3 days of vineyards, fish tacos and a blowhole in Baja

Ensenada on foot, a working port on a wide bay. Start with the fish market at the water, walk to the waterfront plaza with its three heroes and a very tall flag, visit the old seaside hotel that is now a cultural centre, then end the day on the Malecon.

1. Breakfast

   Coffee and a sweet roll by the harbour

   A cup of coffee and a roll of sweet bread from a bakery near the waterfront, eaten on a bench with the harbour in view.

   Local tip Ask what came out of the oven first.
2. 1
   Morning

   Mercado Negro

   The fish market of Ensenada, beside the harbour, where fish and shellfish are sold from stalls and eaten at the counters around it. The streets nearby are lined with taco stands, and Ensenada has long been linked with the Baja style fish taco. Walk through slowly, look at what is on the ice and ask before you taste.

   Go when Morning, when the stalls are being set out.

   Local tip Look before you buy and ask what is fresh today. Fish tacos from the stands on the surrounding streets make a good lunch. Carry small notes and keep your bag in front of you.

3. Lunch

   Fish tacos on the market streets

   Battered or grilled white fish in a warm tortilla with shredded cabbage, a creamy sauce, lime and a spoon of fresh salsa, from the taco stands on the streets around the fish market.

   Local tip Add salsa a little at a time, and eat them standing while they are hot.

   About 4 min walk0.3 km
4. 2
   Midday

   Plaza Cívica

   A civic square on the waterfront, with three large busts of national heroes and a flag so tall that it can be seen from along the shore. It is a public place where families walk, and a gentle way to take in the bay.

   Go when Midday, with the sea in front of you.

   Local tip Walk past the three busts and look up at the flag, which you can spot from far along the shore. Families use the square, so give it a slow ten minutes.

   About 7 min walk0.5 km
5. 3
   AfternoonIndoor

   Riviera del Pacífico

   A seaside hotel that opened in 1930 and became a cultural centre in 1978. Its halls, gardens and terraces hold exhibitions and events, and a history museum of Ensenada sits next to it. Check ahead on what is open.

   Go when Afternoon, for the halls and the gardens.

   Local tip Walk the terraces and the garden even if you skip the rooms. Check ahead on which exhibitions are open and whether the history museum next door can be added.

   About 8 min walk0.7 km
6. 4
   Evening

   Ensenada Malecón

   The waterfront walk along the harbour, with the fishing boats and the working port behind. Walk it in the late afternoon light and watch the harbour settle into the evening.

   Go when Late afternoon into evening (about 7:30 PM).

   Local tip Walk the whole length at an easy pace, and watch the boats come in. The rail is low in places, so keep an eye on children.

   

7. Dinner

   Ceviche tostadas and a seafood cocktail

   Raw fish cured in lime on a crisp tortilla, and a cold cup of shrimp, octopus and avocado in a tomato broth, a pair of plates from the Pacific.

   Local tip Pick a busy stall, since the shellfish should be fresh that day.

A day inland in the Valle de Guadalupe, about half an hour or more by road from Ensenada. Drive the wine road between vines and olive groves, visit the museum of a village founded by Russian settlers, and see the ground of the last mission of the region. A car and a sober driver are needed.

1. Travel from Ensenada MalecónAbout 35 min by car or transit20.7 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Eggs, beans and flour tortillas

   Eggs with chorizo or machaca, a spoon of beans and a stack of warm flour tortillas, a northern Mexican breakfast, with strong coffee before the road.

   Local tip Eat a proper breakfast, since the valley road is long and the tastings come later.
3. 1
   Morning

   Ruta del Vino, Valle de Guadalupe

   The main road through the valley, a plain highway between small vineyards, olive groves, orchards and granite hills, known as the wine road. This is farming country with a mild climate. Drive in daylight, pull over only where it is signed, and keep to a rule of no driving after tasting.

   Go when Morning, before the heat builds.

   Local tip Arrange a driver or a designated driver, and never drive after tasting. The highway is shared with trucks, so pull off only at a signed place and keep a bottle of water in the car.

   About 15 min by car or transit5.3 km
4. 2
   MiddayIndoor

   Museo Comunitario del Valle de Guadalupe

   A small community museum in the village of Francisco Zarco, which tells the story of the valley and of the Russian settlers who came to farm it in the early 1900s. It is a short stop that makes the vineyards around you make more sense. Check ahead on when it is open.

   Go when Midday, as a cool indoor break.

   Local tip It is small and run by the community, so keep your voice low and ask before you photograph exhibits. Check ahead on the opening, since a small museum can change its days.

5. Lunch

   A farm table lunch in the valley

   Grilled vegetables, olives, bread and a plate of meat or fish cooked over a fire, eaten at a long table under trees, with food grown in the valley around you.

   Local tip Keep lunch generous, and give the driver the shady seat. Book ahead in the busy weeks.

   About 11 min walk0.9 km
6. 3
   Afternoon

   Misión Guadalupe del Norte

   The site of the last mission founded by the Dominicans in Baja California, in 1834, on the land of the Kumeyaay people. It was abandoned in 1840 and only the foundations of the old buildings remain, so go for the setting and the story. Check ahead on whether the site can be visited.

   Go when Afternoon, in the softer light.

   Local tip Only foundations are left, so read about the Dominican missions before you go and the stones will mean more. Check ahead on whether the site can be entered.

7. Dinner

   Grilled fish back in Ensenada

   Whole grilled white fish with rice, beans and warm tortillas, at a simple table near the harbour at the end of the valley day.

   Local tip Ask which fish came in that day.

A day south of Ensenada by road. Wind along the Punta Banda headland with views over the bay, see the sea spout up at La Bufadora, then return to a bay beach for the end of the day. The road is narrow and winding, so take it slowly and in daylight.

1. Drive from Misión Guadalupe del NorteAbout 52 min by car43.9 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Chilaquiles before the road south

   Fried tortilla chips simmered in red or green salsa, topped with cream, cheese and an egg, to carry you through the winding drive.

   Local tip Order it a little mild if you are not sure of the salsa.
3. 1
   Morning

   Punta Banda

   A headland southwest of Ensenada that forms one side of the bay of Todos Santos. The road to La Bufadora climbs along it, with roadside lookouts over the water. Stop only at the signed lookouts, because the road is narrow and the bends are tight.

   Go when Morning, with the bay clear below.

   Local tip Use the signed lookouts and not the verge, since the road is narrow and the bends are tight. Fog can sit on the headland, so ask in town how the day looks.

   

   About 25 min walk2.0 km
4. 2
   Midday

   La Bufadora

   A blowhole at the end of the headland, where waves push air into a sea cave and send a spout of water up through a gap in the rock, with a thunder that you hear before you see it. How high the spout rises depends on the swell on the day and cannot be promised. Stay behind the rails, since the steps are wet.

   Go when Midday, with a patient eye on the rock.

   Local tip Watch for a few rounds of waves, since the spout rises and falls with the swell. Stay behind the rails, wear shoes with grip and expect spray. The stalls along the lane are part of the visit, and a polite no is enough.

   

5. Lunch

   Snacks from the stalls by the blowhole

   Fresh churros, fruit cups with lime and chili, grilled corn and seafood cocktails, sold from the stalls on the lane near the lookout.

   Local tip Pay a fair price for a small plate and say no thanks with a smile to the rest.

   About 32 min by car or transit16.4 km
6. 3
   Afternoon

   Playa Hermosa

   A sandy beach on the bay just south of the harbour, close to town. Walk the shore and watch the light change over the water. Do not assume that a lifeguard is on duty, and check the surf and the currents before anyone swims.

   Go when Afternoon, as the light softens (about 7:30 PM).

   Local tip Treat it as a walk first and a swim second. Currents and surf can be strong on this coast, and no lifeguard should be assumed, so check local advice before going in.

7. Dinner

   Shrimp tacos and a cold fruit drink

   Grilled or fried shrimp in a warm tortilla with cabbage and sauce, with a glass of fresh fruit water, to finish a day by the sea.

   Local tip Squeeze lime over them and eat them while they are hot.