When people ask us what has been our favorite destination on our Great Big Adventure, without a doubt or an ounce of hesitation — it’s Baja California, Mexico. From the delicious and affordable food, to the warm weather, beautiful views and friendly locals, Baja has left an impression on our entire family that we’ll never forget.
Before we decided to venture down this incredible stretch of Mexico, I honestly didn’t know much about the area, with the exception of a quick trip to Cabo San Lucas a few years back. What would our experience be like? Where would we go? And finally the question we got the most upon our travel announcement — is it safe?
With some time and energy reading notable Baja guide books, we felt confident that our travels would be what we were looking for. You know, eating all the tacos, discovering small, culture-rich towns and getting to know the people. We did a lot of reading and research on the go, which works in your favor — because we’ve laid out everything you need to know about this Baja road trip, including what to do, where to eat, and where to camp.
But before I get to all of the good stuff, let’s address the question around safety. Throughout our first year of traveling, we have felt equally — if not more — safe down in Baja California than we have in other places we have visited in the Western U.S. Additionally, one shouldn’t confuse poverty for a lack of safety. Although many of the communities lack some of the basic infrastructure or institutions that we take for granted back in America, we felt very safe throughout our two-month travels. We found the people of Baja to be kind and welcoming, especially to our children. Many of these communities are built on tourism — this is their bread and butter. While I would say that we always got a bit nervous around the military checkpoints, we reminded ourselves that these stops are for our benefit as travelers. However, you’re still traveling in a foreign country. You should be alert and stay vigilant wherever you go. (Just as you would be in the United States, especially in highly populated cities.)
Ok, vamos! Here is our exact itinerary for Baja California. The first thing to keep in mind that we missed a few things that we’d definitely check out next time (like Tecate and Guerrero Negro). Also, we spent seven weeks in Baja… so if you don’t have two months to spare, it’s all good. If we found a place we liked, we’d stay for 3-4 days. That doesn’t necessarily need to be the case (although we’d recommend it). You can still see a lot in a short amount of time, but at least give yourself 2-3 weeks.
Start Here!
Ensenada
- Best Foodie Stops
- Camping at Clam Beach RV Resort
- Camping at Playa Saldamando
Valle de Guadalupe
San Felipe
Bahiá de Los Ángeles
Guerrero Negro
Why Guerrero Negro is the Best Place to See Grey Whales (Includes Camping!)
San Ignacio
Mulegé
- Discover Baja’s Oasis — Mulegé (Includes Restaurants & Camping Recommendations)
Bahía Concepción
Loreto
- Experience the Magic of Loreto (Includes Restaurants & Camping Recommendations)
San Javier
Agua Verde
- The Road to Agua Verde (includes Camping Information)
La Paz
- Living It Up in La Paz
- Camping at Peace Hostel and Campestre Maranatha
Todos Santos
El Pescadero
Cabo Pulmo
- Why You Should Visit Cabo Pulmo Instead of Los Cabos (includes Camping Recommendations)
Los Barriles
- Our Last Stop in Los Barriles (includes Camping Recommendations)
Baja is a rite of passage for anyone traveling full-time, or for those of you just looking for extended road trip. There is SO much to see and do. In fact, it’s highly likely that we’ll try to make this journey every winter!
What questions do you have for us? Is there anything we missed that you’d like to know more about?
3 Comments
Karen Hadwen
Love how you say poverty does not equal unsafe.
Shawn
I would love to know a ballpark figure of what your budget was for the 7 weeks. Thanks! I hope to do this 🙂
Alexis Nascimento
Hey Shawn! This is a great question. We would estimate around $300-400 for fuel, campgrounds, groceries and eating out on the regular. Keep in mind, we’re a family of 4 and we gravitated to eating at the cheap taco stands a majority of the time. We steered clear of any Americanized and touristy restaurants, which you’ll find quite a bit in the bigger cities. Also, the budget might fluctuate depending on how much beer, tequila and New Mix you buy every week! ? We hope this helps!