| ENSENADA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO Known as the "Cinderella of the Pacific", Ensenada Mexico is located 70 miles south of the international border, a 90-minute drive from San Diego. One of Mexico's most successful cities, Ensenada has grown from a sleepy fishing village to become a popular beach resort. This oft-visited Baja destination is a multi-faceted jewel. Among its most popular locations are the waterfront promenade, the fashionable shops of Avenida Primera, and the winery of Bodega Santo Tomas, founded by the Dominicans in 1888. La Bufadora, a natural sea geyser located nearby, puts on a highly dramatic show. Its warm Mediterranean climate, friendly atmosphere and accessibility by land, air, and sea have made Ensenada a favorite tourist destination for many years, and Mexico's second most-visited port-of-call for major cruise lines and pleasure boats. Ensenada's romantic past, dynamic present and promising future provides wide appeal for cultural visitors, vacationing families, and business travelers. With a variety of accommodations ranging from modern hotels with Old World charm to full-service resorts with convention centers to RV parks with complete amenities, Ensenada easily suits every taste or budget. Ensenada will fulfill your romantic visions of Mexico. This welcoming town delights you with its cantinas, mariachi bands and friendly shops bursting with colorful Mexican blankets, native handicrafts and enormous sombreros. In the elegant shops of Avenida Lopez Mateos, there are excellent buys on silver jewelry, decorative masks, pottery and leather clothing. Ensenada also offers the best beaches and water sports on the Baja Peninsula. During your day here, you can enjoy fishing, sailing, snorkeling, horseback riding and that most popular of all sports, sunbathing. Local sightseeing attractions include La Bufadora, a spectacular sea geyser 50 feet high and Bodega Santo Tomas, a popular local winery. For sheer intoxication, however, you must see a view of the city from the top of the Chapultepec Hills. GOLF Ensenada is home to the world class Baja mar Oceanfront Golf Resort with its 18 hole course that astounds you...tough yet challenging. Rosarito Real del Mar Golf Club has an 18 hole course situated within the nearby canyons. It boasts a hilly course with beautiful ocean views on 11 of its holes. ENSENADA BEACHES For water watchers, Ensenada and the curvy coastline that precedes it can't be beat. If you enjoy quiet solitude, Estero Beach, six miles south of Ensenada on the road to La Paz, is the place. San Miguel is the best surfing beach in Baja Norte. El Faro Beach, La Mision Beach and Estero Beach are famous for its volcanic hot water springs. Or jump to the action in downtown Ensenada. The downtown area of Ensenada is blessed with several, small but nice beaches, ideal for horse-back ridding. SAILING - Enjoy exciting yachting and sailing in Ensenada Bay with the opportunity to really turn on the fast speed power boats. The last weekend of April enjoy the world famous Newport Beach - Ensenada Regatta. In the yachting world, no other international race attracts more entries. With its spectacular finish in Ensenada Bay, this is always reported as one of the greatest sailing events of the year. ENSENADA SHOPPING You'll find dazzling quality gifts for every description. Boutiques and retail establishments really cater to their clients. There is nothing quite like a late afternoon lunch with a refreshing glass of wine at one of the upscale caf�stablishments. The gentle sea breezes rustling through the leaves of the boulevard while you dine is an unforgettable experience. When you finish your shopping, take a timeout for a cool one at the famous Hussong's cantina. A trip to Ensenada is not complete without a visit to Hussong's, cantina founded in 1892. WINE COUNTRY Ensenada is the heart of Mexico's wine country producing 90 percent of its wines and having eight major wineries. In the Valle du Guadeloupe, also known as the "Bordeaux Belt"tou of Northern Baja, you can enjoy wine tasting at L.A. Cetto, Santo Tomas, Domecq, Monte Xanic, Chateau Comou, Cavas Valmar, Vina Liceaga and Mogor Badan. The scenery consists of picturesque vineyards surrounded by mountains reminiscent of Spain, Italy and Greece. A tour through Ensenada's Bodegas de Santo Tomas (winery) is certainly recommended. You'll marvel at the history contained in this old building. Eventually you'll wind up in the tasting room. DINING AND DANCING And of course Ensenada is well blessed with fine dining establishments, cocktail lounges, and - oh, yes - discos! Like your music loud? Papas and Beer, Langostin and much more! Enjoy a flavored Margarita and Let's Rock'n Roll!!! FISH TACOS AT THE BLACK MARKET If your taste runs to tacos - there are plenty of taco stands to choose from. You simply must experience one of Ensenada's famous fish tacos. The Fish Market (Called the "Black Market") was funded in 1956, since then is one of the typical places to visit because of the fresh seafood and taco stands. (Centrally located at downtown entrance). LA BUFADORA La Bufadora is about thirty minutes from Ensenada, in a seemingly remote section of Pacific coastline. If you drive through Ensenada, staying on the main road through town, you'll see signs to La Bufadora. Just follow the signs through the countryside dotted with farms and campgrounds, along the rugged coastline, up, around and down until you reach the end of the road. There are several shops and restaurants. Also, you will find three observation decks and plenty of steps and short walls to sit on, safe from the Pacific 'rain'. If you like to get into the thick of things, though, go to the middle observation deck and hang over the wall with everyone else. From there you can look down about 45 feet into what looks like a rock crevice about 10 feet wide. The crevice, however, is actually the mouth of a cave. As the waves recede from the cave it fills with air. When the waves come back in, the water entering the cave compresses the air until it explodes, blowing the water as high as 90 feet into the air. Granted, that isn't a terribly scientific explanation, but it gives you an idea. How high the water shoots up depends on the tide conditions. You might wait five or six minutes between swells and if you're impatient you might give up and walk away just before the show starts. WHALE WATCHING - Every year from December 26th through March 31st the magnificent California gray whales begin migrating from the cold waters of Alaska, to the warm breeding grounds of the Central Baja lagoons. "Ojo de Liebre" and "San Ignacio" Located in Baja California "Sur" (South), returning North in the springtime. ROSARITO - ENSENADA BICYCLE RACE Each spring and fall, head south of the border with 8,000 of the world’s best cyclists for this 50 plus mile fun ride along the Pacific Coast and inland through rural countryside from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada, Mexico. The Rosarito - Ensenada bicycle race is one of the largest cycling events in the world and is held semi-annually, in April and September of each year. Half a million people have completed this event. We have cyclists that are 9 years old, and cyclists that are 70 years young! Party at the legendary "Finish Line Fiesta" with food from Ensenada's finest restaurants; Dos Equis beer; sodas from Coca Cola; posters and other souvenirs; massages; and live music until sunset on Ensenada's beautiful waterfront. SPORT FISHING Marlin, Tuna, Yellowtail, Dorado, Barracuda, Bonito, White Sea Bass, Calico Bass, Lingcod and Snappers are plentiful in the waters of Ensenada. Daily fishing trips are available from the Ensenada harbour as well as from Marina Coral Hotel and Resort. The ideal locations for the best catch are Todo Santos Island, Punta Banda and San Miguel Reef. TOURIST SITES Among the tourist's sites in the area, you can discover numerous historical missions such as San Miguel Arcangel de la Fontera, Nuestra Senora de Guadeloupe del Norte, Santo Tomas de Aquino, San Vicente Ferrer, Santo Domingo, and El Rosario de Vinedaco. Take a tour through the historic ex-casino Riviera del Pacifico. This is the heart of Ensenada's social and convention activities. It's a grand structure with its majestic ballrooms and former casino areas. There are exciting murals and simple breathtaking chandeliers. There is an inscription on a drawing found in the Rivera del Pacifico that reads "this is the end of the trail of the house of your heart's desire". And so it is. This gleaming white architectural wonder is located at Blvd. Lazaro Cardenas and Av. Riviera in Ensenada. GETTING TO ENSENADA DRIVING TIP While entering Mexico at Tijuana, near the inspection area, position yourself in the second lane from the right while in the (the right- most lane will shortly veer off to connect to local streets). After the right-most lane turns off to a local street you'll automatically be in the right-most lane as the road crosses a flood channel. Shortly after crossing the flood channel, traffic will enter from the right quickly merge into this new lane and follow it as an exit to the right opens up. There are signs pointing to Ensenada and Ensenada Cuota - Scenic Road (the toll road). This curving exit drops you into a merge with Calle Internacional, where you are now merging into the "fast lane." The general idea is to parallel the border fence west towards the ocean until the road ("Calle Internacional") bears to the left and merges with a major highway heading west - this highway shortly becomes the Ensenada toll road. View Ensenada properties here |
