#Rv boondocking california desert how to#

There are two border crossings here, but most people with larger rigs prefer to cross the border into Mexico at the eastern Mexicali port of entry (called Calexico East on the US side and Mexicali II on the Mexico side). The wait times to cross into the US here are usually a bit shorter than Tijuana. Mexicali is the capital of Baja California and it’s located on the eastern side of the state. If you’re headed to Mexico via San Ysidro, cross the border before noon to avoid the after work traffic from around 3 to 7 pm. Due to the extremely long lines, we wouldn’t recommend crossing into the US here, but crossing into Mexico is just fine. The wait times to get back to the US at San Ysidro can get up to 3 hours or more. There is usually a minimal wait to cross the border from the US to Mexico by car. There are two ports of entry in Tijuana, but San Ysidro (called El Chaparral on the Mexico side) is the best one to use to hop on Highway 1 quickly. Tijuana is home to the western-most border crossing and its famous for being the busiest in the world. The three most popular US and Mexico land border crossings for Baja are Tijuana (across the border from San Diego, CA), Tecate, and Mexicali (across the border from Calexico, CA).ĭepending on your route, the best place to cross the border is to enter Mexico via San Diego/Tijuana (for Highway 1) or Calexico/Mexicali (for Highway 5) and return to the United States via Tecate. The Sierra de la Giganta mountain range near Loreto, Baja California Sur. 🇲🇽 Visiting Mexico? Check out our 60 Best Mexico Travel Tips (a Mexican’s best advice).

Some people visit for just a weekend, while others spend the winter months in Baja to escape the cold weather at home. Some tourists fly into Baja along with their essential camping gear, buy a cooler and chairs once there, and then rent a car in Mexico to camp around the peninsula.īut most who want to camp in Baja drive their own vehicles and RVs to Mexico. Tijuana (TIJ), Los Cabos (SJD), and Loreto (LTO) are the three main international airports in Baja. The Baja peninsula is flanked by the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez) on its eastern side and the Pacific Ocean on its western side and has 2,038 miles (3,280 km) of coastline with islands on either side. Stretching from the US border at San Diego and Tijuana to the famous arch in Cabo San Lucas, Baja is an estimated 760 miles (1,220 km) long and 25 to 150 miles (40 to 240 km) wide. The Baja peninsula is actually made up of two Mexican states: Baja California to the north and Baja California Sur to the south. “Baja” is the name commonly used to refer to the entire Baja California peninsula in northwestern Mexico. We use and recommend Baja Bound to get dependable coverage in minutes online. We really appreciate your support!ĭriving to Baja? You need to buy mandatory Mexican car insurance. There’s no extra cost for you and it helps support our work. We may earn a commission for purchases made through some of these links. We link to products and services we think are useful for our readers.

#Rv boondocking california desert how to#

How to Find Campsites in Baja California.This intro to Baja California camping goes over everything you need to know before camping in Baja, Mexico, including essential border crossing info, what to pack, and the best campground and RV parks in Baja. It’s one of my favorite destinations in the world and I’m passionate about sharing it with others. I’m Mexican and have been camping in Baja since I was about 5 years old. Camping styles range from a hammock under a beachfront palapa to luxury glamping, and everything in between, but most people camp in tents or campers. Going on a road trip and camping along the way is one of the best ways to explore Baja.

The Baja peninsula is also home to delicious Mexican food and plenty of cold cerveza, some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, and colorful historical towns to explore. It’s a land of incredible natural beauty with scenic deserts, beautiful beaches, and picture-perfect night skies. Baja California, Mexico is known as the place where the desert meets the sea.