Ensenada or Rosarito? (Guadalupe, Nuevo: to rent, insurance, hotel)

[sdhkshdcny09]

I was thinking about heading down to baja for a day and am considering rosarito or ensenada (or both). I haven't been to Mexico since 2009, and have never been to either places. Has anyone been down there recently? Is it a bad idea to go? Which do you prefer and why? Thanks in advance!

[lovemussel]

I was there over Memorial Day weekend and had a great time. I prefer Ensenada because it is a little smaller and all of the bars/nightlife are in one area-- makes it easy to go out or stay away from, whatever you prefer. A good friend prefers Rosarito, which is larger, more like a big city. To me, Ensenada just seems more mellow. If you go, you should stop in Puerto Nuevo and eat some lobsters (so good and cheap!), and if you go to Ensenada you should stop by Hussong's-- the oldest bar in the California's-- and have a margarita.
As a heads up, while my parents are from the USA, I was born and raised in Mexico City and speak Spanish and am very comfortable being in Mexico. My husband, who is born and raised in IL suburbs was a little uncomfortable with the idea of going to Mexico with everything going on, but as soon as we got there he mellowed out and had a great weekend. We drove to Ensenada, and getting in to Mexico is easy, but expect it to take at least 3 hours to cross the border on the way back. I have heard that you can walk across the border and take a bus, but I have never done that. I found that having a car was very convenient, and I would caution you from taking cabs in Mexico if you do not speak Spanish fluently. We drove home at night, and were stopped by the Mexican police right by the toll booth to Ensenada (they made everyone stop). The cop assumed that I was a gringa, and tried to accuse me of being a drunk student (I'm in my 30s and was sober)-- I responded in Spanish and he backed off. Be very careful in Mexico and do not break any laws-- they operate under Napoleonic law which is guilty until proven innocent. They can take you to jail under suspicion of being drunk without a breathalyzer or anything. I plan on going back to Ensenada soon, and I'll be driving-- I just won't be driving at night.
I'm not trying to scare you off-- Mexico is a wonderful country (it is home for me!), and I think you should visit-- just be very careful, even if you aren't doing anything wrong.

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by lovemussel

I have heard that you can walk across the border and take a bus, but I have never done that. I found that having a car was very convenient, and I would caution you from taking cabs in Mexico if you do not speak Spanish fluently. We drove home at night, and were stopped by the Mexican police right by the toll booth to Ensenada (they made everyone stop). The cop assumed that I was a gringa, and tried to accuse me of being a drunk student (I'm in my 30s and was sober)-- I responded in Spanish and he backed off. Be very careful in Mexico and do not break any laws-- they operate under Napoleonic law which is guilty until proven innocent. They can take you to jail under suspicion of being drunk without a breathalyzer or anything. I plan on going back to Ensenada soon, and I'll be driving-- I just won't be driving at night.

I've only walked over - and would never take my car. And in fact, I've never seen anyone suggest that it's safer to bring your own car - and that seems like questionable advice to me. What you say about "guilty until proven innocent" is very true on that side of the border - so from my point of view it's much smarter to let a local do the driving!

It's so easy to get a cab - and so much simpler to NOT have to deal with buying insurance to drive in Mexico - and so much nicer to know that if there is an accident, I won't be the one driving - so I won't be the one hauled off to jail.

An added bonus? Parking on this side of the border is cheap, and it's a quick process to walk across - you'll save a lot of time if you skip driving down.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by lovemussel

I was there over Memorial Day weekend and had a great time. I prefer Ensenada because it is a little smaller and all of the bars/nightlife are in one area-- makes it easy to go out or stay away from, whatever you prefer. A good friend prefers Rosarito, which is larger, more like a big city. To me, Ensenada just seems more mellow. If you go, you should stop in Puerto Nuevo and eat some lobsters (so good and cheap!), and if you go to Ensenada you should stop by Hussong's-- the oldest bar in the California's-- and have a margarita.
As a heads up, while my parents are from the USA, I was born and raised in Mexico City and speak Spanish and am very comfortable being in Mexico. My husband, who is born and raised in IL suburbs was a little uncomfortable with the idea of going to Mexico with everything going on, but as soon as we got there he mellowed out and had a great weekend. We drove to Ensenada, and getting in to Mexico is easy, but expect it to take at least 3 hours to cross the border on the way back. I have heard that you can walk across the border and take a bus, but I have never done that. I found that having a car was very convenient, and I would caution you from taking cabs in Mexico if you do not speak Spanish fluently. We drove home at night, and were stopped by the Mexican police right by the toll booth to Ensenada (they made everyone stop). The cop assumed that I was a gringa, and tried to accuse me of being a drunk student (I'm in my 30s and was sober)-- I responded in Spanish and he backed off. Be very careful in Mexico and do not break any laws-- they operate under Napoleonic law which is guilty until proven innocent. They can take you to jail under suspicion of being drunk without a breathalyzer or anything. I plan on going back to Ensenada soon, and I'll be driving-- I just won't be driving at night.
I'm not trying to scare you off-- Mexico is a wonderful country (it is home for me!), and I think you should visit-- just be very careful, even if you aren't doing anything wrong.

Exactly why no one goes down anymore. Corrupt Cops.

[sdhkshdcny09]

Didn't even realize that anyone had replied....thank you!

I am aware of most of the precautions when traveling to Mexico. Although I have taken four years of Spanish and can definitely converse with locals, I'm just nervous about the fact that I unquestionably look like a gringo....light skin, blue eyes....

I ended up booking at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, which seemed to be good choice. Hopefully walking around that area is safe...? Plus, they offer fast lane passes for guests that spend over $100, so it might not take as long for me to get back into the US. I did plan on going to Puerto Nuevo for lobster since it has such a good reputation. I'm also wine tasting in and around the Valle de Guadalupe/ San Antonion de Las Minas area. Have you tried that before? Or should I not head inland into the valleys, away from the main tourist areas?

[lovemussel]

bouncethelight: all good points. I was only mentioning my own experience in Ensenada, which was driving. I grew up in Mexico City, and while I took cabs there I did know of a few people who were kidnapped by their cab drivers. Usually only for a few hours until they got paid off, but a friend's father did lose his left ear. I would just be very careful.

rfanin: I also have light skin and blue eyes, and everyone is surprised when I start speaking because I have a Mexican accent. Not as surprising in a city as large and diverse as Mexico City, but I'm kind of a novelty in other parts.
I have not been wine tasting in Baja, but I know that there has been some buzz going around about the wines from that region-- a lot of good stuff coming out of the area. My assumption is that it would be a pretty safe activity. It might not be a main tourist area, but that is still a pretty touristy thing to do, and I'm sure you will be just fine in the wineries.
The fast pass lane will make it pretty easy for you to get back through-- it is a LOT faster. Probably won't take more than an hour. I'm going to look into that Rosarito Beach Hotel for my next visit so that I can get one-- thanks for the tip!!

[bouncethelight]

Originally Posted by rhanifin

I ended up booking at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, which seemed to be good choice. Hopefully walking around that area is safe...?

I've stayed there and loved it! It's definitely an historic part of Baja California! And there are lots of tourists in the area, walking around, so it felt safe enough to us.

Does the hotel still offer the bus ride from the border to the hotel? It was fairly inexpensive and really convenient - hopefully it's still an option!

[asitshouldbe]

Originally Posted by lovemussel

I was there over Memorial Day weekend and had a great time. I prefer Ensenada because it is a little smaller and all of the bars/nightlife are in one area-- makes it easy to go out or stay away from, whatever you prefer. A good friend prefers Rosarito, which is larger, more like a big city. To me, Ensenada just seems more mellow. If you go, you should stop in Puerto Nuevo and eat some lobsters (so good and cheap!), and if you go to Ensenada you should stop by Hussong's-- the oldest bar in the California's-- and have a margarita.
As a heads up, while my parents are from the USA, I was born and raised in Mexico City and speak Spanish and am very comfortable being in Mexico. My husband, who is born and raised in IL suburbs was a little uncomfortable with the idea of going to Mexico with everything going on, but as soon as we got there he mellowed out and had a great weekend. We drove to Ensenada, and getting in to Mexico is easy, but expect it to take at least 3 hours to cross the border on the way back. I have heard that you can walk across the border and take a bus, but I have never done that. I found that having a car was very convenient, and I would caution you from taking cabs in Mexico if you do not speak Spanish fluently. We drove home at night, and were stopped by the Mexican police right by the toll booth to Ensenada (they made everyone stop). The cop assumed that I was a gringa, and tried to accuse me of being a drunk student (I'm in my 30s and was sober)-- I responded in Spanish and he backed off. Be very careful in Mexico and do not break any laws-- they operate under Napoleonic law which is guilty until proven innocent. They can take you to jail under suspicion of being drunk without a breathalyzer or anything. I plan on going back to Ensenada soon, and I'll be driving-- I just won't be driving at night.
I'm not trying to scare you off-- Mexico is a wonderful country (it is home for me!), and I think you should visit-- just be very careful, even if you aren't doing anything wrong.

How bad would we stick out driving in with MN plates? Would it be better to rent a car in CA?

[echo42]

Originally Posted by lovemussel

but expect it to take at least 3 hours to cross the border on the way back. I have heard that you can walk across the border and take a bus, but I have never done that.

The wait time back into the US is really the biggest drag. I have learned to mitigate the risk of entering and driving in Mexico by taking some very common sense steps:
No display of wealth
Low key
Stay on main and toll roads
Don't drive at night
Purchase Mex insurance

Mexico is like the ocean-"don't fear it, but respect it".

My wife still has some family down there and I get stuck with the occasional obligatory visit, but have never had a problem. It is just the line to get back into the US can ruin the whole trip. My longest wait was 41/2 hours.

I don't go enough to warrant a SENTRI pass, otherwise that is a way to beat the line if you are a regular crosser.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by asitshouldbe

How bad would we stick out driving in with MN plates? Would it be better to rent a car in CA?

MN vs CA plates would make no difference. But if you can do it in some way, it's much, much easier not to take your car into Mexico.

If you do need to take your car into Mexico, be sure you have Mexican insurance. Some US insurance companies claim their coverage is honored in Mexico, but I have never heard of Mexico honoring any US insurance so I have my doubts about that.