Things to do in Ensenada, Mexico
Everywhere I ate, drank, and chilled south of Tijuana.
Welcome! This is a special travel itinerary edition of Riley’s Recs. Normally, I share recommendations on what to eat, drink, and do in Portland, Oregon. Every Sunday, I also share recipe ideas for your week. If you like these itineraries, let me know by sending me a message or clicking the ❤️ at the bottom of this post. Note, you might need to open this email in your browser. It’s a long one (so many Mexico recs!).
Mexico is the best. And you should go! Generally speaking, it feels like everyone’s always trying to have a good time.
I love Mexico so much I decided to move there in 2019. To Queretaro, specifically, a city about three hours north of CDMX and one hour south of San Miguel de Allende. Let me know if you’re interested in a Queretaro guide in the comments!
Although I consider myself pretty familiar with central Mexico at this point, I’ve spent very little time on the coasts. I’ve been to Merida (would move there), Tulum (will never go again), and Tijuana (a cringe youth group trip), but I have yet to visit the more popular spots like Puerto Vallarta or Puerto Escondido. If I do eventually make it to Puerto Escondido though, I want to stay at this gorgeous, inexplicably inexpensive hotel that put on my radar.
Over Memorial Day weekend, I went on a girls trip to Ensenada, a beach town in Baja California. Although it isn’t a super popular coastal destination, it’s one of the most accessible. It’s two hours south of San Diego, making it a popular day trip. I flew into SD, met my friends, and drove from there.
During our three-day trip, we spent time wine tasting, eating tacos, drinking in cantinas, and chilling on the rooftop of our AirBnb. I’m sharing a list of everything we did along with a few tips on where to stay and how to get there. Everything listed is in order of when we visited so that you get a sense of how we structured our weekend.
P.S. Don’t worry about adding spots to your “Want to Go” list. I link to a Google Maps list with all of the recommendations at the end of the post. Save it and use next time you’re in Baja!
Los Portales de Garcia
Instagram: @portalesdegarcia
Eat: Chips & Guacamole, Ceviche, Aguachile, and Quesadilla de Birria
Drink: Michelada
Total Cost Per Person: $22
My friend found Los Portales through Instagram. And it’s very Instagrammy. The restaurant is built into a side of a cliff and there are photo booths everywhere. Because it’s so touristy, we didn’t actually plan on making a stop here. But after we crossed the border into Mexico, we pulled off the side of the highway to pee, and realized we’d pulled straight into the restaurant’s parking lot. And touristy, yes it was. But I loved it. I have a rule that you always pay for the mariachi when you can, so I paid $10 to be serenaded with a Luis Miguel song while we overlooked the ocean and ate ceviche and drank micheladas. And it was worth it.
Taqueria el Trailero
Instagram: @taqueriaeltrailero
Eat: Al Pastor (x2) and Chorizo Tacos (x2)
Drink: Agua de Jamaica
Total Cost Per Person: $8
If you’ve been to Tacos el Gordo, this is essentially the same concept. To order, look for a sign with your desired meat—al pastor, carnitas, carne asada—and get in line. They’ll hand you a paper plate with your tacos (or gorditas, tostadas, tortas, etc.). Once you’ve got everything you need, head to the counter to pay.
The tacos al pastor here were incredible. And I loved the experience of sitting on the side of the highway with street dogs roaming around and the sounds of sizzling beef and reggaeton in the background.
Rondo del Valle
Instagram: @rondodelvalle
Eat: Lavender Ice Cream
Drink: Tasting Flight
Total Cost Per Person: $27
This was our first winery stop in nearby Valle de Guadalupe. The tasting room overlooks the vineyards and surrounding lavender fields, and it was beautiful. I will say that, generally speaking, I didn’t love the wine in Valle. We’re so spoiled with great wineries in the Pacific Northwest. But even though the wine in Valle wasn’t my favorite (and I fully acknowledge I didn’t try them all!), sitting on a patio as the sun sets was lovely.
Restaurante Allea
Instagram: @allearestaurante
Eat: Chilaquiles and Cinnamon Roll French toast (shared)
Drink: Cafe de Olla
Total Cost Per Person: $15
We stumbled upon this spot after we learned the wait at the very popular La Cocina de Doña Esthela was more than 2 hours long. Unlike the mad rush of people crowding the host stand at Doña Esthela, Allea was much calmer. I ordered the chilaquiles—tortillas fried into chips, doused in green sauce, and topped with crema, white onion, and a fried egg—and cafe de olla since—coffee mixed with with cinnamon and piloncillo. It does not get better.
Vinos Pijoan
Instagram: @pijoanvinos
Drink: Tasting Flight + Pour
Total Cost Per Person: $30
I loved this vineyard. There’s shade and snoozing street dogs and it’s relatively small. It felt really welcoming and relaxed. Plus, it was conveniently close to our brunch spot. Having a big plate of chilaquiles and then relaxing in the shade here was a perfect start to our day. Reservations are encouraged but not required. We didn’t have one.
Bar Bura Cuatro Cuatros
Instagram: @bura_cuatrocuatros
Eat: Steak, Quesadilla, + Dessert
Drink: Margarita, Stella, and Mezcal
Total Cost incl. Shuttle: $60
This was hands-down my favorite spot we visited. The expansive sea views extend all the way to the bathroom, making it literally impossible to not keep your eyes on the ocean anywhere you it. Because Bar Bura is perched so high up on a cliff, you’ll need to take the restaurant’s shuttle to get there. It costs $10 for the shuttle, and you have to pay a $50 meal deposit/credit per person. We booked the Gold Zone section of the restaurant so that we had uninterrupted ocean views, but there’s a less expensive tier if you want to sit further back. Contact the restaurant on WhatsApp for a reservation ahead of time.
Hussong’s
Instagram: @cantina_hussongs
Drink: Dos XX
Total Cost: $2
As we made our way to Hussong’s (the birthplace of the margarita, supposedly), we asked our Uber driver what the bar was like. He replied, “Es para hombres.” It’s for men. We laughed and went in anyways. And, yes, there were a lot of hombres. But once we got over the gender imbalance, we had a great time. There were peanuts all over the ground, a band in the back corner, people dancing in between tables, and $2 beers. At one point, we joined a conga line.
The cantina has been open since 1892. My aunt said she partied here back in the 80s. I honestly can’t imagine much has changed since then. Other than the fact that they now have a Vegas location.
Extras
If you don’t speak Spanish and are nervous about getting around, consider looking up Airbnb tours. They’re usually pretty affordable and include transportation and English-speaking staff.
Border crossing: it helps to have Global Entry or SENTRI. You’ll need to register your car with CBP. Once you’re heading back to the US, follow signs for SENTRI lanes. It’s a little confusing, but you can shave off an hour or two of waiting at the border if you do this.
We stayed at this Airbnb in El Sauzal, a fishing village near Ensenada. Fishing village sounds quaint until you realize that the whole town smells like fish. We got used to it and appreciated being outside the touristy Ensenada city center, but just a heads up.
Expect to tip 10% for counter-service and 15-20% for more upscale experiences. When a server closes your tab (la cuenta), tell them “Puedes agregar 10 por ciento,” which translates to “You can add 10% to the bill.”
I didn’t make it here, but someone we met told us they go to this restaurant every time they’re in Valle de Guadalupe. It’s located on a farm and looks incredible.
I recommend driving. You can’t rent a car and drive into Mexico, so you’ll need to drive your own or rent in Tijuana (get every insurance possible, if you do this. Trust me). Outside of getting there, Ubers are unreliable once you’re in Valle de Guadalupe. You won’t have any trouble going from city center to vineyard, but getting back to Ensenada might take up to an hour of waiting. That being said, we Ubered to avoid drinking and driving, and it all ended up being fine.
Most places keep up-to-date hours and information on their Instagrams.
Most supermarkets in Mexico (aka Oxxos) offer an incredible selection of chips, cookies, and candy. Pick up a sleeve of Principe cookies. They’re the best with coffee in the morning. And those Japanese peanuts you’ve never seen before? Buy those, too.
Google Maps List
Save this link for future trips to Baja California!
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Thanks for these great recommendations! Hoping to visit Ensenada later this year. Saludos desde Guadalajara!