For the past 5 years, Kevin and I have headed south of the border to Ensenada as part of a long weekend road trip to Mexico’s wine country, Valle De Guadalupe. Sure, there are gorgeous wineries and 5 star restaurants in the Valle. But there are so many things to do in Ensenada — from ziplining to animal encounters to off-road driving adventures…And by off-roading, I mean with an actual organized tour. Let’s just say, my compact Hyundai Elantra didn’t quite make the “short cut” I attempted on our last trip. And we ended up stuck in a ditch. Lesson learned? Stick with the paved roads (or come with a SUV). It’s always an adventure with us in Mexico!
If it’s looks like a rough road, stay clear of it. My poor car…
Follow our top 5 adventures below — where we hit the open road to check out the best things to do in Ensenada. You know, once we got towed out of that massive ditch. Oh, I’ll never live that one down.
5. Get Sprayed at ‘La Bufadora’ (Geyser)
The hypnotizing La Bufadora, which shoots water high into the sky.
La Bufadora is one of Ensenada’s must-see sites, and pretty much on every cruise ship’s excursion list. But what is La Bufadora? It’s basically a marine geyser (or blowhole), located roughly 1 hour south of Ensenada. Every 30 seconds or so, water explodes from a sea cave as a result of trapped air.
You’re gonna get wet! The viewing platform at La Bufadora.
This place can get busy in the warmer months (when the cruise ships pull in). But when we visited this spot a few years back in January with Kevin’s parents, we had the place nearly all to ourselves. While I had my doubts about going, it turned out to be pretty cool to see. Just be warned, it may look tame but you WILL get wet if you go right up to the overlook. I recommend climbing along the upper walkway to get a birds-eye (and dry) view.
4. Animal Encounters at PaiPai Ecotourism Park
The entrance of PaiPai Ecotourism Park
This next stop is a quick and easy 15 minute drive east of La Bufadora. PaiPai Ecotourism Park is basically a zoo where you can see the animals up close and personal. I mean, literally go inside the exhibits with them. We went here on a whim during our last trip and joined a private 1-hour tour ($8 USD per person). No reservations are necessary — just show up. During the visit, you can pick an animal to interact with. There were so many options (most of which were monkeys), but we decided to go with the lemurs. Not only because they’re cute, but we figured they’d be harmless. Though, I gotta tell you. They are stronger than they look when they want food!
Lemur time at PaiPai Ecotourism Park.
Tours are offered in English or Spanish. Our guide, who grew up in the area, was drawn to work here because of its mission. She explained many of the animals were rescues or former pets with owners who no longer could handle them. Be sure to bring a few dollar bills at the end. The guide appreciated the tip. And she earned it with her solid photo taking skills!
The lemur is ready for his close-up. Oh, and maybe some more apples.
3. Getting High In the Sky With Las Cañadas Canopy Tour
Hanging on for dear life on one of the swinging bridges at Las Cañadas.
This is one exciting and heart-pounding tour that is just a 15 minute drive from PaiPai Ecotourism Park. You could easily do all 3 activities (La Bufadora, PaiPai and this one) on a day trip. Las Cañadas Canopy Tour is a heart-pounding and thrilling activity. Kevin isn’t such a big fan of heights. But you know, I figured he’d be down for a challenge. It wasn’t until we got suited up in safety gear and helmets that he eventually asked, “What are we doing here exactly?” I love his blind faith!
Kevin is ready to fly on the zip line.
The course takes about 1 hour to complete and involves 5 zip lines at different heights and lengths. Our personal favorite were the ones you could race each other across the line. Not that I’m competitive… (I am). We’ve done several zip line courses, including in the Baja area. But what made this one stick out were all the physical challenges — climbing across moving bridges, through hoops, all while dangling high above the ground.
Inside one of the obstacles at Las Canadas Canopy Park in Ensenada.
You’ll definitely get your workout in here. And I’m proud to say that we didn’t fall off any of the bridges. Good thing, otherwise my blogging career would have been short and sweet. Advanced tickets are recommended. Tickets cost $28 USD per person. You can purchase tickets on Viator. Be sure to bring a print out of your tickets (with the barcode). It’s a painful check-in otherwise (trust us!).
2. Riding the Streets on an Ensenada ATV Adventure
ATV riding in Ensenada, Mexico – the ultimate adventure.
As all of our readers know, we don’t take travel planning lightly and do a ton of research ahead of our trips. I was impressed by all the positive reviews for the Ensenada ATV adventure so I reached out to the company’s owner Emilio. Within minutes, he wrote back and confirmed the trip. Emilio, who has rode ATVs since his childhood, decided to break out with a company of his own. While there are several tour operators to choose from in Ensenada, we booked with Emilio given his experience and just the sheer variety of tours we could pick from. Plus, as we always say, a tour is really only as good as its guide. To test out our riding skills, we hit the open roads in Ensenada and drove our ATVs along the coastal highway. And you can really get some speed!
Zipping along the streets of Ensenada on our ATVs. Kevin even popped a wheelie (though not intentionally!)
There are several tour options to chose from, but we ended up going with the trip that included horseback riding with the ATV adventure. It was a fun way to break up the trip. We also added on the Tequila tour for $10 extra at the end. We aren’t big drinkers, but it’s more of a museum… Well, that happens to include a lot of Tequila shots with the price of admission. We tried 2 and called it a night!
And we’re off!
ATV Ensenada offers a variety of ATV adventure tours daily. We loved the horseback and ATV combo; cost is $95 USD per person.
1. Juan More Taco Tour, Our Top Pick for the Best Things to do in Ensenada
Inside one of the popular local grocery stores in Ensenada.
If there is one cuisine I can’t say no to, it’s Mexican. Let’s just say, I’ve been known to drive several hours for a tamale festival. And we once wandered through dark alleyways in LA — armed only with iPhones as flashlights — in search of a street stall serving up tacos al pastor. Clearly, our love goes deep for a foodie adventure.
Kevin and I were recently invited by Juan More Taco to join its “Juan and only” food walking tour in Ensenada. It is the ultimate food adventure. You’ll taste street food as well as eat at the best restaurants in Ensenada. They truly take the guesswork out of the equation.
We love a good tamale. And it doesn’t get any fresher than this stop.
But it’s so much more than your typical city tour. By the end of the 3-hour journey, you’ll have a deeper understanding of Mexico’s history as well as a local perspective on living there. Oh and you’ll definitely eat a lot. And the food is just as delicious as it looks. The Ensenada food walking tour departs daily at 10:30 AM and is incredibly convenient, with a starting/ending point in downtown Ensenada. And don’t worry about getting sick. All restaurants and street stalls are selected based on cleanliness, hygienic standards and quality of food. Adults are $59 USD; children (between 7- to 14-years-old) are $39 USD; and infants (6 and under) are free. Check out our detailed account here, where we take you along our journey.
Enjoying the toppings at La Guerrerense.
Heading to Mexico and looking for more ideas? Check out our 3 day action packed itinerary traveling from Ensenada to Valle De Guadalupe. Planning to spend more time in Baja and enjoy food tours? We also recommend Tengo Hambre’s craft beer and taco tour in Tijuana. And be sure to check out all of our Mexico stories — and unique travel ideas like diving with crocodiles in Cabo San Lucas (and not losing any limbs in the process).
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