Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Ensenada?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Ensenada?
Not sure how much time you'll need in Ensenada, Mexico? Most people spend two to three days in Ensenada during their visit. After all, the historic city will let you taste delicious cuisine, tour the famous sights and museums, take advantage of the local nightlife, and go shopping.
Ensenada is located in Baja California. It's an active port city and there are frequent cruise ships that stop here. The city has shopping, many outdoor activities, and great food.
Do you have one or two days to visit Ensenada? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Ensenada?
One day is usually not enough time to experience the historic city of Ensenada, so you may find yourself somewhat rushed. You don't want to miss the chance to taste delicious cuisine, tour the famous sights and museums, take advantage of the local nightlife, and go shopping. So, you'll likely want more than one day, as many tourists set aside two to three days for their visit. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations to make the most of your journey.
How to spend a day in Ensenada
Perhaps the most famous spot in Ensenada is Avenida Lopez Mateos, so make sure you set aside some time to check it out. It might not be at the top of your list, but it's worth experiencing during your trip.
The restaurant and food scene here is top notch, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine. The town is known for its seafood, and fish tacos is one of the most popular dishes. You'll find seafood markets and street cards selling fresh and local items. Sample your way through the city and enjoy all of the local specialties.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Private Wine Tour at Valle de Guadalupe (A wine tasting included). ($102)
- wine tours and driver service through valle de guadalupe, Ensenada B.C. Mexico ($145)
- Surprises, Delights and Joys Ensenada Wine, Mezcal, and Food Tour ($100)
Ensenada is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. The downtown area is walkable and easy to explore on foot.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Ensenada?
To do everything that Ensenada has to offer, you'll need more than a weekend, but two or three days does allow you a bit more time to explore. You'll have a chance to experience at least some of the highlights. In addition to the great food and fun museums and landmarks, visitors can enjoy the shopping, local culture, and scenery. By staying a night or two, you'll be able to take advantage of the most interesting activities found here, and we have some suggestions below.
Ensenada, Mexico
How to spend 2 days in Ensenada
Having a weekend (two to three days) in Ensenada will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the city.
You'll find a few good museums and historic landmarks here, so it's worth your time to spend a day exploring a few of them. There are several good museums in town such as the Museo de Historia and Caracol Museo de Ciencias.
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. There are a number of bars and nightclubs around town. Head to Avenida López Mateos for many of the best restaurants and bars.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Ensenada, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.