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Tijuana,
Rosarito and Ensenada!
The Baja Border
towns bring out the wild side among its weekend visitors.
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Part
Trips and Bachelor Party Weekends in Ensenada
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Rosarito-Ensenada
Bike Race
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Estero
Beach Volleyball Tournament Bus & Party Guide
There are four main party spots in Baja
and three of them are located almost right next to each other.
Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada are just across the United States border.
(Cabo San Lucas
is the other). Tijuana, in fact, is little more than a half-hour's drive
from San Diego. (It's another half-hour to Rosarito with Ensenada another
hour down the coast). Tijuana is popular among people too young to drink
in the U.S., mostly for one-night jaunts. Rosarito and Ensenada are
where people spend the weekend.
To get to these cities from the States, follow the road signs to the
scenic route. This is a toll road (20 pesos per car per booth) with
three booths on the way to Ensenada.
In addition to providing information on the border towns, PubClub offers
many other highlights in Northern Baja, some of which are neat little
bars and restaurants and others that are interesting natural elements,
such as the largest blowhole in the Western Hemisphere.
Tijuana
In a way, it's a bit ironic that the two biggest party places in Baja
are located at its territorial extremes – Tijuana at the North
and Cabo San Lucas at the south.
Tijuana is a down-home town, short on frills but full of thrills. It
is the most visited international destination for U.S. citizens. It
is particularly popular among high school and college-age American students
too young to drink in the States.
The action is found all up and down Avenue de Revolution, a street
lined with shops, restaurants and, especially, bars. The place is packed
on weekends. At night, the flashing lights of the bars lure in a lively
crowd, most of them in the 18-21 age range doing in "TJ" what
they cannot do at home.
The drinking age in Mexico is 18, and bars do check IDs if people don't
appear to be at least that old. There are of plenty of people of all
ages here, as well. Many "older" partiers are here to scope
out the younger revelers. And boy, do they revel, leaving some to wonder
how any bars in nearby San
Diego can survive with this kind of activity so close at
hand.
Tijuana has a long tradition of hosting American party hounds. For
years, the drinking spots were GoGo bars with a local soliciting business
from the door where the dancers were known for their "extra performances"
for a few additional pesos. Those places still exist, but you have to
go out of your way to find them (such as off to the side streets and
at the far end of Revolution). Some of the places are the Chicago
Club and The Bambi Club.
Still, the main focus of Tijuana's incredible amount of young bars
is on Revolution. The most popular dance clubs are the Eclipse Disco
Club and Baby Rock and there are several more bars from which
to choose. Just notice the crowd outside of a particular place and pick
what you like.
It's not necessary to wait until after dark to have a good time here.
On weekends, many of the bars are lively in the late afternoons. The
best places are the Eclipse, Iguana-Rana's Bar & Grill and
the El Torito Pub.
Is it safe here? Well, it's definitely possible to get into trouble
without too much trouble. Be on the alert for petty theft and don't
wander off alone. There are few life-threatening situations that even
the drunkest visitor is likely to encounter but there are some unpleasant
situations that could arise (like the threat of getting arrested unless
a certain amount of money is paid). This is a heavy tourist town and
there are some people that try and take advantage of the situation.
Have fun, but don't leave your common sense at the border.
It's a hassle parking in Tijuana, but there is an easy solution. The
United States side of the border area has plenty of safe parking. From
there, walk across the border and catch a cab. It's $5 ride to the center
of town. There is also a trolley service to the border from San Diego.
The nearest international airport is in San Diego. The drive
to Mexico from Los Angeles takes about three hours. Driving requires
Mexican insurance, which can be purchased at San Ysidro, the last United
States exit off the freeway. It is advisable to fill up on gas in the
States; some of these stations also sell insurance. Pesos can also be
picked up here, but don't pay a commission fee.
Rosarito
 Rosarito
is a party day or night.
Most "older" travelers – that is, people with a college
degree – that seek fun in the Mexican sun head a bit farther
to the seadide town of Rosarito.
Long before the movie Titanic was filmed here, Rosarito was
a titanic Southern California weekend destination. And it remains a
huge party spot. All the spots are within a few blocks of one another,
as well as most of the hotels.
Rosarito's prime party spot is Papas and Beers. It is an outdoor
sand-box of a playground, an oasis with a beach volleyball court and
a bar where tequila-happy patrons shed clothes as well as inhibitions.
The open-air atmosphere make it almost as lively in the daytime as it
is at night. As one might expect, it's a causal place with shorts, t-shirts
and sandals the primary attire. During the Spring and Summer, it's full
of Southern Californians on weekend holidays.
Other hot clubs in town are Boom Boom, a favorite of San Diego
college students; Iggy's Son of the Beach with its South Pacific
theme and 200-foot bungee cord jump; the multi-level dance spot Club
Tequilas and Senor Frogs, a bar institution throughout Mexico.
Those looking for a more romantic experience are advised to have dinner
and drinks at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. Some drinks are served
in a large coconut. Parrotheads may recognize the name as a place Jimmy
Buffett considers one of his "Margaritavilles," marking it
as one of his favorite places on Earth. It has drink discounts for "senior
citizens," which in their lingo is anyone over the age of 40. It
is also is the nicest hotel in the area and has a popular pool for hanging
out and relaxing.
The Hotel California is just across the street from Papas and
Beers, and there's a good taco stand on the way to boot, so from a location
standpoint it's hard to beat. Don't be fooled by the latter's name.
Yes, it's the title of a famous Eagles song, but as soon as you check
into this place you are glad you get to leave. It's sparse accommodations
at best. Small towels, little hot water and mattresses harder than the
water. The "suite" is a basic room with a couch.
Camping spots are also available.
Rosarito has shopping and other activities, but many people just enjoy
it for its spirited nightlife.
 
Papas and Beers
is Rosarito's most active bar spot.
Ensenada
A little larger than Rosarito, Ensenada is another main fishing/tourist
and party stop.
It's hangout is the world-famous Hussong's Cantina. Not only
is it the oldest bar in town with a rich history of hosting happy tourists,
but it's still the place to party. One can get a real flavor of a genuine
Mexican bar here, or at least as much as possible in an area full of
tourists. Hussong's is THE place to experience the true Ensenada. Let's
put it this way: If you spend any time here, you're going to go to Hussong's.
While locals and long-time visitors hang at Hussong's, many of the
tourists can be found at Papas & Beers. It's much more of
a dance club than Hussong's but is is much tamer than its cousin in
Rosarita. Expect to pay a cover charge.
The Bahia Resort Bar is a hotel bar featuring Ensenada's best
drink specials. Sam's Bar is a friendly dive on the second floor
of Plaza Blanca that can turn wild from time to time.
Ensenada has great shopping downtown. Have at least one meal at El
Charro; it has the best Chicken Mole one can imagine. For a fabulous
dinner, go to El Sol Rey. It's a French restaurant with wine,
appetizers, salads, dinner and desert for two for $65 USD – including
tip. The restaurant has been there for more than 50 years. Diners are
treated like kings and can sit in front of a wonderful fire. Try the
wine from the Santos Tomas winery, about a half-hour south
of Ensenada. The winery gives tours.
Fishing enthusiasts can charter a boat at Sergio's Sport Fishing
on the docks (don't be reeled in by people on the streets offering excursions).Sergio's
has everything from small wooden panga to a huge cruiser. The waters
have hard-fighting fish such as yellowtail and tuna in the 20-30-pound
range. Upon leaving the harbor is an island, Isles De Todos
Santos – or "islands of the all saints" – where
a surfer collected a $50,000 reward for riding the world's largest wave
during a contest. The wave was close to 50-feet high.
For those who prefer their seafood already caught, there's a fish
market about 50 meters to the north of Sergios that has crab, shrimp,
fish, etc. If it came out of the ocean, it's sold here.
Around the corner from this place are many, many small tacos stands.
Fish tacos, a surfer's staple, are sold for 6-10 pesos.
Cruise lines stop as a port of call, so be prepared for crowds
in the many downtown shops.
In November, another kind of rush occurs here – the annual Baja
1000 off-road race. It's a full-speed journey in trucks, buggies,
motorcycles and other desert vehicles through Baja's rugged country.
It dates back to the early '60s and has featured such legendary drives
as Rick Mears, Robby Gordon and the Ivan "Ironman" Stewart,
who earned his nickname for driving the entire race by himself. Roger
Penske hired Mears after the latter won the race one year, saying if
anyone could concentrate for that long through Baja, then the Indy 500
would be a breeze (Mears won Indy four times).
Last year's race was especially grueling as it covered 1,700 miles,
actually making it the "Baja 2000." PubClub's "Baja Experience"
covers much the same terrain as the race, albeit at a much more moderate
pace. Plus, we get drinks instead of fuel at our pit stops.
Traveling the Northern Baja Coastline
While most of the bar action is found in its three cities, it is possible
to get a real taste of the rest of Baja all along the coast. You just
have to know where to stop. Located here are some of Baja's greatest
prizes, where fresh lobster dinners and the best tequila in Mexico can
be found. This section focuses on this spectacular stretch of coastline
from Rosarito to just south of Ensenada.
Pureto Nuevo (just South of Rosarito) is famous for lobsters,
and while the days of stuffing one's self on the huge shellfish and
endless cervezas for $10 are gone, it's still one of the crown jewels
of Baja. Sandra's is one of the most popular restaurants.
La Califia is the next big stop. This beautiful hotel is a Mexican
historical landmark on the water that serves outrageous rum and tequila-type
cocktail and appetizers overlooking the ocean.
The Halfway House, halfway between Ensenada and TJ, has been
in existence since the turn of the last century (if not sooner. It has
mediocre food but the attraction is its famous golden cadillac margarita
– best in the West! The bartender, Ramses, has an interesting
story about his Egyptian family connections.
LaFonda, a beachside bar and hotel, is a drink spot with good
food and one of Baja's best Sunday brunches. It has fresh-squeezed orange
juice – a relative rarity in this part of the world – and
feisty bartenders. Prices are moderate to expensive. There's a tiny
hotel attached in front of the bar and for those interested, it can
be yours for $3.5 million USD. If you need to make a phone call, don't
use the pay phone outside; the minimum charge is $25 for three minutes.
La Salina, where an alleged marina is eventually going to be
built, is a rough-looking dive bar and restaurant. It serves a gigantic
Filet Mignon for about 100 pesos. Dogs and cats roam around the bar
as freely as the human patrons. The bartender, Jorge, has been there
forever, and can set you up with a room if you decide this is where
you want to toss out your anchor for a day or so.
Golf enthusiasts have two seaside courses at the Baja Mar
off-ramp around KM78.
There's a sensational drive with views of the ocean. From December
to March, stop anywhere along the way because you're bound to see California
Gray whales migrating from the Bering Sea to the lagoons of lower
Baja. Surfers turn down a dirt road to Sausespaudes to ride some
of the best waves on the Pacific side of Baja (another killer surf spot
is Shipwrecks, about an hour to the south).
Coral Marina, is a luxury marina just before Ensenada. Bar around
a swimming pool.
Just south of Ensenada, take the Highway 23 turnoff to La Bufadora,
or "the blowhole." This is locally promoted as the largest
blowhole in the Western Hemisphere. It is extremely interesting for
the first two minutes. There are also shops and food stands in the area.
Finally, there is Estero Beach. It sits quietly most of the
time but once a year comes alive with hard partiers for the
Mexico International Volleyball Tournament.
It's held the third week of May and attracts hundreds of thirsty volleyball
players.
 Next
stop on the Party Bus: Central Baja
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