Baja North

[socal]

Let me try this location, posted in campground but no luck. Interested is camping betwwent TJ and south to Ensenada For next year. Campgrounds any good along the ocean? Thanks, just on a fact finding mission for now. Recommendations?

David
Slabs

[coloradotallman]

Pull up iOverlander.com and type in "ensenada". At least four choices with co-ordinates, reviews and pictures. Bien viaje.

[briansue]

One of our reasons for crossing at Tecate is to avoid Tijuana and to visit wine country. If you take 2D you will go to Tijuana and miss wine country. Might as well just cross at Tijuana.

[OZeRV]

We will be crossing southbound at Tecate on Monday with Rosarito being the first port of call in our journey further south. This will be the first time for us driving in Mexico and the first time south of a border town. Is there any reason not to use 2D and 1D so that we can appreciate the ocean views from 1D. Sure it will take a little extra time but that does not matter.

Google maps Tecate to Rosarito via 2D and 1D

[briansue]

OZeRV,

When we visited wine country we stayed at . . . http://www.ranchosordomudo.org . . . Rancho Sordo Mudo (Deaf Mute) - FRANCISCO ZARCO - Mexico 3 to KM 74 - 32.11186 -116.54689 - they take donations for the school as your fee - pick a space and someone should come over from the school across the street. Usually lots of room. Not sure if it is still open and all working ok so maybe contact them. Great location for roaming around wine country.

August is probably not the best month to visit Baja as it could be very hot. You might want to research that. Along the west coast could be cooler.

http://www.bajabound.com/destinations/bajawinecountry/tresmujeres.php . . . our personal favorite

http://www.winemag.com/Web-2012/The-Mexican-Wine-Revolution/

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/nov/22/valle-de-guadalupe-baja-travel/

http://www.fodors.com/news/guide-to-mexicos-wine-country-6966.html

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/baja-a-wine-tour

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443687504577565043684159300

http://www.wineriesinbaja.com/

http://www.wineriesinbaja.com/baja-winery-maps.htm

[OZeRV]

We are booked to fly into LAX (from Australia) to collect our RV from storage in Riverside, CA at the start of August and are keen to check out the Baja north area for three to four weeks (yes, we know that is not enough time to do an area justice but that is all we have at that time of the year).

There are a couple of wine festivals in August - one on August 16 in Ensenada and another in the wine valleys of Gaudalupe on 20 August (If I have translated this link correctly.)

Are the RV parks likely to be booked out in August or would it be reasonable to expect to find available spots in RV parks along the coast from Rosarito to Ensenada and in the Gaudalupe wine valley without pre-booking and maintaining a flexible schedule?

This Baja area mud map looks interesting.

[socal]

Thanks to all for the information.

David

[Turtle-Toad]

socal wrote:
Turtle-toad, after crossing south in Tecate highway 3 is right there? Also on 3 going through to Ensenada any Pemex stations and do they sell Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel fuel? Thanks again to all for the info.

David

There has been a major traffic revision at the Tecate border crossing since I last crossed. But I doubt that getting to Mex-3 has changed that much. About 4 blocks from the border is the town square just turn east at the square (this should be Mex-2), go one block and turn south, this is Mex-3. Follow it to just north of Ensenada, where it merges with Mex-1, just south of the end of the toll road Mex-1D (Mex-3 doesn't go through Ensenada). I can't speak to the ULSD question as my rig is gas. However I've heard that ULSD is available the length of Baja, it all comes from the U.S.

If you walk across to get your paperwork, you can walk down to the square, test your Debt card in the ATM at the bank on the corner and get some peso's. You can then pick from any one of a dozen restaurants for a good lunch and some great people-watching or shopping at the square. Make a day of it. This would also be a good time to check the traffic pattern around the square. The may have added/changed some of the one-way streets.

I can't remember the name of them, but there is a county park with overnight RV parking on the U.S. side near the border and a private RV park on 94. There is also De Anza Springs RV Resort near Jacumba, about 35 miles from Tecate, just off I-8 if you don't mind running around in your birthday suit 🙂 It has an indoor and an outdoor pool, a Gym, restaurant/bar, hiking trails and lots of other things.

[briansue]

Some say it is possible to find ULSD in MX but would not count on it. We took the route through wine country from/to Tecate some years ago and stayed at the deaf/mute school along the way for a few days as we visited wineries. Not a bad drive.

[socal]

Turtle-toad, after crossing south in Tecate highway 3 is right there? Also on 3 going through to Ensenada any Pemex stations and do they sell Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel fuel? Thanks again to all for the info.

David

[Turtle-Toad]

IMHO the Tecate crossing is better both ways. If you're staying longer than 72 hours, you can park your car on the US side and walk across the day before to get your tourist permit. And once you do go across with your rig, you don't have to worry about how to find Mex 1D (it's a little tricky). You just head south on Mex 3. It will take you through Baja's wine country where there are winery's to stop overnight and sample some of their product and have a good Mexican meal. Or you can drive through to Ensenada.

In Ensenada, a little ways past the Estero Beach Hotel & RV park there used to be a quirky RV Park called The Mona Lisa. Don't know if it's still there but that's where we stopped on our last Baja Trip. Unlike Estero, it has waves breaking against the rock sea wall and a sand beach next door. Just about every vertical surface has colorful Aztec bias-reliefs covering it. See photos below and at my website.

Thru my windshield

My Coach

Some Bais-Reliefs

Typical RV Site



As far as camping the coast between TJ and Ensenada, with the exception of Rosarito Beach, most of the RV Parks are up on the bluffs above the beach (if there is a beach) and on the old Mex 1, not Mex 1D; most people just keep driving until they get to Ensenada.

[socal]

I will but only fact finding at this point. Something I have learned is the Tecate crossing is much better than Tijuana headed north. Yeah a bit out of the way but better than waiting 90 minutes, on a good day, in line.

[profdant139]

There is an RV resort called Baja Seasons at KM 72. We did not stay there, but it looked nice as we drove past. If you stay there, let us know how it is, please!!

[socal]

Thanks, I'll check them out on the net.

David

[John___Angela]

Estero Beach Hotel and RV resort is where we stayed. Here is a couple shots. Full hookups.(15 amp) Nice hotel and restaurant. On the water. Just south of Ensenada. This was I think in 2009, maybe 10







Tide was out here.



Ensenada is kind of a cool town. We have only been a few times but always found interesting things to do,

[socal]

Turtle-Toad wrote:
Need more info. Tent or RV camping? Need what services? If RV, how big

Understand, 21 foot Bigfoot travel trailer. I would like full hookups but I do have solar so mainly sewer and water. Thanks.

David