“Hotel California”

“Hotel California” is the landmark Todos Santos hotel.  For years, day-trippers coming from Los Cabos have flocked to the Hotel California hoping to see “mirrors on the ceilings and pink champagne on ice.”  Although Don Henley has denied any connection between the Eagles and the hotel that hasn’t slowed down the interest or fascination in this fabled attraction.

“Todos Santos” is a Coastal Oasis village, vibrant & active which was initially founded as a Mission in 1724.  Later Todos Santos became a major sugar-cane producer.  This famous Baja Village has long-been special with a Church, Theater, Cultural Center & Museum and so many historic buildings that are often open to the public, especially during the Historic Homes Tour.  Many organizations hold seminars & workshops there; in addition to a popular Art & Film Festival plus several magazines conducting shoots and photo-spreads.  This town includes a wide array of quiet Guest Rentals to choose from and longer-term vacation homes for rent.  Todos Santos is a also  destination for visiting whales and local fisherman provide daily fresh seafood.  The ecology of this oasis, the magnificent Sierra Laguna mountains continues to be the subject of many paintings, photographs and memories.

Come along on the adventure of a lifetime! In 1975, future filmmaker John Holod traveled the 1,060 mile Transpeninsular Baja Highway from Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas by motorcycle. He now returns in the comfort of his RV to make a video about this incredible desert paradise.

The adventure begins at the busiest border crossing in the world. We take a tour with the US Border Patrol to see what is being done to secure this hot spot. Today’s Tijuana is much different from the rundown place many of us remember. Ensenada is famous for its fish market, the blowhole, Estro Beach and Hussong’s Cantina -- “the bar that built a town”. A side trip takes us to San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez, a beach playground for RV’ers. Sierra National Park, looking much like Northern California, is home to the Pico Diablo, the highest mountain in all of Baja. Our route south takes us to San Quintin and El Rosario, the home of Mama Espinosa’s famous restaurant where we talk to Mama herself. Bahia de Los Angeles, one of the most beautiful places on the peninsula, is home to a wide variety of wildlife and provides access to the Midriff Islands and life forms found nowhere else on Earth.

Guerrero Negro is famous for salt production and the world’s friendliest grey whales…who get close enough to pet! We also visit a preserve protecting the endangered Peninsula Pronghorn, which have a population of less than two hundred. In San Ignacio we tour the mission and enjoy a parade honoring its patron saint. Santa Rosalia’s history features mining and French colonial style architecture. Mulege -- the oasis in the desert -- offers palm trees, dorado fishing, birding and a hike to nearby cave paintings. Camping on the beach a few feet from the sea makes many consider Bahia Conception the ultimate Baja destination. Loreto is one of the most pleasant towns in Baja featuring a mission museum and a 4 wheel drive side trip to San Javier and its well preserved church. A visit to San Carlos allows us to explore Magdalena Bay with its mangroves and estuaries. La Paz is noted for an attractive waterfront walkway and some of the best scuba diving on the peninsula. The adventure ends in the popular tourist resort of Cabo San Lucas. This is an adventure-packed 75 minute experience!