A Local’s Tips On Things to do In Ensenada Downtown near Cruiseport

Looking for Quirky things to do in Ensenada while on a cruise or just hanging around downtown? Here are 8 almost free fun ideas. You could always do Excursions, but try these ideas near cruise port and budget-oriented. If you do 1-5 in order, it’s a walkable journey from cruise port where carnival and others dock.

1) Capone’s Hideout 2) Funky Furniture 3) Fresh Churro 4) Decorate Ensenada with US Dollar Bill 5) Get Mexifornia DL 6) Mediation Gardens 7) Hipster Collection of shops 8) Art Museum

Please let me know if any of this info needs updating - things are always changing here and I hope to give accurate, updated info so others can enjoy things to do here in Ensenada.

1) Explore Riviera Cultural Center. Built by Al Capone as a casino, this building and grounds has great architecture, mini museum and well kept public gardens. Also hidden Bar Andaluz inside that claims to have invented the Margarita?? . . . .and check out that cool wall mural and public green gardens are best in town. To get there, it’s right off the cruise ship, keep walking straight and huge white building. It is free to walk around, and the museum has a small fee.

As a bonus on Sundays afternoons at 4pm (Carnival Imagination is in), there is group dancing by Golden Agers - 3pm and after they dance to latin and a few american oldies. Everyone dance with anyone who asks, so if you are a dancer and would like go move a bit it’s a fun option. I love it because I get to dance and it is a day even, it doesn’t kill my sleep schedule.

2) Funky design and art at Fausto Polanco Furniture store. This designer-art-furniture place has some cool stuff to browse from the Mexican style. Some of it makes me laugh, some of it inspires new home ideas. On the quiet end of La Primera on corner just over the river/bridge. Redecorating is always fun to get new ideas for your living space.

This shop has a few other locations in Rosarito and around mexico.

3) Eat fresh Churro. Churros are the Mexican equivalent of Krispy Creme. When they are fresh - Amazing crispy sweetness for your mouth. I love churro shop on La Primera next to Rey del Sol. It’s literally a tiny window sandwiched between bigger businesses.

As an alternative, next to Roma pharmacy on Three Head’s Park, there is a Churro guy that is good too. You should see the horse carriages there.

4) Post dollar bill in Restaurante Corralito with a message. You pick the message! Could be a wish or a grievance. So it will cost you a $1 or $2. But then you can come back next year and check on the status. It’s kinda like leaving your mark, but not in a tree carving. And you are in Mexico, so defacing government property of $1 is not punishable by Uncle Sam.

El Corralito has a fun atmosphere and pretty good with some mexcian dishes and some standard plates as well.

5) Get a Mexifornia Driver’s Liscense. What better way to confuse your pals than with a weird souvenir from Ensenada. Opps, again not entirely free. Price is $10 and takes Ten Minutes inside Rudy’s Curios, Across from McDonalds on La Primera. Fireworks available too . . .

This place - Rudy’s Curios - is a non descript souvenir place. There are about 10 of theses places along the street selling about the same inventory of oddities, souvenirs, and such. The kind of stuff that is good for gifts for my 5 year old neices that are soo excited to get a gift, and it can be forgotten or destroyed in 5 months.

I will post my Shopping ideas here:

6) Walk/Hike up to Keiki ecological Park offers great views of the city, a botanical garden and statue of Princess Tara, a Buddhist sculpture gifted from Nepal in 80s. You will have to walk here through safe neighborhoods. It is 13 blocks back from Papas and Beer end of La Primera. You could cab it too and spend a few pesos. It is near best massage studio in Ensenada (mine) and best turkish coffee as well at Cocina Azzi.

The gardens have a variety of labelled plants that are endimic to our semi arid environment. Currently on Sundays once a month, they host a local organic farmers/ craft market. It’s worth a visit if you are tired of the hubub of La Primera.

If you take the walk, you will also pass a nice park; Parque Revolucion on Sexta and Obregon. It’s an urban park with huge shade trees, some statues, playground, and authentic local street food - burritos, tortas, random sweets and coffee. On Sundays it’s pretty lively with locals with their kids. Summer time has public dancing occasionally.

7) Hipster Collection of Food and Lifestyle: Villa Mexicana is a revitalized collection of hip shops just behind La Primera. As a cruiser, the entrance is off the beaten path, but’s is a nice slice of local life compared to La Primera. I recommend it.

You will find cool little bakeries, cigar and wine shops, ceviche places, juice bar, several restaurants, and all in an nice architectural area built for outdoor walking. I like roaming the alley ways seeing whats open and new. The area is not new so it has a classic feel, but many of shops are new so I like it. Since it is not built for toursim like La Primera, the people are chillax and things are quieter. Yes, it is 100% safe.

The new places are opened with style, modern marketing and quality. That is to say, it’s not the arguabley more authentic, dusty local panaderia built 35 years ago.

To get there for this coolish thing to do, it is bordered on four sides by Riveroll, Alvarado, La Primera, and Segundo. You can’t enter from Primera since there are solid shops, and you can’t drive in. Here is are walking directions from cruiseport

I will be posting Things to do with Artsy, Kids, Walking . .. . . and will link when those are written;)

8) CE Arte State Museum I always appreciate a little extra art in my life, especially when it’s free. I actually bought my a piece from the Carnival Art Gallery during my curise, but mostly because the hype and salesmanship overtook me, lol. For a more relaxed art museum, take 2 block walk from the boat to CE Arte. It’s free with two large exhibition rooms, rotating exhibits. It has a nice cafe with outdoor seating and bookstore, and an outdoor statue in the center of huge plaza. There is a performance space and different activities, but usually in evening.

Check Facebook here for events and location:

Jesse Atkinson is an Expat from Wisconsin, and has lived in Ensenada since 2011, building life Ensenada Massage and raising his Dog, Tina.