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Ensenada
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Ensenada Retirement Profile

A friendly town easily accessible by car from Southern California, or fly into Tijuana. Major commercial port with beaches north and south of town

Swimming
Hotel pools in Ensenada, beaches north and south of town proper

Surfing
Good surfing in Santo Tomas north of town. Camping available. Best time is fall and winter - bring a wetsuit.

Snorkeling
Wave action makes water murky, water rough

Diving
Water isn't often clear, but diving is possible here and offshore at Islas Todos Santos

Bike Riding
Rosarito to Ensenada Fun Bike Ride in April & Sept.

Fishing
Sportfishing fleets out of Ensenada

Hiking
Backcountry hiking in Sierra San Pedro Martir south of Ensenada

Walking
Stroll the malecon; hike to Chapultepec neighborhood for aerobics and view

Golf
north to Bajamar and Real del Mar, two 18-hole courses

Kayaking
good kayaking around Punta Banda, watch out for rocks

Boating
Marina at Hotel Coral & Marina, boat launch at Estero Beach Hotel

Sailing
Annual Newport Beach to Ensenada regatta in April. Large marina does repairs.

Good Food
Lobster tacos with flour tortillas; battered-and-fried fish tacos; grilled quail; tuna steaks; MexicoÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s finest wineries; restaurants serving cutting edge, wine-driven dishes

Art
Guadalupe Gallery has charming color etchings

Club Scene
Hussongs for nostalgia with locals and visitors; other bars for young people

Supermarket
Plenty of large supermarkets and warehouse-style stores

Museums
Small but good museums of California history

Spanish School
Baja California Spanish Language School has techie and cooking classes

Tennis
Mostly at resort hotels

Handicrafts
Some Kumeyaay baskets and pottery; mostly knicknacks though

Shopping
Tons of shops, although they mostly sell similar souvenirs and knock-off handbags; fine jewelry expensive, geared to cruise ship pax

Movies
A multi-cinema with English-language flicks

Desert
Ten inches of rain a year; an arid landscape

Mountains
San Pedro Martir mountains in the background

Ocean
On the ocean, but a major commercial port

Town
feels like an overgrown town

City
Small city of 370,000

Humid
Only when it's raining

Single
Plenty of action at local cantinas, bars

Luxurious
Nicer hotels are north of town, but not exactly luxurious

EnglishSpeaking
Close to the border, the stretch between Ensenada and Tijuana is loaded with ex-pats, many living by the border due to the cheaper rents and commuting to San Diego to work.

International Airport
About 1.5 hours away, near Otay Mesa in Tijuana

Border
About 1.25 hours from the US border via the toll road

Expensive Hotels
Best Western, Days Inn

Camping/RV
Camping for RVs or tents on any beach; campsites at Punda Banda and north of town too

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.