A Weekend Escape From Los Angeles To The Baja California Peninsula
Travellers visiting Los Angeles have a plethora of options within the The Golden State for a weekend expedition, whether it’s a visit to Palm Springs, the giant Sequoias of the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park, the wineries around Santa Barbera and the Saint Ynes Valley or even the Redwood forests of Big Sur. Something many travellers don’t realise however, is how easy it is to spice up your travels with a trip to Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula!
Baja California is the Mexican State which borders California. Its capital Mexicali sits inland on the border of Baja, Mexico and California, USA. Though Mexicali is not coastal, there are many attractions to see, however we think if you’re escaping from Los Angeles that coastal areas are the best place to go. The resort towns of Rosarito and Ensenada are well known options in the north of the state, though they are relatively well trodden by American tourists due to is close proximity to the States.
Baja California Sur is it’s neighbouring state in the southern half of the peninsula and is best accessed by flight to the state capital, Cabo San Lucas. Cabo is famed for its glitzy and expensive tourist resorts and drunken party revelry, but the rest of the state has miles of uninhabited coastline perfect for that escapism you might desire during your LA trip. Check out our recommendations below and travel the pilotguides.com way!
La Paz
One option is to head up Mexico’s cactus studded Highway 1 to see the more authentic and pretty Mexican city of La Paz on Baja’s east coast. The city faces the Sea of Cortes which separates the peninsula from mainland mexico, and is surrounded by pristine and deserted bays and beaches. Off the coast are dozens of small islands, including the UNESCO rated Espiritu Santo.
Todos Santos
An hour north of Cabo you will find a cute little town called Todos Santos, which is home to one of our favourite hotels – the stylish Hotel San Cristobel. With only 32 rooms, this boutique hotel is situated on the beach facing the pacific. As tempting as it may be to spend all-hours in this beautiful complex, you must venture into todos santos for some fish tacos and coffee at local favourite Cafelix.
El Trifuno
El Trifuno is a historic gold and silver mining town known for being the first town in the region to have electricity and telephone lines. In its heyday, over 10000 miners had flocked to the area during the god rush and the town was a very vibrant [place to be. Today, the town stands as one of the best preserved mining towns in north america, and many of its crucial buildings and monuments have been converted into museums, restaurants and other tourist attractions. The town is also still an important site for archaeological research.
More information
Read: Baja California: Where to Stay
