Ever since Steven and I decided to spend the latter part of winter in Baja, Mexico, Todos Santos has been on our radar. A vibrant community grounded in art and culture, it stood out to us as a key destination that we simply needed to explore!
About Todos Santos
After spending a few days in the big city of La Paz, we’re always ready to immerse ourselves in a smaller town. Like Loreto, Todos Santos is designated as a Pueblo Mágico (“Magic Town”). In short, a Pueblo Mágico is a Mexican town granted this status by the Mexican government for its “magical” qualities — like its beauty, historical importance, or its natural wonders. Todos Santos definitely checks the boxes for these things!
Only 45 miles or so from La Paz and Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos resembles a lush paradise in the southern peninsula. Here, the desert meets the Sierra Laguna mountain range, creating an oasis of palms and fruit trees that produce papayas, avocados, mangos and more. As you enter the main section of town, there’s no shortage of things to do and places to eat!
What to Do & See in Todos Santos
Walk the Historical Streets of Todos Santos
Immediately upon arrival, you’ll see a vibrant community nestled near the Todos Santos Historic Center. Besides the food — we’ll get to that later — I love walking the colorful streets of Todos Santos. There you’ll find colonial buildings filled with artisanal shops, boutiques, cafes, art galleries and upscale restaurants. And the murals! So much beautiful street art around every corner.
You can easily spend a half to full day walking around this area, stopping in and out of the shops. Much of the goods are handmade, or ethically sourced from indigenous makers. Some of my favorite shops include Zócolo, El Tecolate Bookstore, Saguaro, Hilo Rojo Stores and Nomad Chic. Many of the boutiques in Todos Santos are pricey, but you can usually find some goodies like jewelry and other little trinkets if you’re on a budget — or tight on space like we are. If you’re feeling bold, make sure to stop at Tequila Town for a tasting!
Help Release Baby Turtles at Las Playitas
We certainly felt the magic at Las Playitas, where we had the privilege of releasing baby tortugas into the ocean! Tortugueros Las Playitas is a local organization committed to protecting, conserving and replenishing the fragile marine ecosystems of Baja California Sur, Mexico. One of their goals is help restore the critically endangered Pacific Leatherback population, which is on the verge of extinction. The organization allowed volunteers — like us — to help release the baby turtles back into their habitat between November and May. We were all so excited to see the babies and do our part to ensure they thrive.
Where to Eat in Todos Santos
You could spend months finding great places to eat in Todos Santos. Off the beaten path, there are multiple antojitos offering Mexican street food like delicious tortas and pollo asado, or if you’re in the mood for gourmet cuisine, there are TONS of options to choose from! Here are some of our favorites places.
Doce Cuarenta Café
After enjoying the most delicious latte from this café in La Paz, I was pumped to see Doce Cuarenta in Todos Santos! This is one of my all-time favorite cafes in Baja — it’s the perfect spot to work if you need to power through your day. There is SO much to choose from! Besides your traditional lattes and coffee drinks, Doce Cuarenta offers cold brew coffee, kombucha, craft beer and wine. It also has delicious pastries, quiches, empanadas and more. This is a MUST stop!
Pollos Asados
This is by far Steven’s favorite stop when in Todos Santos. You can order a whole roasted chicken, and it’s so juicy and tender it comes right off of the bone. The chicken also comes with fries, pickled onions and tortillas.
Jazamango Cafe
On our last Baja trip, I was fortunate enough to get away with the girls for a day to do some shopping and have a nice lunch. I’ve been dying to go to Jazamango Cafe, given that we had such a great experience with their sister restaurant Finca Altozano in Valle de Guadalupe. Needless to say, our experience here was amazing! We ordered the burrata salad for the table, and I went with a yummy kale salad that had feta, cashews, avocado, red onions and tuna. Holy mouth explosion! I love all of the flavors here. For an even more rich culinary experience, check out Jazamango for dinner.
Pacifica Fish Market
This was the very first stop once we got into Todos Santos in 2020. I had a hankering for sushi, and although Pacifica Fish Market didn’t have any specials, we did eat the most amazing salad. Simple ingredients, but done oh-so-well!
Todos Santos Brewing
You can pretty much guarantee that if there’s a brewery nearby, we’re checking it out. This place has great craft beers and food! Todos Santos Brewing is known for its gourmet burgers, as well as the fish and chips. They also have vegan options as well!
La Casita Tapas & Wine Bar
La Casita Tapas & Wine Bar has the most amazing sushi, which I had been craving for daaaaayyyyyyys. The boys got carne asada and fish sticks. (Right after we ordered, we watched the chef bring in a massive yellowtail caught that morning!) Every time a dish came out to another table, we ooh’d and ahh’d. I’m pretty sure you can’t go wrong with anything you order here!
Tacos El Poblano
Stray away from the main street for some fantastic local flavor. Stop here for the most delicious Al Pastor tortas!
Baja Tasty
Located in the heart of the historic district, this shop has the most delicious ice cream, complete with a café. The kids and I went for ice cream cones, while Steven ordered an affogato.
Derek’s Sushi Bar
You can bet that when there’s a sushi place in Baja, I’m going to try it out! This spot had AMAZING sushi, and the really great margaritas.
El Refugio Mezcaleria
If you’ve been in Baja for awhile, you might be getting tired of the tequila. You’re in luck — try mezcal! There’s a fantastic mezcaleria in town, El Refugio, where you can have a mezcal tasting and/or a delicious dinner. The ambiance is so beautiful at night, and they offer an ever-changing menu based on seasonality and Chef Noel’s inspiration. While it is on the pricey side of things, it’s a great spot to have a cocktail or enjoy a date night.
Where to Camp
Now this is where it gets tricky in Todos Santos — there aren’t a ton of camping options here! Here are the best options we’ve found during our travels.
Casa Caravan RV Hotel
We highly recommend staying at Casa Caravan RV Hotel in El Pescadero. It’s only 30 minutes away from Todos Santos, and it gives you the opportunity to bounce back and forth between Cerritos and TS. We absolutely LOVED our stay here! The owners, Eric and Kimberly, have really designed a special place. Big rigs and vans fit perfectly, and there are the best showers/restrooms in Baja here. Plus, there’s a communal kitchen and cold plunge pool! You can also have your laundry picked up and returned the next day, or your rig washed right there in the park.
Todos Santos Hostel
In 2020, we stayed at the Todos Santos Hostel, which is a short walk or bike ride to the historic downtown. It’s a chill, quaint hostel with cute decor, friendly staff, clean bathrooms and a great common area. In the evenings, there’s a bar with cervesas and cocktails for purchase! The hostel have dorms, yurts with beds, and space for tent camping, as well as van parking. Be advised — if you’re in a bigger rig, then this space won’t work for you. Check out our full review here.
Final Thoughts on Todos Santos
Todos Santos left a lasting impression on us. Given its proximity to airports in both La Paz and Cabo, Todos Santos is a perfect weekend getaway destination! It’s a one-of-a-kind, charming town that will draw you in with its vibrancy, artistic vibes and palm-lined streets. It was easily one of our favorite little stops in Baja California Sur!
What do you love the most when it comes to exploring a new place? The food, cultural history, art, locals… share with us below!
