Odds are, you’ve never even heard of Loreto unless you’re the adventurous type or perhaps discovered it while traveling down the Baja Peninsula. A small town along the Sea of Cortez in the Sierra de la Giganta, it’s about a 5-hour drive north of La Paz, the capital city of Baja California Sur. The original capital of the Province of the Californias, it’s an ideal destination for nature lovers who can enjoy the mountains and the sea as well as offering a rich heritage with an authentic Mexican feel. In fact, it’s one of the Puebo Magicos in the state, or magic towns, a title given exclusively to towns in Mexico for their remarkable cultural authenticity, heritage, and charm.
You’ll see a number of colonial buildings in town, like the 17th-century Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while the waters of Bahía de Loreto National Park are home to whales, dolphins, sea lions, and a wealth of other marine life. If that isn’t enough reason to visit, let’s take a deeper dive.
Along with the best hotels in Loreto, we’ve provided the top things to see and do that make it more than worthy of your next escape.