One place we always have to visit in Baja is Los Cerritos… Nestled into a cozy little corner of the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, with the Sierra de la Laguna mountains on one side, and the Pacific Ocean on the other, if you didn’t know where you were going, you would likely miss Los Cerritos altogether. You can see the small, but growing, oceanside community from the highway when you’re heading north on Highway 19 on the hour-long drive from Cabo San Lucas. If you continued past and drove through the sweet little farming town of El Pescadero, in another fifteen minutes you’d arrive at the “Pueblo Magico” of Todos Santos.
Although this dusty mix of homes, small condos, bars, and restaurants is in a state of rapid development right now, it somehow still holds a warm, calm vibe that people quickly fall in love with. There is a certain kind of kindness from both the native and expat locals, as well as other travellers that has been unmatched anywhere else I’ve been.
Being up early enough to watch the vibrant sunrise over the mountains is a special gift in itself, but being down on the beach watching it drop below the sea and have the infamous deserted Hacienda hotel’s silhouette in front is not something to be missed while here either.
The Beach – Playa Los Cerritos
Los Cerritos Beach is easily the most popular beach in the Pescadero & Todos Santos area due to its reasonably safe waters for swimming, as well as surf for all skill levels. It’s often called one of the two best surf breaks on the peninsula’s Pacific side, with the other being San Pedrito, a little more advanced, and not far up the coast. People come here from all over to take advantage of the many options for private surf lessons right here on Cerritos Beach.
Surf schools & rentals:
You can simply just walk onto the beach and find a surf instructor. They all set up shop right there on the sand. You can’t miss the tents lined by the rows of surfboards as soon as you arrive.
The Food Scene
One thing that people certainly enjoy is the food and drink scene here in Cerritos. There is always something new opening up, and word spreads fast! Just this winter while we were here, two restaurants opened right on the beach, and there are two more under construction as I write this. You can satisfy any craving, from fresh seafood, to traditional Mexican, pizza, burgers and other tastes of “home” you may miss. Many of the restaurants have live music in the evenings with craft cocktails, local craft beer or a good old-fashioned Margarita to enjoy while watching the sun set over the ocean or behind the desert mountains.
My top restaurants:
Barracuda Cantina – they have my favourite Margarita in Cerritos, happy hour is 3-4pm. They have a relaxed, beach vibe with friendly service, and they just opened their second location in Cerritos that is right on the beach, the other is not far up the road from it.
Casa Maya – short walk from the beach, sushi, seafood, steak, pastas and excellent cocktails
Shaka’s Delicious Wood Cantina – Shaka’s can be a great time, with friendly staff and regulars, a beautiful outdoor area with a campfire area, and regular live music. Their menu has traditional Mexican as well as burgers, beef dip sandwiches and meatball subs for those missing traditional American fare. Happy hour is 4-6pm.
Freesouls – Freesouls is just a good vibe. With excellent views of the ocean from above, a rooftop pool, and a creative menu with tequila and mezcal-focused cocktails. Happy hour 4-6pm.
Baja Burrito – best quick lunch… and if you’re like me and can’t finish the super burrito in one sitting, you get dinner too! It can be a little hard to find, just ask around and someone will point you in the right direction. Or watch for the sign on your left when you’re coming in on the main road from the highway.
Don Nachos Café – The Nachos Supreme are a must, and the Passionfruit Mezcalitas are to die for! You must go on a Thursday night and play Loteria, the Mexican form of Bingo that is so much fun!
Our fave pizza: Pizza Sanchez in Pescadero, right off Highway 19 on the northbound side before you hit Pescadero.
Fave tacos: Carnitas Machin in Pescadero, right on the Highway 19 on the northbound side as well.
Fave coffee: Cerritos Beach Dogs, proceeds go to help care for the dogs in the shelter, which you can visit while you sip
Farmers Markets
- Friday: Todos Santos Organic Market 9-2pm
- Saturday: Gypseas Farmers Market, Pescadero 10-3pm
- Sunday: Baja Beans Cafe’s Farmers Market, Pescadero 8-2 (cafe roasts their own beans too)
Where to Stay
Hotels, Villas & Casitas
- Cerritos Beach Inn – right on the beach, and has a pool and restaurant
- Hotel So Far So Good – short walk to the beach, sustainability-focused boutique hotel
- Villas de Cerritos Beach – villas, bungalows & casitas, pool, pizza restaurant and walkable to beach
- Cerritos Surf Town – beachfront villas, restaurant on site
- many private homes available now on AirBnB
RV Camping
- Casa Caravan – full hookups, pool, small and tight
- Cerritos Boutique RV – full hookups, no small kids allowed, bathroom/showers, walkable to beach
- Clay Cactus Caravan – dry camping, water available, communal kitchen, outlets to share via solar, walkable to beach
- Rancho Escondido RV – just across the highway from Cerritos, partial hookups (water/septic), bathrooms & showers, outdoor kitchen & palapa, family-friendly & quiet
- **NOTE the popular beach lot that used to have dry camping for $20/night has been sold and closed, however, I have seen others boondocking in some beach access lots in South Cerritos
- more campgrounds are popping up every spring!
Lower Baja Day Trip Options From Los Cerritos
Todos Santos
If you take Highway 19 fifteen minutes north, you’ll come to the “Pueblo Mágico”, or magic town, of Todos Santos. Mexico’s Secretariat of Tourism names the Pueblo Mágicos to certain towns that hold specific historical relevance and keep cultural richness in both experience and architecture. Todos Santos was originally developed by Jesuit missionaries in the 1700’s. You must see the old mission “Nuestra Señor de Pilar de La Paz” and wander the plaza surrounding it. This is also a great place to spend a couple hours shopping, viewing the art galleries, and grab a meal in one of the many fabulous restaurants.
Day trip to Los Cabos
“Los Cabos” translates in to “the capes”. Baja has Cabo San Lucas, and San Jose del Cabo. They are about 30 km apart, and quite different. You can drive about an hour to get to either one from Cerritos for a nice day trip or to spend a weekend, or more…
Cabo San Lucas, often just called “Cabo”, is at the famous “Land’s End”, the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It’s the place to go if you’re looking for a party, and is more tourism-driven than the two. If you go here, you must check out the marina, and have a meal overlooking it. Two of the most popular “touristy” bars include Cabo Wabo, which is near the marina, and The Office, which is right on the beach and has nice views of Land’s End.
San Jose Del Cabo is a much older, historic town with a rich food and art scene (and in my opinion, much prettier. We like to go here for extended stays and golf and explore the “old town” and the plaza. Also, if you have kids, they have a drop-in day care called Cabo Kids, which is really handy if you want to do some kid-free exploring, or like us, go golfing right down the road. Awesome thing about the golf course here: green fees include all your beverages and a meal you can enjoy before or after your round, or after the first nine.
BONUS SIDE TRIP FROM SAN JOSE: One of our favourite drives, East Cape Road, goes from here up to Cabo Pulmo National Park, a renowned diving location. This road is stacked with amazing beaches for picnics and has the best whale watching.
Day trip to La Paz
La Paz, Baja’s California Sur’s capital city, is bigger and busier than Los Cabos. We like it because it’s a little less touristy. You get a little more of an authentic Mexican city feel, but still can find a lot of things to do tourism-wise. When we stay here we always visit Playa Balandra, Baja’s most famous beach. Many people come to La Paz to snorkel and scuba dive, and most often, swim with Whale Sharks!
Other things to do when you visit the Los Cerritos area of Baja:
- go on a UTV adventure tour
- go hiking in the mountains
- go whale watching
- go horseback riding, or on a guided camel ride
- explore many other beautiful beaches: Las Palmas, San Pedrito, La Pastora…
- baby sea turtle release in Todos Santos
- go on a fishing charter
- try one of the MANY amazing yoga studios or other fitness classes
- take a pottery or paint class
- take a Spanish lesson
…the possibilities are endless!
Did you know that ending up down here in lower Baja was the end of an epic road trip that we took in our RV across Canada and down the west coast of the USA?! If not, check out the story here:
You can also read the article listing our favourite west coast campgrounds from this trip here:
Feel free to reach out to us if you decide to visit Los Cerritos, Baja! We’d love to hear from you!
Stay Itchy!
