Off the coast of the Sea of Cortez, San Felipe is the perfect start to any Baja road trip because of its relaxing and fun vibes! This beautiful town has unspoiled waters with outstanding fishing and views of islands off the coast.
San Felipe has a special place in our hearts. For many of our winters here, it’s our first stop after crossing the border. It’s also one of those places that you may plan to spend less time at but end up extending your stay because of the vibe and yummy food.
About San Felipe, BCS
San Felipe is a fishing community that is popular for tourists, given that it’s only 2.5 hours from the U.S./Mexicali border. It’s said that half of the population are expats from the U.S. and Canada! Because San Felipe is a big fishing region, the seafood is plentiful and delicious. On any given day you can spot pangas (fishing boats) on the water – probably catching all the tasty shrimp found in the most amazing tacos! There’s even the San Felipe Shrimp Festival, an annual celebration every November that offers food, drinks, entertainment, and music.
What’s nice about San Felipe is that you can camp only a few steps away from the beach! Early in the year in January and February, it’s relatively chill and less busy – giving you awesome beach access!
We found relatively no issues with cell service (AT&T or Verizon) in San Felipe, although streaming can be limited
What to Do in San Felipe
Walk the Malecon
The malecón is also a fun place to experience on a weekend night, when local families and tourists come to enjoy the beautiful beachfront that’s buzzing with lots of energy. In the evenings, there are walking street vendors selling a variety of yummy goodies, including one vendor called Churros Encanelados y Rellanos. The woman running the stand cooks your churros right there on the spot, and then fills the large churros with your choice of filling: chocolate, vanilla cream, caramel, or strawberry sauce.
While you can find places open to peruse and eat during the day, we’ve found that the Malecon usually comes to life after 5pm.
Chill on the Beach
Our favorite thing to do in San Felipe is veg… this town’s relaxed vibe is contagious! It’s a great spot to hang out on the beach or paddleboard. Watching the pescadors (fishermen) come in off the malecón every evening is fun too – you never know what interesting catch they’ll bring in!
Take a Fishing Tour
Although the fishing in San Felipe is limited mostly to commercial fishermen, there are some great fishing tours about an hour away in Puertocitos.
Visit Valle de Los Gigantes
One other place you must visit is Valle de Los Gigantes, a national preserve just a short drive south from San Felipe. Here you’ll find the land of the most majestic giants – the largest cacti in the world! The Giant Cardón starts no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence but will ultimately grow to be as big as 60 feet and weigh up to 25 tons. These slow-growing cacti can live more than 2,000 years, although it will take about 75 years before its first arm grows! The Mexican government has protected the entire area as the Giant Cardón is considered the international symbol of Mexico, however you can explore Valle de Los Gigantes for $10 U.S.
Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe
While visiting the malecón, be sure to check out one of most prominent landmarks of San Felipe, the Shrine of the Virgin Guadalupe. Located at the top of a small mountain, the shrine offers visitors impressive views of both the Sea of Cortez and San Felipe.
In 1531, the Virgin of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary) appeared on a mountain top in Mainland Mexico to a man named Juan Diego. It’s because of this original apparition on a mountaintop that San Felipe’s Shrine of Guadalupe was built in 1948 by a woman named Josefa Alvarez.
Prior to this, San Felipe didn’t have a church, so the Alvarez family would have a ceremony at their home for the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12th (the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe). Afterwards, the image of the virgin was taken to the top of the mountain where the shrine stands today.
To get to the shrine from the malecón, walk north across the bridge where you’ll see the San Felipe faro (lighthouse) and the shrine right next to it. Be forewarned – it’s a climb! There are over 100 stairs to get to the top, but it’s worth the trek.
Where to Eat in San Felipe
Taqueria y Mariscos Adriana
Our favorite taco stand, Taqueria y Mariscos Adriana, was our go-to during our time there. The sweetest woman, Maria Soledad, has run the stand for 30 years. Her fish and shrimp tacos are simply amazing – some of the absolute best we’ve had in Baja! While Ensenada likes to stake claim as being the original birthplace of the fish taco, San Felipe locals all agree that Maria was the first to create this delicious dish. As if that wasn’t enough, rumor has it that the American chain, Rubio’s, copied her concept of fish tacos! Maria also makes a taco called La Gobernadora, which is an open-face taco topped with shrimp, onions, peppers, and melted cheese. Just thinking about it now makes my mouth salivate!
Please note that Maria is elderly, and her food takes time to prep and cook. Do not go if you’re in a rush! We also recommend not going in groups, as the food will take even longer. But… it is well worth the wait.
Birriería Los Poblanos
Another fantastic place to eat is Birriería Los Poblanos. Birria is a spicy stew that’s traditionally made from goat meat, but occasionally from beef or chicken. Birria is a whole other culinary experience that you MUST try when in Baja!
Where to Camp in San Felipe
There are lots of places to camp in San Felipe, many of which are along the beach. Some are better known for accommodating large RVs, and some for the social scene.
La Palapa RV Camp
Known for being quieter than its neighboring campgrounds, La Palapa RV Camp is a small, compact campground with 12 spaces. Six of these sites are facing the beach, however each site comes with its own two-story palapa. For those camping in tents, it was the perfect spot to set up camp. Under each palapa is a picnic table, which had a light above it. There are electrical outlets at each site as well.
It’s worth noting that if you’re in a travel trailer, this probably isn’t the spot for you. La Palapa is perfect for vans, small RVs, and tent/car/truck campers.
While the manager running the campground is very quiet and kept to himself, it was evident that he took pride in this place. It was very clean, as every day he was always working on keeping it so.
The bathrooms are simple, albeit a bit confusing at first. The toilet paper is located outside of the stalls, so you must grab it before you “go.” There are showers on the other side of the restrooms. I’ll be honest – the showers leave a bit to be desired. There are hooks for towels and clothing items, but no benches or shelves like some other campgrounds offer. Even though the showers are old and could probably use some maintenance, the water was hot. When in Baja, this is a major plus because hot water can be promised but is never guaranteed!
Although the campground offers WiFi, the connection is not very good – even when you’re camped out in front of the office, where it’s located. But in Baja, we’ve noticed that this is par for the course.
One night at La Palapa RV Camp runs $20 in U.S. dollars. The beachfront campsites run $25-30 per night. If you’re looking for a quiet and inexpensive stay close to the beach and the malecón, La Palapa is a great choice!
Club de Pesca
Commonly referred to as Fish Camp by the gringos, Club de Pesca is another great alternative that’s a short walk to the downtown area of San Felipe. We stayed here for a couple days on our way back North and enjoyed our time here. For bigger rigs, this is the spot for you!
This RV Park offers a variety of ways to camp, all enclosed with 24/7 security. There are beach-front 30/50-amp hookups, campground sites (no beach view) and dry camping on the beach. Prices per night range between $15-35 for two people to a rig, with an $8 cost per night for every additional person and $15 cost per night for additional vehicle. There is a WiFi area, a rec room, and super-hot and clean showers.
Club de Pesca is considered a hidden gem in San Felipe. They offer a nice shady area with a convenient store to purchase your beach snacks and delicious fish tacos. The family that owns Club de Pesca keep it all very clean and manicured, making it a great place to camp!
Pete’s Camp
If you’re looking for more of a premium experience and don’t mind being 15 minutes away from all of the action of downtown San Felipe, Pete’s Camp is an excellent choice.
Located right on the Sea of Cortez, Pete’s offers a resort-like vibe with clean sites, cement pads, palapas and full hookups. It’s quite pricey compared to other options in Baja at $55USD per night (cash only). But it’s a beautiful location and the owners are extremely friendly. And their on-site restaurant cooks up some great food and even better cocktails! The latter is also a great place to catch any sports events.
In Summary
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