eat & Drink
appeal to the senses
taste. drink. live.
Ensenada cuisine is a blend of the Mediterranean diet and traditional Mexican sauces, spices and flavors. All locally sourced, try fish tacos at the popular marisco (shellfish) stands like at Mariscos Guerrense. They serve tostadas with generous portions of fish or shrimp ceviche, octopus, mussels, crab, sea snails, link cod, sea urchin and black clams. And don't miss Tacos de Pescado Marco Antonio featuring tacos of salmon, or machaca de atún (shredded tuna), chili rellenos stuffed with shrimp and delectable sauces. If your taste leans more toward pizza: delicious wood-fired pizzas are served at Covelli’s Pizza a la Leña, and they feature live music on Wednesday nights.
For local wine tasting the Bodegas the Santo Tomás and Vinos LA Chetto just north of Ensenada on the road to Tijuana are excellent. If you're feeling adventurous, forty minutes further north you'll find the rock-strewn landscape of Valle de Guadalupe which features wine tasting at numerous wineries, superb cuisine in outstanding restaurants, and a well-attended wine festival in August: Fiesta de la Vendimia. Agua Mala can be found closer to home – a microbrewery featuring artisanal brews made from the passion and diversity that the ocean inspires.
INCLUDES
- Delicious local cuisine
- Wine and beer tasting
shopping & nightlife
bring memories home
drink. Dance. Shop.
Ensenada’s night life includes sport bars, karaoke bars and floor shows, some with table dancing. For the younger set, Papas & Beer is a lively discotec that caters to locals and tourists alike, and boasts of being the largest beach club on the west coast. For the more sedate crowd, Hussong’s Cantina has served beer, tequila and margaritas to an enthusiastic bi-national crowd in downtown Ensenada since 1892. Fifteen minutes south the Estero Beach Hotel & Resort has an excellent beachfront restaurant and bar.
Wander the commercial and artisan zone, known locally as Calle Primera, and visit the Ensenada Fish Market – a fun place, and if you can spot the fresh catches, you'll have some good eating. Near the villa you'll also find familiar fare: Starbucks, McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King and some Thai and Chinese restaurants. Comercial Mexicana is a large supermarket nearby, and you'll also find the 24-hour convenience store OXXO.
The villa is also less than a mile from a large shopping center, MacroPlaza del Mar which includes Walmart, Home Depot, Applebee’s, Office Max, Tel-Cel (for cell phones), a cinema, a fully equipped gym, and a billiard room.
INCLUDES
- Drinking and dancing
- Local markets
- Shopping
adventures & day trips
explore for fun
wanderlust in ensenada.
If you want to enjoy the sun and sand, try out the waves on your surfboard. Go sport fishing, diving, boating, or whale watching (from January to March). Twelve miles south of the villa, check out Las Cañadas – they offer swimming, boating, water slides and even zip lining. For life on land, try horseback riding, bird watching or golf with panoramic mountain views at the Baja Country Club just fifteen minutes south. Bajamar Ocean Front Golf Resort features a 27-hole championship golf course, restaurant, bar and pool.
Explore one of the best natural attractions Baja California has to offer: La Bufadora is a the second highest marine geyser in the world located on the Punta Banda Peninsula, about 40 minutes from the villa. The spout of sea water is the result of air trapped in a sea cave, exploding upwards. Enjoy a stunning view of the bay, and try some of the tamale stands along the way before arriving to watch this beautiful natural phenomenon.
Visit the Center of the Arts of Ensenada (CEARTE) featuring the creations of local artists who exhibit their works and enrich the artist's relationship with the public. CEARTE hosts free art exhibitions and cultural events year round, including live theater and concerts, all free. CEARTE can be found next to the fabulous Hotel Riviera – a grand hotel built right at the water’s edge specifically to take advantage of prohibition in the states. Sit and sip a margarita and soak in the history.
INCLUDES
- Water adventures
- Gorgeous natural scenery
- Cultural arts and events