The stretch between Mulege and San Ignacio provided us with some of the most amazing mountain terrain that I have seen in the Baja. The views were extraordinary, and the roads, while not exactly treacherous, do require some attentive driving. Steep hills and overlooks led into our next stop for the night, San Ignacio Springs Bed and Breakfast.
This overnight accommodation was unique in that it had the look and feel of a campground, but you actually stay in a yurt. The term “glamping” comes to mind, as the yurts look like tents, but are spacious and have solid floors and walls. The roof is canvas with a skylight. Our private patio sat next to the Rio San Ignacio, where we could watch ducks and other wildlife. We enjoyed the the peace and quiet with our morning coffee. Breakfast is provided in a family style dining room. The dinner option for a small fee was a bargain and convenience, not to mention delicious. We met our “neighbors”, and our hosts were super accommodating of my food allergies.
Our yurt!Just beyond our patioOur private patio came with our own pet!
San Ignacio is a quaint little town where locals sit and visit on benches in the main square. Misión San Ignacio Kadakaamán sits close by, surrounded by orange trees. Next to the church is a small museum housing replicas of cave paintings found in the nearby Sierra de San Francisco, which were painted by the Cochimí and other indigenous groups. We found the museum to be a great option for us, as we were a little unsure how we might react to the high altitude and the hiking involved in going to the actual caves.
Misión San Ignacio KadakaamánCourtyard of orange treesShaded town squareReplica of a Cochimí cave painting
I am so happy that we opted to stay two nights in this delightful Baja town. While San Ignacio is small, staying at San Ignacio Springs is an experience in itself. I can’t wait to return!
More driving past Loreto…still heading north on Highway 1. There were a few checkpoints, but these were non-threatening, with Mexican officials remaining professional and simply asking where we were going. They do record your driver’s license and license plate. Like so many things, these are to help ensure safety for all, even if they are a little different from the way we typically do things in the US.
Luckily, we were not in a hurry, as we were able to spend some time in Playa El Requeson, part of the beautiful Bahia Conceptión, or Conception Bay, as it translates in English. This beach is a campground, and even though I am not a camper, I enjoyed strolling through the soft sands and taking in views of the crystal-clear water as a leg stretching break before heading into Mulege.
Bahia Conceptión
We came into the small town of Mulege late on a Sunday morning. This had a few disadvantages, as the church was having services, and we didn’t feel comfortable interrupting. Also, the local museum was closed. But one advantage was that the town was not crowded, and we were able to stroll the streets and take a peek inside their local community center. This is an area with a regulation basketball court, bleachers, and a small stage. These are common in small towns in the Baja, but this one was dedicated (at least judging by the mural on the wall!) to Cuesta Aguilar, a local famous boxer.
Beautiful downtown MulegeCuesta Aguilar
But one of my favorite things about Mulege is, you guessed it, the food! We ordered a late Sunday breakfast from Antojitos Mexicanos Zuria, right on the main square of Mulege. The chorizo plato was delicious, and they were careful to replace the huevos (eggs) with papas (potatoes) due to my “huevo” allergy!
Misión Santa Rosalía rests atop a hill on the outskirts of Mulege. This mission was built in 1766 and has a lookout point sporting amazing views of the town of Mulege and the river that runs through the town. The views had to be spectacular to motivate me to climb it with my fear of heights. Hence the selfie for photo proof!
Misión Santa Rosalía Top of the Overlook!
I found myself wishing that we could spend more time in the quaint town of Mulege, but we had to forge ahead to our next overnight stop, San Ignacio!
If you like mountain and ocean views, or better yet the two at the same time, the drive into Loreto does not disappoint! Loreto itself doesn’t disappoint. I love this town! Known mostly for its sports fishing, Loreto has a small-town vibe with tons of Mexican charm. The vendors in the shops are friendly; I even returned a purse with a broken zipper and was given a replacement, no questions asked.
We passed some luxury resorts featuring golf courses and ocean view pools. But we chose to stay in town. Loreto 80 offers studio apartments at a reasonable price. We were ready to cook at home for a few meals, and found a grocery with young entrepreneurs selling fresh strawberries and asparagus out front, and fresh seafood inside for a yummy meal.
But even though dinner was at “home” we still took advantage of the “night life” in Loreto. By night life, at my age, I mean the evening in the town square! As with many Mexican towns, the streets come alive with artisans and musicians. There is an energy on the main street that does not exist during the day. Locals and tourists visit restaurants, bars, shops, and pop-up vendors. Our second evening there was International Women’s Day, and a parade and speeches were a part of the celebration.
The streets are lined with arching trees that form a canopy when walking around Loreto. This enhances the already existing beauty of the town. At the end of the main walk sits Spa Las Flores Loreto, where I enjoyed a massage and facial.
Loreto sports some non-crowded beaches and a great Malecón (another run completed!). Really happy that this will be another stop on the way back through!
Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto ConchóLoreto 80 Studio RentalsBeach on a Saturday monringDriving into Loreto after miles of mountains and cactus.First pic at Loreto overlookPre-dinner libation!
Next stop on our Baja road trip was Cuidad (city of) Constitución. This area of the Baja is more agricultural than Cabo. It was exciting to see the landscape change from deserts (which I do love!) to green fields and groves of orange trees. Even if you are just passing through, you can stop at a roadside stand and buy a large bag of oranges for $6 US. We enjoyed and shared these throughout our trip.
Lunch was Taqueria Los Perrones on the main street, which served up some of the best pastor (pork) tacos I have ever had. We also visited Puerto San Carlos, which is home to the beautiful Magdalena Bay. Despite unseasonal chilly temperatures, this beach was enjoyable and sported some in tact seashells, which are not always common on Mexican beaches.
Magdalena BayVisitor!
Upon a recommendation from friends, we stayed at theMaría de Nadie Hotel Boutique. This is what is known today as a boutique hotel but reminded me of the family run hotels I remember staying at as a kid in the States, super clean and comfy with a good restaurant. We enjoyed both dinner and breakfast there, and the food and service were phenomenal. Even better was their story. As we headed to the restaurant for our dinner that evening, four people were finishing their meal. Their conversation and early dinner hour led us to believe that they were workers, enjoying their dinner break before the guests. One of the gentlemen approached us and asked us what room we were staying in. We told him, and he responded with “that was my parents’ room when I was growing up here.”. He proceeded to share with us that this was a family owned/operated hotel in which he and his siblings grew up. When his parents retired, the hotel sat empty, as he and his siblings were away at university. They decided to return and re-open the hotel to preserve it. So glad they did!
Getting back to that road trip…we started our journey in LaPaz, which is only about 2 hours north of San Jose del Cabo. We were particularly blessed as two of our good friends from SJD joined us for this first stretch. Along the way, we stopped in Todos Santos. If you have never visited Todos Santos, it is definitely worth the trip. Along with the famous Hotel California, there is a historic church and an artistic vibe to the town. The Green Room, a gorgeous waterfront restaurant outside of the main square, serves amazing food and drinks. I have also seen some of my best impromptu whale shows there during the spring months while sipping a carajillo.
But our focus today was on Viñedo Las Tinajas, a beautiful winery just before you reach the main square of Todo Santos. Upon arrival, we were given a refreshing vino blanco to enjoy while we toured the wine making room. Our guide was knowledgeable about the finer points of winemaking and not only studied wine making at UC Davis in California, but also taught some of the classes there as an undergrad student. He served us a tinto (red) straight out of the barrel; doesn’t get any fresher!
Viñedo Las TinajasFresh vino tinto!
We then went into the tasting room for a complete tasting and charcuterie board. I purchased a few bottles of the welcome wine (my favorite!) and even stopped on the way back through to get a few more. If you are anywhere in the Cabo area, this is a great day trip. As for us, we were headed to La Paz!
La Paz is home to Balandra Beach, truly one of the most beautiful I have seen in my life. Had I not visited the Tahiti/Bora Bora beaches in the past, it could easily be number one. We spent a lovely afternoon there. This beach is protected and only a certain number of visitors are let in each day. It is worth the wait to enjoy its natural beauty and the warm, shallow, lagoon like waters.
We stayed at Casa Madero, a small boutique hotel with a shared kitchen and gorgeous courtyard. We were only one block from the malecon, a walkway along the water that encourages biking, walking, jogging, or just strolling along to see the sights. I took advantage of an early morning jog on our second day, which I needed after all of the good food we had been enjoying.
Balandra BeachSunset over the MaleconHistoric church
I thoroughly enjoyed this stretch of the trip. The combination of sightseeing, spending time with friends, beautiful scenery, and a cozy boutique hotel made this the perfect start to our road trip. Next stop coming soon!
