Ensenada Resorts & Hotels

Located seventy miles south of the U.S./Mexico border, Ensenada is a bustling deep-water seaport and home to nearly 500,000 people. A Portuguese explorer named Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo "discovered" the area in 1542, and for most of its history, Ensenada was a sleepy village, home to handfuls of Mexican settlers, a few norteamericanos expatriates and some wayward tourists. In the 1920s and 1930s, fishing canneries began popping up, and during WWII, Ensenada was the base of the Second Military Zone of the Sixth Regiment of the Pacific.

The city's population started to grow in the 1960s, and today the city is a cruise ship destination and a weekend getaway magnet for those residents north of the Mexican border. Mexican Federal Highway 1, also known as the Transpeninsular Highway, is a four lane toll road that runs along the Baja Peninsula from the U.S. border to Cabo San Lucas and makes an Ensenada vacation particularly easy to accomplish via automobile.

Great fishing waters and surfing waves are Ensenada hallmarks, but there are many reasons to come to this coastal city where cruise ship guests, RV snowbird travelers, fishermen, surfer dudes and last minute vacationers all mingle. The annual gray whale migration, from Alaska to the southern tip of Baja California, happens every December through March and can be viewed from Ensenada. The Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, the planet's largest international sailing competition, ends in Ensenada. And two off-road races, the Baja 500 and the Baja 1000, are in Ensenada each year, drawing thousands of spectators.

Ensenada lodging is plentiful, so finding a place to stay, even on short notice, is rarely a problem. It should be noted that most Ensenada resorts and hotels are on the European plan (only the room is included in the price - everything else is extra). All inclusive Ensenada resorts are hard to find.

The Punta Moora is an Ensenada boutique resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean and boasts a secluded setting, an attentive staff, a delightful spa with a full range of services and a lovely pool area.

Hotel Coral and Marina Resort is a beautiful Ensenada resort that offers first-class accommodations and a marina with 600 slips and a full time dockmaster. Three swimming pools, Jacuzzis, lighted tennis courts, a gym and relaxing sea views from the hotel bar make a stay in this Ensenada hotel a memorable experience.

The San Nicolas Resort Hotel is situated a short distance from Todos Santos Bay and close to dining, shopping and the Riviera del Pacifico Cultural Center. Outdoor pools, a delicious restaurant, a nightclub and colorfully decorated rooms add to the charm of this Ensenada resort.