Lovely Loreto, Mexico

From Playa Santispac, located at the top of the Bahía Concepción, we had a 2-hour drive down Federal Highway 1 to the lovely historic town of Loreto on the Sea of Cortez.

The first 20 miles or so were along the Bahía Concepción coastline and this stretch of the drive was stunningly beautiful. I wish I had a better photo but this is the best we’ve got through our dirty windshield.

Loreto was the first Spanish settlement in the Californias, founded with Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó in 1697. It is a Pueblo Mágico, a town recognized by Mexico for its ‘magical’ qualities such as unique beauty, natural wonders, and historical or cultural significance.

We stayed at Bajazul Casitas and RV Park, a brand new RV park located in a fabulous location just a block from the central plaza and a block from the Malecón. It was a bit of a challenge to drive through Loreto’s streets to get here, but the location was worth it!

We loved walking along the Malecón in the afternoons. The water and Isla Coronado off the coast of Loreto are a national park. One of the best things to do here is take a boat ride out to Isla Coronado or even further out to look for blue whales which we didn’t get a chance to do this time. Michael says I’ve already booked enough wildlife tours for later this year.

We also enjoyed some yummy Mexican meals during our stay. We had cochinita pibil (pork marinated in citrus and chili) and mole at Mi Loreto, located right in the main plaza.

And burritos at Asadero Super Burro.

On Friday afternoon we drove 20 minutes on a bumpy road north of the town to have drinks and dinner at La Picazón, an off-grid restaurant on a remote beach known for great views and great seafood. We had clams only found in this area and a delicious seafood cocktail.

On Saturday we drove up into the mountains to see the town and mission in San Javier. Back in the mission days, Loreto proved to not be a great location because of a lack of fresh water, whereas San Javier had a spring.

This church is the 2nd oldest and one of the best-preserved missions in Baja.

Next up is a week in the capital city of Baja California Sur, La Paz.