# La Paz



## jimymac2 (Jun 24, 2012)

Hi Y'all,
I'm new to this site, so bear with me. I'm going to use a timeshare in Cabo San Lucas beginning November 24th. I plan to rent a car for a couple of days and drive to Todo Santos and La Paz. Can anyone give me an idea of the "must see attractions" of La Paz. Where do the largest number of Expats hang out? I'm considering a beach house retirement there. Any advise would be helpful. This is just a preliminary visit to check out the area. Thanks.

Jimymac2


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

La Paz is really not a beach town. It's on a bay that I never saw anyone swim in except for little kids. They drive to swimming beaches. I'm sure there other towns on the south end that have a more attractive ocean in front but I haven't been there


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

Sparks is right about the beaches. La Paz is a state capital of 200,000 or so. The part of the bay near downtown (inside the "Mogote" or sand bar) isn't particularly clean. If you want housing on a swimmable beach, you'll need to look some distance from town, or in less populated areas such as La Ventana, Los Barriles, or on the Pacific coast closer to Todos Santos.

As for what to do in La Paz, visiting the islands by panga is a lovely day trip. Water may be a bit chilly by then to swim with the sea lions, though. In town you can walk along the Malecón, visit the anthropological museum, and go kayaking or paddleboarding in the bay. There's fishing, if you do that. I don't know that expats hang out in any particular place, but you might try the area around Marina La Paz, or the Tailhunter restaurant on the Malecón. Here's a website you can check out closer to the time to see what cultural events may be happening while you're here: http://www.rozinlapaz.com


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

makaloco said:


> Sparks is right about the beaches. La Paz is a state capital of 200,000 or so. The part of the bay near downtown (inside the "Mogote" or sand bar) isn't particularly clean. If you want housing on a swimmable beach, you'll need to look some distance from town, or in less populated areas such as La Ventana, Los Barriles, or on the Pacific coast closer to Todos Santos.
> 
> As for what to do in La Paz, visiting the islands by panga is a lovely day trip. Water may be a bit chilly by then to swim with the sea lions, though. In town you can walk along the Malecón, visit the anthropological museum, and go kayaking or paddleboarding in the bay. There's fishing, if you do that. I don't know that expats hang out in any particular place, but you might try the area around Marina La Paz, or the Tailhunter restaurant on the Malecón. Here's a website you can check out closer to the time to see what cultural events may be happening while you're here: http://www.rozinlapaz.com


There is a Crucero Club (Cruiser's Club) in Marina La Paz where people off the sailboats hangout. They are mostly from Canada and Mexico. It is a little shack with an English language book exchange out behind the cafe in the Marina.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

TundraGreen said:


> There is a Crucero Club (Cruiser's Club) in Marina La Paz where people off the sailboats hangout. They are mostly from Canada and Mexico. It is a little shack with an English language book exchange out behind the cafe in the Marina.


Yes, thanks, that's where I meant, along with the cafe itself which is called "The Dock". Here's the Club Cruceros website, which also has maps and other area info in English:
Club Cruceros de La Paz - Home


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

makaloco said:


> Yes, thanks, that's where I meant, along with the cafe itself which is called "The Dock". Here's the Club Cruceros website, which also has maps and other area info in English:
> Club Cruceros de La Paz - Home


I just noticed that I mistyped. The Cruceros people are mostly sailboat types from Canada and the *US*.


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## jimymac2 (Jun 24, 2012)

jimymac2 said:


> Hi Y'all,
> I'm new to this site, so bear with me. I'm going to use a timeshare in Cabo San Lucas beginning November 24th. I plan to rent a car for a couple of days and drive to Todo Santos and La Paz. Can anyone give me an idea of the "must see attractions" of La Paz. Where do the largest number of Expats hang out? I'm considering a beach house retirement there. Any advise would be helpful. This is just a preliminary visit to check out the area. Thanks.
> 
> Jimymac2


Wow, What an amazing collection of advise. Really a helpful site.
Thanks everyone!

Jimymac2


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## jimymac2 (Jun 24, 2012)

jimymac2 said:


> Wow, What an amazing collection of advise. Really a helpful site.
> Thanks everyone!
> 
> Jimymac2


Does anyone have any advise about driving in the southern Baja? Cabo San Lucas, to Todo Santos, to La Paz, and back to Cabo. Or would you do that circuit in reverse. Is it safe? 

Jimymac2


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## davidtaxis (Oct 21, 2012)

Hey, Jimmymac: Beaches are easily accessible by traveling 4-10 miles up road out of La Paz, which passes the ferry launches to the mainland. Beaches are lovely, and probably lonely in Winter. High season and Mexican vacation days/holidays are busy-busy- there. La Paz is totally charming and a seafood wonder land. Street vendors are fine for great food! I, too am looking to re-locate or at least; visit for lengthy periods.


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## HolyMole (Jan 3, 2009)

jimymac2 said:


> Does anyone have any advise about driving in the southern Baja? Cabo San Lucas, to Todo Santos, to La Paz, and back to Cabo. Or would you do that circuit in reverse. Is it safe?
> 
> Jimymac2


Years ago, we took the bus from San Jose del Cabo to La Paz, (arriving in time for Carnaval, which was fun), via the Eastern Cape, then back to Cabo San Lucas and SJC via Todos Santos. 
In Oct/10 we did the same trip by car, but in reverse: La Paz to Los Cabos via the Eastern Cape, (El Triunfo, Los Barriles, Santiago, Miraflores) then back to La Paz via Todos Santos.
The Eastern Cape is the prettier drive, although the stretch between Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos, is also pleasant.
San Jose is still enjoyable, but CSL is anything but. Too fast, too loud, too flashy, too expensive.....everything about it is "too".
There are lots of good, reasonable restaurants in La Paz. If you're more comfortable around other tourists, you can't beat the Tailhunter along the Malecon, especially during the baseball playoffs. 
For a decent very-budget hotel, we spent a half-dozen nights at the Lorimar, just off the Malecon.
Our favourite beaches were Playa Balandra and Playa Tecolote, both past the ferry terminal at Pichilingue. 
Along with our car, we then took the ferry over to the mainland at Topolobampo, and enjoyed it as well.
And yes, the whole trip was safe: we never felt threatened in any way, (except maybe by the insane traffic in Cabo San Lucas and the aggressive folks - locals and tourists - who seem to populate that resort).


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## davidtaxis (Oct 21, 2012)

Looking for month long or longer reasonable/simple rental in or near La Paz for Feb/March/April. Any ideas where to look?!

or do any ever come up?

Knowledge of gringos visiting in Mulage or Loretto?

thanx, d


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## jimymac2 (Jun 24, 2012)

Most of us living in AZ hear on our news stations about the tons of marijuana being shipped onto the State. Can anyone tell me about marijuana laws in Mexico. Are Expats treated differently than residents if found with weed?


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

jimymac2 said:


> Most of us living in AZ hear on our news stations about the tons of marijuana being shipped onto the State. Can anyone tell me about marijuana laws in Mexico. Are Expats treated differently than residents if found with weed?


I have no idea about marijuana laws in Mexico, but you're likely to get more responses if you start a new thread that isn't labeled "La Paz".


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