Ensenada Profile
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| A friendly town easily accessible by car from Southern California, or fly into Tijuana. Major commercial port with beaches north and south of town |
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| Swimming | | | Hotel pools in Ensenada, beaches north and south of town proper |
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| Surfing | | | Good surfing in Santo Tomas north of town. Camping available. Best time is fall and winter - bring a wetsuit. |
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| Snorkeling | | | Wave action makes water murky, water rough |
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| Diving | | | Water isn't often clear, but diving is possible here and offshore at Islas Todos Santos |
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| Bike Riding | | | Rosarito to Ensenada Fun Bike Ride in April & Sept. |
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| Fishing | | | Sportfishing fleets out of Ensenada |
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| Hiking | | | Backcountry hiking in Sierra San Pedro Martir south of Ensenada |
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| Walking | | | Stroll the malecon; hike to Chapultepec neighborhood for aerobics and view |
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| Golf | | | north to Bajamar and Real del Mar, two 18-hole courses |
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| Kayaking | | | good kayaking around Punta Banda, watch out for rocks | |
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| Boating | | | Marina at Hotel Coral & Marina, boat launch at Estero Beach Hotel |
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| Sailing | | | Annual Newport Beach to Ensenada regatta in April. Large marina does repairs. |
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| Good Food | | | Lobster tacos with flour tortillas; battered-and-fried fish tacos; grilled quail; tuna steaks; Mexico’s finest wineries; restaurants serving cutting edge, wine-driven dishes |
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| Art | | | Guadalupe Gallery has charming color etchings |
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| Club Scene | | | Hussongs for nostalgia with locals and visitors; other bars for young people |
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| Supermarket | | | Plenty of large supermarkets and warehouse-style stores |
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| Museums | | | Small but good museums of California history |
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| Spanish School | | | Baja California Spanish Language School has techie and cooking classes |
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| Tennis | | | Mostly at resort hotels |
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| Handicrafts | | | Some Kumeyaay baskets and pottery; mostly knicknacks though |
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| Shopping | | | Tons of shops, although they mostly sell similar souvenirs and knock-off handbags; fine jewelry expensive, geared to cruise ship pax |
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| Movies | | | A multi-cinema with English-language flicks |
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| Desert | | | Ten inches of rain a year; an arid landscape |
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| Mountains | | | San Pedro Martir mountains in the background |
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| Ocean | | | On the ocean, but a major commercial port |
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| Town | | | feels like an overgrown town |
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| City | | | Small city of 370,000 |
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| Humid | | | Only when it's raining |
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| Single | | | Plenty of action at local cantinas, bars |
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| Luxurious | | | Nicer hotels are north of town, but not exactly luxurious |
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| EnglishSpeaking | | | Many foreigners, most Mexicans speak good English too |
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| International Airport | | | About 1.5 hours away, near Otay Mesa in Tijuana |
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| Border | | | About 1.25 hours from the US border via the toll road |
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| Expensive Hotels | | | Best Western, Days Inn |
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Camping/RV | | | Camping for RVs or tents on any beach; campsites at Punda Banda and north of town too |
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Weather | | | The weather in Ensenada is good all year round. The summers are 70 to 80 degrees. The winters 50 to 70 and cool at night. It is a dry climate with most of the rain coming in the winter months especially January. The ocean water is cold year round - much colder than in San Diego due to an Alaskan current. |
