TABLE OF CONTENTS
Please Note:
All addresses are Google Maps plus codes. The titles are also exactly as seen in Google Maps so you can entire those in as well. Everything is in categories and within each category, it goes from north to south in order.
CAMPSITES
Alisitos K58
44F7+9Q La Fonda, Baja California, Mexico
Costs $10USD or $200 pesos per night. This was the first campsite we stayed at in Baja. We knew the group would likely get separated at the border so this was a perfect spot to meet back up. I knew it would be nice to just get the border crossing over because I was nervous for it and then relax the rest of the day at a good spot. It has bathrooms & showers (I think but I did not use). There are trash cans and a couple fire rings. There’s also a beautiful view and you can run straight down to the ocean. Pet friendly (like basically everything on this list) and has cell service.
Arroyo Amargo
56X5+5Q El Campito, Baja California, Mexico
This camp spot is free. There is a gate but we called and were told to just open it and go in. Once you get in, you just drive to the beach and camp anywhere you want. I recommend driving around a bit to find a perfect spot. This was just a great stop in-between Ensenada & Guerrero Negro. Decent cell service but not great. If you see dogs here, please feed them what you can! This is the spot where we found and rescued 6 dogs.
Malarrimo Hotel
XX99+5W Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico
About $15USD or $300 pesos. This is a good spot to shower and stock up on whatever you need. It’s basically a small parking lot behind the restaurant. It’s nothing very fancy but it’s basically the only spot in the area. The restaurant is pretty good though! I really enjoyed the fish. Also if you are looking to drink alcohol here, I recommend ordering wine because I swear you can drink 100 margs before feeling buzzed (I’m skeptical if they were putting anything in it at all but the wine was great!). Just a helpful, random tip!
Huerta Don Chano RV Park
V2XG+6H Mulegé, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Costs $10USD or $200 pesos per night. I really loved this RV park! We stayed here multiple times. Very nice outdoor restaurant area with wifi. Several showers (explore a little and find the big one in the very back) and toilets. There’s a wonderful margarita place within walking distance called Carlos Racing Bar! Again, this campsite is nothing too crazy but it’s a good last shower before heading to the beaches where you might be without one for awhile!
Playa Los Cocos
P3VX+CV Palapas el Burro, Baja California Sur, Mexico
$10USD/$200 pesos for the BEST CAMPSITE EVER! There are 3 main beaches along this road: Santispac, Los Cocos and El Coyote. My favorite one was Los Cocos because it was never as busy as the other two. There are palapas for shade and toilets that I wouldn’t totally recommend (but gets the job done). But the water is crystal clear and it’s incredible. There is no cell service but I have heard that with a great cell booster, you may be able to get a little service here to text or send quick emails! We did end up finding a really little retirement village about 3-5 minutes north that had a couple restaurants with wifi though. You can stop by those to pay for perfect internet on work days! It’s so beautiful at this beach that I recommend stocking up on everything and hanging for as long as possible.
Hotel El Moro
2M65+JJ Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Yet again, a campground that simply gets the job done. It’s worth staying at because Loreto is definitely worth exploring. It was $200 pesos a night (may have been $300, this is the only spot I forgot to write down!). It’s just a gravel lot again with toilets and showers. Pretty boring but a safe place to sleep that’s fully gated and locked at night.
CAMPESTRE MARANATHA
3JX7+55 La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
This is my favorite campground in Baja! $300 pesos a night for no hookups. It’s just outside La Paz but SO worth stopping by. It’s a massive place with tons of showers, bathrooms, laundry, a cafe, etc. If you are in a van and do not need hookups, I recommend parking in the gravel lot by the basketball court. You’re near the best bathrooms and showers and will have more privacy than the RV areas. The cafe at the front has delicious coffee (the food not so much). But if you are wanting to try my favorite thing there, I got the blended original coffee with a shot of espresso and almond milk. It’s basically a frappuccino with no sweet flavoring. I thought it was delicious!
Tecolote Beach
8MPM+HX Pichilinque, Baja California Sur, Mexico
We loved camping at this beach! Unlike Los Cocos, this one is completely free. The only thing is that because you are getting closer to the tip of Baja, the wind does start to pick up here. Los Cocos is very still while Tecolote can be good for windsurfing. It’s still very fun to hangout and chill though, it’s not *that* windy. There is no cell service here either unless you have a cell booster. With that, you will be able to get a little something and the better your booster, the better your service. If you need great wifi, head to the main part of the beach where there are a few restaurants and bars. There is a place where you can pay for wifi but we never tried that. Instead, we went to the square shaped outdoor bar and asked for the wifi info. They happily gave it to us for free as long as we ordered drinks. So we sat there for hours every day working, brought the dogs, and had a few drinks. The margaritas and pina coladas are the best plus they are ENORMOUS for the equivalent of $5 USD. Be careful because those margs sneak up on you big time! I stuck to the pinas and Henry went hard with the margs! We loved this beach and made tons of friends here.
PLAYA LA PASTORA
FPPG+WF Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Free camping in the Todos Santos area. It’s pretty spread out and you park basically right on the beach. Not as nice as Los Cocos or Tecolote but still a nice place to hangout. Definitely walk to The Green Room in the evening!
Cerritos Surf Town Beach Hotel & Spa
8RHG+M7 El Pescadero, Baja California Sur, Mexico
If you’re looking for a nice hotel to stay at for a couple nights, this is a good one! We got a few nights here right on Cerritos Beach. You basically get your own little palapa house with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. The rooms/huts are nice but the price is 100% for the pool and pool area. It’s SO NICE and fun. Hot tubs, nice pool, a swim up bar from the pool, amazing wifi, etc. If you are surfing too, you are basically staying directly on the beach so it’s super easy to hit the water in the morning.
RESTAURANTS + CAFES
Hogaza Hogaza
V96H+59 Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
This is one of my favorite cafes in Baja! They have delicious chocolate croissants (not vegan) and all kinds of coffees, lattes, etc. This whole area is really fun to walk around and pop into some stores. Grab a coffee and hang out in Ensenada!
Colonial Restaurante Café
R9VX+7M Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
This is another wonderful cafe and they have a full vegan menu! They have great coffees and lots of vegan options. It’s pretty tough to find vegan options in many places so this was a big score for lunch in Ensenada.
Lupita Tacos De Pescado
PCG6+89 Maneadero, Baja California, Mexico
Some of our favorite tacos in Baja! There is an area at the front that is fairly rundown but definitely where all the locals go to eat. A slightly more touristy area is on the right hand side with many more tables. They have delicious fish tacos and it’s more of a local spot than Cosmos (across the street).
Punto en el Cosmos
PCG6+7M Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Cosmos is a great spot to hangout for an evening and have some drinks. They have tons of good food and drinks to choose from. This definitely feels more touristy than some other options. There are also some really cute restaurant-owned pups running around every day. While Lupitas (across the street) is really only known for the fish tacos, this spot has many more items to choose from and they are all great!
Birote’s Everybody
V2XG+5V Mulegé, Baja California Sur, Mexico
This is hands-down our favorite place in Baja. They have the best tacos, INSANE ceviche and a couple other things occasionally. But the tacos and ceviche is where it’s at. This food truck is right across the street from Huerta Don Chano RV Park. If you like fish tacos, you have to stop here!
Mike’s BAR
2M65+28 Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico
We didn’t eat at too many places in Loreto but this was our favorite food there! Margs and fish tacos per usual and they were fantastic. Our server was super nice and quick to answer any questions we had about the local area.
Same Same but Different Café
8RWP+F9 El Pescadero, Baja California Sur, Mexico
This is the only place on the list that I actually didn’t go to! We tried once but didn’t make it until right after they closed. I still wanted to add it because it’s pretty well known and everyone says wonderful things! So I can’t recommend anything specific but it’s worth trying for sure! Seems to be a favorite of so many.
The Green Room
FPRC+GW Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Made it to this one a few times! We camped at Playa La Pastora for several nights and walked the .25 mile down the beach to hang out at The Green Room in the evenings. The drinks are great, the food is amazing and the staff was among some of my favorites in Baja. It sounded like they take reservations but we took bar seats every night as a walk up. The sashimi was our favorite but we also tried pretty much every tostada. It’s closer to American food prices but we didn’t mind because of how good it was. Also the sunset here is unbelievable and you can see whales all spring while the sun is going down!
La Esquina Todos Santos
FQ39+69 Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Great cafe in Todos Santos! We loved the vibe here because it was so tropical feeling. It’s like a mini oasis in a random part of town. Pretty good coffee and food but nothing incredible. It was just nice to get a green juice, breakfast and play with some cafe dogs. You’ll love the energy here though! Really good place to get some work done too.
Barracuda Cantina
8RJG+R5 Brody, Mini Súper, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Get the fish burrito. You will thank me later. Whatever you order, you will love it. But the surfer burrito with grilled fish is one of the best foods I’ve ever had. We stopped by here every chance we could! The drinks are good too and it’s a cool spot. But the fish burrito.
GROCERIES
Walmart
4M94+FQ La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Adding this Walmart in case you need to stock up on any basics. They have massive jugs of water that we filled our tanks with and there are always men in the parking lot who will wash your van while you shop. It was $250 pesos for them to clean it and we needed it pretty bad! Just a convenient stop after not having one for awhile.
Agricole Cooperativa
9RH9+9F El Pescadero, Baja California Sur, Mexico
As far as I could find, this was the only oatmilk in Baja! I’m sure I missed it in a couple places but I was searching big time. This is a really cute market on the side of the road with fancy pastas, veggies, sauces and other small things. It’s a bit pricey compared to other Mexico grocery shopping but we liked stopping in and I purchased 3 bottles of oat milk!
EXPERIENCES
Playa Balandra
8MCG+MF La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
As far as I know, you can’t sleep here. This is just a very picturesque beach with beautiful water. I recommend going to Tecolote Beach first and asking a few questions from locals or other travelers (there are lots!). I only say this because there are certain times that Balandra is open but it’s so worth it! The beach is stunning and definitely an amazing photo op.
Playa Cerritos – Public Beach
8RJF+2H Brody, Mini Súper, Baja California Sur, Mexico
This beach is where everyone recommends learning to surf if that’s something you’re interested in doing! Almost everybody here is a beginner so it’s comfortable falling over and over without feeling silly. You can have margs on the beach from one of the stands and just hangout if that’s all you want too. But you will probably end up wanting to rent a board try and surf! Great hangout beach but you do have to park a short walk away. No parking directly on the beach.
CRT Surf Lessons
8RJF+2H Brody, Mini Súper, Baja California Sur, Mexico
I got a lesson from this company right on Cerritos Beach. They have an obvious tent set up and you don’t need to make prior reservations. I had Manuel if you can request him as well! He spoke little English but we still had a great time together. They teach you how to safely stand up on the board and get comfortable paddling into waves. You can rent boards and wet suits from them as well. But there is a really cool surf shop right next to Barracuda that I recommend supporting for those things. The shop isn’t on google maps so I can’t add it. It’s impossible to miss and you can rent boards and suits then walk down to CRT for a lesson. That way you can support the family owned business + the guys teaching surf lessons.
Veterinaria Canes
R9VX+4M Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Our favorite in vet in Baja! They do speak very little english so if there is an emergency with your dog, please be prepared to use google translate. I’m mainly adding this to the list because this is the only vet that we know pretty well in Mexico and the only one I feel perfectly comfortable recommending! You can grab a coffee at Colonial while you wait too.
The Adoptables A.C. Noneproffit Los Adoptables A.C. (Non Profit)
P93Q+64 Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Los Adoptables is the rescue that has a major place in our hearts. Pris is the star of the show and she does an incredible amount of work. They are always looking for volunteers and help to simply walk the dogs and socialize them. So you can reach out to them on instagram or phone and spend a couple hours helping in any way you can. If you don’t have any experience at a shelter, that is perfectly fine! BUT please understand that you’ll need to pay close attention to rules (like closing doors behind you) and everything that will ensure the safety of the animals.
FOR YOUR CAR/VAN:
- You will NEED to bring traction pads. There are many areas where you’ll be driving on sand and there’s a good chance you’ll get stuck at some point. While there are many brands, none of them work like the OG maxtrax. They won’t break like some others and they are a much higher quality.
- Mexican care insurance is basically a requirement. You may be able to get a cheaper option with your current car insurance but I use Baja Bound every year. They cover the van and allow me to value the build as well. You will want this info saved on your phone when you’re Mexico!
FOR YOUR PETS:
- One thing I use a lot in Mexico is my cable for the dogs. While most campsites are pet friendly, you don’t want them just wandering around. There are street dogs everywhere in Mexico and keeping an eye on your pet is very important. Make sure you tie this to a *harness* and NOT to a collar. If your pet sees something interesting and pulls hard, they can damage their neck if attached to a collar.
- Extra dog (pet) food needs to be prioritized when planning your trip! Whatever you think you’ll need, add more and then add more. The chances of finding your exact pet food is very slim. So I stock up before leaving. If you’d like, you can also bring an extra bag or something cheaper for the street dogs. Many of them are starving and rely on tourists to be fed. I bring an extra bag to give to dogs that need it.
FOR YOU:
- A cell booster is also a good idea for you to have! There are many beaches where I had no service but friends with cell boosters were able to get work done. You have to mess it with sometimes to point it directly at the nearest tower but it’s definitely possible in many areas. I won’t be going back without one!
- A Garmin inReach is a satellite device that you can bring in case of emergency to communicate with friends or family. This can be used if you get your van stuck somewhere hours out of service. There are a few really long drives through Baja with no service and having a satellite device gives me a major peace of mind.
- Last but not least, don’t forget to grab some pesos before getting into Baja! You can do this once you’ve entered but it’s much easier to do beforehand in my experience. I try to never use my card in Mexico and rely solely on pesos. Most of the places on my list above only accepts them anyways so it’s best to just have them on hand.
Don’t forget the Baja Van life meet up Escapar a la Baja: https://escaparalabaja.com/
I found you recently from Tiktok at the beginning of March and have been binging the Podcast everyday sense. The Google Map you provided is an amazing touch, you always put such amazing detail into your work and dedication behind what you do! Thanks for sharing and I cant wait to start my build and take a trip to Baja Mexico