Valle de Guadalupe: What Are You Waiting For? (updated 4/2018)
So for a few years you have been trying to plan a trip to Valle de Guadalupe to sip on the wines and chow down on some of that food that leaves you drooling over the Facebook photos your friends have posted. You are ready to get your mini adventure en route.
I have compiled a nice little list of my top 10 easy tips to get your trip together to make it super simple and worry-free. Whether you are going down for a day trip or plan on staying for the weekend, these tips will be good to bookmark for your visits in the future. Believe me. You will return again and again.
Best times of year to visit Valle de Guadalupe
April / May : Spring is lovely because the weather is still cool but the sun is mostly shining in the valley and it is not yet overrun with large tour buses and masses of tourists. In late April each year, the Festival de Las Conchas y El Vino Nuevo introduces the celebration of shell fish & new wines.
August: Vendimia, a 25 year old, week-long, summer wine festival in August that includes concerts, lectures, dinners, festivals and more to celebrate the region. This time can be incredibly crowded but the activities available make the week a great time to experience the best of the region. Accommodations must be made well in advance.
October / November: The weather is amazing in the fall. The days are slightly cooler with a nice ocean breeze that makes its way through the valley. The summer traffic has died down but the season is still open. The Valle Wine & Food Festival is a NEW annual event that coincides with the BajaFest. The festival is a celebration with music, an abundance of food and wine from the valley producers.
Best Days to Go: Wednesday, Thursday & Friday are my favorite days to go. For some reason, Tuesday is a day that MANY of the wineries and restaurants close. Sunday/Monday returns can produce annoyingly long border wait times with the thousands of returning Americans. I love weekday trips that bring me back across the border before 8PM for the lowest wait times.
Border Crossings
If you don’t already have a Passport Card, it might be a good idea to get one. You can apply for this form of a passport identification if you like and it will allow you to travel across borders via land, sea and foot. (Can’t use for air travel.)
The Passport Card allows visitors to use the READY LANE to cross back over the border. The Ready Lane cuts border time wait. https://passportinfo.com/passport-card/
SENTRI/Global Entry: If you have a SENTRI or GLOBAL ENTRY CARD and you are traveling in a pre-approved car, your wait time can be 3 – 20 minutes. I have only ever waited 20 minutes on a weekend mid-day to evening crossing. There IS a special lane for SENTRI cars but EVERYONE in the car must have either a SENTRI card or GLOBAL ENTRY card to cross this way OTHERWISE the approved driver risks LOSING their SENTRI card altogether. The process includes an application fee of approximately $100, an extensive application with background check, and an in-person interview at the U.S. immigration office. The process can take up to a few months if the system is back-logged.
Special Lanes: If you have the passport card, YOU MUST READ/SEE this post! It shows you EXACTLY how to get into the ready lanes to cross the San Ysidro border. Make NO MISTAKE. It is not clearly marked. http://www.discoverbaja.com/go/driving-directions/san-ysidro-ready-lane-directions/
SENTRI LANE – Watch this video to see how to get to the SENTRI lane via Padre Kino.
Border Waits
This app/website will let you know the live wait times at border crossings. VERY helpful. https://bwt.cbp.gov/ or the app : CBP Border Wait Times for iPhones and Android devices
Wine Route Map
Plan your trip with this website map. http://larutavcc.com/mapa/ Once you get to your first destination in Valle, ask for the Ruta de Vino map. It is a great resource.
Read A Gringo in Mexico
After reviewing our Cur8eur reviews of chefs & restaurants in Valle de Guadalupe, get an idea of some additional places of interest that you might like to add to your itinerary during your visit. http://agringoinmexico.com/
Mexican Auto Insurance
Most likely your insurance company does NOT insure you once you cross the border. If by chance your insurance does cover you, it may ONLY be within the tourist zone near the border crossing. CHECK YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE.
You can get day insurance at this link. This is the insurance company that my GEICO insurance refers me to. CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR QUOTE. Approximate cost… $24 for two days
Uber TJ
Don’t wanna drive yourself? No worries. You can use your U.S. UBER account to get around Tijuana, Ensenada & Valle for a reasonable cost. https://www.uber.com/cities/tijuana
FB forums
– Eating & Drinking in Baja
– Tijuana Makes Me Hungry
– Discover Baja California
Family Friendly
More Than Wine
The valley has so much to offer. The wine is a big draw but so is the cheese cave, the museum, the olive oil, and even glamping.
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