There are a LOT of dining choices in the area for all different tastes and budgets. Some of the places listed below are not much more than roadside stands that look like they'd blow over in a strong wind. All are great though. Some are cheap places where the locals go, and some are places that would be at home in any cosmopolitan city in the US. We've put "$" below to denote inexpensive, moderate, pricey. Many restaurants don't have a website (because you have to pay for a website!) and just have Facebook pages. However, The Chocolate Clam website has reviews, pictures and directions to many of the places below. We really like The Chocolate Clam, and they've got great listings for live music too: https://www.thechocolateclam.com/
Restaurants
Walking Distance From the Condo
Palapa Bar / Restaurant on site Food is served at the palapa bar just downstairs! Chef Mario prepares something unique each day. It might be VERY fresh fish caught that morning off the coast, or a delicious salad or burger. Ask down at the palapa bar, they are very friendly! He is a fantastic chef - read the reviews on our VRBO site - $$ Cerritos Beach Club The Cerritos Beach Club is ON Cerritos Beach. It's a 10 minute stroll down the beach to the north (to the right). $ - $$ Cerritos Beach Inn Small hotel and restaurant ON the beach. It's a 10 minute stroll down the beach to the south (to the left). Great drinks and good food and the sunsets can't be beat! $$ https://cerritosbeachinn.com/restaurant/ El Pescadero to the north Carlitos Place Carlitos Place is very unassuming - down a side street in El Pescadero, the town just to the north on the highway. Take a right at the only large, paved road in the center of Pescadero at the OXXO, then a left (you'll see a sign). This place has some of the best seafood/sushi in the Baja! The chef has worked on large private yachts, and creates some exquisite dishes. Try the banana peppers or Shrimp Carlitos Way. Pricey! $$$$ Hierbabuena In Pescadero down a dirt road on the left before the Pemex gas station, about 3/4 mile. Beautiful garden setting with a couple of different areas to eat. Farm to table with specials nightly. Great cocktails, pizza, salads, seafood. $$-$$$ https://hierbabuenarestaurante.com/ Crudo in Pescadero, down a dirt road (there are not many paved roads!). A little tricky to find - follow the directions on the website. Very casual place - almost like eating in someone's backyard. GREAT food and drinks, fantastic service - we love this place and the people that run it are awesome! $$ https://todoscrudo.cargo.site/ Baja Beans Need your java fix? Baja Beans is the place! Just as you enter Pescadero, the turnoff is on the left. Look for the sign. Excellent coffee and pastries, beautiful garden, friendly staff and of course Wi-Fi internet! Great place to hang out, read the paper, relax, meet some locals. There is also a farmer's market there on Sunday, depending on the time of year. $-$$ Cafe la Guirita Great place for authentic Mexican breakfast, and HUGE mugs of coffee. $ https://www.thechocolateclam.com/listings/cafelaguerita Le Petit Leon An authentic French Bakery. Run by real people from France. In Pescadero! Excellent bread, pastries and other goodies! $$ https://www.thechocolateclam.com/listings/petitleon |
El Pescadero, continued
Los Claros Teeny place on the right hand side of the highway just past the OXXO intersection (main intersection in Pescadero). Excellent coconut shrimp tacos and ceviche. Cheap and delicious! Same Same but Different On the "main" road to Cerritos Beach on the left. Great funky place with beautiful views - breakfast & lunch. $$ https://ssbdifferent.com/ Palmar Pescadero Beautiful location, great breakfasts & coffee $$-$$$ https://www.thechocolateclam.com/listings/palmarpescadero Lucky 23 In Pescadero on the right just past the Pemex gas station. Look for the sign with the 4 leaf clover. Not what you would call Mexican food - more like continental and the food is consistently excellent! Never had a bad meal there and the portions are VERY generous! $$$ https://lucky23restaurant.com/ Just outside of Pescadero Agricole A minute past Pescadero on the left is Agricole. An organic market with a great selection of fruits & vegetables. Prepared salads and sandwiches, coffee, desserts, great selection of beer and wine and all sorts of specialty items that you cannot find anywhere else. They have a lovely garden and picnic area with bathroom. Great prepared burritos, strawberry & cream, too much to list. One of a kind place. $$$ https://www.thechocolateclam.com/listings/agricolecoopertiva Todos Santos - 10-15 minute drive to the north I'd recommend checking out the listings on The Chocolate Clam - there are a LOT of restaurants in Todos Santos! A few of our favorites.... Tequila Sunrise I know, sounds cheesy and touristy, and it is, a little... HOWEVER, THE BEST lobster chile rellenos ever with an amazing drink list - both alcohol and non-alcoholic. And the service is great – very friendly and gracious. Right across from the Hotel California. www.todossantosguide.com/tequilassunrise/ $$ Ristorante Tre Galline On the other side of the Caffe Todos Santos is the Tre Galline. Great Italian Food in a cozy setting. Wish these people would put up a website! Choripanes AMAZING sausage and pork roast sandwiches! Only on Saturday! Everything is homemade. Sylvia (from Italy who lives in La Paz) brings her kitchen to Todos Santos once a week. I have been known to go there for lunch 2 or 3 Saturdays in a row. $$ https://www.thechocolateclam.com/listings/hcrxtauiuj4ltserpjzcjjiickop19 Todos Santos Brewery Excellent craft beers locally brewed in Baja! Great selection of beers. Excellent burgers and fish and chips. Live music and other fun stuff on the weekends. https://www.todossantosbrewing.mx/ $$ |
Things to Do
We've been coming down for several years, and have not scratched the surface of all the activities that are available in this area.
Biking
Over The Edge - I love to mountain bike, and Over the Edge is the greatest! The owner, Dave Thompson, has built a fantastic business and is a huge supporter and advocate for mountain biking in the area. You can rent great bikes here and get your bike repaired for a very reasonable cost.
https://otesports.com/locations/todos-santos/
Surfing
There are several famous surf spots near here - Cerritos, which is right here, San Pedrito in Pescadero to the north, and La Pastora north of Todos Santos. But if you surf, you probably knew that already. If you would like to learn, there are a few shops/stands right on the beach 5 minutes walk from the condo that rent surfboards and also give lessons.
Whale Watching
Depending on when you come (late January to March) you can see the whales from the balcony spouting offshore. There are several companies in Cabo that have boats that will take you out.
Snorkeling with Whale Sharks
This is an amazing experience and one that we HIGHLY recommend. Whale Sharks are neither whales nor sharks - but the largest fish on the planet. Totally docile, they bob on the surface of the water in the Sea of Cortez and open their enormous mouths to filter tiny shrimp and plankton. You can go snorkeling and get right next to them. Just incredible. There are several places in La Paz that will arrange an outing. They take you out on a small boat and know where to go. When they spot them, you jump in the water and watch (but no touching). There are certain times of the year, so check first. We have used The Cortez Club:
http://www.cortezclub.com/
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
NOW we are talking! The Sea of Cortez is an amazing spot for diving. And Cabo Pulmo is probably the best spot in the entire Sea of Cortez. It has the only living reef in the Sea of Cortez, and visibility in October and November can be 100+ feet. We have gone diving off La Paz and Cabo Pulmo. La Paz has a lot to offer also - you can dive with the Sea Lions, or there are several wrecks.
Cabo Pulmo is about a 2.5 hour drive via the road to La Paz and then through the mountains. The town is off the grid, but there is electricity (and even AC in some places). Very charming. Beautiful totally unspoiled beaches with great snorkeling right off the beach too.
Dive Shops in Cabo Pulmo
We highly recommend Cabo Pulmo Watersports for arranging scuba diving and other activities:
www.cabopulmowatersports.com
Accommodation in Cabo Pulmo
We recommend staying at Casa Cactus in Cabo Pulmo - It's a very unique place with everything you'll need for a fantastic stay!
http://cabopulmovilla.com/
Other Places of Interest
If you look to the east from our kitchen, you'll be looking at the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains. Believe it or not, there are mountains in this range that are over 7,000 feet high! Part of the area has been designated as a protected biosphere. There is hiking, biking, burro trips, and small towns & villages throughout the mountains, some of which are very accessible (some, not so much!). Here's a little info about camping and hiking in the Sierra de la Lagunas
http://baja.com/todos-santos/camping-in-the-sierra-de-la-laguna-mountains-in-baja-california-sur-2/
La Paz
The city of La Paz is the capital of Baja, and is a city of about 300,000. It's a great place to visit and is not like downtown Cabo at all (a good thing in my opinion). There's a great "Malecon", which is a walkway along the bay with lots of restaurants and shops on the other side. There are some fantastic beaches in La Paz, as well as an international airport, although fares seem to be higher into La Paz than into Cabo. La Paz is about an hour north on the Sea of Cortez. Some of the activities above (whale sharks, snorkeling with sea lions) leave from La Paz. It is very easy to get to, as long as you have a car.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Paz,_Baja_California_Sur
Some beaches in La Paz
Balandra Beach:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150771-d1067272-Reviews-Balandra_Beach-La_Paz_Baja_California.html
Playa Pichilingue:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150771-d1172786-Reviews-Playa_Pichilingue_Pichilingue_Beach-La_Paz_Baja_California.html
El Triunfo
This quaint little town is about an hour from our place. Several fantastic restaurants, You can read all about it here:
http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-california-travel/baja-destinations/el-triunfo/history-piano-museum.htm#.UjakiD_3OQ4
We've been coming down for several years, and have not scratched the surface of all the activities that are available in this area.
Biking
Over The Edge - I love to mountain bike, and Over the Edge is the greatest! The owner, Dave Thompson, has built a fantastic business and is a huge supporter and advocate for mountain biking in the area. You can rent great bikes here and get your bike repaired for a very reasonable cost.
https://otesports.com/locations/todos-santos/
Surfing
There are several famous surf spots near here - Cerritos, which is right here, San Pedrito in Pescadero to the north, and La Pastora north of Todos Santos. But if you surf, you probably knew that already. If you would like to learn, there are a few shops/stands right on the beach 5 minutes walk from the condo that rent surfboards and also give lessons.
Whale Watching
Depending on when you come (late January to March) you can see the whales from the balcony spouting offshore. There are several companies in Cabo that have boats that will take you out.
Snorkeling with Whale Sharks
This is an amazing experience and one that we HIGHLY recommend. Whale Sharks are neither whales nor sharks - but the largest fish on the planet. Totally docile, they bob on the surface of the water in the Sea of Cortez and open their enormous mouths to filter tiny shrimp and plankton. You can go snorkeling and get right next to them. Just incredible. There are several places in La Paz that will arrange an outing. They take you out on a small boat and know where to go. When they spot them, you jump in the water and watch (but no touching). There are certain times of the year, so check first. We have used The Cortez Club:
http://www.cortezclub.com/
Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
NOW we are talking! The Sea of Cortez is an amazing spot for diving. And Cabo Pulmo is probably the best spot in the entire Sea of Cortez. It has the only living reef in the Sea of Cortez, and visibility in October and November can be 100+ feet. We have gone diving off La Paz and Cabo Pulmo. La Paz has a lot to offer also - you can dive with the Sea Lions, or there are several wrecks.
Cabo Pulmo is about a 2.5 hour drive via the road to La Paz and then through the mountains. The town is off the grid, but there is electricity (and even AC in some places). Very charming. Beautiful totally unspoiled beaches with great snorkeling right off the beach too.
Dive Shops in Cabo Pulmo
We highly recommend Cabo Pulmo Watersports for arranging scuba diving and other activities:
www.cabopulmowatersports.com
Accommodation in Cabo Pulmo
We recommend staying at Casa Cactus in Cabo Pulmo - It's a very unique place with everything you'll need for a fantastic stay!
http://cabopulmovilla.com/
Other Places of Interest
If you look to the east from our kitchen, you'll be looking at the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains. Believe it or not, there are mountains in this range that are over 7,000 feet high! Part of the area has been designated as a protected biosphere. There is hiking, biking, burro trips, and small towns & villages throughout the mountains, some of which are very accessible (some, not so much!). Here's a little info about camping and hiking in the Sierra de la Lagunas
http://baja.com/todos-santos/camping-in-the-sierra-de-la-laguna-mountains-in-baja-california-sur-2/
La Paz
The city of La Paz is the capital of Baja, and is a city of about 300,000. It's a great place to visit and is not like downtown Cabo at all (a good thing in my opinion). There's a great "Malecon", which is a walkway along the bay with lots of restaurants and shops on the other side. There are some fantastic beaches in La Paz, as well as an international airport, although fares seem to be higher into La Paz than into Cabo. La Paz is about an hour north on the Sea of Cortez. Some of the activities above (whale sharks, snorkeling with sea lions) leave from La Paz. It is very easy to get to, as long as you have a car.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Paz,_Baja_California_Sur
Some beaches in La Paz
Balandra Beach:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150771-d1067272-Reviews-Balandra_Beach-La_Paz_Baja_California.html
Playa Pichilingue:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150771-d1172786-Reviews-Playa_Pichilingue_Pichilingue_Beach-La_Paz_Baja_California.html
El Triunfo
This quaint little town is about an hour from our place. Several fantastic restaurants, You can read all about it here:
http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-california-travel/baja-destinations/el-triunfo/history-piano-museum.htm#.UjakiD_3OQ4