RegionUsable guide

Baja California (state)

State of Mexico

Photo: Thelmadatter, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Baja California state is the northern half of the Baja Peninsula. Known for beaches and the rowdy border city of Tijuana. The state capital is Mexicali.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By plane
Alternatively, you can fly to San Diego (SAN) and take a taxi or bus to the I-5 (San Ysidro) border crossing.

Read in the guide

Getting around

By bus
The main bus companies connecting the towns and cities along the Transpeninsular Highway (MX Hwy 1/1D) between Tijuana and San José del Cabo are:

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Cities

Mexicali

the state capital is a popular destination for day-trippers from California, just across the border

Camalu

a beach town between Colonet and El Rosario, about 2 hours south of Ensenada

Ensenada

"the Beautiful Cinderella of the Pacific" is an important commercial, fishing port, and cruise ship port

Puerto Nuevo

"Lobster Capital of Baja"

Rosarito Beach

beautiful coastline, sandy beaches, cliffs, a beautiful climate

San Felipe

a resort destination with a dramatic tide: the sea recedes by up to 2 km

Tecate

a border city best known for Tecate beer

Tijuana

largest city in Baja California and gateway to Mexico, just south across the border from San Diego

Show all 16

Bahía de los Ángeles

this sport-fishing hot spot provides access to the many islands of this part of the northern Gulf of California

Canyon de Guadalupe

Hot spring oasis out in the wilderness

Guadalupe Island

a remote island that is a destination for diving excursions to see Great White Sharks

Valle de Guadalupe

Mexico's top wine country

Constitution 1857 National Park

Remote park with a highland lake set in a pine forest

San Lorenzo Marine Archipelago National Park

Remote marine environment with five islands in the Sea of Cortez

San Quintin National Park

Remote coastal beach area on San Quintin Bay

Sierra de San Pedro Martir National Park

Rugged mountain park, home of bighorn sheep and condors

Read before you go to Baja California (state)

Articles and travel topics about Baja California (state) and Mexico.

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

UnderstandBaja California encompasses a territory which exhibits diverse geography for a relatively small area. The Peninsular ranges of the California cordillera run down the geographic center of the state.

Get inThere are several border crossings in the north with the state of California. Most of these are the continuations of U.S. Interstate Highways, such as the Interstate 5 (I-5).

Get aroundKilometer markers track the distance along Fed 1 through Baja California in four separate improved segments The first of these is the 109-km (68 mi) length from Tijuana to Ensenada, which is known informally as Mex 1…

See and do

EatBaja California is famous for its myriad seafood restaurants owing to the long stretch of Pacific Ocean on its western side and the long stretch of beaches along the Sea of Cortez on its eastern side.

DrinkWhile Mexico is not usually seen as a wine-drinking country, wine-making has been increasing both in quality and in quantity since the 1980s, and the Baja California area produces 90% of Mexico’s wine.

Stay safeBaja California is generally safe for tourists, but drug cartels are present, particularly in the border area near Tijuana, and theft and petty crime is always a risk, particularly in crowded areas.S.

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Baja California (state)" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Baja California", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Thelmadatter, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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