Destination: Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico
Where We Stayed: Las Gaviotas
What We Did: Surfed, lounged, cooked, made countless margaritas, visited open air markets and ate lobster at a local restaurant.
My fiancé and I took our very first trip to Mexico this past February. Living in south Orange County now, we wondered what could be so different just 100 miles south of us on the same coast. But after battling some heinous traffic (one of SoCal's many charms), we crossed the border into an entirely new world.
Hills of dilapidated homes, large abandoned buildings and the occasional squad of heavily armed military police made for a bit of an eerie journey. But this portion of the drive was brief and we were accompanied by Don's close friend who had been making the trek since childhood. He and his gal had raved about the spot, compelling us to make a weekend of it with them. And we're so glad we did.
We soon arrived at a hidden gem of a destination—a cobblestone community of darling beach homes called Las Gaviotas. Our place was small and charming and overlooked a rocky beach with lines of surfable waves the boys spent hours riding. A dual chaise lounge on the patio was my favorite amenity, set up under a big umbrella for the non-surfers to enjoy the scenery. We blended our own margaritas and cooked most of our own meals, but ventured out one dinner for delicious (and cheap!) lobster at a nearby restaurant.
On our way home, we rounded out our dreamlike trip with a stop at a maze of an open air market filled with blankets, trinkets, and leather goods. We'll definitely be back and would recommend the trip to any ocean lovers looking for an affordable low-key getaway. Take a scroll through the photos below.
Tip: Sign up for Mexican car insurance online beforehand and look into where you can snag a Fast Pass to avoid the long wait at the border on your return.
