Activities & Recreation

Few places anywhere in the world offer the recreational opportunities of Baja’s Gold Coast, the 60 scenic miles that stretch from just south of San Diego to Ensenada. When you stay at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, much of it is right at your doorstep,Surf our waves where the Mexican national championships were held (we even offer lessons), or fish from our quarter-mile wooden pier. Ride ATVs or horses on the beach. Golf at curses to the north or south. Parasail, go on an exotic shopping spree or enjoy nightlife that calls to mind a Mexican Mardi Gras. Visit the nearby wine country or art galleries.

As well as being a perfect spot for a secluded getaway or romantic weekend, the Rosarito Beach Hotel is also family friendly. We offer a summer kids camp and activities, plus baby-sitting. Your enjoyment will be as unlimited as your options.

Beach Fun in the Sun

From volleyball pick-up games to swimming, surfing, and building sand castles, you will find the perfect activity. Strolling along the beach, you can check out the beach vendors selling everything from cold coconuts to beautiful hand-made silver jewelry. If you've always wanted to ride a horse along the beach, this is your chance. Several groups of vaqueros or cowboys with docile horses ready for rent line up at both ends of the Rosarito Beach Hotel. Guides will take excellent care of you.

Golfing

Rolling Greens, Spectacular Fairways, and the Blue Pacific.

Golf is a main attraction in Baja with two championship clubs located on Baja´s Gold Coast. Bajamar, located just north of Ensenada boasts of 27 holes of Scottish-style links that play around and over the beautiful Pacific. The crashing waves and volcanic rock will demand the utmost in concentration from even the best golfer.

In Real Del Mar, located on the northern part of the Gold Coast, you can play canyon-style golf throughout rolling hills all the while enjoying the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean and Coronado Islands. The par 72 championship course boasts 6,400 yards of pristine course with six lakes and is a challenge for players of all levels.

Surfing

Surf’s Up!

Look at a map of the Pacific Ocean and you will see that the peninsula of Baja California is a unique piece of geography. Baja juts out into the Pacific and is exposed to storm- generated swells that can come from the North Pacific in our winter and the South Pacific in their winter. Heavy winter swells travel from northwest to southeast daily along the entire Pacific coast of the Baja Peninsula. With the exception of Hawaii and San Francisco, the waves at Islas Todos Santos off the coast of Ensenada are said to be the biggest in the winter Pacific and the swells at Baja Malibu and Calafia are renowned for their consistency.

Wine Tasting

The Drink of Gods.

Guadalupe Valley is Baja´s answer to Napa Valley. Located just northeast of Ensenada, the Baja California Wine Country is blessed with some of the most ideal Mediterranean climate for grape growing. There are very few microclimates in Mexico that combine the very unique characteristics of elevation, soil, season, and temperature. The Valley is home to about 18 wineries that range from a small organic winery, La Casa de Dona Lupe, to L.A. Cetto, one of the most renowned and oldest wineries in Mexico. L.A.Cetto is one of the most important wineries in the Mexican industry; having achieved a total of 132 international awards in excellence from countries such as France, Italy, Spain, England, Canada and the United States.

However, if you don´t have the time to go to the vineyards, the Rosarito Beach Hotel brings them to you by hosting a monthly wine tasting and dinner at Chabert´s restaurant featuring many of the local wineries.

Dining Baja Style

Where Cultures Come Together.

Almost a million lobsters are served in the Rosarito coastal area each year. "Puerto Nuevo-style" is now a world-famous synonym for the exquisite lobster offered in the local restaurants. Seafood is prepared, not only by the expert chefs of Rosarito, but also by local family-run businesses that create a perfect balance of flavors and aromas. Rosarito is justly famous as a gourmet's paradise since it offers more than 85 quality restaurants that can satisfy just about any taste or craving. Experienced chefs laureate with countless first prize international trophies can prepare a meal that you will remember for years to come.

But Rosarito is more than just another pretty lobster plate; more than just an endless variety of freshly caught, perfectly prepared seafood choices. From traditional Mexican cuisine that dates back to pre-Colombian cultures to the best Tacos you'll ever eat, Rosarito means great food everywhere you turn. Chinese, French, Continental, Cajun, it's all here. From sausage to sushi with a Mexican flair, you simply can't eat your way through Rosarito's affordable and exotic pleasures in a single trip. That's one of the reasons people return again and again.

Whale Watching

Thar She Blows!

The great annual grey whale migration is one of the most extraordinary migrations on the planet. Their journey begins in the Arctic, and they travel a distance of over 6,200 miles to reach the southern Baja California lagoons to perform their reproduction cycle and nurse their calves. They bear their calves every other year, alternating each year between mating and birthing.

An adult whale measures between 46 and 55 feet and weighs up to 88 tons. A baby whale size at birth is between 13 and 17 feet long and weighs from 1.6 to 2.2 tons. At the end of lactation (around 6-9 months) they weigh around 17.5 tons. It is said that the whales possess a strong maternal instinct and that the relation with their offspring is close and sensitive.

Art Galleries

Art & Soul.

Baja´s Gold Coast is becoming a mecca for artists and art lovers. In the last few years there has been a virtual explosion of galleries offering “serious art” in northern Baja. Many artists have galleries in town or in their homes. Many others also work behind fruit stands, have day jobs as cooks, own bed and breakfast inns, sell real estate, or operate the town's classiest accommodations. Great art is everywhere and going gallery hopping is becoming one the most popular things for people to do in Rosarito.

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Activities

Sportfishing Pier - "Hooking the Big One"

This beautiful, all wood, quarter-mile long pier is open to hotel guests. Take a walk and watch the pelicans glide over the waves, look for dolphins, enjoy the breathtaking view of the Pacific coast or watch the sun go down while sipping a drink at our Beachcomber bar. You may even see whales migrating during the right time of year. Ask at the Front Desk for information on chartering a boat for fishing or just getting out on the water.

Hooked on Baja - By Tom Gatch

As inland temperatures in Baja and southern California continue soaring to their seasonal heights, it is reassuring to keep in mind that the temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean are waiting only a few miles to the west. Here, flocks of seagulls and squadrons of pelicans can often be observed cruising hungrily over the breakers in search of sustenance while gentle, naturally cooled ocean breezes provide relief from the intense summer sun overhead. For just a moment, imagine venturing beyond the waves, to an area away from the influences of terra firma; a place where you could almost imagine being part of the sea itself.

Such a sensation is often enjoyed by the many visitors from both sides of the border who venture out onto the Rosarito Beach Hotel’s sportfishing pier. This 500-yard long structure has not only become a Mecca for those seeking some refreshing time out on the water without the need for life jackets or seasick remedies, it has also developed into an increasingly popular gathering spot for avid anglers of all ages.

This is primarily due our monthly pier tournaments, which have been drawing an increasing number of participants each month since they began in late January of this year. But some of the best fishing is yet to come! In the most recent competition, the 1 st Place honors were won by a local angler who landed a hefty 9-pound California halibut that had inhaled one of the whole sardines that were provided as bait for contestants.

Great fun and gourmet eating are in store for lucky anglers on the sportfishing pier. Photo by Tom Gatch

Another added advantage that is also provided for tournament anglers is the staging of ‘chum bags’ at various points on the pier. Unlike the discarded seafood waste that might normally be used for this purpose, Uni Goop, often referred to as the ultimate fish attractant, has been generously provided for the competition by Tommy Gomes and Catalina Offshore Products in San Diego, which manufactures the product. This incredible stuff is made from the byproducts of sea urchins whose prized roe is otherwise destined for the Tokyo sushi market.

Almost every inshore fish on the Pacific coast is passionate in their love of this caviar of the sea. Hence, both forage and predatory species are drawn to the attractant, as its essence is languidly carried off by the current. As a matter of fact, last month’s winning halibut was initially hooked only a few meters away from one of the chum bags, which had also managed to attract a large school of interested baitfish.

Of course, in addition to enjoying the sea breezes, hungry fish, refreshments and prizes, one of the most rewarding aspects of our monthly pier tournaments is the fact that it invites both kids and families to participate in a wholesome outdoor activity that brings them all together in a way that will benefit both themselves and their respective communities.

The next tournament on the Rosarito Beach Hotel’s sportfishing pier takes place on Sunday, July 27th between 9:00AM and 2:00PM. Everyone who is even remotely interested in fishing and family fun is invited to attend. As always, I will personally preside over the event, and will also provide additional angling instruction to all who may request it.

In other hot saltwater action further down the Baja coast, Don Eddie’s Landing in Bahia San Quintin reported an increasing yellowtail bite along with plenty of excellent deep water fishing for rock cod and lings. One of the bonus fisheries in the region revolves around the outstanding halibut bite that is available adjacent to the oyster farms near the mouth of the bay, which is just starting to peak.

Anglers fishing offshore often make a stop here on the way back from fishing offshore, and can then languidly drift over the sandy bottom with a small ‘bait-sized’ mackerel. Some of the halibut caught in this area have tipped the scales at well over 35 pounds.

Also, to the delight of tuna lovers, Capt. Kelly Catian of K&M Sportfishing also out of San Quintin, reports that the season’s first schools of albacore have begun to show south of Geronimo Island. Catian added that his boats have also been running into more quality white sea bass off Socorro Beach.

Got a question, comment or a hot fishing tip? Share your input by sending e-mail to: tlgatch@sbcglobal.net

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Join our Kids Club Today!

Fun on the sand and in the sun for the entire family.

Here at the Rosarito Beach Hotel and Resort, we pride ourselves on catering to all of our guests. We've created the Rosarito Beach Hotel Kids Club to provide free activities for our younger guests during summer and holidays. Sign up for our Kids Club when you register at the Hotel and join in the fun. There is plenty to do for children of all ages. Whether doing arts and crafts with your parents or searching for buried treasure, we want to ensure your vacation is packed full of fun in the sun. Play in the surf, hunt for crabs, play ball games, go on rides, build sandcastles, enjoy the pools-including a kiddies' pool... you won't run out of things to do.

Special Kids Club Menu.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner especially for children.

Playing hard can work up quite an appetite. That's why we've created a special Kids Menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Made to order and with the same care and quality of our regular meals, even the pickiest eater will find something to delight them.

Children's Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Menu Items:
• Cheeseburger.
• Chicken, ham or tuna sandwich.
• Chicken nuggets.
• Burrito de machaca.
• Spaghetti with tomato sauce.
• Quesadilla niñito.
• Beef taco.
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich .
• Hotcakes or waffles.
• Cereal.
• Eggs any style.

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Summer weekends
Friday, Saturday & Sunday

The Rosarito Beach Hotel is very interested in making you stay a pleasant, fun and relaxing experience. As part of our complimentary service we take care of your children´s recreational activities. Join us!

Tours

At the Rosarito Beach Hotel, we’re offering tours to help you see the wonders of Baja. From the wine country, to fishing, to the great golf of Mexico at two nearby courses.

Your Closest Gateway to Baja’s Wine Country.

Rosarito is your closest gateway to the Guadalupe Valley, Baja’s scenic wine country. Here, just 45 miles to the south, wines that rival the finest are produced. You can drive there along one of the world’s most beautiful coastal routes, or we’ll take you by tour. Either way, your trip will be more than 100 miles shorter when you stay in Rosarito.