Introduction

Tecate

Located 24 miles east of Tijuana, Tecate is the proud home of leading brewery Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, maker of Sol, Dos XX and Casta.

Baja’s beer-producing capital is surprisingly also known for making the best wood-burning oven-baked bread in the state and for its world-renowned pioneering spa retreat Rancho La Puerta, founded in 1940. The recently-opened Rancho Los Chabacanos offers spa services at an eco-lodge amid apricot and oak trees.

Surrounded by majestic mountains, Tecate offers contact with Mother Nature through various campgrounds with full-service cabins, including Rancho Ojai.

As the northern gateway to Mexico’s wine country, Tecate is also a good base from which to explore area wineries, including Vinos Tanama, which offers wine tasting and tours of their cellar (www.vinostanama.com).

Stop by Arte y Creacion Salazar (Paseo de Tecate, Centro Artesanal) for regional crafts and blown glass; La Casa del Arte (Tijuana-Ensenada Hwy., Km 41.5) specializes in ceramics; and Casa Torres House/Museum (Benito Juarez 31, Rosarito) has been offering fine Mexican crafts from all over the country since 1969.

Top dining options include La Mision (Benito Juarez 1110, Colonia El Encanto Sur), an attractive hacienda-style restaurant for grilled cuts of beef, fish and seafood, as well as a good house wine; and the modern Asao (Calle Ro Yaqui 798, Colonia Esteban Cant), which serves Mexican nouvelle cuisine.

Rosarito

Just 16 miles south of Tijuana is the community of Rosarito, famous for its beaches and water sports, especially surfing and fishing. A Hollywood playground in the 1930s and 40s, Rosarito still draws moviemakers to its Fox Studios Baja, where “Titanic” and some scenes of “Pearl Harbor” were filmed.

A few minutes away is Puerto Nuevo, a small town whose main attraction is the local dish: Lobster Puerto Nuevo. Droves of tourists cross the border just for a taste. One of the best places to try Puerto Nuevo-style lobster in Rosarito is Villa Ortega(Barracuda 77), which offers a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean to boot.

The best accommodations are found at the Rosarito Beach Hotel (www.rosarito beachhotel.com) facing the sea. Its spa is one of the most complete in Rosarito.