting.
San Vicente has a small museum.
The missions are a great fascination with me considering how remote and difficult Baja is and was 300 years ago! I had to write a book about them!
Coming north, you can stay at the El Palomar RV park in Santo Tomás at Km. 50, across from the gas station and restaurant. It is huge. The ruins of
the last mission to operate in all the Californias is just a short walk north from the RV park. It is just a bit of adobe wall remaining from 1799
construction. The mission closed in 1849! Santo Tomás is only 30 miles south of Ensenada and that gives you an easy drive to the border.
If you need photos of the places I named, just ask and I will add them here (they are all in my Trip Reports of 2017 and 2018).
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 2-9-2004
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I would suggest that advance reservations at campgrounds are likely not available for many of your options, and that your itinerary may change. I too
would suggest a stop at Scammons Lagoon for whale watching - great campground there (go PAST the town 5 mi. to the turnoff). Your first day will be a
long one - just outside San Quintin (heading So.) there's a turnoff for Cielito Lindo hotel/RV park/restaurant that I enjoy - beach is adjacent, food
is good, showers. You can see the town of San Ignacio in a couple hours before or after your whale watching at the lagoon - no need to linger there.
While in, or instead of, Mulege, head to Conception Bay - 16 mi. further - not to be missed. Instead of Estero Beach, you might try Sordo Mundo (?)
campground on Mex. 3 in the Guadalupe Valley Ruta de Vino - do a little wine tasting and cross in Tecate.
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weebray
Super Nomad
Posts: 1094
Registered: 7-19-2010
Location: La Paz
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Mood: lleno
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I respectfully disagree with most of what you have been told. Your questions are very good and I appreciate your apprehension. Your aspirations for
a one-week exploration are not realistic. It is a recipe for divorce. You will cross the border wound up like an eight-day clock. The first day or
two are going to be a shock as well as disquieting. The traffic, unfamiliar or missing signage and challenging infrastructure will be distressing.
Once you are south of San Quintin the annoying traffic will fade, things will brighten a bit and you will start to relax. You are about to enter the
Baja Zone. Keeping a 24 foot on the road will demand your attention so you will not make good time. The closest you will get to the real Baja is LA
Bay. I suggest you head there and plant your beautiful selves in the sun, on the beach. You will want two days to return if you want to complete you
introduction in a pleasant manner. Here is a quote from something previously written. "My very first visit to Baja California was a two-week
adventure to nowhere. I had no plan and stuck to it." This should be your motto.
Every beautiful beach in the world needs a few condo towers - NOT.
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Mulege Canuck
Nomad
Posts: 386
Registered: 11-27-2016
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I agree with webray.
Our first time in Mexico we were very stressed out. I think you should still go to Scammons Lagoon to see the whales. Seeing those log booms of Grey
Whales is a bucket list item for sure.
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MMc
Super Nomad
Posts: 1679
Registered: 6-29-2011
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Mood: Current
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This is your trip do what you want. That is a lot of driving. I would skip Mulege. The drive from Mulege to Ensenada is a VERY long day, you will be
driving in the dark.
I like Los Olivos as a campground for camping. The Pabellon are better for beach walks.
I would spend a night at Kuyimita and use their boats for whale watching, Get on the boats first thing in the morning, while the day people are eating
lunch and after they leave.
The town of San Ignacio is worth a couple of hours, Check out Casa Laurie for some history of the place.
Maybe stop at Laguna Ojo de Liebre (more whales)or Bahia de Los Angeles on the way home.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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bajamary1952
Nomad
Posts: 204
Registered: 9-29-2016
Location: Ensenada
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I've been traveling south from San Felipe to Ensenada since November 1 with combination of (mostly) AirBnB's & some camping. I recommend Fidel's
Pabellon past San Quintin which has a beautiful wide stretch of beach with sand dunes & plenty of space. I've stayed several times at Huerta Don
Chano in Mulege which is a favorite for many campers.
You should register on ioverlander.com where you will find plenty of recommendations for any route in Baja.
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10015
Registered: 10-3-2003
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San Quintin to BoLA would certainly be an easier drive than trying to get to all the way to San Ignacio.
BoLA is >>>>>> San Ignacio as well. Very cool place. San Ignacio has the whales tho. You can get from BoLA to San Ignacio easy
enough.
Making it all the way to Mulege does seem ambitious. And trying to go Mulege to Ensenada in a day would challenge experienced Baja drivers.
[Edited on 12-13-2018 by JZ]
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HeyMulegeScott
Senior Nomad
Posts: 699
Registered: 8-25-2009
Location: Orygone/Mulege
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These are the stops we are thinking of doing next month in our RV.
Drive 61 mi,
Pio Pico, Thousand trails, crossing through Tecate.
http://app.ioverlander.com/places/199-school-for-the-deaf-wi...
Drive 154 mi,
http://app.ioverlander.com/places/3909-cielito-lindo-motel-a...
Drive 109 mi,
http://app.ioverlander.com/places/11984-rancho-santa-ynez
Drive 146 mi,
http://app.ioverlander.com/places/101-malarrimo-rv-park
Drive 89 mi,
http://app.ioverlander.com/places/204-rice-beans-san-ignacio
Drive 111 mi,
http://app.ioverlander.com/places/4463-playa-el-requeson
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11M-rDztNvyAQR0w_FOabFOOSJX...
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bkbend
Senior Nomad
Posts: 693
Registered: 11-27-2003
Location: central OR or central baja
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Too ambitious, especially your return Friday. On most stretches of the highway you'll be hard pressed to average 50MPH in a motorhome without
stopping for anything. Since you already have reservations in San Ignacio go there and make that your turnaround point. It's only a couple hours
beyond Guerrero Negro and a nicer place to visit (in my opinion). Two days to San Ignacio lagoon will beat you up so kick back and take it easy on a
return trip from there. Work out a plan where you drive less than 200 miles a day and spend half of each day enjoying where you're at. Save Mulege
or Bahia Conception for a trip next year. You don't want to just drive there, spend a night, and leave.
Also be aware that many campgrounds don't have full hookups, and if they do, the electricity and water may be of questionable quality.
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bajagrouper
Senior Nomad
Posts: 964
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rincon de Guayabitos, Nayarit, Mexico
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Mood: happy and retired
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The OP asks ""Is that amount of driving too taxing?"" not in a corvette but in a 24 footer maybe, what I see is on Tuesday you will be driving all of
35 miles and on Friday you will drive 487 miles...I would forget Mulege and after San Ignacio Lagoon drive to Guerrero Negro and do some more whale
watching......Baja should not be rushed through, slow down and enjoy.......
I hear the whales song
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TecateRay
Nomad
Posts: 346
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: La Mesa, CA
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You need to add several more days to enjoy your agenda or shorten your travels.
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fishbuck
Banned
Posts: 5318
Registered: 8-31-2006
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In an airplane maybe
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13194
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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Your first trip to Baja means a lot of firsts. I also agree with weebray.
So, add more days or go to Ojo de Liebre, see whales with Shari Bondy. Closer.
Have fun and give us an update when you are done so we know what worked for you! Welcome to the forum.
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1107
Registered: 10-4-2015
Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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Hotels in San Ignacio get booked up early, so I assume camping does, too. I agree, Shari Bondy is a better bet to be able to see whales, February is
the peak. I booked San Ignacio for NEXT year (February 2020) because the eco-lodges were already booked for dates that worked for us.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64722
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Sure would be nice to hear back from the OP (devinecopy5). Hope we didn't scare her off with information overload! LOL
I would agree to avoid going beyond San Ignacio in a motorhome on a 7-day trip, as much as I want newbies to see Baja sites. The camping option at
Scammon's Lagoon whale viewing area (Laguna Ojo de Liebre) is a good option and then go to L.A. Bay to see the gulf coast and more Baja wonders. Two
days to get down that far and two days to return safely leaves only 3 days to not be driving and do the whale thing for at least one day.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18058
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Quote: Originally posted by devinecopy5  | Hi - my husband and I and two giant dogs are driving down in a 24-foot RV in February for whale watching. I have been lurking and picked up some good
advice (thank you all!) but have a few questions about our trip. We are coming in late February and already have whale reservations.
We have one week, and do not plan to drive at night. Is this itinerary doable, and what campgrounds would you recommend? (I like to make advance
reservations.)
Sat Drive Orange County to San Quintin or nearby to spend night. Suggestions?
Sun: Drive San Quintin to San Ignacio Lagoon
Mon:: Stay San Ignacio Lagoon
Tuesday Drive San Ignacio Lagoon to San Ignacio town (suggestions for campground?)
Wednesday Drive to San Ignacio to Mulege (campground suggestions?)
Thursday: Stay Mulege
Friday Drive Mulege to Estero Beach
Saturday: Drive Estero Beach to Orange County
Is that amount of driving too taxing? Suggestions?
Also would like advance on where to cross the border. Thank you! |
That’s a lot of driving. For a driving-intensive trip I suggest leaving the RV home, drive a car and stay in hotels.
You probably won’t want to take an rv to si lagoon, the washboard road is not friendly to rvs. There are good rustic accommodations at si lagoon,
simple cabins.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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