Aerial View of Loreto Mexico looking out to the Sea of Cortez

Magical Things to do in Loreto, Mexico for First Timers

Does the sound of a seaside vacation with stunning turquoise waters, historic sites, charm, and endless opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty and outdoors suit you? How does visiting a literal magic town sound?

Too good to be true right? Not! Loreto, located on the Baja California Peninsula is one of Mexico’s Pueblo Mágico (magic town) that sits right on the Sea of Cortez and might just be the kind of destination you’ve been searching for.

This was my first time visiting. Growing up in Southern California with easy access to Mexico’s Baja California coast, I had an idea of how beautiful Loreto was going to be, but I still managed to be surprised with how much I’d fall in love with Loreto’s natural beauty, outdoor activities, culinary scene, and historic landmarks that I visited on my trip.

A few of my favorite highlights from my Loreto trip included hiking, bird watching (does that mean I am getting old?), incredible turquoise water, Coronado Island, and of course, eating my way around this stunning coastal escape. You better believe the seafood is good!

Throughout this guide, I am going to break down some of the best things to do in Loreto, Mexico for first-timers including everything I did on my trip, including more in-depth information on all those highlights I just mentioned, and more – so that planning your trip to Loreto is easy, breezy.

Plus I’ll cover the best way to get to Loreto, some tour options, and other essential information you’ll need to know before booking your trip.

The goal here is to make planning your trip to Loreto as painless as possible so you’re already in a state of relaxation when arriving at this magical, sleepy Mexico getaway.

Disclaimer: This post contains commisionable links.

Why Visit Loreto?

Loreto was dubbed “The World’s Aquarium” by Jacques Cousteau, for having incredible biodiversity with its coral reefs and migrating whales. I mean any place on the top list of Cousteau should already be a good indicator of how great of a coastal destination it will be.

Loreto is also designated a Pueblo Mágico. What is a Pueblo Mágico you might be wondering? It’s a prestigious designation assigned to a handful of places in Mexico by the government for places known for their ‘magical’ qualities.

Meaning that in Loreto, you’ll get a great glimpse into Mexico’s history, culture, architecture, and local traditions.

One specific example of a local tradition would be how Loreto uses wheat tortillas. Most of Mexico uses corn for tortillas but here, wheat was easier to grow, so they’re culinary scene is distiguished for using wheat in their tortillas.

Aerial View of Loreto Mexico taken from Drone in December

Add in the factors of pleasant, year-round, warm weather, delicious food, and fewer crowds if any, and you’ve got the recipe to create an incredible trip away from it all.

This is why I am excited to share this post because I feel like I re-discovered the beauty of what places like Tulum used to be like before mass tourism.

A Pelican on the Rocks with Loreto in the background during sunrise

Before we get into all the wonderful things to do in Loreto, Mexico let’s talk about its location.

Loreto is a part of Baja California Sur state on the Baja California Peninsula in northwest Mexico. If you’re familiar with Baja California, it’s a 7-hour drive north of Cabo San Lucas and 5 hours north of La Paz on the Gulf of California to give you some reference.

Early mornings you can witness all the fishermen on the glass-like water for some beautiful sunrises.

Loreto is a charming beachfront city, with a population of just under 20,000 people. But also with mountains just a 15-30 minute drive featuring stunning Cardón and Elephant cacti.

And to get to most of the activities in Loreto, you’ll want to have a car or if you don’t want to drive, there are a few tour options available.

How to Get to Loreto, Baja California Sur

Welcome to Loreto Sign 11

The most common ways to get to Loreto are below. If you’re coming from other popular spots like La Paz or Cabo San Lucas, I mention your options.

If you’re only coming to Loreto, I highly recommend booking a flight directly to Loreto International Airport to reduce travel time and maximize your time enjoying all the fun things to do here.

From La Paz

The two most convenient ways to get to Loreto from La Paz are renting a car or taking a bus for the five-and-a-half-hour journey.

From Cabo San Lucas

Like La Paz, you can rent a car or take a bus from Cabo San Lucas for the 8.5-hour journey. When writing this you could technically fly, but currently, the routes are so limited that you fly to Tijuana, then Loreto and it can take up to 18 hours.

Directly to Loreto (LTO Loreto International Airport)

I flew in directly to Loreto with a stopover in Phoenix. They do a daily route and I didn’t want to deal with the drive so that was my route.

They have daily flights from Phoenix, Dallas, LA, and San Diego.

Important Tip if You’re Bringing Camera Gear into Mexico

Keep in mind, that Mexico currently has a tax that they charge if you are traveling with electronics like multiple photos or camera gear.

It had been a few years since we had been to Mexico and I hadn’t brushed up on the current rules.

I was charged 1,500 pesos (approximately $75) for my Mavic 3 Pro Drone in December 2024. For more info on camera equipment and electronic limitations, read the Mexico Consulate Guide to prepare.

Is Loreto, Mexico Safe?

Loreto Tourist Office at Night


Loreto, Mexico is known to generally be safe.

I found Loreto to be extremely safe. I felt comfortable walking alone at night, never felt in danger at bars, or when alone, and never saw anything that made me think that Loreto isn’t a safe destination.

When I researched it for this article I couldn’t find a single instance of people saying they didn’t feel safe.

Where to stay in Loreto

Hotel Oasis is my top recommendation for where to stay in Loreto as a few of my suggestions of what to do are found at this hotel property. Not to mention, you’re right on the beach facing the Sea of Cortez.

You can walk downtown in 20 minutes or it’s a quick car ride away. But this quiet, beachfront location is the epitome of what Loreto is known for – great outdoors, being close to the beach, and excellent food including their weekly clambake on the beach on Saturdays.

Hotel Oasis is also a family-run hotel with intimate care and attention to each of its rooms, plus they are a very eco-conscious and sustainable property using solar power.

Learn More

Cool Activities & What to do in Loreto

Stroll along the Malecón at Sunrise

An Aerial view of the Malecon of Loreto Mexico

Malecón is a Spanish word for esplanade by a waterfront, and one of the best things to do early mornings is to take a stroll along the waterfront to observe the Loreto Bay National Park.

I loved doing this at sunrise because the water was like glass and you could see all the pelicans and fishermen out on the water. It was so peaceful. I loved watching the sunrise over the island in the distance.

Fisherman on their boat in Loreto Mexico During Sunrise

Along the Malecón are palm trees and benches to view all the variety of birds like blue and brown footed boobies, and pelicans to name a few I saw.

There’s something special about sunrsie to me, but you can enjoy the Malecón anytime of the day. You also have the option to rent bicycles and enjoy that way too.

Don’t miss the Loreto sign for a photo either!

Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó (Loreto Mission Church)

On this trip, I actually learned that this was the first mission built by Father Junipero Serra. That was noteworthy because growing up in Southern California, I’ve visited many of the 21 missions he built in California including in San Diego, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura.

Something else I found to be fascinating is that this is where the famous Camino De Real begins and is signified by this bell.

Visitors are welcome to take a look inside during public viewing hours.

Museo de la Misiones de Baja California

Jesuit Missions of Loreto Museum Exterior 3

If you find the history around the mission to be interesting, you’ll want to make sure to visit the Museo de la Misiones de Baja California, it’s located right next to the Loreto Mission Church, so you can’t miss it.

We did a guided tour and learned interesting details like the mission was originally built in the 18th century as one of 18 structures created during missionary efforts on the Baja California peninsula.

The museum showcases around 300 artifacts, including archaeological finds, paintings, sculptures, and weapons from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Highlights within the museum include the Book of Comments of the Ecclesiastical from 1701, a Historical Catechism printed in 1681, a Recumbent Christ sculpture, and a bell lost at sea in 1875 during a Jesuit mission, later recovered by a fisherman after a century.

The building itself also has a storied past having served as a warehouse, police station, prison, and both a primary and secondary school before its transformation into a museum by the Federal Government in 1973. Today, it stands as a testament to the region’s cultural and historical heritage.

Whale Watching

Aerial-View-of-Humpack-Whale-in-Baja-California

One of the premiere things to in Loreto, Mexico is whale watching. They have tours departing daily on the lookout for the blue whales, grey whales, fin whales, humpbacks, dolphins, manta rays, and more.

I recommend checking out Loreto Sea and Land Tours for their blue whale watching tours and their grey whale watching tours.

The best time to for whale watching in Loreto is February – March but will vary depending on each year, in recent years whale watching was available as early as January.

The typical tour runs between 4-6 hours with lunch and soft drinks provided.

Hiking through the terrain in Sierra de la Giganta

Loreto really it all for outdoor activities including hiking. One area really great for hiking are the Sierra de la Giganta Mountains. You’ll find dramatic terrain here from canyons, boulders, and steep cliffs.

There are even natural pools you can visit within the area and several hiking trails to choose from.

One popular option is the Tabor Canyon trail, which will eventually lead you to some beautiful freshwater pools. The trail itself is .8 miles out-and-back and while the distance isn’t too strenous, you should be prepared to do a bit of bouldering along the route. Don’t worry though, there are some safety ropes along these portions of the trail.

If you’re intimidated to do this on ony our own or want some company, join this guided tour of the Tabor Canyon hike.

Loreto City Hall in Downtown Loreto

Loreto City Hall During a Sunny Day

The Loreto City Hall postcard-worthy building was built in the 1940s. Inside you’ll find murals that explain the entire history of Loreto and its ancestors. While also serving as the official tourist office and downtown of Loreto.

It’s a great meeting point, a place to sit, hang out, shop, or eat and drink along its many different shops and boutiques nearby in the square.

Hang Out Around Plaza Civica

When wandering around Loreto’s Old Town you’ll want to check out Plaza Civica, the main square. This is where you’ll find plenty of shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars while wandering around downtown.

Since the square was so picturesque I’d often make my way here at sunset during the five days I was here and one of my favorite things to do was sit at Pepegina’s order a tamarind margarita with a Tajín rim and watch the sunset behind the Loreto City Hall.

Another great spot to have a margarita on the square was Posada De Las Flores who not only had great margaritas but had an impressive wine list if you’re wanting to take a break from the cocktails.

Caballo Blanco Coffee Shop & Museum

Caballo Blanco Bookstore in Loreto

One of my favorite stores in Loreto was just a block off the square on the corner of Calle Benito Juarez and C Davis called El Caballo Blanco Roasters.

Not only did they make a great cappuccino but the whole premise of this place was to celebrate the history and culture of Loreto.

While you’re here you can see what movies were filmed here, see how people lived, see local art, and learn about the history.

You can buy souvenirs and books, and of course, have a delicious cup of coffee while doing it. The staff speaks English if you’ve exhausted your Spanish speaking skills on your trip and will help answer anything you want to know about the area and the self-guided museum.

This was a great stop with money supporting local artists and really educational in the event you find yourself wanting to learn about the history.

Get a Picture with the Loreto Sign

If you’re anything like me you might love these location signs. I’m a sucker for them and while I didn’t get a photo of myself in them I did use it to open my Instagram video of Loreto.

Go Karaoking at La Cruz de olvido

Not your typical ‘thing to do in Loreto’ but something that’s fun to add into your trip if you’re with a group of fun people is head to La Cruz de Olvido for karaoke!

One of the nights a few people I knew who were also in town wanted to see what the karaoke scene was like (or if there even was one) and to our joy there was one two blocks away at the corner of Pino Suarez and Av. Miguel Hidalgo.

It’s free to karaoke, as long as you buy a drink. Just put your request in at the bar and wait your turn. We did both English and Spanish songs and it was a great time!

Enjoy Loreto’s Best Beaches

A view of the beach at Isla Coronada in Loreto Mexico

Let’s be honest, did you come to a coastal Mexico destination to skip the beaches? Doubt it. Loreto has some great beaches that are easy to walk to and drive to from downtown.

What’s nice is you can make a whole day out of hanging out at Loreto’s beaches as some have restaurants or hotels nearby to get a bite to eat. Or if you like to DIY your beach day, come prepared with your own drinks and snacks.

Here are a few of my favorite beaches in Loreto:

Playa La Darsena

An aerial photo of palapa umbrellas and a bird relaxing at Playa La Darsena

Playa La Darsena is a cute small beach just to the left of the marina in Loreto. It’s incredibly convenient and easy to get to. It also has a few palapa umbrellas to block from the sun and has picturesque white sand with some palapa umbrellas for shade.

It’s easy to get food and drink here since you’re steps away from downtown.

Playa La Negrita

Located a 10-minute walk from the beach from Playa La Darsena is Playa La Negrita. Which also has rows of palapa umbrellas. The sand here is mixed in with pebbles too, so it’s not quite as popular as the other beaches here, but is still very beautiful.

The brief walk makes this once a bit more secluded and is also known for being a great pet-friendly beach. There aren’t as many shops or things nearby so it’s best to bring your water, snacks, drinks etc…

Playa Oasis

The view of the beach from Hotel Oasis in Loreto Mexico

Playa Oasis is a beautiful curved part of the beach towards the south end of Loreto and also where Hotel Oasis is located.

The beach is free to enter and you have the option to drive and park or walk from downtown if you really wanted to.

Playa Oasis in Loreto Mexico

This is the largest of the beaches and it curves into a point where all the birds would hang out.

It made for a nice place to walk and was a great place to watch the sunset and since the hotel was next door I could grab a snack or drinks easily.

An unexpected bonus at that beach is Hotel Oasis has a couple of dogs and sometimes you may see them on the beach. They’re incredibly friendly and adorable.

A friendly dog greets visitors taking photos during an oyster bake at Hotel Oasis in Loreto Mexico

A few options nearby are Playa Nopolo and Playa La Salinita.

Playa Nopolo is a great beach next to the golf resort again featuring palapa umbrellas and a nice beautiful sand coastline.

Playa La Salinita

A view of playa la salanita from the kayak

Playa La Salinita is close to the airport and tends to be a bit more quiet as it’s more remote.

You won’t have, or shouldn’t have issues with parking. But keep in mind you’re going to be removed from hops and restaurants, so come prepared with everything you want/need for hanging out at the beach.

We used this as a launching point for kayaking.


Remeber what Costeau said about Loreto? It’s the world’s aquarium, so you better bet that Loreto has some nice snorkeling too!

We both have this snorkel set which includes a mask, snorkel, ear plugs, flippers, and carrying bags which are perfect for beach hopping on our trips. We both pack carry-on only and easily able to fit it in our bag too. They’ve made it to Panama, Curacao, Bonaire, and Puerto Rico, and now Mexico so far!

Visit Coronado Island in Loreto Bay National Marine Park

My absolute favorite thing I did on this trip was visit Coronado Island in the Loreto Bay National Marine Park.

Coronado Island is an inactive volcano known for its pristine white sands, great snorkeling, and hiking. Its beach was hands down my favorite because of its beautiful white sand and turquoise water.

A beautiful scene of a boat in turquoise water at Coronada Island in Loreto Mexico

The island is 25-30 minutes away by boat and depending on the time of year you may see manta rays or mobula rays! It’s not uncommon to see dolphins, whales, or sea lions too just on the ride to the island.

We did a tour with TOUR COMPANY and they offered us the ability a hike and swim during our time on Coronado Island.

I ended up doing half the hike and snorkeling the rest of the time while others went and did the full hike which left them with 30 minutes to swim before departing.

The Coronado Island Hike is really cool but a bit of a challenge. It’s a 4-mile hike with a 1,000-foot elevation gain, but the terrain makes it challenging.

The Hiking Path is narrow and progressively gets rockier
The Hiking Path is narrow and progressively gets rockier

It gets progressively more rocky the further up you go. Doing the entire trail to the top and back down would take you just over 3 hours. If doing it bring some good shoes and plenty water. This isn’t a hike to attempt in flip flops.

Snorkeling at Coronado Island was just perfect. There were so many fish right off the beach it was truly a highlight of my whole trip.

Another tour option is this 4-hour catamaran snorkeling tour that includes lunch. This doesn’t really give you the room to do the full hike, but it’s a great option if you’re more into the marine life and snorkeling!

See Mobula Rays jump out of the water!

One of the more unexpected things I did and also one of my favorite things to do in Loreto was see mobula rays jumping out of the water while on a kayak/stand-up paddle tour.

Kayaking from Playa La Salinita with Sea Kayak Baja Mexico 2

I joined the kayak/SUP tour offered by TOUR COMPANY. You can pick your vessel of choice, my group chose kayaks and we were given two-hours to paddle around off of Playa La Salinita.

You get really beautiful views of Loreto from the water and my favorite part was the bird watching and seeing the fish fly by and near our kayaks – not to mention mobula rays jumping out of the water around us!

This is also where I saw my first blue footed boobie along with pelicans and frigates. This is a definitely a great way to get up close to some of the local marine and wildlife!

Join an Oyster Bake

A man relaxing as the clams bake in the sand at hotel oasis in Loreto Mexico


One of more unique and local things to do in Loreto is enjoy a clam bake buffet. This was probably my favorite meal experience.

Hotel Oasis offers a weekly clam bake buffet on Saturdays at 6 PM. What makes this special is the unique way they bake the clams under a layer of fire burning on the beach.

I watched and that’s when we were greeted with a couple of really cute dogs that wanted to say hi while we were checking out the bake.

Loreto is known for its famous mustard sauce blend that you try clams/oysters with and it was amazing.

The Oyster and Clam Bake Dinner at Hotel Oasis

During the evening you have beautiful live music and the sounds of the ocean. I would highly recommend doing this if you’re in town on a Saturday in Loreto.

Enjoy Loreto’s Food Scene

Fried Fish Tacos from Taqueria El Molontzin

Loreto is known for its seafood thanks to the Sea of Cortez and the incredible variety of great fish in the area.

A few specialty dishes you’ll want to seek out are chocolate clams, almejas tatemadas (charred clams), ceviche, mustard and the local tortillas.

Most places in Mexico would give you corn tortillas, but in Loreto, it’s easier to grow wheat than it is corn and they’ve developed a unique approach to making their tortillas that it’s worth trying while you’re in town.

Here are a few of my favorite places we ate on our trip to Loreto:

Hotel Oasis

The Oyster and Clam Bake Dinner at Hotel Oasis

I loved the location on the beach, the owner was wonderful, and the Saturday oyster/clam bake with the special mustard sauce is something I won’t soon forget.

Zapata Cantina

Zapata Cantina in Loreto Mexico

One thing that I didn’t expect when coming to Loreto was that they have a pretty good beer scene. One of the best spots to grab a beer that I frequented on this trip was Zapata Cantina, which also seems to be a local favorite too.

Orlando’s Restaurant

Orlandos Restaurant in Loreto Mexico

When I say I ate well on this trip, this was another spot that is worth heading to. While I eye balled up what everyone got, I was really happy with my choice of the coconut shrimp and mole.

Plus, Orlando’s Restaurant had an overall great ambiance too.

Taqueria El Molontzin

Fried Fish Tacos from Taqueria El Molontzin

I feel like I’m starting to say this about every meal in Loreto, but eating at Taqueria el Molontzin was another favorite. I mean, the food scene in Loreto is great.

This local joint didn’t have any frills, but they serve up the best fish tacos I’ve ever had and I feel like that’s tough to beat seeing how I’ve had my fairshare of fish tacos growing up in Southern California.

I can’t recommend this place enough, just keep in mind this spot is cash only.

Aasadero Super Burro

Asadero Super Burro is where to go to try a super burro! PS did you know how big these are? They are the size of your head. So this is the place to come hungry.

This local joint is casual and as I said, come hungry after a big day of adventure to refuel. I really liked the queso taco de arrachera (flank steak taco with cheese). If you have friends who like to share, I recommend doing that so you can try a few things.

Visit the Cave Paintings Near Loreto

Cave Paintings of La Pingüica outside of Loreto Mexico

Loreto, and much of Baja for that matter, is well known for its amount of ancient cave paintings that are incredibly well preserved.

There are multiple ancient cave painting sites including Sierra de San Francisco (UNESCO), Sierra de Guadalupe, Santo Domingo, San Borjita, and La Pingüica to name a few of the most notable.

We visited La Pingüica which began with an hour’s drive outside of Loreto, then maybe an hour or so walk along a river bed that transitioned into a walking path with cholla and jumping cholla cactus nearby until it opened back up into mostly rocks and a different part of the river bed.

Hiking and the terrain of La Pingüica

The hiking was moderate, but there is very little cloud cover so water and sunscreen are must-haves.

There were so many cave paintings at our locations and it was really interesting to learn that many of these are over 4,000 years old.

A guide of La Pingüica climbing on a rock to explain what he sees
You can see all kinds of carvings on this rock.

I loved having a guide for this because we were given a lot of the meaning of the different paintings along with geological features.

It was really special to be there and have this visceral connection to ancient times that pre-dated language as we know it today.

A couple of personal eye-opening highlights that I learned about the cave paintings/carvings was the fact that the artwork was simple, they didn’t have in-depth details.

There would be added shapes and figures next to their drawings. For example, when making a woman they may have signified the gender by adding what would be the breasts in the armpit areas.

Or that the drawings of dolphins had fins in odd locations to a trained eye because they didn’t have the same drawing techniques we use today.

A carving of a dolphin

They often did this with animals, like the dolphin.

The location where they would have made this dolphin drawing was about a day’s journey back from the ocean. Now imagine trying to draw something from memory after a day. This dolphin carving has extra fins.

We were told they may have started asking each other, uncertain, of how many fins the dolphins had. Since they weren’t sure, they added an extra one.

In my opinion, the cave painting sites are best done by tour so that you get more in-depth information about the historic and cultural site. This 3.5 hour tour includes a guided hike to the Canipole Cave Painting site at La Piniguica.

Take a Day trip to San Javier Jesuit Mission

An aerial photo of San Javier Church in San Javier Mexico
An aerial photo of San Javier Church

The San Javier Jesuit Mission, also known as Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biandó is one of the most well-known and well-preserved Jesuit missions in Baja California Sur.

It was founded in 1699 and is often called the “Jewel of the Missions” thanks to how well it’s been maintained over the years. Its stone structure was finished being built in 1758 and still is used to this day on a daily basis.

It’s worth making the trip to see the beautiful craftsmanship but then also just see this incredible structure smack dab in the middle of this stunning landscape.

While you’re here stop by La Palapa Restaurant for lunch. This is where I first tried machaca burritos and they were exactly what the doctor ordered.

This is a bit of a drive from Loreto and having a car is required. However if you don’t want to drive to San Javier, you can join a tour like one of these:

Overall Sentiment & Recap of Loreto Mexico

I came to Loreto for a respite to the cold weather in New York. What better place to do that than a beach destination known for its beautiful turquoise water? I got all of that and so much more.

I was genuinely impressed by all the things there were to do and really wanted to come back during the February season to see the dolphins and whales migrate.

I felt very safe in Loreto, absolutely enjoyed the food and it was super easy to get around and find really quality guides.

I’d recommend visiting Loreto for its outdoor opportunities from wildlife viewing to the watersports like kayaking and snorkeling, as well as the hiking. The culinary scene is also worth traveling for.

It’s also a great spot if you’re looking for a lesser visited gem that has room for more tourism unlike a few popular spots along the Yucatan Peninsula.

Not to mention, this is a great warm winter vacation to get away from cold winters in the US that’s especially accessible to the west coast, and not too bad to get to from the east coast.


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