In San Felipe, the Malecón comes alive at night

What if I told you that in just four hours you could be eating a fresh shrimp taco with your feet in the Sea of Cortez? In the same amount of time it would take you to drive to Las Vegas, you could be south of the border in Baja California. It’s safe and easy and one of my favorite places 
on Earth.

I’ve been driving to Baja for most of my life, to camp, surf and go fishing.

Each side of the peninsula offers something special. On the Pacific coast, where Southern Californians go for the surf, I’ve also pet gray whales and swum with whale sharks among many other fun things. But here in the desert, we’re fairly close to the Sea of Cortez and a sleepy little fishing village called San Felipe, famous for its shrimp fleets. This narrow, 1,000-mile-long pristine sea separates Baja from mainland México. Jacques Cousteau once described the Sea of Cortez as the “world’s aquarium” and the “Galapagos of North America.” If you like it quiet, and a warm ocean with no waves, then this is your kind of place.

I head east on I-10 and merge south onto Hwy. 86, which runs along the Salton Sea and passes through the small farming town of Westmoreland — one of the world’s richest farming areas and a great place to stop for a date shake and some locally made honey. A few miles past town, a left onto Highway 111 takes you straight into Calexico (the United States side of the border) and Mexicali (on the México side).

A sign that reads “Last U.S. exit” marks the Mexican port of entry. Customs use a random system for inspections here — as long as you’re not bringing weapons or illegal drugs (weed included, folks), you’ve got nothing to worry about.

A dirt road off of Hwy. 5 leads to expansive salt flats hugged by crystal green water. Fresh clams, oysters and shrimp are sourced daily from San Felipe’s shallow, sandy shores and are a popular delicacy among beachfront eateries.

In the large town of Mexicali, navigating the streets can be a little crazy. Many road signs in Baja are hard to find and are often located at the exact spot where you’re supposed to turn. As many times as I’ve driven these parts, I still miss them. The area has a large Chinese population — at the turn of the century, Chinese workers who helped build irrigation canals were not allowed back in the U.S. and settled here — and is known for its Mexican-Chinese fusion cuisine. If you stop, try the chiles güeritos, a yellow pepper stuffed with shrimp, broiled and drizzled with soy sauce, mayonnaise and lemon.

Staying in the middle lane, I follow all signs to Rio Hardy, San Felipe or Hwy. 5. This drive is as beautiful as our destination, running through farmlands and mountains, past the Rio Hardy River and over the dry lake of the Laguna Salada. I take a short detour down a dirt road to the salt flats, where crystal green water meets salt deposits. From a distance it looks like ice and snow.

Extreme low tide on this side of the Sea of Cortez — ebbing as far as a half a mile — reveals vast stretches of sand imprinted with cool wave patterns. (Photo: Ashley Breeding)

About 90 miles from the border, I pass the turnoff to Highway 3/Ensenada and arrive at a security checkpoint. Most of the time the armed guards will ask where you’re going and wave you through — this time they have us hop out and search my truck. Again, if you’re not carrying anything illegal, there’s nothing to worry about. They’re here for your safety.

Continuing south, the sparkling blue sea and beachfront communities come into view. The largest, El Dorado Ranch, followed by large white twin arches, mark the northern stretch of San Felipe. Since I’ll spend a lot of time on the road these next few days, I stop at the Calimax supermarket for some water, snacks and cerveza.

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Valle de los Gigantes features a dense forest of saguaro cactus — some up to 60 feet tall and 300 years old. (Photo: Ashley Breeding)