Mark, Maya, and I visited Loreto for a few days last year, in our campervan Zesty. It was pretty much our most southern stop on the peninsula during a two-month Baja California sojourn. We spent most of that time on the beaches of Bahia Concepcion and in Mulege, a town we liked better than Loreto. I wrote about that “comparison” here.
Every city in Baja California has a statue of their name in colorful letters.
When it became clear and imminent for Mark to fly back to Massachusetts last month, we decided Loreto would be the best, most convenient, and cheapest place for Maya and me to await his return. We managed to snag a “dry camping” spot at Rivera del Mer RV Park ($5/person/night), which has splendid bathroom and laundry facilities.
Vendors with fresh tortillas and other goodies pass right by the gate and the center of town is a short walk away. Unless you have a dog. That requires a detour to avoid all the barking, aggressive, local canines guarding their properties.
Lunch on fresh corn tortillas, bought from a passing vendor
(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)
Here are my five highlights of Loreto, which grew on me when I camped there in T&T the last twelve days of January.
Seal on the pedestrian walkway in town
Walking along the water’s edge
A perfect way to start the day: walking (your dog) along the endless beach at the northern end of the Malecon. This stretch of sand continues for miles along the Sea of Cortez, without much development. Early morning, before the wind picks up, is the best time to stretch those muscles. Pick up after your pet or bury its waste. No leash required. 😊
The wide beach in Loreto
The Malecon
While my first one-hour walk with Maya happened on the beach, its afternoon version involved the attractive Malecon. This paved walkway is wheelchair accessible and is about a mile long. At its southern end, you will find another, smaller beach. Benches and trash cans are present, as well as a fishing pier, small boat harbor, whale statue, and the town’s name in colorful letters. This was my preferred approach to town as well, since it is wide open, never busy, and doesn’t border any fenced properties.
Historic downtown
Loreto was the first Spanish colonial city on the Baja Peninsula, and the home of many Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries. The town was founded in 1697 and its historic buildings include the Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto, a 17th-century church. Strolling around this well-preserved and maintained downtown or just sitting on one of its benches watching the world go by is a joy.
Last year, major renovations took place in front of the mission. Now, a beautiful new pedestrian street and square add to the attraction of this area. Downtown is touristy – with shops, restaurants, bars, and hotels – but super photogenic.
Eating out
Not that I’m an expert, but the quality of food in Loreto is good. There are many restaurants to choose from and happy hour for drinks is a thing. Thursday night, the Mission Hotel on the waterfront has an “all-you-can-eat” pizza special instead of its usual happy hour (2-for-1 drinks), which takes place on the other days from 4pm – 6pm.
We have eaten out in this town several times now and our favorite restaurant remains Mi Loreto, a fun place to spoil yourself with amazing meals and cocktails. Casa Carmen has decent food as well and Mita Gourmet is high-end but wonderful.
Relaxing under a beach palapa
The beach on the northern end of town and the sandy stretch between the Malecon and the sea are dotted with a few palapas – big thatched “umbrellas” that provide shade. These are free for anyone’s use. I was looking forward to stringing my hammock between two of these structures and while away an afternoon. Unfortunately, every day during my stay in Loreto was incredibly windy. I was stubborn anyway and lasted one goose bump- and tangled hair-filled hour the day before Mark returned. I should have brought a sweater. Other than that, the atmosphere was relaxing.
As a tourist, you will find Loreto a very enjoyable destination for a few days of shopping, sightseeing, walking, eating, drinking, and relaxing. The nearby mountains offer plenty of hiking and biking trails, but we didn’t do any of these. The airport is less than a ten-minute drive from town.
For RVers, Loreto is the perfect place to stock up on anything you need (water, propane, fuel, groceries) and splurge with a culinary experience. There are multiple campgrounds and restaurants/food stands for any budget. Did I mention the ice cream parlors?
Mark and Maya reunited after a ten-day separation!
Have you ever visited Loreto in Baja California Sur, Mexico? Any favorite towns in Baja or Mexico?
February 16, 2022 at 15:03
Looks pretty cute. Will have to check it out. And $5 per person for camping isn’t bad!
February 16, 2022 at 22:47
We will probably stop there again on the way north – it’s easy and cheap to do laundry and I love the location within walking distance of town and the big beach.
February 16, 2022 at 15:08
It sounds lovely! (Particularly the bathroom and laundry facilities – I don’t mind roughing it a bit while camping, but I still appreciate those conveniences.) And the food photos made my mouth water. Yum!
February 16, 2022 at 22:49
If there’s one thing we are good at, it’s eating well. 🙂 Now, the fun part is that we can actually afford to eat out once in a while, here in Mexico. It’s nice to take a “real shower” instead of a military-style one once in a while as well. The laundry facilities are a win, especially at $1.50 a load.
February 16, 2022 at 15:33
The buildings and churches are really cool!
February 16, 2022 at 22:50
I’m glad you enjoyed the virtual tour, Alex. Loreto has a cute downtown.
February 16, 2022 at 15:40
I’m so glad that you and Maya were safe and sound…and that Mark has returned. Loreto looks like a beautiful place to hang out.
February 16, 2022 at 22:51
I enjoyed my stay in Loreto, as it became a new normal for those ten days. But, it is mighty nice to have Mark back and resume our lifestyle again. I can happily say that we are now enjoying Baja to its fullest. 🙂
February 16, 2022 at 16:17
Looks pretty amazing! How big is the town? It doesn’t have a touristy vibe to it. I’m amazed at how few people I see in the pictures.
February 16, 2022 at 22:55
Hi Pete!
Great question. I looked up the population of Loreto: about 20,400 people live here. It is also a popular expat place, but there is a “healthy mix” of cultures and inhabitants.
You are right about the lack of people. Each time I walked on the beach, the Malecon, or downtown, I was surprised at the lack of crowds. The pedestrian area was especially quiet. I think tourism hasn’t recovered yet and the locals seem to frequent other areas of town.
February 16, 2022 at 17:14
We’ve never been to Loreto but now I have an earworm of Marty Robbins singing “As I walked down in the streets of Laredo…” Yes, I know different town, different country 🙂 Your Loreto looks like a great place to stay for a few days… or a week.
February 16, 2022 at 22:57
I think you and Paul would enjoy a long weekend in Loreto, Janis. I know Thom and Kathy like this town as well… 🙂 I’m not familiar with that song. It sounds like I should keep it that way!
February 16, 2022 at 17:56
Glad you gave Loreto another chance and it came through! Looks like a safe and comfortable place to stay alone for a little while.
February 16, 2022 at 22:59
Hi Lexie! Loreto had the right amount of attractions, social opportunities, and fellow travelers for my ten-day stay with Maya. It’s a good base and “rest stop” on the long Mex 1 “highway” as well. I think we will halt there again for the night on the way back north, mainly to do laundry and eat out. 🙂
February 16, 2022 at 18:22
Pretty town! Maya and Mark look as though they are enjoying their reunion.
February 16, 2022 at 23:00
Maya was ecstatic to see her “daddy” again. She was doing fine with him gone, but oh my once he returned… She is extremely attached to (and infatuated by) him. You got me! 🙂
February 16, 2022 at 18:34
Loreto looks like a nice place to hang out. Thank you for the tour, Liesbet. I hope you, Mark and Maya are all doing well.
February 16, 2022 at 23:01
Hello Natalie! Our trio is doing pretty well at the moment, finally enjoying all Baja’s offerings, especially the beaches and the food. 🙂 Thank you for asking and checking in.
February 16, 2022 at 19:11
Liesbet, looks like you picked a beautiful and entertaining place to go solo while Mark went back to Boston. Thanks for the pictorial and all the best to you guys.
February 16, 2022 at 23:04
Thanks for the wishes, Suzanne. You are one of the only blog followers at the moment who knows why Mark had to return to Massachusetts. It wasn’t the easiest or most straightforward decision – his trip back and deciding where Maya and I would stay – but it couldn’t have worked out any better!
February 16, 2022 at 20:01
Are there any pickleball courts?
February 16, 2022 at 23:05
Not that I know of or saw. I don’t think pickleball is a thing in Mexico… But, there are a couple of high-end RV resorts in Loreto as well, so who knows?
February 16, 2022 at 22:44
Know absolutely nothing about Loreto but your great photos and descriptive text makes me want to add Baja to our travel wish list, Liesbet. Thankful you and Maya were safe while Mark was back in Boston even if the wind didn’t cooperate.
February 16, 2022 at 23:11
I have to admit that Maya and I had a pretty good time in Loreto while Mark was absent and going through less fun events, Annie. In the end, everything worked out as well as it could have.
Baja California is a special place. It’s hard for me to describe why we love it here so much. Its robustness? The combination of desert and sea? The remote beaches? Abundant wildlife? A combination of it all? Stopping at a cute town like Loreto to soak up some culture and good food?
Part of me thinks there’s nothing mind-blowing about this destination, but often we are immensely impressed by the beauty of the scenery here. I wonder if you and Steven would enjoy a multiple-week vacation here… You’d have to be mobile, though, to appreciate the contrast and different experiences the peninsula offers. Something to talk about in person one day!
February 16, 2022 at 22:46
San Felipe is a favorite from my past. I don’t know if it’s anywhere near Loreto however. It has been years since I ventured down that far south. Glad I can experience travel vicariously through your blog!
February 16, 2022 at 23:16
Hi Martha!
I’m glad you enjoy the virtual Baja travels here on Roaming About! 🙂
San Felipe is the first town you get to on the east side of the peninsula, along Hwy 5, after crossing into Mexico. It’s an easy destination for Americans and popular as well. We’ve never spent time in the town, but we camped at a gorgeous beach about half an hour south of there – our first stop in Baja this year.
Loreto is about 2/3 down the peninsula and many hours and hundreds of miles (600 to be precise) south of San Felipe. It’s very different altogether and a great base for a future visit. 🙂
February 17, 2022 at 04:08
I’ve visited Big Sur California, but not the spot you describe here. I’m sure the reunion with you and Mark was just as sweet as with him and Maya.
By the way, I’m always drawn to blog posts with numbers: Five Things, Six Secrets, Ten Photos, and so on. Thanks for the update, Liesbet! 😀
February 19, 2022 at 16:19
Hi Marian,
I’m trying to come up with better titles for these posts… 🙂
Mark, Maya, and I have driven through Big Sur on the California coast as well, but now we are in Mexico, in an area called Baja California. The bottom half of this skinny, long peninsula is called Baja California Sur.
February 17, 2022 at 10:52
I’ve never been here, but it looks like a great place to visit. I love how you always include dog information, Liesbet.
February 19, 2022 at 16:20
And I love that you are such a dog lover, Jacqui! <3
February 17, 2022 at 18:51
I love how colorful it all is and the fun looking shops and commercial areas. And the food looks fabulous! What a great place to spend some time in the sun. I’m sure Mark was thrilled to get back after a visit to chilly New England.
February 19, 2022 at 16:23
Hi Laura! Yes, Mark was very happy to be back south, in Baja. He didn’t really wanted to go, but kind of had to. The visit back home went as well as it could have gone… I’ll write a little bit about this in one of my future posts. His flight back was actually cancelled as it was scheduled on the day of the last massive blizzard attacking New England. Luckily, he managed to return a coupe of days later and in one day. Kind of. 🙂
February 17, 2022 at 19:06
Loreto looks like a quaint Baja town with wonderful amenities, Liesbet. If we ever travel that way again, we would stop there for a few days, especially if it’s as windy as you described. Did you see many wind- or kite-surfers while you were there? I looked at the map and that island probably helps funnel the wind through there! Glad you walked anyway. In La Ventana, the wind picked up around 11-3pm, but before and after were the times to SUP, or hike. La Ventana also had its share of food and water vendors that pulled right up to the RVs and homes, better than food delivery apps! Great shots and glad you had a safe place to stay while Mark was gone! BTW, I’m linking this week’s Sunday Stills post to this post…sharing a pic of you and Mark walking Aero 🙂
February 20, 2022 at 14:52
Hi Terri!
I think you and Hans would like Loreto as a little stop for a couple of days. To replenish and to soak up a historical downtown. It is very different from La Ventana. Much less “gringofied” and more authentic, in my opinion. 🙂
Loreto is not a place to kiteboard or windsurf, I think, since nobody was doing it there and I didn’t even see rental places or any other signs that cater to the sport. So far, La Ventana and Los Barrilos have been the only places we passed through that were bursting with wind-based activities.
Of course, we had to think about you and Hans when we stopped in La Ventana. What a bustling place! We boondocked on a beach just north of there for two nights, the one with the natural hot springs. They were way too hot to soak in, but it was fun to dip our feet in them and have a drink while listening to the waves. Next time, we should dig one closer to the sea to create the perfect temperature!
I’ll be sure to check out your Sunday post whenever I have WiFi again. I’m trying to stay low with internet activities as we have limited data and not always cell service either.
February 20, 2022 at 18:09
I think La Ventana and Los Barilles are the only wind sport areas on the Sea of Cortez. I never got to see the hot springs where you stayed. Hans has been there and sailed there too. Camping in that whole area is dirt cheap with free camping spots as you found. We camped in an arroyo (party central) and it was a short walk to the restroom and shower. At that time I preferred Baja Joe’s further down the beach. So glad you got to see a little of our former life there in Baja! Have a great week!
February 23, 2022 at 17:02
It was fun and interesting to taste a bit of your previous life in Baja, Terri. Well, watching it anyway. 🙂 I saw the “El Arroyo” boondocking spot on iOverlander, but decided it would be too busy for us to stay. La Ventana was flooded with gringos and not too many were wearing masks… The natural hot springs we camped at are a ten-minute drive north of town.
February 19, 2022 at 07:11
Looks beautiful, almost like some of the pretty towns I’ve visited in Spain, Liesbet. It must get busy at some stage in the year maybe when the city Mexicans have their annual holiday? I always remember that in Spain, some of the little towns I mentioned were taken over by the French every August.
My two dogs would love the walks on the beach, although I’d have to take a ball for Austin.
February 20, 2022 at 14:57
I think you’re right, Hugh! The center of Loreto must be similar to some historic towns in Spain. It’s been a while since I traveled in Europe. I hope to resolve that in the future. 🙂
Semana Santa (Holy Week of Easter) in April is the big holiday here and I’ve have heard (and seen) the beaches packed by locals camping. It’s a crazy scene!
One of the amazing things about Mexico is that here is no leash law, so our dog can always run on the beaches and get rid of some energy. Maya’s issue (or the issue that we have with her) is that she eats EVERYTHING! She is always sniffing out human food and eats fish carcasses, shells, and much gross things… Since we hate to yell at her constantly, we often put her on a leash now to prevent her from getting sick.
February 22, 2022 at 00:25
Thanks for sharing this Liesbet. I’d never heard of Lareto but your descriptions and photos make it look like a great place to relax for a while.
February 23, 2022 at 17:03
Thanks for coming along for a virtual tour, Deb! We hope to stop in Loreto again on our drive back north for some mouth-watering food and drinks. 🙂
February 22, 2022 at 21:32
Looks fab. And happy to hear you can still get 2 for 1 happy hour there. A rare sighting in PV. I’ve found the prices have gone up in restaurants, groceries, etc. and many of my usual haunts have taken away happy hour. And it’s gotten so hot here, March temps in 90s came mid Feb! Enjoy! Today is national Margarita Day, lol. Cheers! <3
February 23, 2022 at 17:07
Interesting about the diminishing happy hours in PV, such a popular tourist destination… I wonder why they are taking them away and if this is Covid related, to discourage large gatherings and excessive drinking that might lead to less social distancing.
We are only now noticing that prices in Mexico are going up. The taco prices are rising and especially limes (usually dirt cheap) have become “expensive” in grocery stores. The fuel is the same as last year (I just came across photos I took of gas stations this year and last :)).
Yikes about the heat on the mainland already. We’ve had hot and sunny days (sometimes too hot in the sun) but due to the wind, it’s actually too chilly in the shade. I wish I could mix both air temps!
February 24, 2022 at 09:41
We know there’s huge inflation when limes go up! <3
February 24, 2022 at 11:01
🙂
February 25, 2022 at 10:12
We have been to Loreto twice before. Your post brings back wonderful memories of strolling and eating our way around. A great spot to arrive to, stock up and then explore smaller destinations. In winter there are even direct flights from Calgary. all going well we will be on one of those in November.
March 5, 2022 at 14:07
I really enjoy it when readers of my blog have been to places we mention, Sue. It’s rewarding and refreshing to compare notes and relive memories. I had no idea there were direct flights from Calgary during the winter. That’s very convenient! When Mark had to fly back to Boston from Loreto in January, it turned into a massive ordeal – time-, effort-, and comfort-wise.