Join us on the famous and beautiful 4-hour road-trip. If you love a great adventurous time and are savvy enough to know how easy it is to drive here then be sure to jump in a vehicle and head out on the open road starting and finishing in Cabo San Lucas.
Oakley and I made it an early start from our corporate headquarters in Cabo. We decided to go counterclockwise to maximize the sunrise views and to have the sun at our backs through the mountains. The first half-hour we drove what is arguably the most scenic section in the Baja the Golden Corridor between Cabo and San Jose. In this section, we pass by gorgeous beaches and multi-million dollar homes, and brand-new mega-resorts. This area has become the playground of some of the richest homes and 5-star resorts in all of Mexico. As we arrive at the crossroad circle we elect to take the toll road toward the SJD international airport. This is another beautiful stretch and we can speed up on this excellent two lane highway with little morning traffic. The sun is up as we pass by the impressive Sierra de la Laguna mountains. These peaks are over 6,800 feet from Sea level and are great to explore. We pass by the airport and notice the wide range of commercial and private jets of all sizes. Once you exit the toll road and pass the airport you simply hang a left onto the Federal highway 1. This 1,063-mile wonder of desert engineering runs from Cabo north to Tijuana. It was completed in 1974 and certainly fast-tracked the development of the Baja. We start heading north of San Jose and the road narrows and what little traffic there is disappears. The next hour is an amazing winding experience through the quaint little villages of Caduaño, Miraflores, and Santiago, each having an abundance of friendly faces and outdoor adventures. This is the area most famous for waterfalls and mountain hiking. See our website www.cabosfinest.com for specifics. From here we cross over another major bridge at the intersection of La Ribera where the new Four Seasons recently opened. Heading north toward Buena Vista we get another glimpse of the Sea of Cortez. It is a short ride along the Sea to Los Barriles and the quaint town famous for great fishing and has seen a rebirth with wind sport enthusiasts flocking here for the consistent winter winds. We continue north and for the next hour we enjoy the winding road through Las Palmas with their tall trees and mango groves. This is another great stretch of driving past centuries-old cacti and ancient granite outcroppings.
We take it nice and slow winding through this ever-winding section of road. Up and down, through and over and over this is a road worth tripping and Oakley is the perfect companion.
We take a puppy stop at the little mountain village, San Antonio, where they have seen a recent uptick from the migration of kiteboarders and outdoor adventurers that pass through on the way to the growing area of La Ventana and El Sargento. Just a few miles further is the historically significant El Triunfo.
This was the first mine in southern Baja established in the late 1700´s and was the largest town in all the B.C.S. Silver and gold were later discovered in 1862 and a boom time was established. Many of the 49ers from the California gold rush that were late for the party came here and at the peak were over 10,000 inhabitants. Many riches were made and pianos from around the world were hauled down.
The original smoke stack ´La Ramona´ is over 150 feet tall and rumored to have been designed by Gustave Eiffel. This a cool stopping point for touring and stopping for a late breakfast or early lunch. We grabbed some pastries at the El Triunfo Cafe and hit the road toward La Paz. We are roughly halfway on our loop and ready to continue this most excellent road trip.
We enjoy the last section of the two-lane road for the next 20 minutes and make the next turn unto Highway 19 and head south toward Todos Santos. This is a brisk 32-mile cruise on a wide well kept highway. It is a joy to sit back head along this straight section of highway. Oakley can relax and decides to chill on the passenger floor as I hit the accelerator. It is a short direct route into Todos Santos for our next break for lunch. There are many great choices for food and sightseeing in Todos Santos. This Pueblo Magica is indeed magical with just over 7,000 full-time residents. A pretty small town with a surprising amount of rich culture, art, and a cool surf vibe. There is a bypass around Todos Santos if you are in a hurry but we are not. After a quick bite it is time to continue our loop south onto the surf towns of Pescadero and Cerritos. The mountain range is still within view as we circle the whole range. The highway was vastly improved in 2008 to help move commerce from La Paz and the USA as Los Cabos continues to prosper. As any old-timers can tell you this used to be a rather sketchy road with few passing areas and many trucks. It is now a pleasant one-hour trip from Todos Santos to Cabo San Lucas.We wind down the final section and go from deserted desert to seeing the first traffic lights, supermarkets, and strip malls on the outskirts of Cabo San Lucas. You literally go from mountains, bays, and endless open spaces to the wildly successful resort town in a blink of the eye. If you miss the good old days of the sleepy fishing village of old Cabo all you have to do is jump in a car and head out either direction of the incredible Cabo Loop road.
