This small town in Baja California has everything you need for an unforgettable beach vacation. Learn everything there is to know about Rosarito with this comprehensive guide.
1. Where is Rosarito located and how do I get there?
Rosarito is the small capital city of the Baja California municipality of Playas de Rosarito, located in the extreme north-west of the Baja California Peninsula, facing the Pacific Ocean, on the border with the United States.
The proximity to Tijuana, from whose head it is separated by only 20 km, integrates Rosarito into the Tijuana metropolitan area.
The city of Ensenada is also very close, 87 km south of Rosarito, while the closest international city is San Diego, California, which is a 45-minute drive away, not including time spent on border procedures.
2. How did the city come about?
The pre-Hispanic name of the site where Rosarito is located was Wa-Cuatay, occupied by semi-nomadic indigenous people of the Kumiai ethnic group. In the 16th century, Cortés sent some outposts to explore the supposed island of California, discovering that the territory was actually a peninsula.
The Jesuit religious began their missionary work at the end of the 17th century and the first Hispanic settlement received the name of Mission San Arcángel de la Frontera. Later, the name of the town became first El Rosario, and finally Rosarito. The era of the great ranches began in 1827 and tourism development began in 1927, with the construction of the Hotel Rosarito, although the large tourist flows began to arrive in the 1970s.
3. What type of climate does Rosarito have?
Rosarito is a city of hot summers and cool winters, with an average annual temperature of 16.8 ° C. The warmest month of the year is August, when the thermometer reads 21.5 ° C on average, with daytime peaks never reaching 27 ° C.
As of September, the temperature begins to drop until reaching 16 ° C in autumn and 12.8 ° C in January, which is the coolest month, when night colds occur that can approach 7 ° C.
In Rosarito it rains only 219 mm a year, with the scarce rainfall occurring between November and April.
4. What are the main things to see and do in Rosarito?
The head and the rest of the municipality Playas de Rosarito have wonderful beaches to sunbathe, rest, surf and practice all the beach entertainment, with comfortable hotels and restaurants in the sandy areas that offer the first level services required by modern tourists .
In Rosarito and its surroundings there are attractive communities that must be visited, such as Puerto Nuevo, Popotla and Calafia, with their history and their Historical and Cultural Center.
The Wa-Kuatay and Playas de Rosarito museums show regional history, and Baja Studios Films, the Fox production company that shot Titanic and other famous movies, it has an interesting theme park.
The cities of Tijuana and Ensenada are very close to the Magic Town, with a large number of their own tourist attractions.
If you don't have time to visit the nearby Baja California Wine Route, in La Vid, Rosarito, you can enjoy the experience of tasting good regional wines.
5. What are the beaches of Rosarito like?
The main beach of Rosarito has cold and clear waters, with waves appropriate for surfing. It is surrounded by hotel complexes where you can stay at full speed, with all the comforts.
The sandy area maintains a feverish activity both day and night. During the day, visitors have fun bathing, sunbathing, eating delicious meals, and enjoying beach sports such as volleyball, surfing, waterskiing, and banana boat rides.
At night, the bars on the main beach of Rosarito are full of young people who are out for drinks, snacks and fun. The best time to surf is winter, particularly on the beaches that go from Punta Descanso to Punta Mezquite.
6. Who can I do water sports with?
If you want to practice your favorite beach entertainment in Rosarito with the assistance of experts, you should contact Rosarito Ocean Sports, an operator located at Bulevar Benito Juárez 890-7.
They take you surfing, diving, snorkeling, jet skis, skiing, boat trips and other water sports and entertainment in the best places and with optimal security measures.
With Rosarito Ocean Sports you can obtain your PADI certification in diving and there are many practitioners of this sport who have improved their skills as divers with their instructors.
7. Is there a place for ATV fun?
Los Arenales de Cantamar, approximately two square kilometers, are located in the town of Primo Tapia, 20 minutes south of Rosarito on the Tijuana - Ensenada highway.
These dunes are called Cantamar for the residential complex of the same name located nearby.
The dunes are frequented by lovers of action in all types of off-road vehicles, such as motorcycles, ATVs, jeeps, buggies and pick-ups with high suspensions.
You can take your vehicle or rent an ATV on the spot, and the entrance has a cost of 5 dollars. It also has restrooms and a small restaurant.
8. Where can I go hiking?
If you are fond of long excursions by land, in Rosarito you have Cerro El Coronel, the highest elevation in the town.
From the hill there are spectacular views of Rosarito, the ocean and the surroundings and it is also a good site for bird watching.
The tour lasts approximately 6 hours round trip and you must bring drinking water and some snacks, shoes and appropriate clothing, and accessories such as glasses and a cap.
You should also bring your mobile phone with credit, both for taking photos and for an unexpected emergency call.
9. What if I want to do entertainment flights?
If you are fond of heights, in Rosarito you can make fun flights in ultralights, in which you can admire the beaches, the city and its surroundings from an unbeatable perspective, taking photos and videos with which you will surprise your contacts on social networks. Aguiluchos operator provides this service in a comfortable and safe way.
Three hot air balloons of different capacities depart from the city of Ensenada that fly 100 meters high, flying over the Baja California coast, including Playas de Rosarito and Cerro El Coronel.
10. Can I go horseback riding?
One of the most picturesque sights on the beaches of Rosarito is the families riding through the sand and the nearby hills.
Horses are very docile and depending on your skills as a rider or rider, and the service provider, they recommend a route and the corresponding prevention measures.
The operator Baja Horses offers rides in accordance with the skills of the horsemen and gives basic riding lessons to children, youth and adults.
11. What is the fame of Puerto Nuevo?
Puerto Nuevo is a fishing community located south of Rosarito, which became famous after contributing to the regional gastronomy one of its star dishes: the Puerto Nuevo-style Lobster.
This recipe began being prepared in the humble kitchens of the fishing village, when they arrived with their load of lobsters and the women cooked them cut in half, fried in butter and bathed with a molcajete sauce of golden chili peppers from Pico de Arbol. bird, with a side of beans and tortillas.
Now the recipe is a classic and thousands of people go to Puerto Nuevo to enjoy it in their cradle. If you go to Rosarito, you cannot miss this appointment with its main culinary legend.
12. What is Popotla's interest?
This picturesque fishing village is located 10 minutes south of Rosarito, at km 32.8 of the Tijuana - Ensenada Free Highway.
It is frequented by people who want to acquire the freshest fish and shellfish, practically still jumping on fishing boats.
In Popotla you can buy all species of fish from the Mexican Pacific at excellent prices, as well as shrimp, lobster, octopus, clams, oysters, crabs, sea urchins and other marine delicacies.
In front of the beach there are informal restaurants that serve all these delicacies, including the peculiar Martian crab, a crustacean with long claws that is only available in Popotla.
13. What's in Calafia?
In the Playas de Rosarito municipality is the town of Calafia, both historical and modern.
The hill facing Calafia was the geographical point of reference used in 1773 by Fray Francisco Palou to divide the territories of the missions of the Franciscans and the Dominicans, which was the first division between Old and New California.
Calafia was a mythical black warrior, of great beauty, who reigned in the current territory of the Baja California Peninsula when it was still believed to be an island.
The town has the well-known Hotel Calafia, bars, restaurants, shops and other services for tourists.
In the Plaza de las Misiones you must admire the replicas of the facades of 12 missions of the old Camino Real.
14. What is there to see in the Calafia Historical and Cultural Center?
This cultural institution founded in 1996 operates within the Hotel Calafia facilities and is aimed at promoting cultural and community activities linked to history, art and local traditions.
In its 5,000 square meters of extension it has the Reina Calafia Exhibition Hall, the El Descanso Amphitheater, the Mission del Mar Auditorium, the Jaime Escutia Serrano Library and other spaces.
The center offers cinema, theater, artistic exhibitions, conferences and workshops on art and regional history.
15. What can I do at Baja Studios Films?
Very close to Rosarito is this film studio, with which Fox produced the famous film Titanic.
It is even possible that in Rosarito you will meet a villager who worked as an extra on the film, "dying" drowned in the famous shipwreck with Leonardo DiCaprio. These people are called in Rosarito the «Titanic Generation».
Other well-known productions that had the participation of Baja Studios Films were Agent 007: Tomorrow Never Dies, Pearl harbor Y Land and sea captain.
In the studio area is the Xploration theme park, where you can learn movie tricks and admire sets, props and costumes from Titanic and other tapes.
16. What does the Rosarito Beach Museum exhibit?
This small museum located near the Rosarito beach is a beautiful place with only two rooms, which can be visited for free in a few minutes.
It is located in front of a park in which musical shows are presented and in which a large altar is installed on the Day of the Dead.
A miniature city is built in the museum that recreates the staging of some episodes of famous films shot in Rosarito, such as Titanic Y Capital of land and sea.
Near the park there are some exercise stations with views of the sea.
17. What is the interest of the Wa-Kuatay Museum?
The word "wa-kuatay" means "great house of the great chief" in Kumiai, a language spoken by the small ethnic group of the same name that lives in Baja California and southern California, United States.
The Wa-Kuatay Museum, located at Bulevar Benito Juárez 18, is integrated into the Hotel Rosarito Beach complex, whose original building was built at the beginning of the last century.
The museum sample has been exhibited since 1995 in a more modern space and is dedicated to the history and prehistory of the region.
Among the pieces displayed are a mammoth tusk, objects from the Kumiai culture and documents from the time of the great ranches in Rosarito.
18. What does La Vid de Rosarito offer?
If being in Rosarito you want to immerse yourself in the delights of wine without having to travel the Baja California Wine Route, you have to go to La Vid, an establishment located on Bulevar Benito Juárez 31.
Your hosts at La Vid will offer you all the information of interest about Baja California wines and those from other regions, and about the best way to pair them, while you enjoy a red, pink or white nectar accompanied with some fresh local dish.
They also advise you if you want to know the Wine Route. In La Vid you can buy the wines of your choice to take away.
19. What can I do in Tijuana?
Rosarito is already part of the Tijuana conurbation, the towns being separated by only 20 km.
Tijuana is a cosmopolitan city where you can find all the comforts and facilities of modern life.
Its large hotels and restaurants have nothing to envy to those in large cities, where they await you with the three gastronomic emblems of the city: the Caesar Salad, the Baja Med Kitchen and the Margarita Cocktail.
Its museums and cultural centers, such as the Museum of History, the Tijuana Cultural Center, the Museum of the Californias, the Wax Museum and others, are a joy for the spirit in different fields of culture.
20. What are the main attractions of Ensenada?
The cozy city of Ensenada is located 87 km south of Rosarito, along the line of the Pacific coast.
This Baja California town has wonderful beaches and spas and is the entrance to the Wine Route of the peninsula.
In its wineries and vineyards you can take tours to learn about the passionate history of the vine and wine, as well as enjoy tastings that pair the best wines of the region with delicious local artisan dishes such as cheeses, cold cuts, olives and breads.
La Bufadora, a buffoon located near Ensenada, marvels for its high jets of seawater, like a marine geyser.
21. How is Rosario cuisine?
The tradition of the Puerto Nuevo-style Lobster began in the 1950s and currently in the restaurants of the town about one hundred thousand lobsters are served to national and foreign tourists a year. Traditional companions are ice cold beer and wines from the Baja California Peninsula.
Other local culinary specialties are zarandeado fish, in which a good piece of white meat is roasted directly on the fire wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed clams, whose simple cooking allows to appreciate all the authentic flavor contained in this delicious mollusk.
22. What are the best hotels in Rosarito?
Las Rocas Resort & Spa, located in the El Morro sector, is praised for its spa, its comfortable rooms and its excellent restaurant.
La Paloma is a beautiful lodging, ideal for relaxation, with well-maintained gardens and facilities.
At Bulevar Benito Juárez 31 is the Rosarito Beach Hotel, with splendid views of the Pacific from the rooms and a convenient price / quality ratio.
The City Express Rosarito, located on the free highway, is conveniently located in a quiet area and its clients mention its excellent breakfast.
Other good accommodation options in Rosarito are Rosarito Inn, Hotel Los Pelícanos, New Port Beach Hotel and Hotel Brisas del Mar.
23. What are the best restaurants?
At the Mi Casa Supper Club Restaurant they serve Mexican, Moroccan, Mediterranean and international food, with tasty seasoning in a cozy setting.
The best burger in Rosarito is prepared at Betty’s Authentic American Burgers and there are also great opinions about their sandwiches, especially the pastrami one.
Tapanco serves Mexican dishes and juicy churrascos, being highly praised for its fresh tortillas and molcajete sauces.
Baja Calypso has a privileged view of the ocean and rave reviews of its shrimp omelet with lobster sauce.
El Nido restaurant is famous for its tender cuts, including venison.
If you want Italian food, you must go to the Pasta y Basta trattoria, and if you feel like tack, the best tacos are those from El Yaqui.
24. Where can I go for a while of clubs and bars?
Many people who go to Rosarito spend the day on the sandy grounds and extend the day at night in the beach clubs.
Papas & Beer, on Coronado y Eucalipto Street, is one of the favorite clubs for young people from Rosarito and visitors; It has 7 pool bars and a dance floor with a fun mechanical bull.
On Coronado Street is the Iggy’s Club, almost on the beach, with large dance floors.
El Macho Beach is located on Bulevar Benito Juárez and has two dance floors, bars and a restaurant.
The Bar Las Micheladas, located inside the Pabellón Rosarito Shopping Center, has live music; and Beer Nights, on Bulevar Juárez, offers the widest assortment of national and international beers, and excellent snacks.
We hope that your next trip to Rosarito fulfills all your expectations of rest and fun, thanking you for any comments you can make to improve this guide. See you at the next opportunity.
