Mexico, Te Quiero

The huz and I spent another amazing weekend in Rosarito last week.

It saddens me to see the city so deserted,

but the upside is that we get treated like royalty every time we visit.

Perfect beach, amazing suite, great friends, and tons of tequila.

Who could ask for anything better?

Thursday Travel Tips

Once again,

this Thursday's Travel Tips

are inspired by our latest getaway.

Today I'm gonna tell you about why you should head down south,

specifically to Rosarito, Mexico.

There have been so many stories in the past few years,

advising tourists to stay away from this beautiful country.

Do I think it's safe to go to Mexico?

Yes.
For the most part.

Here's my opinion on the whole thing:

Go.

Have a good time,

but don't get belligerent and stumble out of a club at 3 in the morning by yourself.

Follow that advice and you should be golden.

Do my friends and I still party when we head south of the border?

Of course!

I meaaaan... have you seen my two latest posts?

Just do it responsibly people!

Stay with a group of friends,

and exercise alertness.

Something you should be doing anyway,

not only in Mexico,

but in every part of the world.

Let me tell you...

I've seen a fair share of drunk girls stumbling out of nightclubs right here in my home city.

Not classy ladies. Not in the least.

So now that the "safety" talk is over and done with,

let's talk about what you CAN and SHOULD do in Baja.

Where to stay:

There are so many fabulous options around Rosarito.

If you're looking for a relaxing experience,

drive just a few miles past Rosarito,

and stay at Las Rocas.

This is where we stayed last weekend,

and I cannot say enough great things about the place!

We were treated like royalty the whole time,

the rooms are beautiful (ours had this amazing vaulted ceiling),

there are two infinity pools overlooking the pacific ocean,

the food at the onsite restaurant is bomb,

oh,

and did I mention there's a karaoke bar?

 Yeah buddy.

View from our room at Las Rocas

The ceiling of our suite at Las Rocas

If you're looking to party,

your best bet is to stay smack dab in the middle of the strip,

at the Rosarito Beach Hotel.

The huzband and I stayed here way back in the day,

when we were first dating.

It's a fun spot right on the beach,

and is walking distance to most bars and restaurants.

Where to eat:

I feel so fortunate to live in such close proximity to a place that's known around the world for their lobster.

If you're a seafood lover,

Puerto Nuevo will be your new heaven.

Drive just a few minutes past Rosarito,

and you'll find yourself in the "Lobster Capital of Baja".

Whenever we're down there,

we head straight to Villa Ortegas.

Stunning views and affordable prices will keep you coming back too!

For about $20 you can indulge in fresh buttery lobster,

rice, beans, amaaaazing tortillas and a whole lot more.

I'm telling you,

this place is a MUST!

What to do:

Well besides the obvious beach-side activities,

there's plenty to do in Rosarito.

I've already talked about wine-tasting in my last post,

and you can always do the touristy options of horseback riding on the beach,

or renting jet skis and kayaks.

One thing that we didn't get to do this time around,

but that I'm really looking forward to during our next venture,

is the movie tour of Fox Studios,

located right there, in the middle of Rosarito.

Oh yeah,

did you know that Titanic and Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed there?

So awesome.. can't wait to check it out!


So what do you think about Rosarito?
Have you ever been?
Do you have any suggestions for me for our next trip?
Please share.

Wine Tasting in Valle de Guadalupe

While we were in Mexico last weekend,

we decided to go on a wine-tasting tour.

Our concierge hooked us up with a private driver,

who proceeded to escort us around Valle de Guadalupe,

aka Mexican wine country. 

The experience was like nothing any of us ever expected. 

Our day started out with a 45 minute drive away from Rosarito Beach,

and into the mountains above Ensenada. 

During our tour,

our guide wowed us with endless information about how the wine country came to be. 

During the 17th century,

the Spanish government began taking advantage of the valley's Mediterranean climate

by planting vines throughout the countryside. 

Other European countries soon followed,

and soon,

Baja began building a reputation for producing wines that were comparable to those of Napa.

Perhaps the biggest revelation for me,

was to learn about the large Russian settlement in Guadalupe Valley.

At the beginning of the 20th century, 

over 100 Russian families came as part of a Russian Orthodox Church dissidence that was welcomed in Mexico. 

Hence the existence of several Russian wineries that sit among the beautiful valleys - 

which brings me to the first winery we visited,

Bibayoff Vineyard.

From there,

we headed towards another small Russian winery-

Samarin vineyard.

There we enjoyed some delicious fresh cheese and authentic Russian bread,

along with some apple pie, 

and of course,

wine!

Fresh cheese.

Fresh olive oil spreads. 

One hungry husband.

After indulging in several baked goods,

and even more glasses of wine,

we stumbled back to the car

and proceeded to our next destination.

LA Cetto is the largest winery in Mexico.

Their wines are distributed all over the world, 

and have earned more than 150 awards from some of the most prestigious wine competitions. 

The landscape around this vineyard is breathtaking,

and the cellars are incredibly sophisticated. 

Call me ignorant,

but I had no idea anything like this existed in the mountains of Baja. 

Well now I know,

and I'm sharing this info with you so you can get your butts out there and enjoy it for yourself.

And finally,

to finish off our day,

we stopped by a winery that specializes in dessert wine.

Can anyone say yum?!

Hubby with our awesome tour guide.

My friend and I with Victor, the winery owner.

So what do you think?

Have I convinced you to venture out to the Mexican Wine Country or what?!