After our first visit to Mexico, we could not resist the intrigue of Baja California, and decided to go back and make a weekend of it in Ensenada. We booked a hotel, and left very early on Saturday morning, arriving at the border before 7am. Customs got us through quickly, after a brief bag search on our way in.
Ensenada
We took the tollroad directly to Ensenada, which was a fairly easy drive. As we drove further south from Tijuana, we enjoyed some awesome scenery as the road wound back and forth along the coastline. We stopped off in the downtown area and took a short stroll on the beach. The weather was cool and somewhat cloudy, and the kids checked out the exercise equipment on the beach.
Beautiful scenery south of Ensenada:
La Bufadora Blowhole
Because it was still early in the day, we drove further south, with some even better scenery, and arrived at La Bufadora Blowhole. I learned later that this is one of the largest blowholes of its kind in the world! Imagine a VERY long narrow city street, filled with a bustling market, leading the way straight to the main attraction. There was no way to bypass the shopping. Although many stalls were filled with similar items, we still managed to spend what seemed like hours strolling through it.
The kids finally started asking, “Is this what we came to see?” and not knowing what to expect, we found the end of the street, which led up a hill, and finally found the main attraction. People were gathered along the wall, about three levels high, and watched as the water rolled into the tiny inlet. Finally, with a roar like thunder, up comes the gigantic spray of water. People were trying to take selfies just as the water would spray upward.
We went to view it from the highest level. Just as we found a space to peek through the people, an unusually high wave hit. The water gushed upward, drenching the people in the front rows. I couldn’t help but laugh, although I felt really bad for them. Luckily the sun was out in full strength by then.
We made our way back to Ensenada, and checked out the waterfront and marina, where we even saw a few seals hanging out on the rocks.
Accommodations
We stayed at a very nice hotel, San Nicolas Hotel & Casino, where our room overlooked the swimming pool and hot tubs. We had to try those out in the evening, although it was very chilly outside!
La Mision
As we began to head back north on Sunday, we arranged to stop off and visit some new friends. They were renting a house right on the beach in La Mision. Unfortunately, I did manage to get lost on the drive. A wrong turn led us up a steep grade with both terrifying and breathtaking views.
Once we managed to turn around and find our destination, we were blown away. The oceanfront homes in La Mision were gorgeous. Our kids played in the sand, while we spent two hours chatting on the back porch overlooking the water. It was a common sight to see people horseback riding on the beach:
It was the perfect ending to a fabulous weekend!