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ENSENADA, the Cinderella of the Pacific

Are you looking for low-key sandy beaches, Mediterranean weather, and delicious cuisine? Look no more, because this fairy-tale-of-a-place exists and coincidentally is known as the Cinderella of the Pacific, or Ensenada. Get a glimpse of this pacific princess at http://www.patawalk.com.

Ensenada, which roughly translates to “little bay”, has been nicknamed the Cinderella of the Pacific due to how low-key or underrated this fairy-tale destination really is. It’s worth mentioning that Ensenada is located within driving distance of San Diego, CA and Tijuana. The city is home to the 3rd largest port in Mexico. It not only serves as a commercial port, but it is an important cruise ship port of call year-round.

Ensenada was first discovered by a Portuguese explorer named Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. Interestingly, Cabrillo named this place Bahia de San Mateo (Saint Matthew’s Bay). Cabrillo was operating under the Spanish crown. It wasn’t until about sixty years later when the Spanish soldier, Sebastian Vizcaino arrived that the city’s named was changed to Bahia Ensenada de Todos los Santos (Little Bay of All Saints). Ensenada’s history is so rich and interesting that telling you about it would not suffice; that’s why I recommend visiting one of the city’s various museums, historical buildings, and missions.

You should definitely begin your trail by visiting Museo Historico Regional (Regional Historical Museum). You’ll be surprised to know that the museum is housed by the city’s oldest building, which was built in 1886. This particular building had many uses before it became a museum. At one point it used to be a jail, a hospital, military barracks, and even a school. Today, it is an awesome museum with rooms dedicated to specific exhibitions. For instance, two rooms are dedicated to the early settles of Baja California. There’s a room dedicated to various ethnic groups, another room to objects of the 19th and 20th centuries, and there’s even a room that’ll show you what this place was like when it was a jail.

Centro Civico Cultural Riviera del Pacifico (Cultural Civic Center) is another place you must visit in order to learn about Ensenada’s culture and history. This building was built over a group of dunes back in 1928 and used to be a luxurious and opulent hotel and casino. It was adorned by artifacts and materials from all over the world including Persian rugs, Italian marble, and Chinese screens. And, indeed, this is definitely one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen! Inside you’ll find an open-air theater, some of the casino rooms still intact, a few awe-inspiring murals, a interesting clock known as Reloj de la Amistad (Clock of Friendship), and you’ll even find Museo de Historia de Ensenada (Museum of Ensenada’s History). Within walking distance you’ll find Plaza Civica, which is a small plaza featuring three giant head sculptures of three of Mexico’s heroes. It’s just really cool to take a picture next to the giant heads. Speaking of huge, next to this plaza you absolutely can’t miss the Bandera Monumental (Monumental Flag), which is aptly named for it is a monumental-sized Mexican flag

About a block away from the flag you’ll find the famous fish market, or as it is locally known El Mercado Negro (The Black Market). But don’t worry, for despite its name there’s nothing illegal going on here but the selling of all kinds of fish ready for you to take and cook. Among the various product available you’ll find octopus, smoked fished (which is already cooked and you can even get a sample), oysters, tuna, shrimp, shark, and the list keeps going on. The fish market is surrounded by small eateries where you must enjoy the Ensenada-born, world-famous fish tacos, shrimp cocktails, ceviche, or maybe even a siete mares (seven seas) which is a stew made with fish, shrimp, octopus, and vegetables. Now that sounds delicious! After you enjoy a delicious meal you can continue walking around and pick up a nice memento in one of the neighboring small shops. If you’re still in the mood for walking and shopping then you must cross the street from the fish market and enter Paseo Calle Primera (First Street Stroll). This entire street is filled with a great diversity of restaurants, bars, and specialty shops that sell everything from jewelry, crafts, clothing, water sports equipments, and even leather goods. Anything you can think of, you’ll find on this street alone. During the day, this street is very lively, but at night it is truly blasting with joviality, life, and laughter. First Street becomes the headquarters of Ensenada’s night life and if there’s one spot you must enjoy a margarita is Cantina Hussong’s, Papas & Beer and Viva Wings. On a side note, it is said that the famous Margarita drink was invented in Ensenada.

When you visit Ensenada you will have the experience of a lifetime, and one such activity that will bring this about is Gray Whale Watching. Although there are various species of whales present in this area, the gray whale predominates. The gray whale migrates from the north and has picked the ocean by Ensenada as the place for calving, or to give birth. I wonder if that makes gray whales of Mexican nationality. The best time to catch one of these sightings is between November and March. Seeing a whale being born, talk about a life-changing event! Another impressive gift from Mother Nature is La Bufadora, a truly impressive blowhole. It is said that La Bufadora is the result of an earthquake causing a slit in one of the boulders. La Bufadora is only the second largest blowhole in the world! When the waves crash against the boulders, it causes the water to shoot upwards reaching up to 65 feet in the air. There’s a designated area where you can watch this up close and personal, so much that you’ll definitely get splashed. And if you like diving, this is an excellent place to do so.

Having the Pacific Ocean at its feet, Ensenada counts with various beautiful beaches that lend themselves to an array of water activities. You have to go to Estero Beach, the most popular beach in Ensenada. It is the spot for you, if you’re into water sports. This particular beach has other attractions that include a museum featuring over 40 years of Mexican folklore and history, you can go on a hike and observe an innumerable array of vegetation, you can even have the opportunity to observe over 60 species of birds that migrate all the way from Alaska and Canada. Another activity for your delight, and courtesy of Mother Nature, is the thermal waters where you can indulge in and that are so great for your skin.

Isla de Todos Santos (Isle of All Saints), is a gorgeous isle located off the coast of Ensenada. You can easily catch a boat ride there and don’t forget your surfboard. This is the “it” destination for surfer aficionados worldwide. But if you’re not a surfer, you can still enjoy the beautiful sights and even visit one of the two lighthouses, one of which is still in use today.

If you wish to take a break from the beach, why not take a tour of one of the many wineries located just outside the city in Valle de Guadalupe. Cavas Valmar is one winery I recommend. It is owned by a French family and as so the winery has been created in a very French manner. You can also take a tour of Bodegas de Santo Tomas (Wineries of Saint Thomas), which is the oldest wine producer of the entire state of Baja California. On a side note, this particular winery used to house military barracks back in the early 1910′s. What’s best about this winery is that at the end of the tour not only are you treated to some impressive wine tasting, but it is accompanied by some exquisite cheese and bread. There’s also Casa Pedro Domecq whose orchard fields adorn the road to Ensenada.

So before you pack your bikini, sunscreen, and surfboard, come admire the Cinderella of the Pacific at http://www.patawalk.com! This princess is sure to take your breath away.

About the Author

I’m an English instructor. I love my career because it allows me to work with students of all ages (from children in kindergarten to mature adults in college) and walks of life. I have a B.A. in English from San Diego State University and have recently obtained my M.A., also in English, from National University. During my free time I travel and write short articles for the Patawalk Virtual Tours website (www.patawalk.com). This site takes visitors into fully mapped virtual tours in 360 formats of amazing places such as Cancun, Mexico. It’s like being there!

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