 Known as the "Pacific Cinderella", Ensenada is located 70 miles south of the international border, south of California State (USA), 90-minutes drive from San Diego. Ensenada counts with a warm Mediterranean climate, friendly atmosphere and accessibility by land, air, and sea that makes Ensenada a favorite tourist destination for many visitors. Ensenada is the largest municipality of Mexico and has the most varied microclimates of Baja California. Ensenada offers visitors: sea, mountains, valley and desert; it fills the senses with cave painting, waves and whales, lots of activities, great hotels, centennial missions and in his Valley of Guadalupe the best wines of Mexico, Ensenada's romantic past, dynamic present and promising future provides wide appeal for cultural visitors, vacationing families, and business travelers.
With a variety of hotel accommodations ranging from modern hotels with Old World charm to full-service hotel resorts with convention centers to RV parks with complete amenities, Ensenada easily suits every taste or budget.
Gray whale watching
The gray whale is the most common species seen near the coast of Baja. Other whales are present but tend to seek deeper waters while the gray whale's swim in shallow waters seeking Baja's many lagoons for calving. The Baja California coastline is teeming with whales during the calving season from late November to late march. The greatest number can be seen in February
Riviera del Pacifico
Once a plush gambling casino in the '30s, now a center for social and cultural events open 8:30am-7pm. Stroll the gardens landscaped with monuments detailing Baja California history until 10pm. Visit Bar Andaluz, the Museum of history and Galeria de la Ciudad. Centrally located on Blvd. Costero, tel. 176-4233, fax 176-4310. The adjacent Parque Infantil (Children's Park) with a playground and BBQs/tables opens Tues.-Sun. 10am-6pm
Nightlife
It's hangout is the world-famous Hussong's Cantina. Not only is it the oldest bar in town with a rich history of hosting happy tourists, but it's still the place to party. One can get a real flavor of a genuine Mexican bar here, or at least as much as possible in an area full of tourists. Hussong's is THE place to experience the true Ensenada. Let's put it this way: If you spend any time here, you're going to go to Hussong's.
While locals and long-time visitors hang at Hussong's, many of the tourists can be found at Papas & Beers. It's much more of a dance club than Hussong's but is is much tamer than its cousin in Rosarita. Expect to pay a cover charge.
The Bahia Resort Bar is a hotel bar featuring Ensenada's best drink specials. Sam's Bar is a friendly dive on the second floor of Plaza Blanca that can turn wild from time to time. |
Information about Ensenada, Mexico