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Ensenada's main downtown area is as tourist-friendly as Mexico gets.
The city's merchandise selection is extensive, and shopping is
concentrated along a single street — Boulevard Lopez Mateos. Just a
block from the waterfront, this shopping section attracts mostly
cruise passengers and day trippers who browse for an afternoon. Many
of Tijuana's top stores have Ensenada branches on Lopez Mateos. But
there's far more to do here than shop. Ensenada is the heart of
Mexico's wine country,
and eight wineries in Baja's "Bordeaux Belt" of sheltered valleys near
Ensenada produce almost 90 percent of Mexico's wines. The scenery —
picturesque vineyards surrounded by mountains — alone merits a trip to
Ensenada. Inexpensive tours and tasting is offered six days a week by
several Guadalupe Valley and Ensenada wineries, and the mid-August
wine festival, sponsored by the area's Wine Brotherhood, is one of
Baja's most popular annual events.
Known as the "Cinderella of
the Pacific", Ensenada is located 70 miles south of the international
border, a 90-minute drive from San Diego. Its warm Mediterranean
climate, friendly atmosphere and accessibility by land, air, and sea
have made Ensenada a favorite tourist destination for many years, and
Mexico's second most-visited port-of-call for major cruise lines and
pleasure boats.
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Where:
75 miles south of the border, an easy drive of just over an hour.
Three tolls total about $7.50 one way. Spectacular coastal scenery en
route rivals Big Sur.
Best time to
visit:
Year-round. The weather is similar to San Diego's coastal areas, with
pleasant ocean breezes in the downtown area in summer and a balmy,
mountain-valley climate northeast of the city in the wine country.
Cost:
Inexpensive by California standards. Cheaper, overall, for hotels and
meals than Tijuana,
but a bit more expensive than Rosarito.
Culture shock:
None. Credit cards are accepted at most major restaurants and shops.
English is spoken almost
everywhere in the main tourist areas. Dollars are accepted everywhere.
Kid-friendly:
Absolutely. Curio shopping in the downtown area; lots of fun at the
fishing pier; beach activities south of town, with calm water and good
shelling along Punta Banda.
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