Travel Tips

Like a Local: Islands of Loreto & Peter’s Top 4 Picks

1. Local Culture

The best way to get to know a culture is to understand where it came from. The Jesuit Mission Museum (Museo de las Misiones Jesuiticas) is a great way to see the origins of Loreto as the first mission settlement in all the Californias.

Take it a step further and head one hour west out of the city to the Sierras. San Javier is another mission town and it has the only remaining mission church that’s still completely original and unrenovated.

2. Local Food

A favorite place among snowbirds is Vista Al Mar, a seaside restaurant and shop just 20 minutes from Loreto. It’s way off the map – sitting by itself on the side of the road outside the town. Family run for more than 20 years, this clam shop is a must for local clams caught right off the shYore in front of the restaurant.

Loreto is small, so you can walk across the entire town in five minutes. And it’s so hot, instead of going for after-dinner tea or coffee, locals head to the local ice cream shop. It’s filled with locally made ice cream, popsicles, and the strangest flavors of ice-water, including basil flavor. It’s actually quite good.

3. Local Adventure

Another local hotspot– Isla Coronado. It’s a volcanic area — the crater forms the shape of a crown…hence the name Coronado. It’s a local favorite for snorkeling and reef diving. There are marked trails up the mountain that get you to the top for an unbeatable view.

If you’re feeling adventurous, head toward the canyons. One of the best and most historical hikes is from Rancho Las Parras. Want access? All you have to do is ask! You go through 200-year-old orchards and end up on the El Camino Real, which ends down in an oasis.

4. Local Treasures

Lastly – and this is one you are not going to want to miss — is the weekend farmers market. It happens every Sunday between Loreto and la Colonia Zaragosa. Not only is it a great place to browse through the local produce, but it’s also a flea market filled with old treasures. But get there early! It starts at 6AM and is pretty much finished by noon.

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By Peter Greenberg for PeterGreenberg.com, video shot and edited by Alyssa Caverley using a Sony NEX-VG20.