Introduction to San Felipe, Baja California, where the desert meets the sea...

San Felipe is located on the sparkling blue Sea of Cortez, with the San Pedro Martir mountains providing a breathtaking backdrop. It's a trip of just a little over two hours south from the U.S. border at Mexicali, and that makes San Felipe is a popular weekend getaway for many Americans.

Photo: Classic view of San Felipe, looking north from the Virgin of Guadalupe's Shrine, with the lighthouse to the right of the photo, and El Macharro, the "Diamond Head" of San Felipe in the background of the photo.

When I was a teenager, our next-door neighbor used to take an annual vacation to San Felipe, as he was an avid fisherman. He became friends with a captain of a sport-fishing boat in San Felipe, and one summer, he invited the captain's son, who was a few years older than I was, to spend the summer at his place and earn a little extra money in the U.S. I became friends with Oscar, and we spent the summer of 1968 "dragging the main" and picking up girls. The local girls really liked Oscar, as he spoke perfect English, drove a hot-rod and really knew how to turn on the Latin charm. In between street racing and picking up girls, we talked about a lot of things, and one of the things we talked about was San Felipe.

Photo: The often photographed arches, in the middle of the traffic circle on the outskirts of town, welcome you to San Felipe.

You'll know you're coming into San Felipe as you travel south on Mexico Federal Highway 5 south from Mexicali. As you approach the town, you'll start to notice many roads that lead to resorts along the Sea of Cortez, about two miles to your east. San Felipe is truly where the desert meets the sea, and the spectacular desert scenery is the prime attraction. Not to mention sport fishing...

San Felipe is a modern town that features modern hotels, motels, night clubs, shops, farmacias, restaurant, and many fish taquerias that face the Sea of Cortez. Located about 125 miles south of Mexicali, the capitol city of the state of Baja California, the primary route to San Felipe is Federal Highway 5, which enters town from the north at the famous white arches, and ends at Paseo de Cortez, at the San Felipe malecon.

Photo: The beautiful malecón, noted by the cement sea wall, runs along the Sea of Cortez, with the town of San Felipe just behind the sea wall, and the beautiful San Felipe mountains in the background.

Unlike Tijuana or Ensenada, San Felipe is rather small city of around 25,000 in population, which has traditionally depended on fishing as the main industry in town. Over the last 20 years or so, that's changed, as more tourists have discovered the sandy beaches, the 80-something degree gulf waters, the "laid back" atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the place. As with many Mexican towns, it's rather compact and everything is within walking distance.

Photo: From the vantage point of the Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, looking west towards the heart of town.

San Felipe, in competition with Ensenada, claims to be the inventor of the fish taco and there are numerous seafood taco stands along the malecón. San Felipe is a shopper's paradise, as there are many stores that sell locally-made pottery, leather products, souvenirs, etc., and of course, Mexican curios. If you're into nightlife, there are numerous nightclubs, honky-tonks and bars along Ave. Malecón. Naturally, there are many liquor stores and the ever-present farmacias and dentists. Outdoor activities, such as windsurfing, parasailing, swimming, beach combing abound in the area. Sport fishing has always been a huge local industry, and today it still is. San Felipe attracts dirt bike riders, dune buggy enthusiasts and four-wheelers, due to the close proximity of mountains and deserts. It's truly a place that has a lot of good things going for it.

Photo: Beached pangas await customers, with a view of Paseo del Mar, the malecón, and some of the many bars and restaurants that line the malecón, facing the Sea of Cortez.

The primary time to visit San Felipe is from November to March, which is "snowbird" season in San Felipe, as the town receives visitors from all over the U.S.A. and Canada, who want to escape the harsh grip of winter, and bask in the Florida-like winter climate of San Felipe. March and April are spring break time, and during that time, San Felipe in inundated with the college, party-animal crowd, which is a good time to avoid the town. During spring break, it's not unusual for traffic jams to form, not only in town, but on the highway leading to town. The border crossing at Mexicali could be horrendous during spring break...

Photo: The Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe sits on top a hill, near the center of town, and is accessed by a steep staircase, but the spectacular photo opportunities are worth the effort.

San Felipe is a wonderful place to visit. If you've never had the chance to visit this small piece of paradise by the Sea of Cortez, my web pages will give you an idea of the treat that you're in for, when you visit San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico.

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