Ensenada

[MaiTaiMary]

Ensenada will be our last port on our 7 day cruise. I've been there many years ago, but never on a cruise. How easy is it to get into the main area where there are restaurants/bars? Is there a shuttle? I will be traveling with an elderly passenger who can't walk long distances.  Just looking to get off the ship for a few hours, have a bite to eat and a margarita (or two), and then head back on board.  How difficult will that be with somebody who has limited mobility? Thanks. 

[Mike45LC]

There is a shuttle bus from the pier to downtown.  Either $4 or $4.50 per person round trip.  

It is easily walked by those without impairments but the shuttle is cheap, frequent and convenient.

[Theosprey247]

Or you can walk there decide you don’t want to walk back and pay $1 for the shuttle back to the port. 

[tootsiescurly]

They have a lovely wine region in the Guadalupe Valley near Ensenada. Well worth taking a wine tour if you appreciate wine. We did one several years ago. It was well worth our time and money. This one gets rave reviews. https://bajavino.com/cruiseship/

[kismetique]

Get a taxi and go to La Guerrerense Carreta for tacos. It's a street vendor, very famous but you'll stand shoulder to shoulder with the locals to eat. Get a shrimp or octopus cocktail here... Very good!  Then go to Coastal Brewery for their artisanal beers. They are very friendly and have a great in door area to sit in the breeze look out at the ocean and drink all kinds of beer. Then taxi to Tacos Fenix. They have fried fish and shrimp tacos with amazing garnish. You order and eat and order and eat and then pay. Crazy!  Lots of locals here as well. Then back to the ship. Great day!

[SelectSys]

20 hours ago, kismetique said:

La Guerrerense Carreta

They have two locations the cart on the corner and a sit down restaurant across the street inside a little plaza.  The prices at the cart are better as you are basically standing up while eating.  The menu inside is somewhat bigger as they have a real kitchen.  This is definitely worth a stop if you like seafood tostadas.

[kismetique]

9 hours ago, SelectSys said:

They have two locations the cart on the corner and a sit down restaurant across the street inside a little plaza.  

What's the fun of sitting down?😁 Standing shoulder to shoulder with the locals was the best part. I wouldn't eat their toastadas here, I would get 1 of their fresh cocktails here and get tacos at Fenix. I didn't care for the tostada, it was hard to eat. The seafood was fresh and good, but I prefer tacos.

[Milhouse]

We did a bit of a circuit and hoofed it out to Tacos Fenix and Tacos Corona and then circled back to La Guerrerense's food cart.  I don't mind standing while eating but even though it was November, the afternoon sun was still pretty draining for us with limited shade.  

I liked Tacos Corona a half point better than Tacos Fenix.  Friendly and inviting staff at both which makes for that much more a better experience.

We also shared a variety at tostadas at La Guerrerense.  Happy we went and tried a bunch which we enjoyed but I think we liked their more boring options like shrimp ceviche the best.  🙂  Their jars of salsa aren't cheap (at 120 pesos) but they are an easy souvenir or gift to take home IMO.  Staff also very friendly here.  Very easy to strike up conversations with everyone standing around figuring out what to order or enjoying their food.  

 

[SelectSys]

4 hours ago, kismetique said:

I didn't care for the tostada, it was hard to eat.

It's truly a learned skill/art.  

 

[pppiglet]

On 7/3/2023 at 1:00 AM, kismetique said:

Get a taxi and go to La Guerrerense Carreta for tacos. It's a street vendor, very famous but you'll stand shoulder to shoulder with the locals to eat. Get a shrimp or octopus cocktail here... Very good!  Then go to Coastal Brewery for their artisanal beers. They are very friendly and have a great in door area to sit in the breeze look out at the ocean and drink all kinds of beer. Then taxi to Tacos Fenix. They have fried fish and shrimp tacos with amazing garnish. You order and eat and order and eat and then pay. Crazy!  Lots of locals here as well. Then back to the ship. Great day!

  Wish I saw your post before we sailed last week.  Our brewery excursion got cancelled last minute and we had to wing it.  I looked up some breweries but most didn't open until later in the day.  We ended up going to Chikilla which was a few blocks away from Hussong's.  (Small little place with a sushi restaurant next door.)  Lots of beers on tap and really good! Spent more time there than we thought we would so never made it to any other breweries. 

[Thrak]

On 7/8/2023 at 7:28 PM, pppiglet said:

We ended up going to Chikilla which was a few blocks away from Hussong's.  (Small little place with a sushi restaurant next door.)  Lots of beers on tap and really good! Spent more time there than we thought we would so never made it to any other breweries. 

 

The last time we were in Ensenada we just walked to Hussong's for drinks. The exchange rate was prominently posted on the wall. We each had 2 margaritas (small but very good) and then I asked for a "shot" of Cazadores. He poured what I would call a good double shot. Total cost: $16 US. We were quite pleased. Being a dorky gringo I just dropped a $20 US on the bar, smiled, and wandered back to the ship. Below is a pic from Hussong's. Not hard to tell we are tourists...🤪

 

[pppiglet]

On 7/18/2023 at 7:37 PM, Thrak said:

 

The last time we were in Ensenada we just walked to Hussong's for drinks. The exchange rate was prominently posted on the wall. We each had 2 margaritas (small but very good) and then I asked for a "shot" of Cazadores. He poured what I would call a good double shot. Total cost: $16 US. We were quite pleased. Being a dorky gringo I just dropped a $20 US on the bar, smiled, and wandered back to the ship. Below is a pic from Hussong's. Not hard to tell we are tourists...🤪

 

 

Looks like you had fun! 

 

We stopped in Hussong's and had one of their beers while waiting for the other brewery to open.   Met a guy that lived 3 blocks away that used to be a Vet tech in Los Angeles years ago.  He kept us entertained with stories.  I told him he wouldn't recognize LA now with all the homeless everywhere. 

[Cammy8]

A group of us would like to go to the blowhole but I can't find a minibus and driver.  Are there any waiting at the dock?  Or can anyone recommend one?

[nimbex1970]

On 9/6/2023 at 4:34 AM, Cammy8 said:

A group of us would like to go to the blowhole but I can't find a minibus and driver.  Are there any waiting at the dock?  Or can anyone recommend one?

It's been a bit since I have been, but there are several vendors at the pier for this excursion.  It's been too long to remember pricing.  I can't imagine they are no longer there as many folks like to go here. 

 

[SelectSys]

On 9/6/2023 at 1:34 AM, Cammy8 said:

Are there any waiting at the dock?  Or can anyone recommend one?

I can't recommend any, but it is highly likely you'll need to fight your way through all the vendors trying to sell you tours of one kind or another. 

 

My personal opinion is that the blowhole is way overrated.  The drive is getting longer and longer as traffic increases and really all that is there is a long tourist walk full of vendors of one form or another with the blowhole at the end.  

[Cammy8]

1 hour ago, nimbex1970 said:

It's been a bit since I have been, but there are several vendors at the pier for this excursion.  It's been too long to remember pricing.  I can't imagine they are no longer there as many folks like to go here. 

 

Thanks - I did eventually find a minibus that holds 25 passengers.  There's only one seat left if anyone is interested $25 plus $2.50 tax.

[Cammy8]

1 hour ago, SelectSys said:

I can't recommend any, but it is highly likely you'll need to fight your way through all the vendors trying to sell you tours of one kind or another. 

 

My personal opinion is that the blowhole is way overrated.  The drive is getting longer and longer as traffic increases and really all that is there is a long tourist walk full of vendors of one form or another with the blowhole at the end.  

Hmm - as I said I now have 24 people going with one seat left.  Guess I'll still go since I put a lot of work into this.

[SelectSys]

3 minutes ago, Cammy8 said:

Hmm - as I said I now have 24 people going with one seat left.  Guess I'll still go since I put a lot of work into this.

Your decision is completely understandable.  I didn't realize when responding that you had any firm plan.  The drive and scenery can be nice if the weather is cooperating.  Have a great time and enjoy your visit to Ensenada!

[nimbex1970]

On 9/21/2023 at 8:17 PM, Cammy8 said:

Thanks - I did eventually find a minibus that holds 25 passengers.  There's only one seat left if anyone is interested $25 plus $2.50 tax.

 Thats a decent price!  Thanks for updating me on this!