A Trip Down the Baja Peninsula: First Impressions of Vanlife in Mexico

 

Doug has been talking about it for a few years ... and I’ve been quietly dodging the subject. But somehow, this winter, the idea started to sound almost reasonable ...

and just like that, we find ourselves taking a road-trip down Mexico's Baja Peninsula.

Our short trip to Puerto Peñasco last November gave us a small taste of van life in Mexico. But I'll be honest, the thought of spending a couple of months south of the border made me just a tad bit nervous. Thankfully, Doug went into full scout mode ... mapping out all the cool spots, lining up the extra van insurance, and getting Baby Beest road-ready … because judging by some of these crater-sized potholes, her new rear shocks (and Doug’s dodge-and-weave skills) are definitely about to be tested.

Tecate, Baja California

Just like to US, Mexico is divided into "states". The Baja Peninsula consists of two of these states, Baja California to the north and Baja California Sur to the south. The  peninsula is surrounded by coastal waters with the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) on the eastern border and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its varied landscape consists of deserts, mountains, beaches, and of course, gorgeous sunrises or sunsets depending on which side of the peninsula you happen to be on.

To begin our Baja RVenture, we drove west from Phoenix into southern California. Believing that the weather is always nice in this part of the country, we didn't bother to check the forecast beforehand. Three days of much needed rain and cold greeted us, so we hung out for a few extra days at a county park campground north of Tecate, the border town where we would cross over into Mexico.

Tecate is one of the 177 Pueblos Magicos in Mexico. These towns showcase the unique cultural, historical, and natural significance that can be found in all 31 Mexican states. The day before we crossed the border, we decided to park our van on the U.S. side and walk over to check out what makes Tecate unique.

Here we found a vibrant town square that was surrounded by historic architecture,

... a number of delicious bakeries which helped us understand why Tecate is sometimes referred to as "the bread village",

... and the brewery where Tecate Beer is produced. While it may not have the star-power of its cousin, Corona, it is steadily growing in popularity. Since they hand out a free beer just for walking through the door ... consider Doug a new fan.

 We found Tecate to be a fairly quiet village without a lot of the typical "tourist bait" that can be found in some of the larger border towns. While we were there, we were able to get our FMM (immigration) visa and withdraw some pesos from a local ATM, so that we would be all set to cross the border the next morning and continue on our way down to ...

Ville de Guadalupe's Ruta de Vino (Route of the Wine)

Surprisingly, this northwestern section of Baja California is Mexico's premier wine region and produces between 70 and 80% of Mexico's wine.  Doug scoped out a vineyard that was partnered with a cerveceria, (a win-win for us), as our first stop, but the recent rains had made the road leading up to it a bit questionable for the Baby Beast. But fear not, stop #2 treated us to a craft beer, a refreshing sangria, and beautiful views overlooking the valley.

After that we found a small family-run cerveceria that allowed us to park there overnight. It was nice to talk with the owners and some locals who helped us add more "must see" locations to our Baja California travel map.

Ensenada, Baja California

About 30 miles from Mexico's wine country lies the port town of Ensenada. While we had marked it as a spot because of our previous host's craft brewery recommendations, we also found a town that treated its visitors to a colorful "Bienvenida" as it is a popular stop for cruise ships. Many shops and restaurants lined the town's oceanfront boardwalk.

During our travels in Mexico, we are relying on the iOverlander app to help us find our campgrounds or boondocking spots for the night.

There were many positive reviews for a street parking area just across from the cruise ship dock and an easy walk to the town's malecon, the seaside boardwalk that is usually lined with interesting restaurants and shops. It seemed like it would be quiet after the ships left and the shops closed up, but much to our surprise and delight ...

we were treated with a Mexican band practice/concert just up the street. Those are some dedicated high school musicians if they would give up their Friday evening fun in order to practice from 8 to 10 pm.

San Felipe, Baja California

Time to cross over the central mountain spine that separates the western part of Baja California from the east as we made our way to San Felipe on the Gulf of California. This town is a popular "first stop" for visitors to the Baja, known for its beaches and off-road desert racing.

Important things first ... check off another Mexican craft brewery. With a long list of IPAs to sample, it was good that San Felipe Brewery allowed us to park there overnight.

The next morning we checked out their Malecon, where a weekend festival and parade were taking place. It was quite nice to enjoy our first of many fish tacos as we sat on the upper level of a restaurant overlooking the parade route.

 That evening as we were checking into a campground near the city center, we heard the news about the political unrest following the killing of a major Mexican drug lord. Because of the demonstrations and roadblocks near the border towns three hours from us, we followed the shelter in place recommendations and hung out at this tranquil beachside town for a few more days.

Not a shabby spot to hang out!

Puertecitos, Baja California

We monitored the news reports concerning the areas of unrest in Mexico over the next few days. The information that we received from various new sources and people that we trusted made us feel confident that we could safely continue our Baja journey south.

Always in search of unique natural treasures, we read about some seaside hot springs an hour south of San Felipe. Located in the tiny pueblo of Puertecitos, we quickly decided that these hot springs were nature's way of telling us that everything is going to be just fine.

We stayed at the no-frills camping spot overlooking a quiet bay and walked about a half mile walk to the springs.

There is a debate among visitors to the hot springs as to whether it is best to experience the hot springs at low or high tide. When we first arrived in the early afternoon, it was low tide and the rock walls that separate the various pools was very evident.

All of the water levels in the pool areas were low, with temperatures ranging from "oh, that's a bit chilly" to "wow, that'll give you an unpleasant third-degree burn". Fortunately, we managed to find the "Goldilocks pool" that was "just right"!

We returned a few hours later as the tide was coming in and could already see a difference as rising sea water mixed with the previous super-hot spring areas to create deeper pools of more temperate water.

There is something magical about discovering and enjoying the natural and ever-changing playgrounds in our world!

Ville de Los Cirios

As we make our way south, the magic of Baja shows up in its ever-changing landscapes. The coastline gives way to the mountains, and the mountains give way to the desert. It’s like Baja refuses to stick to just one personality, and honestly, we’re ok with that!

The Ville de Los Cirios is a large desert region where the Cirios or Boojum tree grow. This strange looking tree, known for its tall, tapered, spiny trunk, looks like it came directly out of one of Dr Suess' classic children's books. 

Mexico's Baja Peninsula:

Our First Impressions

Driving in Baja California

I have to admit it ... I was quite nervous about driving down the Baja Peninsula into Mexico. The roads are narrow, and potholes can pop up at any minute.

But my skillful driver is taking it slow, and so far, the traffic has been light and the scenery has been beautiful as thousands of ocotillo cacti show off their orange blossoms in front of the magnificent mountain backdrop.

RVing in Baja California is Not Necessarily Inexpensive

After dishing out a chunk of change for extra Mexican car insurance ($700+ for three months), obtaining a Mexican Visa ($54 each), and paying higher gas prices at the pump ($5.30/gallon), an RV trip into Mexico is not necessarily less expensive than just hanging out in the southwestern US. Campground costs are a bit less, but they come with far fewer amenities than we're used to back home. And that free potable water that we take for granted?? It's a luxury that you search out and pay for in Mexico. While the jury is still out in regards to the "affordability" of eating out, those fresh fish tacos are worth every peso!

   Being able to Speak a Little Spanish is Definitely a Plus! 

From being able to understand road signs, read menus, and follow simple instructions, our ability to understand and speak some Spanish is definitely making this journey a bit easier and a lot more fun ... especially when we can carry on a delightful conversation with a local family camping near us and enjoy the amazing guitar skills of their 15 year old son. We are so grateful for the universal language of music and laughter!

There is No Such Thing as "Mild" Salsa in Mexico

Proceed with caution! A small drop of salsa on your chips or tacos is more than adequate ... and they offer other options if you want even more spice in your life!

 

Our first week in Baja California has come with a little uncertainty and a lot of beautiful discoveries. It has definitely kept us on our toes as we learn to embrace new "learning opportunities". Yet as we experience the unique natural scenery, gorgeous campsites, and colorful sunset beach walks, we are reminded why we are here. It’s hard not to fall for Baja’s laid-back charm.

Thank God for Travel Plans That Are "Written in Jello"

As travelers who seldom plan too far ahead, we are grateful for the flexibility that van life gives us. We will often joke that our travel plans are ...

Written in Jello

... soft, jiggly, and subject to change at a moment's notice.

At least, that’s how we prefer to think of it. But when that theory actually gets put to the test, it turns out to be a bit trickier than it sounds.

When we left Tucson two weeks ago, our "semi-solid" plans were to meet up with other snowbird friends in Phoenix before heading southwest towards the Baja California peninsula of Mexico.

We looked forward to enjoying a delightful BBQ lunch with dear friends escaping the Minnesota cold,

and feasting on grilled chicken while overlooking the golf course with some of our former biking buddies.

That afternoon, however, we received the call that would liquefy those semi-solid plans. Doug's brother had passed away unexpectedly back in Michigan. In the midst of this shocking news, we found the kindness of friends who allowed us to keep the Baby Beest parked in front of their house,

... and were treated to a personalized "Uber" ride to the airport accompanied by their poodle who somehow knew that he was now upgraded to an "emotional support" pup. 

Once again, flexibility allowed us to quickly exchange cacti-lined desert roads for snow-covered country roads.

It had been a long time since these snowbirds came so close to getting their feathers frozen. I think that the winter winds decided to pick up in order to give us a hardy Michigan greeting as we stepped out of the Detroit airport. And then they thought ... let's add a light dusting of snow and frost on the windshield just so our visitors can try out that ice scraper in the back of the rental car. But I have to admit (quietly) that the winter landscape holds a special kind of beauty.

As we gathered to support family, we were grateful that our "Jello plans" always turn out to be the best plans.

The road of life is often filled with many questions of what direction to go. We take comfort in knowing that our #1 Guide is always leading us exactly where we're supposed to be.

As we sat at our Airbnb and looked out at the frozen landscape, a flash of red caught my eye. 

Unlike migratory birds that fly south,

the strong and hardy cardinal sticks winter out,

as if to show us that,

even on life's grayest days,

beauty and hope remain.

A Taste of the Snowbird Life in Tucson, Arizona

Like the hummingbirds that migrate south, we savored the sweet taste of snowbird life as we settled in for two sun-soaked months at an RV resort in Tucson, Arizona.

Our days were filled with pickleball, hikes, and bike rides through the desert landscape,

... while evenings glowed with community dinners, card games and music by the pool.

We’ve always found that winter’s shorter days can make RV travel a bit challenging. Early sunsets often leave us with little time to explore once we arrive at our destination. Factor in the fact that my favorite travel partner fully embraces the "long winter’s nap" lifestyle, and it’s clear why I now favor destinations where the fun continues long after the sun sets.

Even Doug can be easily convinced to leave his cozy man cave for another friendly "Pegs & Jokers" competition!

We quickly found that staying in one place for an extended period of time has many benefits ...

In a classic "it's a small world" moment, we were able to reconnect with friends who we hadn't seen in over 40 years and join them for one of our favorite hikes in Sabino Canyon.

Being in a place where the Amazon driver could find us meant that Doug was also able to add "barista" to his resume as he perfected his morning latte. 

Fueled by a triple shot of caffeine, Doug's tools made a special appearance,

and just like that,

our worn out screen door was skillfully replaced,

and our TV disappeared, leaving room for more "stuff"!

I was able to participate in many of the exercise and craft classes that the resort offered. I would also like to say that I could add "ceramic artisan" to my resume, but unfortunately, I found my passion for working with clay during the last few days of our stay.

We also appreciated being able to get into an active daily routine that included walks to the nearby grocery and/or thrift store (yes, my clothes bins are now overflowing),

afternoon pickleball,

or just a stroll through the gardens and around the neighborhood.

During our two months here, we were able to get a good taste of snowbird life.

From group bike rides along Tucson's fabulous bike paths to the local farmers market followed by Sunday brunch,

... to hikes through the desert canyons where the usually dry washes were transformed into small streams thanks to the winter rains,

... to trivia nights, mystery dinners, and music on the patio,

...we found a community that thrives on sunshine, friendships, and fun!

But even as the days lengthen and new adventures unfold,

 we carry with us gratitude for two months of fun, friendship,

and the sweet taste of snowbird life because ...

Good Friends are the Flowers

in the Garden of Life!!