Rosarito Beach

The action in Rosarito centers around the beach—an eight-kilometer-long stretch of sand. You can swim, snorkel, or surf here, but most people just come to relax on the beach and party at the clubs. North of the pier are several mega-clubs that provide beach chairs and drinks by day and DJ music at night.

During the annual spring break holiday, college students from the United States invade the town and take full advantage of the 18-year-old drinking age. You can rent ATVs, fish from the pier, or just people-watch as you sunbathe.

Rosarito Beach Hotel

There are a few truly iconic hotels in Baja, and the Rosarito Beach Hotel (south end of Juárez, tel. 661/612-1111, toll-free U.S. tel. 800/343-8582, www.rosaritobeachhotel.com) is one of them. It started as the only place to stay in Rosarito in the 1920s. During the 1940s and ’50s, it became popular with the Hollywood crowd, counting Mickey Rooney, Lana Turner, and Orson Welles among its regulars. In 2010 the hotel celebrated its 85th anniversary with a series of promotions and events that featured local art and music.

The founder’s nephew, Hugo Torres, was a recent mayor of the town, and he became the owner of the hotel in 1974. It has grown from 12 to 280 rooms, and its dramatic ocean pier anchors the Rosarito Beach vista.

The 500-meter Rosarito Pier (daily 10 A.M.–6 P.M.) is popular for sportfishing, but the height makes landing fish from the surface far below a challenge and the activity can be sporadic. Admission to the pier is US$1 for adults, free for children under 12. Fishing from the pier costs US$5 for the public.