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kylet
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 4-14-2014
Location: Ojai, CA
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Family trip suggestions - entire peninsula
Hi Nomads,
I am taking my family to Baja for the first time this month. I’ve been surfing and fishing the peninsula on and off my whole life, but honestly have
not done much exploring without my surf goggles on. My oldest son is so surf crazy that he won’t care where we go, but I really want to make the
trip enjoyable and educational for my wife and youngest.
Where would you take your family? I have a favorite central Baja surf spot on the list, as well as a nice East cape Airbnb for a few days, so the
whole peninsula is in play. We will take 2 1/2 or 3 weeks to drive it. I’m not into camping near anywhere populated, but we will camp a bit and stay
in hotels a bit.
Thanks for your input!
Kyle
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6974
Registered: 8-5-2011
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I recommend camping at Playa Coyote about 20 miles south of Mulege on Bahia Concepcion for as long as you like.
https://www.google.com.mx/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&sxsr...
[Edited on 10-5-2020 by SFandH]
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aburruss
Nomad
Posts: 217
Registered: 2-6-2018
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I took the family (wife, 3.5 kids, 2 dogs) down and baja over 3+ weeks. Here's my report. Lots of "family" fun stuff.. Not much camping, except the
palapas in San Juanico. Maybe some of this will give you some ideas? Hope you enjoy your trip!!
Part 1:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=93321
Part 2:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=93456
Part 3:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=93457
Part 4:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=93458
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5909
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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What are you driving, and are you interested in back roads, or prefer keeping on the main roads?
Not that it really matters, but what are the ages of your kids? It may help with suggestions.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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kylet
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 4-14-2014
Location: Ojai, CA
Member Is Offline
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Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  | What are you driving, and are you interested in back roads, or prefer keeping on the main roads?
Not that it really matters, but what are the ages of your kids? It may help with suggestions. |
Don’t laugh too hard... this trip I’ll be driving a 2wd sprinter which I have taken on 2 central Baja trips with mostly good results so far.
It’s been as remote as Punta Vibora, but that was a stretch. I’d never do that drive with my family in this vehicle. I’ve found with the right
driver inputs and expectations it’s pretty capable in everything but sand and mud. I’ve been building a Baja only truck (pic below) but it’s not
wife appropriate and only has the front bench anyway.
Kids are 5 and 8. Both are excellent fisherman and the 8 year old is a pretty competent (if over confident) surfer. And a tiny dog for company.
[Edited on 10-5-2020 by kylet]
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17552
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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Highlights:
Car camping at San Pedro martir, day hikes and mountain biking on the plateau, hike and scramble up blue bottle peak (but that may be a bit of a long
hike for young kids)
Whale watching at Laguna San Ignacio (early February to early April).
Climb rocks and explore catavina.
3-day Mule ride to see the cave paintings in Sierra de San Francisco.
Beaches and islands between loreto and la paz.
East cape
Bahia de Los Angeles
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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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5909
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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The Sprinter will serve you well. My brother in law uses one for their road trips these days, and loves it! You don't need a rugged 4x4 to have a
great time for three weeks, but there are a few cool spots that a sprinter would be a high risk.
More later, I actually have a visitor right now! (TMI ?)
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9481
Registered: 10-3-2003
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How much off roading do you want to do.
Have spent the last 10 years taking my kids to Baja several times a year. I'll hook you up with some good ideas.
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advrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1848
Registered: 10-2-2015
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Whales won't be running while you are there, but do return with the family for that trip. Bay of LA (La Gringa beach on the North end of town) for a
night or two of camping. Lots to explore in the area and fishing from the beach, local boat out to the islands for the day?
Farther South of LA Bay down the dirt road you could camp at Los Animos (sp?) mangroves and fishing. On the list but I've never done that one.
Look for some fossils around El Rosario area and head out to the seven sisters?
Surfing, you can't miss scorpion bay for a day or two, lot's of info in the above trip report.
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kylet
Newbie
Posts: 15
Registered: 4-14-2014
Location: Ojai, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by JZ | How much off roading do you want to do.
Have spent the last 10 years taking my kids to Baja several times a year. I'll hook you up with some good ideas.
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Completely comfortable off roading, with the exception of long sandy stretches and mud/marsh due to vehicle limitations.
Currently the plan is
Day 1 ojai (home) to camalu and nearby surfing
Day 2 cataviña and exploring, painted rocks, chill out
Days 3-5 central Baja surf spot favorite of mine
Day 6 mulege or la bocana
Day 7 somewhere along the way need idea. Maybe Scorpion bay, but I really hate crowded surf
Day 8 to 11 East cape. Probably around la Ribera unless there is SE swell running
Days 12-18 or so, heading back north and playing it by ear
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5909
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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It is funny that you mentioned Las Animas, I was there at the end of February in my Isuzu Trooper. It is one of the "cool places" that I would not
recommend for a 2wd transit!
A little further down the road at Bahia San Rafael, used to be one of my stops, but since Pancho passed away, it has become more of a commercial fish
camp. It might be worth checking out though.
Puerto San Francisquito, or the beach near by might be a good stop, but I have not been there lately.
Keep in mind that the road south of Bahia de Los Angeles to highway 1 is a hundred miles or so of dirt road. Usually pretty good shape, but no
gaurantee!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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del mar
Banned
Posts: 1057
Registered: 7-23-2016
Location: the cantina of course
Member Is Offline
Mood: lil' fuzzy
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I'd head out to the Vizcaino peninsula!
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9481
Registered: 10-3-2003
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: Originally posted by kylet |
Completely comfortable off roading, with the exception of long sandy stretches and mud/marsh due to vehicle limitations.
Currently the plan is
Day 1 ojai (home) to camalu and nearby surfing
Day 2 cataviña and exploring, painted rocks, chill out
Days 3-5 central Baja surf spot favorite of mine
Day 6 mulege or la bocana
Day 7 somewhere along the way need idea. Maybe Scorpion bay, but I really hate crowded surf
Day 8 to 11 East cape. Probably around la Ribera unless there is SE swell running
Days 12-18 or so, heading back north and playing it by ear
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We live in Calabasas, use to live in Camarillo. The kids cut their teeth riding at Ballenger Canyon above Ojai before trips to Baja.
Watch this video. It has many of my favorite spots in Baja in it. I'll tell you where they are when I get a minute.
https://youtu.be/4VNTIhRa6q0
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13172
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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La Bocana!!!!! We have a lagoon and the local cooperative does day boat trips where you can fish (catch and release) and kids can slide down the
dunes.
Right now the water temps are wonderful but remember to shuffle shuffle and shuffle some more on the water edge. Abreojos is so close for surfing.
Campo Rene is not open for business but you can go there and spend the day fishing. Bird watching is fun and the beach on the other side of the
lagoon has sand dollars galore. Truly a magical place.
For your wife, I think she will love our little hotel - it is unique in that you have access to the whole house - livingroom, diningroom, full kitchen
and the porch is great for gazing at the ocean. Because of Covid, we need to social distance, which i abhor, but I am at risk and still have much to
do on Earth - no can die yet!
All of you will enjoy the seafood at our beach restaurant - the lobsters are in the aquarium and you see the waiters catch them for your $250 peso
lobster dinner. That is a unique experience for kids.
You are, I might add, very smart to take the wife to the East Cape!
Have the most wonderful trip and even if you do not stay with us, please come over and introduce yourselves!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64587
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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The Vizcaino Peninsula region is included in my Trip #5 report... lots of photos: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86781
The only major change is that the entire Tortugas highway is now paved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are all 8 research trip reports:
2017 Baja Bound Road Guide & Map Research Trips
TRIP #1 (San Felipe to Punta San Francisquito via L.A. Bay): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=85374
TRIP #2 (San Ignacio to Loreto, Ligüí, San Javier, Comondú, La Purísima): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=85756
TRIP #3 (Mexicali to San Felipe, Valle Chico, Matomí, Parral, + El Rosario area): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=85989
TRIP #4 (Valle de Trinidad crossover, San Quintin to Laguna Manuela and 7 Sisters coast road): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86376
TRIP #5 (Central Baja: El Arco, El Barril, San Francisco de la Sierra, Abreojos, Asuncion, Tortugas, Eugenia, Pronghorn Reserve): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86781
TRIP #6 (Southernmost Baja: San Ignacio to San Juanico, Loreto to Cabo San Lucas, San Evaristo, and more): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=87323
TRIP #7 (Pacific North, San Pedro Mártir Mountains):
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=87976
In 2018:
TRIP #8 (Tecate to Ensenada; Ensenada to San Felipe and south to Hwy. 1; Sierra Juárez Laguna Hanson road from Hwy. 3 to Hwy. 2): http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=91029
I created 30 maps to illustrate the roads I traveled or mentioned: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=88771
As always, feel free to ask questions!
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advrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1848
Registered: 10-2-2015
Member Is Offline
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I second La Bocana and Blanca's hotel. Stayed this year and really enjoyed it, can't wait to take the wife back...
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13172
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5909
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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For the sake of clarity, remember that there are several places called "La Bocana"!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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sightseeing options near Gr. Negro
If you want to add a natural history day, and since it's early for whales: as you pass thru Gr. Negro, consider a side trip to see the endangered
Pronghorns at the preserve that's been created.
There's an interpretive center with educational displays about whales and other animals in the region, as well as the pronghorns in a large outdoor
enclosure nearby.
The babies won't arrive until spring (that's when I visited last year), but the adults are impressive.
 [/url]
A tour of the saltworks is also educational- and impressive- if they like really big trucks.
 by
Have a safe/fun trip!
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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amigobaja
Nomad
Posts: 151
Registered: 6-3-2009
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My grandson and i spent the month of august between san quiten la bocana and bola. Best road trip of his life. Huge grouper and yelowtails. He
probably caught and released 40 fish kayaking in the mouth of the Laguna at la bocana and even a nice halibut from the beach. Swam with the whale
sharks in bola and again huge yellows.if you have to many fish at la bocana blanca has plenty of locals that would appreciate having.
Blancas house is perfect for your kids. Plus inexpensive
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