Among Baja California Sur’s boho-chic resort towns, Loreto is less known and retains impressions of an older, tranquil Mexico. You can spot them in cobblestone streets and Mission Loreto (Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó), the first permanent mission in the Californias. When it comes to things to do in Loreto, it’s a mix of old and new. The waterfront malecón and nearby beaches call for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) adventures, whereas offshore, the five islands within Loreto Bay National Park are marine paradises ideal for time-honored snorkeling trips.
Loreto isn't a major cruise port or spring break destination, but it does swell with visitors in the summer, which brings desert heat and humidity. For comfortably warm temperatures, plan your trip in late fall or winter (November–February), which sees average highs of 79°F (26°C). Humpback whales typically arrive in the Sea of Cortez in mid-December and stay through March. The Our Lady of Loreto Festivities (the Fiestas de la Virgen de Loreto) is celebrated in early September.
While Loreto has an international airport a stone’s throw—and a short shuttle taxi ride—from the town center, it has no public transportation to speak of. Getting around downtown is a matter of taking pleasant strolls, but traveling further afield requires taxis or a rental car. Travelers without wheels can look into bus companies, Autobuses Águila and ABC among them, that connect Loreto with the rest of Baja.
The village of San Javier and the San Javier Mission (Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó), roughly one hour from Loreto by car, is one of the most popular day-trip destinations from the city. If you decide to visit, follow the marked path near the museum behind the church to an olive tree—it’s said to be 300 years old and the first planted on the American continent.
