Baja offers an expansive wine country route that leads you through a variety of producers, from small-scale local vineyards to high-production wineries. Most of the locations offer tastings, and at the larger wineries you will have in-depth tours, gourmet restaurants and nearby hotels and/or bed-and-breakfasts. The route is also peppered with shops, boutiques, and roadside stands from indigenous artisans selling crafts and foods. The route is based principally off of state Route 3; for additional information, consult the Wine Route Map link in the resources section.
The San Pedro Martir National park is approximately three hours from Ensenada. The park contains a large diversity of wildlife, including pine and oak forests as well as various animal species, such as rattesnakes, grey foxes, coyotes and rams. In an effort to preserve the natural environment as best as possible, electricity and telephone service are not available; however, campsites do exist with cabins, outdoor showers, and latrines. At the highest point of the park rests the National Astronomic Observatory, operated by the National University of Mexico.
Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is a series of narrow channels of water interrupted by shallow sandbars, extending 27 miles inland from the pacific ocean. The lagoon has been gaining popularity as an ideal location for whale and bird watching. During the grey whale breeding season, between late December and early May, the lagoon is filled with mothers and their calves, creating the most densely-populated area of whales found in the world. About 200 registered bird species have been found to nest in the area today, while the number is growing with continued research.
The Missions route runs through Baja California and into the U.S. state of California. The route is comprised of a series of missions established between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries by Jesuit, Franciscan and Dominican priests. Along the route, visitors will find the remains of various temples built by indigenous workers as the sites for their conversion to Christianity. Also scattered along the route are stone murals with ancient writings, prisons and a cemetery.
