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Ensenada Mexico
Ensenada's main downtown area is as tourist-friendly as Mexico gets. The city's merchandise selection is extensive, and shopping is concentrated along a single street — Boulevard Lopez Mateos. Just a block from the waterfront, this shopping section attracts mostly cruise passengers and day trippers who browse for an afternoon. Many of Tijuana's top stores have Ensenada branches on Lopez Mateos. But there's far more to do here than shop. Ensenada is the heart of Mexico's wine country, and eight wineries in Baja's "Bordeaux Belt" of sheltered valleys near Ensenada produce almost 90 percent of Mexico's wines. The scenery — picturesque vineyards surrounded by mountains — alone merits a trip to Ensenada. Inexpensive tours and tasting is offered six days a week by several Guadalupe Valley and Ensenada wineries, and the mid-August wine festival, sponsored by the area's Wine Brotherhood, is one of Baja's most popular annual events. Known as the "Cinderella of the Pacific", Ensenada is located 70 miles south of the international border, a 90-minute drive from San Diego. Its warm Mediterranean climate, friendly atmosphere and accessibility by land, air, and sea have made Ensenada a favorite tourist destination for many years, and Mexico's second most-visited port-of-call for major cruise lines and pleasure boats.
Ensenada Hotel & Resort Accommodations
Where: 75 miles south of the border, an easy drive of just over an hour. Three tolls total about $6.15 one way. Spectacular coastal scenery en route rivals Big Sur. Best time to visit: Year-round. The weather is similar to San Diego's coastal areas, with pleasant ocean breezes in the downtown area in summer and a balmy, mountain-valley climate northeast of the city in the wine country. Cost: Inexpensive by California standards. Cheaper, overall, for hotels and meals than Tijuana, but a bit more expensive than Rosarito. Culture shock: None. Credit cards are accepted at most major restaurants and shops. English is spoken almost everywhere in the main tourist areas. Dollars are accepted everywhere. Kid-friendly: Absolutely. Curio shopping in the downtown area; lots of fun at the fishing pier; beach activities south of town, with calm water and good shelling along Punta Banda.
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