RVing in Baja: Worth Every Bump in the Road???

We knew that driving our van down the Baja of Mexico would have its challenges.

Potholes.

Narrow roads.

Language barriers.

Finding safe drinking water

But when rewarded with beautiful waterfront views, we were almost able to forget what was involved in getting here.

Almost ...

Yes, I'll be honest in saying that during the travel days of our Baja RVenture, we quite frequently wrestled with the question ...

Is it worth it???

In order to enjoy seaside views like this at the end of the day, we had to navigate a few bumps along the way. And somewhere between the rough roads and the quiet horizons, we came to better understand the culture of Mexico ... and our own strengths and weaknesses as RV travelers in a foreign land.

Let's start with those ..

"Smooth" Pavement Moments

We were happy to discover that our Spanish skills ... and especially Doug’s advanced conversational Spanish ... served us well during our time in Baja. At the military checkpoints, Doug was able to quickly and confidently answer questions about our travel plans and destinations. Twice, officers did a brief inspection of our van. We’re still not sure what they were looking for… though I suspect they mostly wanted to admire Baby Beest’s sweet layout or talk a bit longer with her driver. I've noticed that my "man of few words" does suddenly get more talkative when he can practice his Spanish!

In a country where many of the people earn very little money, we were surprised to not ever encounter any beggars. Instead, we experienced a culture that is hardworking and takes great pride in the food and goods they create. When vendors approached us with their wares, a simple “no, gracias” was met with a smile as they respectfully continued on their way.

Fresh fish and shrimp tacos ... everywhere ... everyday. And while they were delicious and surprisingly affordable (about $3 each), I hate to admit it ... after a number of days of this seafood diet, I began to miss having a variety of food we're used to finding in restaurants back in the U.S.

Margaritas ... not sure how they do it, but these are definitely better than any that I have had in the U.S. I suspect that the scenic backgrounds add to the enjoyment.

Those beachfront campsites ... pull in, pay 250 pesos ($15 USD), roll out the awning, spread out the rug, set up your chair, and let the gentle waves lull you into a hypnotic state of calm.

But this "new to us" experience of vanlife in Mexico did come with a few...

"Bumps" in the Road

Some of the campground amenities that we take for granted (bathrooms, showers, water, electricity, and dump stations), can be surprisingly hard to find ... especially potable water. For that, we had to seek out an "Aqua Purificada" station. While these stations were easy to find in most villages, it wasn't a given that they would have the right hose connection to fill our tank. Doug got an upper body workout (and an unexpected shower) while applying a Herculean amount of pressure to a hose whose screw-on fitting was anything but secure.

   We found that a "typical" travel day in Baja was very taxing on the brain. Random potholes ... unannounced speed bumps ... hidden stop signs ... "unique" road designs. These road hazards, not necessarily typical when traveling in the U.S., were a normal part of our Baja travel days. Thus, we quickly realized that it was better if we both kept our eyes on the road at all times.

Because of limited paved highways, a trip down and back up the Baja Peninsula is pretty much an out and back ... which means we have to repeat that same bad stretch of road (or that construction zone detour) on our way back north.

I quickly discovered that the wide variety of groceries we’re used to finding in American stores isn’t always easy to come by in Baja. As my stash of favorite vanlife staples started running low, some of my “home-cooked” meals became a little more … creative. Doug had no problem fixing that problem by suggesting that we just needed to eat out more.

There is limited internet coverage when traveling in Baja, so it was something that needed to be considered before starting our travels ... in order to prevent those dreaded "internet withdrawal" symptoms from setting in. We found that our Google Fi internet had good coverage in all of the small villages that we stayed in. And for travel and beach camping days, our Starlink was definitely the "star" of the show!

Unfortunately, with limited trash removal options, many rural and natural areas become makeshift garbage dumps. While a walk through this forest of cacti could be so beautiful, the heaps of garbage along the sides of the road took away a bit of the magic.

And yes, that dreaded "check engine" light made an appearance once again on our way back up towards the border. While it remained solid and intermittent ... instead of flashing and constant which would be much more worrisome ... we still needed to stop a few times to let Baby Beest cool her jets. As always, crossing back into the U.S. was a long and slow process, but we were grateful to reach that point and finally be in a place where finding a repair shop was once again an option.

 Baja Lessons Learned

Plan your visit during the times that match your desired activities. Want to whale watch? Early February to mid March is best.  The gray whales, who entertained us immensely on our way down, were pretty much gone when we made our return trip through Guerrero Negro three weeks later.

Want uncrowded beach campsites? Avoid the week before and after Easter. All of the schools in Mexico are on vacation for the two week period around Easter, so many families head to the beaches. From what we heard, the popular beaches can get very crowded. As for us, we will cherish the peaceful beachside camping experience that Baja gifted us.

And finally, traveling to Mexico is no bargain. With the added expenses of Mexican car insurance ($800), an immigration visa ($115), gas ($5.25/gallon) that are needed in order to reach those delicious $3 fish tacos or $15 beachside campsites, it may not seem as quite a big of a bargain.

But as the saying goes ...

Views like these are PRICELESS!

Was It Worth It???

Driving our van down into Mexico definitely had it challenges. But it also was an opportunity to "spread our wings" and learn more about ourselves as world travelers. We returned to the States with a new appreciation for all the "luxuries" that we, as Americans, often take for granted like ...

Smooth wide roads

Free public toilets that actually have toilet paper

A greater variety of restaurant cuisine from fast food to fine dining

Better availability of grocery items

Safe drinking water

Clean public lands

RVing through Mexico was, without a doubt, a learning experience. While traveling by RV proved a little more challenging than we expected, we’re grateful to have these Baja memories become another chapter of our RVentures.

The Magic of Baja's Pueblos: Where History, Culture, and Charm Meet

Mexican pueblos are pure magic ...

where the past and present blend together in colorful harmony!

And nowhere is that magic more evident than in the pueblos that we visited during our time in the Baja. 

From the stately mission churches,

to architecture that reflects the influence of past inhabitants,

to the playful street art celebrating beloved pets,

each village proudly resonates its colorful history.

While we hoped to visit those villages that have been specially designated as "Pueblo Mágicos," for their unique cultural, historical, culinary, artistic, and natural experiences, we quickly discovered that a unique type of beauty exists in every small pueblo we visited during our time in the Baja.

San Ignacio

After leaving the gray whale's winter hangout near Guerrero Negro, we continued south. The desert scenery stayed alongside us as temps climbed to near 100 degrees. Occasionally, unique mountain formations provided majestic changes of scenery.

We were headed to San Ignacio, a small pueblo that had been described to us as a cute pueblo in the middle of a desert oasis. How sweet would it be if this oasis town happened to have a campground with refreshing shower facilities also??!!

We hit the jackpot!

We felt instant relief as we parked under the palms at Paraiso Misional Campground ... and there is nothing quite like a nice shower after three days of boondocking. From there it was an easy walk into San Ignacio's traditional town square. San Ignacio Mission Church, founded in 1728, formed one corner of the square,

while shops, restaurants, and artistic sculptures brought life and color to the park. The refreshing oasis-like charm seemed to flow throughout this small community.

Just outside of town, the Sierra de San Francisco rock paintings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reveal incredible pre-historic art ... for those willing to do the six hour round-trip hike from town. I, however, was quite happy to find out that we could just visit the town museum with displays of beautifully crafted replicas of these ancient works.

Santa Roselía

Santa Roselía is one of Mexico's newest Pueblos Mágicos, so we were happy to see that it was located on our Baja route.

And the fact that Doug could visit another craft brewery ... bonus!

Santa Rosalía, which lies on the Sea of Cortez, was founded by the French mining company, El Boleo, in 1884. Its early French influence is still reflected in the town's architecture where buildings stray from the traditional Mexican stone structure. Instead, the streets are lined with wooden structures with gable roofs and wrap-around porches that would seem to be better suited to be found in Europe.

The "star" of the town is St Barbara's Church, which was designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) for the Paris Exhibition in 1889. Afterwards, it was shipped to Mexico, reassembled, and proudly stands near the town square today.

This pre-fabricated iron church still retains its French design while embracing its colorful Mexican culture.

Of course, Santa Rosalía wouldn't be a true "French" town if it didn't have a French bakery or two. Founded in 1901, Pandería El Boleo is the oldest and most iconic. While still trying to hold onto its French roots, a glance at the pastry case reveals that many of its creations have taken on a delightfully colorful Mexican flair.

Mulegé

Another oasis awaited us further down the road. Mulegé is a small, quiet town that lies near the point where the Mulegé River flows into the Sea of Cortez. Date palm trees line the river bed,

and cute outdoor cafes invite you to enjoy the fresh catch of the day.

Loreto

While we originally hoped to travel all the way down to Cabo, the rising temperatures are telling us that it is time to head north, so we decided to make Loreto our final southernmost Baja destination. When we arrived and saw the charm of our third Pueblo Mágico, we realized that we had truly saved the ...

best for last!

Founded in 1697, it is recognized as the first permanent Spanish settlement and was the first capital of "Las Californias".

La Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto is considered the "mother" of all missions in that it was the first to be founded along the west coast of Mexico and the United States. Inside this historic church, we found a parish community that is colorful, youthful and vibrant.

Located on the Sea of Cortez, Loreto looks out at the five islands that make up the Bay of Loreto National Park. With their pristine beaches and abundance of marine life, this area is often referred to as the "Aquarium of the World." The turquoise blue waters protect huge numbers of blue whales, dolphins, sea lions, and blue footed bobbies. Many local boat companies offer chartered nature tours, but after our recent "up close and personal" experience with the gray whales, we decided to spend our time on dry land exploring the unique urban sites.

Loreto was the perfect place to recharge and refresh after spending a few days at the beaches that line La Bahía de Concepción. It also stood out as one of the cleanest villages we visited. Garbage cans were readily available along every city block, and it was inspiring to see the pride locals take in keeping their little slice of paradise so beautifully maintained.

Our "home" during our two stays was at the Rivera del Mar RV Park located a half mile from the town square. While the "campground" was basically a parking lot, the owners took exceptional pride in providing clean washrooms and showers, a handy laundry room, and a shaded outdoor BBQ area ... all for $20/night. From there it was an easy walk along the Malecón into the town center. On one of our walks into town, I was sure that we had a new van-mate as this sweet dog didn't seem to want to leave Doug's side.

After cooking all our meals in the van while at the beach, it was a treat to try out the many excellent seafood restaurants in Loreto.

Shrimp and fish tacos quickly became our "go-to" meal, and there was no complaining from either one of us! My favorite was the fish tacos at D'Cordero. This plate (with complimentary extra tortillas) easily satisfied the two of us for less than $20.

Most of the restaurants we visited offered a cool, colorful, and comfortable outdoor eating area that was perfect for lingering over a leisurely midday meal … before retreating to the van for that all-important afternoon siesta.

Sunset meant happy hour, and Zopilote Brewing Company gave Doug another craft brewery visit as well as a fun place to listen to music and strike up conversations with other visitors to the area. Yes, we even got to practice our Spanish a few times!

I loved learning about life in Loreto as I practiced my Spanish,

and Fernanda worked on her English.

She will be an amazing elementary teacher in the near future!

As the sun sets on our time in Mexico, Loreto was the perfect kind of town to end our Baja travels. Here we found a beautiful mix of ...

 history,

culture,

and charm that blends together in

colorful harmony.