The route connects the artist town of Todos Santos on the Pacific coast with La Paz on the Gulf of California. The 80 kilometers between them are about an hour's drive by rental car; from La Paz, boat tours depart to Isla Espíritu Santo.
9 Days / 8 Nights
November–April
2 stops
Why This Route?
For travelers who want to experience desert, sea, and marine life without a camper and with few location changes.
Hidden Gems
Playa Punta Lobos near Todos Santos, where fishermen pull their pangas ashore in the afternoon
Playa Las Palmas south of Todos Santos
Los Islotes north of Isla Espíritu Santo, snorkeling with sea lions
Getting there and back
Round trip, returning to where you started
Arrival
Flight · La Paz (LAP)At La Paz airport, you pick up your rental car; it's a good hour to Todos Santos.
Departure
Flight · La Paz (LAP)
Itinerary
Stop 1 • 3 Nights
Todos Santos
City
Rich in culture and history. Perfect for unwinding and relaxation and For adventure seekers.
Todos Santos is a small town on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, precisely on the Tropic of Cancer. Since 2006, it has held the title of Pueblo Mágico. The center around the mission church features many galleries, cafes, and restaurants, while long surf beaches lie on the outskirts.
10 Sights
8 Restaurants
History and Culture
Mission and SugarcaneIn 1723, the Jesuit Jaime Bravo founded the Mission Santa Rosa de las Palmas here, which received the name Nuestra Señora del Pilar a year later. Following the secularization of the missions, Todos Santos became the center of sugarcane cultivation on the peninsula in the 19th century; by the end of the century, there were eight sugar mills. Many of the brick buildings in the center date from this period. The most important local festival is the Patron Saint's Day of the Virgen del Pilar, whose statue stands in the mission church.ExcursionsEl Pescadero and Cerritos: Surf beaches south of Todos Santos on Carretera 19.La Paz: Capital city with Malecón and boat tours to Isla Espíritu Santo, about an hour's drive away.Cabo San Lucas: El Arco and Marina at the southern tip, also about an hour away.
Rich in culture and history. Perfect for unwinding and relaxation and For adventure seekers.
La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, nestled on a protected bay in the Gulf of California. You come here for boat tours to Isla Espíritu Santo, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for Balandra and El Tecolote bays, and from October to April for whale sharks in the bay. The city center, with its cathedral and approx. 5 km long Malecón, is easily explored on foot.
6 Sights
6 Restaurants
History and Culture
From Mission to Pearl CityIn 1535, Hernán Cortés' expedition reached the bay, but a permanent settlement didn't emerge until 1720 with a Jesuit mission. The cathedral, built in the second half of the 19th century, now stands in its place. La Paz was long known for pearls from the bay. The Carnival of La Paz is one of the peninsula's oldest festivals, filling the Malecón with parades and music every year before Lent.ExcursionsIsla Espíritu Santo: Full-day boat tours with a snorkeling stop at the Los Islotes sea lion colony.Balandra and El Tecolote: Bays about 30 minutes by car north of the city.Todos Santos: Artist town on the Pacific coast, a good hour's drive south.
