Destination overview

The year-round sunshine of Rosarito Beach, with cooling ocean breezes and perfect mild winters make this beach destination in the Tijuana-Ensenada Tourist Corridor an ideal place for relaxation and comfort. Its natural attractions and the beauty of its beaches have been the setting for many top Hollywood movies including Titanic, Pearl Harbor and Pirates of the Caribbean. Situated just across the Californian border, in fact only a mere 20 minutes from the United States, this place, in the state of Baja California, is not that different to the American lifestyle.

With shopping malls aplenty, almost all of the service in the stores is bilingual. Popular culture is vibrant, the same as all over Mexico and here you will be able to appreciate and practise the manufacture of handcrafts, such as blown glass, high quality leather garments, jewellery, furniture, metal work, ceramics, marble and other products. If you enjoy wine or want to learn more about this culture, the Baja California Wine Route is very close to Rosarito, consisting of the Guadalupe Valley and the Santo Tomas Valley among other places in the area. Definitely plan a visit to the wineries where you can learn the process for manufacturing 90 per cent of the wine produced in Mexico.

Most people spend their time lazing on the wide golden beaches that mark the start of over 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometres) of magnificent coastline or exploring the secluded coves that line the coast. Others like to indulge in adrenaline pumping water sports, deep-sea fishing or surfing the big breaks at Baja Malibu, Calafia, K38½, Salsipuedes and San Miguel.

Northern Baja has some excellent surfing, particularly on a south or south-west swell with conditions somewhat similar to Southern California. The months from October to April typically call for a wetsuit, with water temperatures ranging from the high 50s to the mid-60s Fahrenheit. Beaches not to miss include Rosarito Beach, Calafia, Halfway House and La Fonda.

However, there is plenty more to do in this laid-back beachfront town. And one of the most popular is shopping for inexpensive artefacts. Look for Mercado, just up the street from Festival Plaza Hotel, for excellent traditional Mexican art pieces like wrought iron goods, blown glass and wooden carvings.

Tijuana has huge shopping malls where you can find European fashion, cosmetics and perfume at reasonable prices. And, remember, Mexicans love to bargain! There’s also a worthwhile Cultural Center here and, for those who like to get the heart pumping, horse and dog racing, Jai Alai games and bullfights. This is also wine country and there are some good tours on offer. Sample the ambrosia in the valleys of Calafia, Guadalupe and San Antonio de las Minas. Head north to the Valley of the Palmas, or south to the Valleys of St Tomas and San Vicente Ferre. With such a wide choice of cellars and cultivars you’re bound to find a lot to like.

The more energetic will play golf and there are two important golf courses in Rosarito. These are the Real del Mar Golf Course, located on the Scenic Road between Playas de Tijuana and Rosarito with 18 holes and Baja Mar Golf Course, also located on the Scenic Road south of Rosarito, with 27 holes.

You can also ride 4x4s or horses along the wilder beaches, cycle the award-winning 50-mile (80-kilometre) path that winds along the Pacific Coast from Rosarito Beach and inland through lovely rural scenes to Ensenada. And if you’re a horse rider, you can’t miss the historic Rosarito Canyon for a visit.

You will find that this part of the world is also the perfect place to indulge in sports fishing and all imaginable ranges of water sports. And, it’s a paradise for nature lovers. Direct contact with nature is an everyday occurrence, and you can even enjoy whale watching, especially the grey whale that comes to calve in the shallow Baja lagoons, off the coast of Rosarito’s beaches. Watch the largest mammals on the planet, in addition to getting great views of dolphins, sea lions and many birds.

And a visit isn’t complete without fresh caught lobster from the little fishing village of Puerto Nuevo. There are good restaurants everywhere. Try Ceviche, oysters or fried fish and salad. And, you must have a Corona or margarita while the sun is setting over the bay.

Rosarito is famous for its delicious lobster, but has tantalising cuisine to satisfy every taste. You can choose from traditional Mexican cuisine, based on seafood and meat, or go to a restaurant serving international food like Chinese, French or Italian.

At night, Rosarito absolutely bursts at the seams with life. The two biggest drawcards are Club Maya and the Papas and Beer Beach Club. There are also plenty of wild bars for the adventurous where you can ride a mechanical bull, play volleyball in the sand, shoot tequilas, have a Tecate beer and dance until you drop. There are also authentic Mexican floorshows, karaoke bars, sedate and elegant nightclubs and plenty of places in between.

With such a beautiful part of the world, situated so close to the Californian border, you will just have to find time to visit. Even if it’s only for a few days while you’re in LA, but ideally, try and make this a holiday all on its own. There’s so much to keep you busy, or, just do nothing at all and while away your time on the beautiful beaches. One thing’s for sure, you’ll definitely want to come back.