"Rosarito Beach and a Little Beyond!" Top 5 Page for this destination Rosarito by lmkluque

Rosarito Travel Guide: 143 reviews and 388 photos

Langosto Puerto Nuevo-Lobster Puerto Nuevo Style

Enjoy Mexico

Welcome to my Rosarito Beach page,

This town in Baja California Norte, Mexico is about half an hour's drive south from Tijuana, Mexico / San Diego, California and can be a nice day trip from either city.

Rosarito offers a beach, history reaching back to native tribes and Spanish missions. The city has grown in many ways, but the village atmosphere still can be perceived through the modern day additions.

Puerto Nuevo was a fishing village just south of Rosarito, where Mexicans living in Tijuana and Americans living in San Diego would travel to have lobster just caught fresh from the ocean. It became so popular that this village has grown and is now a small town and a visit for lunch or dinner is highly recommended.

This is the way to do it:

Take the toll road (Ensenada Cuota) from Playas de Tijuana to Rosarito Beach. The sights on the way are interesting and the view of the Pacific Ocean from the cliffs is awesome. When you arrive at Rosarito check out the beach, go to the mission, walk around, and do a little shopping. There are the ever popular curio shops along the road, but also there are interesting places offering such items as the unusual piece of glass sculpture or hand made furniture and of course Mexican hand painted pottery.

Just before hunger sets in for lunch, get on the main road and drive south until you come to the huge "CALAFIA RESORT" sign. The entrance is difficult to see, so watch out for the sign. Stop at the Calafia Resort restaurant for a pre-lunch Margarita on their patio over looking the Pacific Ocean. (The food is very good here but the prices are quite high these days.) Calafia's linen covered tabled restaurant spills out or the building and staggers along the edges all over the cliff. Yes, you may sit at any table placed at various levels of the cliff all the way down to the ocean. At ocean level, there is an old, wrecked pirate’s ship. This old sailing vessel has been salvaged and the deck serves as a dance floor for Club 1773, the resort's night club. It is opened to the public as well as the resort residents.

When finished with the Margarita and the spectacular view, have the designated driver continue on south to Puerto Nuevo. This is the place to have the least expensive and most tender lobster ever! Langosta Puerto Nuevo!! Truly tender lobster--two tails--served with, a green salad, rice, frijoles and tortillas, all for about $15.00--maybe a little more now. A Margarita or beer goes well with this meal!

In the early days of Puerto Nuevo's history, people would drive down from San Diego or Tijuana and stop at the local's homes for a feast of Langosta Puerto Nuevo, which the men of the village caught in the early hours and the women would cook to order, for any one stopping by. The charge was so modest that it became the thing to do. After years of this place being a well kept secret, its popularity grew and grew. Now it's rather crowded and has many restaurants in this tiny village, but still the same, is a delicious meal for a great price.

After eating, drinking and having a good time--it's so easy to have a good time in Mexico--drive north back to Rosarito Beach and stop in at the Rosarito Beach Hotel for drinks and dancing! More about this famous Hotel later....

I Hope You Enjoy Your Visit,
Linda

Pros and Cons

Pros:The tenderest lobster at the lowest price!
Cons:Not a secret any more!
In a nutshell:Go there for at least a meal! You won't be sorry.

Last visit to Rosarito: Feb 2011
Intro Updated Feb 3, 2013
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Reviews (12)

A Fine Steakhouse! Restaurants (3)

There are three locations that I know about, two in Tijuana and one in Rosarito Beach. If you are a meat lover this is a... more travel advice

"Club 1773" Off The Beaten Path (1)

"Club 1773" is located at the foot of the cliffs of the Hotel Calafi and it is actually a wrecked 1773 sailing ship that... more travel advice

Calafia Resort Things to Do (1)

Drive to Calafia! Historic, cultural and tourist center. A family resort hotel with ocean view suites, a cliffside... more travel advice

The Perfect Day Trip Favorites (1)

The drive from San Diego to Rosarito Beach takes less than half an hour. There are two roads to choose from; Ensenada... more travel advice

Comments (12)

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Nemorino Feb 3, 2013 at 11:25 AM

Nice tips on Rosarito. I never realized it was so close to San Diego.
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ViajesdelMundo Nov 25, 2008 at 8:42 AM

We'll be back up in Rosarito B. in Feb. to check on our little casa and do some shopping in San Diego........meanwhile, hope u hv a great Thanksgiving!
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RickinDutch Oct 23, 2006 at 4:22 PM

The Rosarito Beach Hotel was the only hotel when I'd go in my miss spent youth. $30 got you two rooms with a bath between. Closest bar besides hotel was Hussongs.
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susanpingu Sep 7, 2006 at 1:35 PM

Your view from the point of the Third World vendor is fair & just & compassionate.........thanks.
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Mandy23 Feb 18, 2006 at 5:56 PM

Thanks for your helpful tips! I've yet to visit Rosarito. Have a great day!
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excitableone Mar 19, 2005 at 7:41 PM

love your page,helps for my trip this summer...
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janaina Jan 9, 2005 at 6:09 PM

Perfect guide to my next week trip to rosarito,will stay at rosarito beach,let's see if my boyfriend will be romantic as yours than...
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matcrazy1 Jan 8, 2004 at 11:07 AM

Very good tourist trap tip - it's common in say Tunisia, Morocco as well. Nice page with great writings and great your VT passport photo :-)))
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zrim Aug 26, 2003 at 11:21 AM

Aha, so we see where the passport photo originates from. Nice pages, beautiful sunset.
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trotador Apr 25, 2003 at 3:06 PM

Real comments for a really nice place.