When it comes to vacationing in Mexico, resort cities such as Cancun and Puerto Vallarta often get the most tourist traffic. If you want to go off the beaten path,  start looking at flights and car rental rates to Baja California, a land filled with desert dunes, crashing waves and abundant marine life. Here are hotels and resorts to stay at while you’re traveling around Baja.

1. Hotel Araiza Mexicali

If you’re heading south of the border through the capital of Baja California, Mexicali, then you might want to book a stay at Hotel Araiza Mexicali. Guests can enjoy paella and ceviche on Fridays and relax by the outdoor swimming pool.

2. Hotel Colonial Mexicali

If you’d rather spend money on experiences but still have a nice room, Hotel Colonial Mexicali might be more in your price range. The hotel is located within walking distance from the Plaza Cachanilla Shopping Center and the Sol de Niño Museum.

3. Rancho Tecate Resort

Heading east from Mexicali before you hit Tijuana lies the city of Tecate. During your stay in the city, sip on a glass of wine while touring the vineyards of Rancho Tecate. Rolling hills surround the villas at this resort and the staff is ready to help plan excursions including ziplining and horseback riding.

4. K Tower Hotel Boutique Urbano

As soon as you cross the border into Baja California, K Tower Hotel is ready to welcome guests with sweeping views of Tijuana from the rooftop pool. Photos of Mexican cultural icons including Cantinflas and Maria Felix adorn the walls of luxe suites.

5. Hotel Real del Río

This hotel in the Zona Río district of Tijuana, which is the modern business district of the city and is in walking distance from  parks and restaurants.

6.Hotel Real del Mar Golf Resort

Bring your golf clubs and hit the links at this resort in between Tijuana and Rosarito. Pink and white buildings in colonial architecture overlook the 18 hole golf course, tennis court and mission style church inside the facility.

7. Las Rocas Resort & Spa

After taking the scenic drive down Federal Highway 1D from Tijuana to Rosarito, you can stop overnight at Rosarito’s Las Rocas Resort & Spa. The resort has multiple infinity pools that overlook the Pacific Ocean, guaranteeing you some zen while you stretch out under the ocean breeze.

8. Rosarito Beach Hotel

This three-tower resort has enough accomodation for 500 rooms that overlook into the Pacific Ocean. Each building has its own pool and jacuzzi, and guests in the Coronado Tower can see Coronado Islands less than 10 miles away.

9. Hotel Castillos del Mar

Located five minutes from the center of Rosarito, Hotel Castillos del Mar has 33 oceanview rooms and boasts two private beaches. If you want to get a better view of the Pacific Ocean, take a stroll through the cliffside garden and palapa.

10. Puerto Nuevo Hotel & Villas

If you like to gram those foodie shots while globetrotting, make a pit stop at Puerto Nuevo, known as the “Lobster Village” of Baja California. Dine on some grilled lobster with a side of piping hot flour tortillas within a block from the Puerto Nuevo Hotel & Villas.

11. Bruma

Why not visit Mexico’s best-kept secret while you’re traveling through Baja? Valle de Guadalupe’s wine route sits tucked away between sloping hillsides and is finally being noticed as a global wine region although its grape beginnings has been rooted since the late 1800s. For a secluded getaway, book these boxed bed-and-breakfast suites designed by Alejandro D’Acosta at eco-luxury resort Bruma.

12. Adobe Guadalupe

If the rustic architecture is calling your name more than a modern suite, Adobe Guadalupe’s hacienda style is just as enchanting. Dine al fresco under olive trees at seasonal restaurant El Jardin, which is open between late spring and early autumn.

13. Estero Beach Hotel/Resort

This has been a mainstay for tourists in Ensenada since the 1950s and regularly hosts beach volleyball, tennis and soccer tournaments. Guests can choose between private rooms with patios and ocean views, or cottage units.

14. Bajamar Ocean Front

Bajamar’s golf resort includes 71 rooms and 10 junior suites in Spanish hacienda style architecture. Guests will either be provided views of the ocean or the gold course depending on which room they are booked in.

15. Hotel Mision Santa Maria – San Quintín

This expansive resort sits on the sundrenched coastal town of San Quintín, south of Ensenada. After walking around the courtyard complete with a fountain, relax on the beach after a round of beach volleyball by swinging in a hammock under a palapa.

16. Don Eddie’s Landing

If you are one of the thousands of tourists eager to reel in some fish off the coast of Baja, take a more casual approach to your lodging by staying at Don Eddie’s Landing Hotel and Sport Fishing Center. The 17-room hotel also has space to park trailers and RVs, and if you forgot some of your fishing equipment, the hotel has a sport fishing store on-site.

17. San Felipe Marina Resort

The western coast that hugs the Pacific Ocean isn’t the only coast that you can visit while traveling around Baja. Cross over the state to the Gulf of California to the city of San Felipe, where you can stay at the San Felipe Marina Resort. The beachfront retreat has a private beach and sits next to the Fonatur Marina.

18. Hotel El Cortéz

Named after the Sea of Cortez (another name the Gulf of California goes by), this hotel sits right in front of the ocean and is a little over 10 minutes walking distance from the Malecón San Felipe esplanade. It was built in 1959 and is decked in a tan color that matches the sand dunes of San Felipe.

19. Las Animas Eco-Lodge

Accessible only by boat, the Las Animas Eco-Lodge is ready to provide guests with a one-stop eco adventure. Go kayaking in the Sea of Cortez or snorkel with dolphins at your side. The adventure is up to you if you’re willing to stick it out in these eco-friendly hut-style vacation rentals.

20. Rancho Rodeo del Rey

This resort is *completely* the polar opposite from any of the architectural styles of Baja California’s typical resorts. Located on the edge of the, this cabin resort is surrounded by pine trees along the Sierra de Juarez mountain range. Snow even falls in the winter! You can book a stay at Rancho Rodeo del Rey after making the trip either from San Felipe or it’s an easy 2-hour drive from Ensenada.

Which resort would you like to stay in? Let us know in the comments!

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