Rosarito, Mexico: Your Ultimate Beach Escape Near the Border
Rosarito Mexico, in the Baja California peninsula, is a small town with everything you need for an unforgettable beach vacation.
The proximity to Tijuana, only 20 km apart, integrates Rosarito into the Tijuana metropolitan area.
The coastal city of Ensenada is also very close, about 88 km south of Rosarito.
In contrast, the closest international city is San Diego, an hour away by car, not including the time required for border-crossing formalities.
Where is Rosarito Mexico?
Again, Rosarito Beach is just south of Tijuana. To get there, you can fly into Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) and take a taxi or drive to Rosarito, approximately 30 minutes away.
Renting a car is a good option since it allows you to move around and explore other sites at your own pace.
Alternatively, you can also take a bus from Tijuana to Rosarito, which is a convenient and affordable option.
Climate
Rosarito boasts warm summers and cool winters, with an annual average temperature of 17 °C.
The warmest month is August, when the temperature averages 25 °C, and daytime peaks rarely exceed 30 °C.
There are nighttime cold spells close to 5°C.
In September, the temperature drops to 16°C in the fall and 11°C in January, the coolest month.
Rosarito receives only 219 mm of rainfall annually, with the lowest precipitation between November and April.
Best Hotels to stay in Rosarito Beach
- Las Rocas Resort & Spa, located in the El Morro sector, is praised for its spa, comfortable rooms, and excellent restaurant
- La Paloma is a nice lodge, ideal for relaxation, with well-maintained facilities, gardens, and tennis courts
- Rosarito Beach Hotel (Calafia), with splendid views of the Pacific at affordable rates
- The City Express Rosarito, located on the Tijuana-Ensenada highway, is conveniently located in a quiet area and has excellent breakfast (free)
Other good lodging options in Rosarito are Rosarito Inn, Hotel Los Pelicanos, New Port Beach Hotel, and Hotel Brisas del M
Top 10 things to do in Rosarito, Mexico
The capital and the rest of the municipality of Playas de Rosarito have lovely beaches where you can sunbathe, rest, surf, and practice all the beach entertainment.
With its historical and Cultural Center, Rosarito and its surroundings have attractive communities for mandatory visits, such as Puerto Nuevo, Popotla, and Calafia.
The cities of Tijuana and Ensenada are very close to Rosarito, with a wealth of tourist attractions of their own.
The Wa-Kuatay and Playas de Rosarito museums showcase the regional history, and Baja Studios Films, the Fox production company that filmed Titanic and other famous movies, has an exciting theme park.
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.
1. Enjoy Rosarito’s Beaches
Rosarito’s main beach has cold and clear waters, with waves suitable for surfing. It is surrounded by hotel complexes where you can stay with all the comforts.
The beach maintains a feverish activity both day and night.
During the day, visitors have fun bathing, sunbathing, eating delicious food, and enjoying beach sports such as volleyball, surfing, water skiing, and banana boat rides.
The bars on Rosarito’s main beach are packed with young people out for drinks, snacks, and fun in the evenings.
The best time for surfing is in the winter, particularly on the beaches from Punta Descanso to Punta Mezquite.
2. Practice your favorite water activities
If you want to practice your favorite beach entertainment in Rosarito Mexico, with the assistance of experts, you should contact Rosarito Ocean Sports, an operator located at 890-7 Benito Juárez Boulevard.
They take you surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, jet-skiing, boat rides, and other water sports in the best places and with optimal safety measures.
With Rosarito Ocean Sports, you can get your PADI certification in diving, and there are many practitioners of this sport have improved their skills as divers with their instructors.
3. Horseback riding in Rosarito Mexico
One of the most picturesque sights on Rosarito’s beaches is the families riding along the sandy beach and nearby hills.
The horses are very docile, and depending on your skills as a rider and the service provider, they will recommend a route and the corresponding preventive measures.
The operator Baja Horses offers rides according to the riders’ abilities and gives basic riding lessons to children, youth, and adults.
4. Get your adrenaline fix with off-road vehicles
The Arenales de Cantamar, approximately two square kilometers, is located in Primo Tapia, 20 minutes south of Rosarito on the Tijuana – Ensenada highway.
These dunes are named Cantamar because of the residential complex of the same name located nearby.
Action lovers on all-terrain vehicles like motorcycles, ATVs, jeeps, buggies, and pick-up trucks with high suspensions frequent the dunes.
You can bring your vehicle or rent an ATV on-site; the entrance fee is $5. There are also restrooms and a small restaurant.
5. Go hiking
If you are a fan of long land excursions, in Rosarito Mexico you have the Cerro El Coronel, the highest elevation point in the town.
There are spectacular city and ocean views, and the surroundings from the hill, and it is also a good place for bird watching.
The hike takes approximately 5 hours round trip.
You should bring drinking water, a snack, appropriate shoes and clothing, and accessories such as sunglasses and a cap.
You should also bring your cell phone to take pictures and for an emergency call.
6. Eat the best lobster in Puerto Nuevo, near Rosarito
Puerto Nuevo is a fishing community located south of Rosarito, which became famous after contributing to the regional gastronomy of one of its star dishes: Puerto Nuevo-style lobster.
This recipe started in the humble kitchens of the fishing village when the fishers would arrive with their load of lobsters, and the women would cook them split in half, fried in lard, and bathed in a molcajete sauce of golden bird’s beak tree chiles, accompanied by beans and tortillas.
The recipe is a classic; thousands go to Puerto Nuevo to enjoy fresh lobster. If you go to Rosarito, you can’t miss having lunch here.
7. Visit Popotla’s seafood market
This picturesque fishing village is 10 minutes south of Rosarito, at km 32.8 of the Tijuana – Ensenada Highway.
It is frequented by people who want to acquire the freshest fish and seafood, practically still jumping on the fishing boats.
In Popotla, you can buy at excellent prices all fish species from the Mexican Pacific and shrimp, lobster, octopus, clams, oysters, crabs, sea urchins, and other marine life delicacies.
In front of the beach, informal restaurants serve them, including the peculiar Martian crab, a crustacean with long claws that can only be found in Popotla.
8. The Wa-Kuatay Museum
The word “wa-kuatay” means “big house of the big chief” in Kumiai, the 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 18 Benito Juarez Boulevard, is integrated into the Rosarito Beach Hotel complex, whose original building was constructed at the beginning of the last century.
The museum exhibit has been on display since 1995 in a more modern space and is dedicated to the history and prehistory of the region.
Among the pieces on display are a mammoth tusk, objects from the Kumiai culture, and documents from the era of the large ranches in Rosarito.
9. Explore La Vid de Rosarito
If you wish to immerse yourself in the delights of wine without traveling the Baja California Wine Route, you must go to La Vid.
Your hosts at La Vid will offer you all the information about Baja California viticulture and wines from other regions and the best way to pair them.
At the same time, you enjoy red, rose, or white nectar accompanied by a fresh local dish.
They will also advise you if you wish to visit the Wine Route. At La Vid, you can purchase the wines you choose for take-away.
10. Enjoy flying around Rosarito, Mexico
If you are a fan of heights, in Rosarito, you can take fun flights on the “ultralights.”
You can admire the beaches, the city, and its surroundings from a unique perspective, taking photos and videos that will surprise your friends on social networks.
The operator Aguiluchos provides this service comfortably and safely. Watch their video here:
Stroll around Tijuana
Rosarito is already part of the Tijuana conurbation, separated by only 20 km.
Tijuana is a cosmopolitan city where you can find all the comforts and facilities of modern life.
Its great hotels and restaurants have nothing to envy those of the big cities, where the three gastronomic emblems of the city await you: the Caesar Salad, the Baja Med Cuisine, and the Margarita Cocktail.
Its museums and cultural centers, such as the History Museum, the Tijuana Cultural Center, the Museum of the Californias, the Wax Museum, and others, are a delight for the spirit in different fields of culture.
Try the local food in Rosarito Mexico
As I mentioned earlier, the Puerto Nuevo-style Lobster tradition started in the 1950s. The traditional accompaniments are ice-cold beer and wines from the Baja California Peninsula.
Another local culinary specialty is the zarandeado fish.
A good piece of white meat is roasted directly over the grill, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed clams, whose simple cooking allows you to appreciate all the authentic flavor enclosed in this delicious mollusk.
Best places to eat and hang out
- At Mi Casa Supper Club Restaurant, they serve Mexican, Moroccan, Mediterranean, and international food, with tasty seasoning in a cozy atmosphere
- The best burger in Rosarito is prepared at Betty’s Authentic American Burgers, and there are also great reviews of their sandwiches, especially the pastrami sandwich
- Tapanco serves Mexican dishes and juicy “churrasco” steak and is highly praised for its fresh tortillas and molcajete sauces
- Baja Calypso has a privileged view of the ocean and good reviews for its shrimp omelet with lobster sauce
- El Nido restaurant is famous for its tender cuts, including venison
- If you want Italian food, you should go to the trattoria Pasta y Basta, and if you feel like “taquear,” the best tacos are at El Yaqui
Many people who go to Rosarito spend the day on the sandy beaches and extend the day in the evenings at the beach clubs.
- Papas&Beer, on Calle Coronado and Eucalyptus, is one of the favorite clubs for Rosarito’s young people and visitors; it has seven pool bars and a dance floor with a fun mechanical bull
- On Coronado Street is Iggy’s Club, almost inside the beach, with large dance floors
- Macho Beach is located on Benito Juarez Boulevard and has two dance floors, bars, and a restaurant
- Las Micheladas Bar, located inside the Pabellón Rosarito Shopping Center, has live music
- Beer Nights has the best selection of national and international beers and excellent snacks
