Things to do in  Baja California

The Sea of Cortez (or Gulf of California) lies between the Baja California Peninsula and mainland Mexico. This stretch of the Pacific, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most diverse seas in the world and home to more than 3,000 marine species, including hammerhead sharks, sea lions, and sea turtles.

With its thunderous crash and sky-high jet of water, La Bufadora blowhole—a grey whale turned to stone, according to local legend—is one of the world’s largest marine geysers and an easy trip from nearby Ensenada. Prepare to get drenched as you watch from the surrounding viewpoints as the saltwater squirts up to 100 feet (30 meters) into the air.

Cabo San Lucas may be known for its beaches, but the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range serves up opportunities for adventure beyond the sea. Located in the south of the Baja California peninsula, visitors flock to the region for hiking, the chance to spot rare birds, horseback riding, and climbing, while surrounded by the beauty of the Sierra de La Laguna Biosphere Reserve. As you walk through its oak and pine forests, you’ll pass hidden waterfalls, thermal pools, and dramatic rock formations.

Rosarito Beach is a Mexican resort town that’s about 30 minutes south of San Diego. Known for its beaches and nightlife, Rosarito’s close proximity to the border makes it a popular destination for US visitors and retirees. Hollywood is fond of the area, too. A number of films, includingTitanic andPearl Harbor, were filmed in Rosarito.

A short drive from Ensenada, Las Cañadas Campamento is a camping resort that offers accommodation options, a range of outdoor activities, and dining in one easy vacation-wrapped package. Without much planning, enjoy camp-like lodgings with plenty of fun things to do on-site, including all-terrain vehicle rides, a water park, ziplining, and pedal boating. It’s particularly great for families with children, as there’s plenty to keep kids entertained.

With roots dating back to the late 18th century, this winemaker is among the oldest in Baja California and North America. A venerable institution locally and internationally, Bodegas de Santo Tomás has won dozens of medals in recent decades, and you can visit not only the winery, but tasting rooms around the Ensenada area.

Avenida Revolución (Revolution Avenue) is the main thoroughfare of historic downtown Tijuana. Lined with cafés, restaurants, hotels, and fast-food chains, it serves as the city’s tourist center. The metallic Tijuana Arch stretches over Avenida Revolucion, greeting visitors. A recent remodeling of the avenue has brought wider sidewalks, the addition of rapid bus lanes, and a reduction in car traffic.

Located in a modern area of Tijuana, a short stroll from the Baja-California border, this museum and cultural center is punctuated by a massive sandstone sphere—a dome-shaped IMAX theater affectionately called the ball or la bola. A hothouse of contemporary and traditional art, music, and theater, CECUT hosts exhibits and performances to promote Mexican (and Baja) identity and tourism.

Among the cheesemakers in the Valle Ojos Negros east of Ensenada, La Cava de Marcelo is one of the few cheese farms that welcomes visitors for wine, craft beer, desserts, and naturally, cheese. A small family business that has been in operation for generations, La Cava de Marcelo produces a variety of homespun cheeses, which it serves with spices, butter, ricotta, and more.

From zebras to giraffes, birds and monkeys, Pai Pai Ecotourism Park not only lets you view an array of animals but you can interact with many creatures, too. In addition to promoting the welfare and protection of wildlife, the park offers a range of adventure activities including bungee jumping, climbing walls, and ziplines over animal habitats.

Plaza Civica—or Plaza Civica de la Patria—is Ensenada’s central square, a swath of grass and short walking paths flanked by the waterfront on one side and Federal Highway 1 on the other. A massive Mexican flag typically flies over the plaza, where you can see statues of Benito Juarez, Miguel Hidalgo, and Venustiano Carranza—some of Mexico's most important historical figures.

Tijuana’s markets brim with bright colors, aromas, and local products you’ll have a hard time finding elsewhere, and this covered downtown market is among the city’s best. Visit to sample the local flavor and find everything from fresh cheese and Mexican candy to dried chiles and all kinds of household and kitchen goods—better yet, follow your nose to the tastiest items and talk with local merchants.

Built to mark the turn of the new millennium, the city of Tijuana built this steel and copper arch rising 14 storeys above Plaza Santa Cecilia to revitalize the area and welcome travelers into town. Also called the Millennium Arch or the Monumental Clock, the Tijuana Arch (Arco Monumental) is often the first structure travelers see when arriving to explore the area.

This legendary market in Tijuana’s upscale Zona Rio neighborhood is about as authentic as Mexican markets come, with a cornucopia of produce, sweets, cheeses, and street food that can make a trip across the US-Mexico border worthwhile. Visit at the beginning of your trip for a taste of local color, or at the end of your visit to stock up on souvenirs.

Few museums anywhere have such unconventional collections: Tijuana-themed ephemera, postcards, old telephones, superhero toys and memorabilia, and an entire floor dedicated to Lucha Libre, Mexico’s unique wrestling style. Situated in the heart of Tijuana in a renovated restaurant, MUCOTI (Museo del Coleccionista de Tijuana) isn’t the trendiest museum in the city, but it’s the most unexpected and nostalgic.