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Driving and Flying to Loreto
Flying Information
Flying to Loreto is probably the best way to go. It is less than two hours air time to fly from Los Angeles International Airport directly to Loreto. Downtown Loreto is only two or three miles from the airport. While the Loreto airport is designated as an international airport, it is a very small airport. Kind of quaint and cute.
Everytime I fly, I fantasize about how things might have been had the United States acquired the Baja in the 1800s. The coast of baja, on both the pacific and the east sides of the peninsula, have such absolutely fantastic coves and bays and beaches. Miles and miles of it.
One question you should ask when investing in a home is where is the airport? There are some great places to have a house, but if you have to take a taxi ride farther than 5 miles to get to your vacation home, you are going to spend a lot money for nothing. You will always have to add that cost to your travel expenses. Extended taxi rides from an airport are specially priced in Mexico, in a word, expensive. If you want to take a bus from the airport, you can't. So, you will still need a taxi ride to the bus station. Then there is the bus schedule to deal with. Not worth the brain damage. Buy a property close to an airport; it's better, you will be glad that you did.
There are a number of airlines that service the LAX to Loreto route as of this writing: Delta, United, Aeromexico, American, US Airways, and Alaska. The flight is short and very relaxing and if you get a window seat, you get to see really beautiful azure blue coastline and clear, clean skys. It really gets you in the mood for the Baja. Top
There is plenty of information on places to stay in Loreto or La Paz, from very economical ($25 US per night) to the fancy shmancy resort hotels at upwards of $200 US per night. In Loreto, I ususally stay at the Plaza Loreto Hotel for $55 US per night, right in the middle of town about three short walking blocks to the beach. It is the first place that I stayed 24 years ago and that's where I always stayed until I got my own home in the Baja. In La Paz, I always stay at one of two places, the Los Arcos Hotel for about $100 US per night) on the boardwalk near the marina or at my favorite bed and breakfast called "Casabuena" for about $49 US per night. I particularly like the Casabuena because it is so unique, warm, friendly and relaxing. It is a family oriented, child safe, pet friendly, private, enclosed property. Right in the middle of the big courtyard is a big palm roofed palapa/cabana with an ample community kitchen, a beautiful fireplace, big screen cable tv, big dining table, wall seats around the perimeter, and a big kitchen island, and a community PC for free internet access. The owners are a layback American couple that are warm and genuinely friendly and extremely personable. When you are there, you feel as comfortable and welcome as long-time friends or relatives. It's real. Sometimes, I wish that I didn't already have a place to stay in La Paz so that I would have an excuse to go back there. Top
Driving to Loreto or La Paz
I have driven the trip a few times and every time I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the drive. Driving to Loreto takes two days to drive from San Diego. Loreto 's about 700 miles south of the San Diego border and La Paz is about 923 miles. It's a safe drive and the roads are impressively excellent. There is a "Green" patrol that drives by every point from Tijuana all the way to Cabo San Lucas twice a day and they will stop and give assistance to drivers who have car trouble or otherwise need assistance. The Green Patrol trucks are new and well equiped. The patrolmen (they are not policemen) are friendly and very capable. They can provide gasoline and water or get towing assistance to get you to the closest town.
Driving to Loreto or La Paz, never ever drive at night from town to town. Very dangerous. Every once in a while there will be a big pot hole. Pot holes are hard enough to see during the day and impossible to see at night. None of the roads to Loreto or La Paz are lit. There are cattle, horses, and goats on the loose. You must slow way down when passing a cow, a bull, a goat, or a horse because they may bolt across the road when the notice you. I don't know, I kind of like seeing roaming cattle on the road. Makes me feel like I am back to nature. I think it's fun. But I am constantly on the lookout for any grazing or roaming animals near the road. This will make you drive slower, but you will be much safer and the drive will be more pleasant. Driving to Loreto or La Paz can be a very pleasurable experience of you take your time. Plan your stops well, don't be obsessed with "making good time", stop and eat at roadside restaurants whenever you feel like it, constantly look for animals as you drive, only drive at very safe speeds, always drive well rested and you will love the drive. Enjoy yourself and relax, that's what the Baja is all about.
There are plenty of great towns on the way: Tijuana, Rosarito, Puerto Nuevo (lobster town), Ensenada, San Quintin (fishing town), Bahia de Los Angeles, Guerrero Negro, Santa Rosalia, Mulege and many more great places on the way. You get to see some very beautiful and varied desert terrain. When you cross over the peninsula and arrive on the east side at Santa Rosalia, you will see such a beautiful site when you come out of the hills. Your whole body will tingle upon seeing the serene and majestic Sea of Cortez. It is so beautiful you will think that you have arrived in tropical heaven. Once you've seen it, you won't ever forget it, and it will bring you back.
Leaving from San Diego, you can make it to Guerrero Negro and stay the night. Then, starting early, you should be able to make it to Loreto before nightfall. If you don't quite make it, stay in Santa Rosalia or Mulege. Those are great towns to be in. Great food is everywhere and just a short drive to Loreto from there in the morning. If you are going to La Paz, add another four hours to the overall trip. Actually, when I go to La Paz, I consider it a 2-1/2 day trip and plan on spending the night in Santa Rosalia, Mulege or Loreto on the second night. You will love it.
There are plenty of gas stations in the Baja in general, and specifically in La Paz. Gas as of this writing is about $2.55 US per gallon for regular while here in Southern California today it is $4.55 per gallon. Top
It is impossible to starve in Mexico.
I think food is more important to Mexicans that most anything else. There is food being sold everywhere in Loreto and La Paz, in the entirety of Baja, Mexico actually: on corners, in road side huts, on beaches, in front of houses, oh yea, then there are restaurants. Restaurants large and small are everywhere. I am going to guess, but I think that one out of five businesses in the Baja is a food establishment of some kind. Learn to eat tortillas with everything. Mix up the food on your plate. Use a tortilla frequently to scoop up different combinations of the food on your plate or in your bowl, icluding soups. Get used to letting the food on your plate "touch" each other. Take a "robust" attitude toward food. Be different than you were. Get in the moment. Saunter when you walk. Wear old jeans. Open the buttons on the front of your shirt when its warm. Smile at everyone. Say "hola" alot. There, that's the ticket. Now, you are ready for the Baja. Top