The Resurgence of this Mexican Region: A Remarkable Comeback

The border towns of northern Baja California were once the popular destinations for Mexico travel, long before Cabo, Cancun, or even Acapulco. Hollywood stars, mobsters, and millionaires flocked to Tijuana and Mexicali between the two world wars for horseracing, jai alai, and bullfights, as well as quickie marriages and divorces, gambling, opium dens, and illegal booze during Prohibition in the United States.

Rudolph Valentino, a silent film icon, tied the knot with his Russian love in Mexicali, with the mayor presiding over the ceremony. Rita Hayworth was "discovered" as a teenage dancer in a Tijuana floor show, while Al Capone found refuge in a castle-like hideaway at Rosarito Beach.

The rise of affordable modern air travel shifted the focus away from the border towns and deeper into Mexico. However, the northern part of Baja California state is experiencing a revival, thanks in part to Ensenada's emergence as a major cruise port, the transformation of the Guadalupe Valley into a wine and dining destination, and the maquiladora factory-fueled renaissance of Tijuana and Mexicali.

You can visit each of these places individually or take a road trip starting at the bustling San Ysidro-Tijuana border crossing south of San Diego. From there, you can cruise along the coastal toll road to Ensenada, make a detour to the Guadalupe Valley, and end your journey in Mexicali in the Baja desert before crossing the border back into the US.

While Tijuana, like some parts of Mexico, has been affected by cartel-related violence, this is rare in the main tourism areas. Such violence is even rarer in Ensenada, Mexicali, and the wine country.

All three cities are connected by modern, multilane highways, and it's important to note that Mexican liability insurance is required for those driving themselves. Alternatively, visitors who are not comfortable driving in Baja can cross the San Ysidro border on foot and easily connect with a professional driver through companies like Tijuana-based Sibaria Tours.

Heres why northern Baja could be a great addition to your Mexico travel bucket list:

Ensenada has emerged as a major cruise port.

Courtesy Baja California Tourism Board

Top wine and dining spots in the Guadalupe Valley

Boasting over 100 wineries, a selection of trendy hotels, and top-tier dining options, not to mention its convenient location just a short 1.25-hour drive from the San Ysidro border crossing, the Valle de Guadalupe near Ensenada has solidified its position as a prominent wine tourism destination.

Adobe Guadalupe takes inspiration from the early 1800s, when padre Felix Caballero first planted grapes in the valley to make altar wine. The Gabriela Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon blend is one of many standout Adobe Guadalupe wines, each named for archangels.

Nestled at the valley's edge, Viña de Frannes offers excellent Legat Cabernet Franc and Legat Chardonnay, complemented by a cactus garden and breathtaking desert views.

Viña de Frannes pairs great wines with a cactus garden and dreamy desert views.

Some valley restaurants have gained global recognition. At Fauna restaurant on the Bruma winery estate, guests can enjoy a modern Mexican lunch in the open-air dining room with dishes like quinoa with cactus, pork chochoyotes, and broccoli chiltepin.

Varied terrain ripe for adventure

Last year, Deckmans en el Mogor was honored as one of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America. Situated at the end of a dirt road, this hip ranch-style restaurant serves top-notch steaks, seafood, and Baja-style omakase.

Northern Baja offers the perfect landscape for a variety of outdoor adventure activities, including sandboarding in the Cuervitos Dunes, sea kayaking off the Ensenada coast, and the Baja Coast to Coast Traverse hike. Adixiontour is a great local outfitter that can help facilitate these experiences.

Experience thrilling adventures in Baja by participating in 4x4 dune bashing, swimming with whale sharks in the Bahía de los Ángeles, or backpacking wilderness trails in pine-studded Constitución de 1857 or Sierra de San Pedro Mártir national parks in the Baja mountains.

The Cuervitos Dunes offer sandboarding adventures just east of Mexicali.

Courtesy Baja California Tourism Board

In Northern Baja, you can find some of the most challenging rock climbing in North America, with El Gran Trono Blanco (The Great White Throne) near La Rumorosa being a standout. Renowned climbers like Alex Honnold and Will Stanhope have successfully scaled the 1,200-foot vertical wall.

Cocktail history

Several iconic cocktails have origin stories tied to northern Baja.

The old La Playa Hotel & Casino in Ensenada boasts that one of its bartenders created the margarita in 1948 and named it after resort owner Marjorie "Margarita" King. Although the resort is no longer standing, Bar Andaluz continues to thrive as part of the Riviera Cultural Center. Meanwhile, Hussongs Cantina in the city also has its own story about the origin of the margarita.

The clamato cocktail, consisting of vodka, tomato juice, clam juice, Tabasco sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, was originally created in 1966 at the Acueducto Piano Bar in the Hotel Lucerna Mexicali, according to the hotel. If you add beer to the clam juice, you have a Chavela cocktail, a refreshing beverage that was invented and continues to be served at Bar la Conga in the historic center of the border city.

The Acueducto Piano Bar in the Hotel Lucerna Mexicali claims to be the birthplace of the clamato cocktail.

Joe Yogerst

Designer digs

Gone are the days when romantic, hacienda-style hotels reigned supreme. In today's world, the stylish designer accommodations in northern Baja's Guadalupe Valley wine country steal the spotlight.

At Encuentro Guadalupe, you'll find 20 futuristic wood, steel, and glass cabins elevated on stilts along a rugged mountainside. These minimalist havens offer stunning views of the valley, complemented by a chic pool and restaurant terrace.

The Hotel Contemplación, located in the valley bottom, provides spacious modern villas with panoramic windows and outdoor firepits or seating areas, along with a fantastic restaurant and a swimming pool offering breathtaking sunset views.

Meanwhile, the adult-only K Tower urban boutique hotel, situated 65 miles (105 kilometers) to the north in Tijuana, boasts a rooftop cocktail bar and swimming pool, billiards lounge, and stylish lofts inspired by the golden age of Mexican and American cinema.

The Hotel Contemplación is a stylish Guadalupe Valley wine country retreat.

Joe Yogerst

In Mexicali, about 115 miles due east of Tijuana, theres a brand-new Fairfield Inn, not the old-fashioned motel type but a new high-rise boutique version with a cool indoor lap pool.

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An exploding craft beer scene in Mexicali

The dry, hot desert weather in Mexicali has earned the city a reputation as one of the top per capita beer drinking cities in the world, joining the ranks of Prague and Dublin.

Although Mexicali and Tecate beers have been around since the 1920s and 1940s, the craft beer scene is now at the forefront of Baja's beer culture. Cervecería Icono, for example, has set up shop in a historic factory building that was once home to Mexicali Beer.

Cine Curto in Mexicali has been transformed from a 1940s cinema into a trendy food and beverage complex, making it one of the best places to sample local craft beer. Enjoy live tunes on weekend afternoons and evenings while sipping on beer from Hornet, Nu Cali, Desertor, and other local breweries.

For those who love dark beer, make sure to check out the swarthy Mexican pale ales produced by the Amante Brew Company in Mexicali's Nueva neighborhood, including Sally, Sofia, Rita, and Panocha.

Mexicalis above and below ground Chinatown

In the early 1900s, Chinese laborers were brought in to excavate irrigation canals and labor in the cotton fields of northern Baja. Eventually, many of them established businesses and eateries in Mexicali, going so far as to carve out spaces beneath the ground to evade the sweltering desert heat.

During the US Prohibition, the underground Chinatown saw a surge in activity as Americans sought out booze, gambling, and other vices that were banned back home. Today, Mexicali is home to over 350 Chinese restaurants and its La Chinesca (Chinatown) is a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can take a two-hour guided tour (available only in Spanish) through restored underground rooms, which include a vintage casino and a Buddhist temple.

Down the street, the new Wok Museum offers an interactive history of Chinese food, cooks and restaurants in the Baja burg.

The humble tostada rises to lofty heights at La Guerrerense in Ensenada.

Joe Yogerst

Out-of-this-world Mexican cuisine

Elevating the Tostada: La Guerrerense in Ensenada takes the humble tostada to new heights. For almost 50 years, Sabina Bandera, the owner and chef, has been crafting incredible seafood combinations atop her tortillas. From sea urchin and clams to fish paté with scallops, sea snail ceviche, and crab salad with shrimp, octopus, and scallops, the tostada has never been so grand.

Discover a wide variety of modern Mexican dishes at Telefónica Gastro Park in Tijuana, including Mexican-style hotdogs at Humo and lamb and rabbit tacos at Satabu.

Step back in time at Caesars in downtown Tijuana, where the famous Caesar salad was first created in 1924 by restauranteur Caesar Cardini to appease a surge of American customers on the Fourth of July by using whatever items were available in the kitchen.

The dining scene in Mexicali features a variety of options, including upscale Chinese restaurants like Imperial Garden Madero and contemporary Mexican cuisine at the new Corazón Artesano. For a taste of traditional Mexican fare, visitors can head to old-time outposts such as La Casita del Árbol and Mi Ranchito on the outskirts of Mexicali, where they can enjoy huevos rancheros, machacas, chilaquiles and other early morning favorites as they head into the Baja desert.

And a little desert roadside stall called Ruta del Dátil makes a mean date shake, a tasty cool-down after sandboarding the dunes.