Baja Baby

Winding roads, podcasts, roadside tamales, cow crossings, car-sized potholes, military stops, beachside bliss, and so much more.

BEFORE WE WENT: You’re likely a lot like us—Googling and YouTubing your heart out, checking out all the overlanders who’ve been to Baja and their experiences. We watched every video we could find (what else was there to do in 2020, really?) and started making a plan: where to go, what to do, and, most importantly, what to eat. Oh, the things we would eat! We also investigated which apps folks liked (iOverlander FTW) and noted any favorite areas (Santispac! Mulege! Todos Santos! OH MY!).

A WORD ON SAFETY: Yes, we were nervous at first, buying into the hype and negative news, but we’re so glad we listened to our hearts and traveled anyway. Baja is Mexico-lite. It feels like a gradual extension of California with a Spanish-Mexican flair. YES, you’ll encounter military checkpoints, and YES, you might get pulled over for no reason—but how you respond is up to you. We were lucky, as our encounters were often positive, and since we weren’t trafficking people or illegal substances, we didn’t have anything to hide. We also had a unique combo: a woman driver and a male navigator, which seemed to throw people off. Many officers didn’t want to deal with Dawn at all and just waved us through checkpoints. Dawn’s Spanish was next to zero, and Drew’s was broken, making our interactions with police and military a bit awkward. But in the end, we didn’t pay any bribes and had only positive experiences with Mexican authorities.

Road safety is also important. Be aware of your surroundings and the road itself. There are some driving practices in Baja you might not be familiar with, like driving on the shoulder to let others pass or signaling left to show the driver behind you that they can pass. You’ll pick up on these as you go, and when in doubt, follow the truckers—they know what’s up.

OUR RIG: Peaches (that’s what we call her) handled Baja like she was made for it. Without any 4x4 integrations, we were a little worried before heading down, but our fears disappeared after the first 24 hours of driving across the border. Our tires (Baja champions for real, though—actual specs: BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2) were the perfect upgrade for the roads we encountered throughout our Baja trips, both North and South. Sometimes paved, sometimes not, the roads kept us on our toes, and the scenery was stunning! We also kept up with our off-roading friends, and when we got stuck, we managed to get ourselves out. (Note: We only got stuck twice—definitely a blog for another day.)

The roads out here aren’t for the faint of heart. Potholes, low light, bright light, and some of the skinniest single-lane, two-way highways we’ve ever seen, where one wrong move could send you off a cliff or down a steep, sandy embankment. Fortunately, the only casualty over our three Baja trips was our driver-side mirror on our third trip. We’re surprised it lasted that long! Luckily, AutoZone seemed to be in every Mexican town, so we easily got a stick-on mirror replacement.

Quick Story: It was a close call with a truck whose mirror extenders were out for towing, but they weren’t towing anything. They were driving like they weren’t towing, and our mirrors collided. Luckily, our hinged factory mirrors kept the vehicle straight, and though our mirror smashed, it didn’t break off completely.

Peaches steers like any Ford, and while she can be a bit squeaky and loud on bumpy roads, nothing ever came loose inside. Not a single door or drawer opened, even during some of our more intense off-roading. The Laguna-mounted table sometimes spun and jiggled, but that’s on us for how we left it when hitting the road. While our clearance isn’t as high as a lifted or 4x4 truck, we found that with careful driving, we could navigate ruts and uneven terrain as long as we approached it smartly and tactfully. You usually have time to decide whether to take the washboard road less traveled or stick to the paved highway—the choice is yours.

BEST OF TIMES: You never forget your first time, and our first venture down the coasts of Baja was thrilling. Each turn was new, each town an adventure, and every experience felt uniquely ours. As you go, you’ll realize that many overlanders are having similar experiences, but what makes it special are the people you meet along the way. The friends we made on the road that first year are still friends today, and we met even more during subsequent trips to Baja (and eventually mainland Mexico). You’ll find your Baja buds in grocery stores, beaches, pubs, pools, or maybe even at an overlanding spot tucked into a cactus garden. Being open to meeting new people and lending a hand enriched our Baja adventures.

The best moments are the spontaneous ones you didn’t even know were possible. Like meeting traveling musicians and organizing an impromptu sunset fiddling session that led to a late-night hip-hop dance party, powered by everyone’s Jackerys to keep the electric fiddle rocking! Or getting a WhatsApp message from road-life friends about an amazing sustainable farm in the mountains that welcomes overlanding rigs—it’s a bit of an off-road trek to get there, but when your ferry to the mainland gets canceled, you make the drive. The last 8km takes almost an hour, but the reward is an incredible camping experience with 12 new friends, surrounded by natural springs in the mountains. This may sound unreal as I type it, but it was even more magical in reality.

SUNSHINE AND SWEAT: We have air conditioning in our rig, but since we were always off-grid, we never used it. Yes, it got hot, but our fan circulated air perfectly, and the windows provided cross-breezes. Baja is a desert, so it gets cold at night. We spent January through April in Baja during our first year, and December through January on our second trip before heading to the mainland. The weather was perfect—shorts and T-shirts by day, sweaters and sweatpants by night. By April/May, it gets warmer, so be prepared for hotter temps if you’re traveling during the summer months.

SOLAR: We never ran out of power and never plugged in. Solar was not an issue in Baja. One challenge was dust and sand on the panels, so be prepared to clean them or find someone to do it. Clean panels mean optimal solar output (tech specs: CLICK HERE).

DOGS DOGS DOGS: We travel with our 35lb rescue mutt, Wilma. She’s an adult and has little patience for puppies. She isn’t leash or dog-reactive but is protective of our space until we assure her it’s safe. She’s easy to travel and sleep with in the camper. We can’t imagine road life without her. At night, she has her zone while we sleep up top. The outdoor shower was also key for cleaning her up after she found a dead fish to roll in. Traveling with a dog can be tricky because of street and block dogs, but we’ll write a proper post on traveling with your pup soon. Mexico is pretty dog-friendly overall, and Wilma came with us just about everywhere. Through the overlanding community, we even found dog sitters and doggie daycare for when we had to leave her behind.

Mexico has some amazing organizations working to spay/neuter and home stray dogs, and we often volunteer as we travel. Proper sanitation is crucial if you’re handling strays and then returning to your pet, so keep that in mind.

In bigger Baja cities, you can also find reputable vets who do great work at a fraction of the North American cost. Whether your dog needs dental work or other medical care, Cabo and other cities may have what you need.

PARKING / OVERNIGHTS: We used iOverlander to find camping spots, both paid and for boondocking. It was our best resource. We also chatted with other overlanders, who shared their favorite spots along the way. Free camping is becoming harder to find in Baja. Between our first and last trips, many parking options changed, and free overnight camping became nearly impossible. That said, paid camping ranged from $5 to $15–$20 USD per night, depending on the amenities you were after. We’ll do a proper post on where we stayed and why we liked (or didn’t like) certain places. We even tried a few stealth nights on side streets in La Paz (super chill) and Todos Santos (so loud, never again).

Would we recommend driving to Baja? YOU BET! It’s a technical driving experience—you need to be super aware of your surroundings, and we strongly recommend avoiding driving at night because there are no streetlights and black cows can appear out of nowhere! Make sure you have GREAT TIRES, be prepared for flats or getting stuck, and top up all your fluids. Be kind, but stay alert. Drive the speed limit, get to know the road rules (again, follow the truckers), and you’ll have an unforgettable adventure.