Pitaya Cactus in Loreto, Mexico

Are you visiting the Islands of Loreto, Mexico, on the Sea of Cortez? The city of Loreto was founded in the 17th century and was the first Spanish settlement on the Baja peninsula.

If this is your first time visiting this part of Mexico, I have some “Insider Tips” for things to see and do in Loreto.

Typically, the first place visitors want to see is Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó, the first mission of Baja California Sur, but I also take them to San Javier Mission – for a more local, authentic experience.

Visit Coronado and Danzante Island, on the Sea of Cortez, in Loreto, Mexico

The Islands of Loreto, Mexico

When I want to get away from the tourists, my favorite place to visit is the Malecon (boardwalk) or the Islands of Loreto.

If this is a romantic trip, I recommend Honeymoon Beach.

Museums are wonderful, but if you are traveling with kids, you’ll want to visit the nearest islands, Coronado and Danzante. Walk down to the marina and hire a boat for a half day tour. You might see dolphins during your boat ride and you may snorkel on the island of Coronado. Stop and see the local birds – did you know the Blue-footed Booby was local to Loreto, Mexico? Visit sea lion rock.

Musicians play guitar at Domingo’s Restaurant in Loreto, Mexico

Islands of Loreto Food

If you are looking for chocolate clams, which are typical of the Islands of Loreto, I recommend The Concho´s Restaurant and “El Pangalapa.”

The best place to go for coffee & a breakfast treat is Loreto Islas beach front, located in the Malecon.

Looking for cheap food in the Islands of Loreto? Go to El Farolito de Loreto or Orlandos Place, where you can have typical Mexican food.

The Mita´s Gourmet located in the main Plaza is the spot for late night dining.

For an expensive, yet quality meal, go to La Palapa restaurant, 1697 Restaurant and Domingo´s Place. Domingo’s had strolling guitar players during my visit.

Visit the Hand Crafting Alley in Loreto, Mexico

Authentic Loreto, Mexico

Seeing a lot of marine life? The islands of Loreto  were named  “The Aquarium of the World” by Jacques Cousteau, as they host 80%  of the world’s marine species.

When you come to Loreto, get your picture taken at the Hand Crafting Alley near the Main Plaza.

The best vantage points are taken by walking to the top of Mirador Frida next to Juncalito beach, a 15 minute drive from Loreto, or climbing the hill right on the beach of Nopolo Bay.

The Islands of Loreto offer great views. Villa del Palmar is the best place to watch or experience the constellations.  As a matter of fact, Villa del Palmar is well known as the million stars resort.

In Loreto, outdoor enthusiasts will want to hike the giant mountains in Tabor or Tecomajac and see oasis and waterfalls. Do you like sport fishing?  “La Mision Tournament” is a great one to watch and contributes to a great cause. Kayaking, paddle boarding, scuba diving, snorkeling, horseback riding, bird watching, island hopping and whale and dolphin watching are all “must do” activities for outdoor lovers. For those of you looking to simply relax, enjoy a drink in “El Santuario” beach shack while admiring Danzante Bay.

Looking for a little exercise? Walk along the boardwalk or rent a bike from Hotel Santa Fe and explore the colonial town. If shopping is more your style, stroll along the tourist corridor while checking out the artisans shops.

Nuestra Senora de Loreto mission

If you are a museum lover, visit the Loreto Museum of the Jesuits Missions. It’s next to the Nuestra Señora de Loreto Mission.

Looking for night life in Loreto, Mexico? Go dancing at Bichos Bar or Bikers Bar for live music. If you are looking for wild parties and dancing, you’ll need to head to Los Cabos, Mexico.

In the winter, visit Magdalena Bay and see the Grey Whales winter breeding grounds with all the new baby whales.

In the summer, visit Isla del Carmen and see Punta Arena Beach; the underwater cave & the “Pueblo Fantasma.”

San Javier Mission

Come to the San Javier Anniversary Celebrations in the winter. The Mission of San Javier is one of the best preserved Jesuit missions in southern Baja. The The locals grow a variety of fruits like Mangos, papayas, figs and guavas and craft them into artisan candies.

Insider Tip: Check out the often over-looked Giant Mountains in The Islands of Loreto.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that the Islands of Loreto is considered a National Marine Park. The 800 square mile conservancy consists of a string of five unique islands and is the largest of Mexico’s marine sanctuaries.

Just outside of  The Islands of Loreto you can visit  Mulege and have lunch while enjoying the view of the river which flows into the sea.

What are your favorite things to see and do in Loreto, Mexico? Thanks to Villa del Palmar for assistance with this post.

Article and photos by Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown.

Related Posts:

Things to See and Do in Cancun, Mexico

Things to See and Do in Mazatlan, Mexico

Things to See and Do in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

A review of the Hilton Hotel San Jose in California

Having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area the majority of my life, I feel that I know the area fairly well. However, I recently had the opportunity to explore San Jose, California for several days and was pleasantly impressed at what this Silicon Valley city had to offer. My home base for city exploration was the Hilton Hotel San Jose.

Hilton Hotel downtown location

Within walking distance to the Center for the Performing Arts, The Tech Center, The California Theater, restaurants and sporting venues, the Hilton Hotel offers and excellent and convenient downtown San Jose location.

Pet-friendly Hilton Hotel

For those who like to travel on vacation with their dogs, The Hilton Hotel San Jose is pet-friendly, offering a $50, one-time, non-refundable pet fee. Large dog owners rejoice; while there is a 75 weight limit on pets, the front desk staff said this is not an issue.

The Hilton Hotel Standard Double room in San Jose, California

Clean rooms at Hilton Hotel

What can business and leisure travelers expect in a room at the Hilton Hotel San Jose? My room, #814, was a standard double with two Hilton-branded Serenity Beds, down pillows and 250 thread-count sheets. In addition, it offered an in-room refrigerator and coffee-maker. It rented for $229, plus tax, during a week day. Check the website for further details.

My standard hotel room offered a view of the freeway, and I did hear planes fly overhead,(the San Jose International Airports is nearby) but the rooms are well insulated and the hills of San Jose, California may be seen in the distance. I liked the fact that the large window in my room could actually be opened, yet it was child-safe.

Bathroom cleansing amenities were from PeterThomasRoth clinical skin care and a hair dryer was supplied. While water is a precious resource in California, I confess that I am not a fan of the reduced water flow shower heads in some hotels. I’m pleased to report that the water pressure on the combination shower bathtub in my hotel room was excellent.

Palm trees lined the street below and there are parks nearby (one offering the largest Monopoly board in the world) but keep in mind that we are in Silicon Valley – this part of San Jose, California is not about open space.

Hilton Hotel San Jose lobby

Extras at Hilton Hotel

For those who like to stay in shape while they travel, the Hilton Hotel San Jose offers a gym, jacuzzi and small outdoor, heated swimming pool on the third floor.

There is a full restaurant and bar on the lobby level, in addition to a business center that is open 24 hours. If you don’t want to pay $9.95 each day for internet access, there is complimentary WiFi in the lobby and on the second floor.

Parking will cost you at the Hilton Hotel – $21 daily with unlimited in and out privileges.

View of San Jose, California from the Hilton Hotel

Hilton Honors

Hilton Honors has its privileges and is certainly worth signing up. In addition to a complimentary bottle of water upon check in, Gold and Diamond level Hilton Honors members receive complimentary hotel room upgrades when available. Members have access to the Executive Lounge on the 18th floor (with key code) for complimentary hot breakfast, honor bar and evening hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Check in: 3:00 p.m.

Check out: 12:00 p.m.

If You Go:

Hilton Hotel San Jose (408) 287-2100

300 Almaden Blvd.

San Jose, CA 95110

Article written by and photos courtesy of  Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California. I was a guest of Hilton Hotel San Jose.

Related Post:

Saratoga Oaks Lodge, Saratoga, California

San Francisco bay view

My husband, 11-year-old son and I started our California road trip in San Francisco. With an ambitious itinerary, we headed off from San Francisco International airport in our Dodge Avenger rental car (GPS equipped)  to visit friends and see what we could see in 10 days. National Parks, beaches, prehistoric history, small town charm, wildlife,  oddities and great food were favorites.

Here are the high points, several unexpected, as we traveled from San Francisco through Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica,  Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Joshua Tree, Yosemite and back to San Francisco. These highlights are listed in order.

1. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, San Francisco- After watching the seals at Pier 39 and eating clam chowder out of bread bowls at Boudin, the tourist hotspot for sourdough bread, we stumbled upon the San Francisco Maritime Historical Park, two blocks past Fishmerman’s Wharf. The park consists of a fine collection of historic ocean vessels including the 1886 square-rigger Balclutha and the 1890 steam ferryboat Eureka. Visitors can explore each vessel of the park. Also stop in the park’s visitor center across the street from the pier to learn more about San Francisco’s maritime history. We ran out of time before we made it to the museum.

The 1886 square-rigger Balclutha

2. Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorium, San Francisco- Another unexpected highlight was going to Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorium, also near Fisherman’s Wharf. I went to please my son, but discovered  LeRoy Ripley, who later changed his first name to Robert, was a genius when it comes to cultural anthropology. Instead of a tourist trap, I found myself engaged by the displays of items that Ripley collected himself or inspired in others. The exhibits evoked images of my own world travels and my interest in other people’s passions. My son was enthralled and now wants to become a modern day Robert Ripley. If you go, and if you’re a member of AAA, ask for a discount.

3. Whale Watching, Monterey – With a plan to drive down Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, we headed from San Francisco to Monterey. I booked our whale watching trip online with Princess Monterey Whale Watching a couple days earlier. The trip was splendid. Along with learning about whales and ocean facts from the narration by the whale expert on board, heading out into Monterey Bay was a treat.  We did see two grey whales which did not disappoint. They spouted water and showed us their tails, once in unison. Getting a picture of them was a bit tricky. The sea lions who hang out near the wharf in Monterey were much easier subjects.

The Old Mission in Santa Barbara

4. Old Mission, Santa Barbara – Looking for a place of interest to stop between Monterey and Santa Monica, a search using my cell phone turned up the Old Mission in Santa Barbara. The stop was a terrific way to learn about Spanish and Catholic (Franciscan) influence in California, important details about Chumesh Indian history, and religious art. The biggest surprise was discovering that Juana Maria, the inspiration of Scott O’Dell’s Island of the Blue Dolphins, is buried here. Because my son read the book in 4th grade, seeing her grave had added significance.

5. Santa Monica Pier and the beach, Santa Monica – Visiting Santa Monica’s iconic pier is a must with every California visit. The last time we were there, our son was 1 1/2 years old and was enamored with a performance artist who blew enormous soap bubbles. At age 11, he was all about riding on the roller coaster. He also roller bladed with a friend of mine while I rode along on a rented bike ($7 per hour). A highlight for our son was swimming in the ocean. Undaunted by the chilly water, he took off his shirt, shoes and socks and headed into the waves.

Project 23 at La Brea Tar Pits

6. La Brea Tar Pits, Las Angeles- The La Brea Tar Pits fits beautifully into anyone’s hankering to be like Robert Ripley. The park chronicles the Ice Age where mastodons, dire wolfs and saber cats roamed. If you don’t want to pay the admission price for the Page Museum where skeletons of animals excavated from the pits are on display along with excellent explanations, you can still get a feel for the tar pits impact thousands of years ago when they trapped unsuspecting animals in their black stickiness. We went to the museum which is definitely worthwhile, but we were most interested in Pit 91 and Project 23. These excavation sites provide a look-see into the excavation process. Project 23 is a current excavation project where you can watch folks uncover bone treasures.

7. Byblos Cafe, Orange – The city of Orange, not far from Disneyland, has a lovely town center situated around a square complete with a gorgeous tiled fountain and orange trees. The highpoint here was eating at Byblos Cafe, (129 W Chapman Ave.) a Mediteranean  restaurant specializing in Greek and Lebanese food that’s worth driving for. The city of Orange is celebrating its 125th year and has the largest historic district in California.

Tidepools at Cabrillo National Monument

8. Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego- Upon the recommendation of our nephew who just became a Navy Seal and lives in the area, we headed here to wander along the rocks of  the tide pools.  This is among the most beautiful scenery on earth. Seriously. And, I’ve seen a lot of scenery. A highlight was finding two sea anemones in one of the tide pools. We did have to look and look. If you go, stop in the monument’s visitor center for a well done exhibit on 16th century explorers. In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, was the first European explorer to land on the shores of California’s coast.

9. Niederfrank’s, San Diego- First opened in the 1940s , Niederfrank’s (726 A Ave, National City), serves up ice-cream that has been featured on The Today Show and is a menu item in several of southern California’s best restaurants. With any flavor, you can’t go wrong. Tasting to help in decision-making is allowed.

Working at becoming a Junior Ranger at Joshua Tree

10. Farmers Market, Joshua Tree- On our way to Joshua Tree National Park, we stopped by the Saturday farmers market held in the town of Joshua Tree. Our original intention was to meet up with a friend of my brother’s who lives there. The surprise was discovering a small artsy town we would like to come back to. If you go, the Greek food sold at the farmers market  is splendid and perfect for road trip eating.

11. Ranger Talk with Shelton Johnson at Yosemite National Park – I am a huge fan of park ranger talks and the National Park’s Junior Ranger program. I’m never disappointed. At Yosemite, my son and I were enthralled by Shelton Johnson, the ranger who, on that day, conducted the talk and walk about bears. “Come in closer,” is one of Johnson’s methods of pulling participants into audience participation and bear facts that one won’t forget. Johnson is a master storyteller which is one of the reasons why he is featured in Ken Burns’ PBS series on the National Parks and has appeared on Oprah. One day I hope see Johnson’s one man performance as a Buffalo Soldier held at the park in the summer. Oh, yeah, Yosemite in April was perfect. Although all the park was not open, the amount of tourists made visiting park highlights easy. Finding a parking spot was never a problem.

On a special tour of the hospital at Alcatraz

12. Alcatraz Prison, San Francisco - Alcatraz was at the top of our son’s To Do list.  We reserved tickets a week in advance for our visit, something I recommend. Our tour was the 3:30 trip, the last one of the day. At first, I was annoyed with myself for not picking an earlier schedule since we missed the ranger talks held earlier in the day, but once I found out we had plenty of time for the tour,  my disappointment abated. The lighting was perfect.

Plus, while we were in the dining room, one of the guides announced he could give a tour of the prison’s hospital to 8 people. We scampered over to him lickety split and headed upstairs to see where the famed Bird Man of Alcatraz lived, as well as, learn about the filming of the movie The Rock and how the prison hospital worked.

Related Posts:

Things to See and Do in Monterey

Things to See and Do in Santa Barbara

Post and photos courtesy of Jamie Rhein, member of Midwest Travel Writers Association