Todos Santos
Todos Santos is a charming town with cobblestone streets lined with tiny artisan shops and refurbished haciendas. In 2006, the Mexican government designated Todos Santos a Pueblo Mágico—one of just 100 or so small towns honored for its natural beauty, cultural riches, or historical relevance. It also has beautiful beaches however the Pacific Ocean doesn’t mess around with dramatic crashes of waves hitting the sand. Swimming is a bit tricky, but on a few beaches, the surfing is quite good. And then there are the whales. Todos Santos and the areas around it are known for great whale watching, with humpback whales and grays that breed there in winter before making the long swim back to the north. You don’t have to stand on the beach too long between October-March to spot whales on the horizon.
The drive to Todos Santos from Cabo is about 1hr long on a pretty new highway that cuts through the desert between the Sierra de La Laguna mountain range and the ocean. You will be surrounded with cardon cactus on both sides and that for me is the “character” of this area.
STAY Hotel San Cristobal [overlooking the white sand beach on the coast of Todos Santos, this hotel from famed Texas hotelier Liz Lambert, has a minimal and wonderful beachy vibe. Her Bunkhouse group is known for photogenic boutique hotels in Austin and Marfa and this property honors that with its white buildings that create a backdrop for colorful tiles and textiles, and a variety of cacti, all surrounded by a woodsy smoke of copal incense. Note that it is a 10 to 15-minute drive to downtown Todos Santos from San Cristobal] Todos Santos Inn [this is a classic hotel in downtown Todos Santos with an old-school charm. Great restaurant & bar onsite] Posada La Poza [walking distance from the beach in Todos Santos, this is a charming spot with good food. Many of my friends have stayed there and really like it]
EAT Jazamango [creative Mexican food in a very cool space] La Esquina [good option for breakfast and lunch] Taller 17 [tiny coffee shop with delicious pastries. Don’t miss the brownie!] Green Room [somewhat hidden on the beach about 20 minutes north of Todos Santos, this a wonderful spot for drinks at sunset. Tables are literally on the sand of the beach, and you cannot beat that. They also serve decent tostadas, but that’s not why you go there] La Morena [good for live music and the food is okay] Doce Cuarenta [super hip coffee shop; you’d think you just arrived in Mexico City] DUM [offers Mediterranean cuisine in a lush garden setting] Todos Santos Inn [elaborate craft cocktails at the old-school bar; dinner served in a charming courtyard] Noah Sushi [set on the rooftop of a 3-story building, it serves pretty decent sushi]
TO DO Hiking [Right behind Hotel San Cristobal, at an abandoned pineapple cannery building, there is a trail uphill that will bring you to a beautiful cove and offer great views of the area. About 2 hrs out and back. Follow the signs to the Old Port]
Pescadero
The town of Pescadero itself is on the eastern side of the highway 19 and is sprawled around a few hills hidden from the highway. On the west side of the highway are fields and fields of basil, peppers, palm trees and cacti, sprinkled with houses. The beach is really beautiful but also not very swimmable. This is my favorite area with a mix of beach & farm vibe.
EAT Hierbabuena [field-to-fork with delicious salads and veggies straight from their garden; laid-back & wonderful atmosphere] Pura Playa [on the beach at the San Pedrito end where you find the surfers, this is a bar on the beach. While the drinks & food are not memorable, the setting is!]
TO DO Horseback Riding [Noelle & Amber are Pescadero residents and horse lovers. They take 2 people at a time for a ride along the beach and farmlands of Pescadero, with a stop for a sundowner drink at Pura Playa; very nice way to see Pescadero]
Cerritos
Just south of Pescadero is Los Cerritos area. While I’m not a big fan of this area, it is very popular because it has a swimmable beach, which is rare along this Baja stretch of Pacific Ocean. And it does have some good places to eat.
EAT Barracuda [best shrimp tacos you will ever find and great amazing drinks. Top 3 favorite spots!] Freesouls [a good spot for food/drinks with views of the beach and a plunge pool if you’re into that] Art & Beer [right on the highway, this places is a trip. I won’t describe it since you must go and experience it. Make sure to order a margarita]
San José del Cabo
While I’m not a big fan of Cabo and it’s surroundings - feels like Las Vegas on the beach - there are a few spots worth checking. San José del Cabo is East of Cabo San Lucas and while still quite developed it’s more tastefully done. So let’s focus on that area.
EAT/DRINK Flora Farms [it is a working farm in the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna, that has a very charming and somewhat swanky restaurant, shops & a spa. A bit of a trek on dirt roads to get there, but worth the effort. A cooking class there is a really fun thing to do. You get to tour the farm, cook using all the vegetables grown at the farm as well as meats from animals raised there, and then eat a delicious lunch of the recipes learned. Not to mention that you get to do all that while sipping the most scrumptious cocktails] Acre [just right after Flora Farms is Acre, also a working farm and a very trendy hotel in which the rooms are tree houses. I really like the restaurant there, probably more than Flora Farms. And the architecture and landscaping, for me, is a dream! Staying at the treehouse amid the palm tree canopies, is quite beautiful and unlike any other hotel, but if you are a light sleeper, I would not recommend it. Music from the restaurant can be heard at night as well as people walking by and talking until the bar closes for night]
La Paz
About 1-hr drive north of Todos Santos is the town of La Paz. It’s the Baja California Sur state capital, right on the Sea of Cortez with lots to explore.
TO DO Isla Espiritu Santo [take a boat tour to Isla Espiritu Santo, a protected biosphere, with stunning deserted beaches, a sea lion colony, dolphins, a coral reef for snorkeling and if you are lucky some whale sightings. The fin whales live in the Sea of Cortez year round. You can go on a day-trip or camp overnight on the island. Many local outfitters offer trips to Espiritu Santo] Other tour options that I still need to explore are: swimming with Whale Sharks, kayaking in the Sea of Cortez, Balandra Beach, etc.
Loreto
Loreto is about a 5.5hr drive north of Todos Santos on the Sea of Cortez. Like Todos Santos, it has also been designated as a Pueblo Mágico for it’s historical relevance in Baja California Sur and natural beauty. The last hour of the drive through the Giganta mountain range with the Sea of Cortez at a distance is quite beautiful. While the town itself was nothing super special (but it was also a Covid year with lots of things closed, so not a good time to judge a town), the surrounding nature is the reason to go there.
STAY We rented an airbnb that I would not highly recommend and I have not come across a hotel that looked fantastic, so the stay here is more about being clean, comfortable enough & well located.
EAT El Zopilote Brewing Co [with a patio overlooking the Town Square, it offers a variety of craft beers, fresh seafood and artisan pizzas, usually along with live music. This was our favorite restaurant] Pan Que Pan [good bakery for breakfast or lunch] Mezzaluna [Uruguayan restaurant offering empanadas, pizzas, and some good pastas]
TO DO Canyon Hiking Tour [There are multiple hiking options, but we selected the Mezquite Canyon to explore. We had a guide - highly recommended - and you can find him at https://www.loretoguide.com. We started our walk along the canyon rim and it’s desert landscape typical of the area, then dropped down into the narrow walls of this canyon with pockets of lush green and water pools. It was December and surprisingly cold, so we had short wetsuits in order to hike through the water pools that at times would come up to your chest] Isla Coronado [take a boat tour to Isla Coronado for some snorkeling, a walk around the island and a lovely lunch at a pristine dreamy white beach with turquoise waters - you will not want to leave] San Javier Mission [about 45-minutes from Loreto, a visit to this Mission founded in 1699 by the Jesuits and very well preserved was highly recommended but we did not get to see it] Bahia Concepción [about 1.5hrs north of Loreto is this magical Bay that is a must-see if you have the time to drive that far. We unfortunately did not]
