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 walkable 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.
