We Almost Drove Right Past the Best Town in Baja
The first time we visited Todos Santos, we weren’t planning to stop. We were driving north from Cabo on Highway 19, headed to La Paz, and Jenice spotted a hand-painted sign for an art gallery. We pulled over, walked two blocks into the town center, and didn’t leave for three days.
That was four years ago, and Todos Santos has become our favorite destination in all of Baja California Sur. Not the prettiest beach (Cerritos handles that), not the best diving (that’s Cabo Pulmo), not the wildest nightlife (Cabo, obviously). But for the complete package — culture, food, nature, and a pace of life that makes your shoulders drop about two inches — nothing in Baja touches this place.
Todos Santos is a Pueblo Magico, one of about 130 towns across Mexico designated as “Magic Towns” for their cultural significance. Walking the brick-paved streets past 19th-century colonial buildings painted in faded terracotta and ochre, ducking into galleries where sculptors and painters from Mexico City, San Francisco, and Barcelona have set up permanent studios, you understand the designation immediately. This town has a gravity to it. People come for a weekend and end up buying a house.
Jenice felt it before I did. She stood in the central plaza on our first evening, watching kids chase pigeons around the old Jesuit mission church while their parents ate paletas on the bench, and said this was the Mexico she’d been looking for. Not the resort Mexico of Cabo or the border-town hustle of Tijuana. The small-town Mexico where neighbors still greet each other by name and the church bells mark the hours.
We’ve been back six times since. We’ve surfed Cerritos at dawn, released baby sea turtles at sunset, eaten dinners that rival anything in Los Angeles, and wandered galleries where a painting that would cost $15,000 in Scottsdale sells for $3,000. Each visit, the town has grown a little — a new restaurant here, a renovated hotel there — but the essential character remains. Todos Santos is still a place where the roosters wake you up, the desert meets the Pacific, and the art on the walls was made by your neighbor.
Where cardón cactus towers over colonial streets and the sound of breaking waves drifts through gallery doors.
What Makes Todos Santos Different?
Baja has plenty of beach towns. It has resort cities and fishing villages and wine country. What it doesn’t have much of is genuine artistic communities, and Todos Santos is the real thing. The town’s transformation from a quiet sugar-cane village to one of Mexico’s most important art destinations happened organically over thirty years, driven by artists who discovered that the light here — the way the desert sun bounces off the Sierra de la Laguna mountains and floods through high-ceilinged colonial buildings — was unlike anything they’d found elsewhere.
Today there are more than a dozen serious galleries within walking distance of the central plaza, plus studios, workshops, and a growing design scene. The Galeria de Todos Santos, founded in 1994, was the anchor that started it all. But what keeps the art scene vital is the mix — Mexican painters showing alongside American sculptors, Japanese ceramicists collaborating with local weavers. The annual Open Studios art walk in February draws collectors from across North America and gives visitors access to artists’ workspaces that are normally closed to the public.
But Todos Santos isn’t just an art colony with good weather. The town sits at a unique geographic intersection — the Pacific coast on one side, the Sierra de la Laguna mountains on the other, and a freshwater underground spring (the original reason the Jesuits founded a mission here in 1733) that supports organic farms in the surrounding desert. That spring is why Todos Santos has always had agriculture, and it’s why the farm-to-table restaurant scene has exploded. Chefs here aren’t trucking in produce from the mainland — they’re walking to the farm next door.
The surf scene adds another layer. Cerritos Beach, fifteen minutes south of town, has consistent Pacific swells year-round with a sandy bottom that’s forgiving enough for beginners but big enough to keep experienced surfers interested. The surf-and-art combination has attracted a community of creative people who want to live somewhere beautiful without the price tag of coastal California.
And then there’s Hotel California. Yes, that Hotel California. The connection to the Eagles song is officially denied by the band, but the hotel — a beautifully restored colonial building with a courtyard bar, rotating art gallery, and rooftop terrace — leans into the mythology with a wink. Whether or not Don Henley ever set foot in this town, the hotel has become Todos Santos’ most photographed landmark and a pilgrimage site for classic rock fans from around the world.
Where to Eat in Todos Santos
The restaurant scene in Todos Santos punches absurdly above its weight for a town of 7,000 people. The combination of organic farms, Pacific seafood, and chefs who relocated from Mexico City and the US has created a dining culture that would be remarkable in a city ten times this size.
Jazamango
Chef Javier Plascencia’s Todos Santos outpost is our top pick in town. Plascencia made his name in Tijuana (his restaurant group is legendary in Baja), and this open-air restaurant on the southern edge of town showcases the farm-to-table ethos at its best. The garden supplies the kitchen, the menu changes daily, and the mole negro is transcendent. Dinner for two with wine runs 800-1,400 MXN ($45-80 USD). Reservations essential on weekends.
La Casita Tapas & Wine
A tiny restaurant on a side street that became our favorite dinner spot in Todos Santos. Spanish-trained chef serving tapas-style plates with Baja ingredients — think grilled octopus with chipotle aioli, local cheese with fig preserves, and a wine list heavy on Valle de Guadalupe bottles. The candlelit patio seats maybe twenty people. Budget 250-500 MXN ($14-28 USD) per person. Book ahead.
Taqueria Los Barrilitos
For no-frills, locals-first tacos, this is where you go. A small stand with plastic chairs and a trompo spinning al pastor. The carne asada is exceptional, and they make their own flour tortillas. Tacos cost 30-50 MXN ($1.70-2.80 USD) each. We order five or six and a couple of Pacificos and call it the best lunch in town.
Cafelix
Jenice’s morning ritual. This rooftop cafe overlooking the palms serves specialty coffee from Chiapas and Oaxaca alongside pastries baked fresh daily. The chilaquiles verdes with a cortado are the perfect Todos Santos breakfast. Breakfast runs 120-220 MXN ($7-12 USD) per person. Get there before 9am on weekends — it fills fast.
Hierbabuena
A garden restaurant that grows most of its ingredients on-site. The setting alone — tables scattered among fruit trees, herbs, and flowers — makes it memorable. The menu leans Mediterranean with Mexican accents. Their fish of the day with seasonal vegetables is consistently excellent. Lunch for two costs 500-900 MXN ($28-50 USD) with drinks. Closed Mondays.
Benno
The newest addition to the Todos Santos dining scene and already generating buzz. Wood-fired cooking with a focus on local proteins and seasonal produce. The smoked fish tostadas and mesquite-grilled short ribs are standouts. Dinner runs 350-600 MXN ($20-34 USD) per person. Small space, so reservations are a good idea.
Colonial walls in faded terracotta, gallery doors thrown open to the street, and the light that painters cross continents to capture.
Where to Stay in Todos Santos
Accommodation in Todos Santos ranges from surf hostels to boutique luxury. The town is small enough that location doesn’t matter much — everything is walkable from everywhere.
Hotel California (Mid-Range to Upscale)
The town’s most famous hotel, and it lives up to the hype. Built in 1950 and beautifully restored, with 11 individually decorated rooms, a courtyard bar with live music on weekends, a rotating art gallery, and a rooftop terrace with mountain and Pacific views. Even if you don’t stay here, come for a drink. Rooms run 3,500-5,500 MXN ($200-310 USD) per night depending on season. Book well in advance for December through March.
Rancho Pescadero (Luxury)
Beachfront boutique resort ten minutes south of town on the road to Cerritos. This is where Todos Santos goes upscale — spacious suites with private patios, a farm-to-table restaurant, pool, spa, and surf lessons included in the rate. The design blends contemporary comfort with Baja materials — local stone, reclaimed wood, hand-thrown ceramics. Rates run 5,000-8,000 MXN ($280-450 USD) per night. Worth it for a special occasion.
Guaycura Boutique Hotel & Spa (Mid-Range)
A colonial mansion converted into a 14-room boutique hotel in the heart of town. The rooftop terrace restaurant serves excellent food with views of the Sierra de la Laguna. The spa uses local ingredients and the pool courtyard is a quiet retreat from the midday sun. Rooms cost 2,400-3,800 MXN ($135-215 USD) per night. Our pick for the value-to-quality sweet spot.
Pescadero Surf Camp (Budget)
Fifteen minutes south near Cerritos Beach, this laid-back surf camp has private casitas and shared cabanas starting at 700-1,200 MXN ($40-68 USD) per night. It’s basic — no air conditioning, outdoor showers, communal kitchen — but the location is on the beach, the vibe is friendly, and the surf is right outside. Ideal for the boards-and-backpack crowd.
What to Do in Todos Santos
Gallery Walk
Start at Galeria de Todos Santos (the original, founded 1994) on Calle Juarez and work your way through town. Galeria Logan has contemporary Mexican art, La Sonrisa shows emerging Baja artists, and Galeria Indigo specializes in sculpture and ceramics. Most galleries are free and open 10am-5pm daily (closed Sundays at some spots). The annual Open Studios tour in February is the highlight of the cultural calendar — artists open their private workshops for one weekend.
Cerritos Beach — Surf and Sand
The main beach scene for Todos Santos sits fifteen minutes south on a paved road. Cerritos has a long, sandy break that’s perfect for beginner and intermediate surfers. Board rentals cost 300-500 MXN ($17-28 USD) for a half day. Surf lessons run 800-1,200 MXN ($45-68 USD) for two hours including the board. Even if you don’t surf, the beach is beautiful — wide, uncrowded, and framed by desert hills. There are a couple of beach clubs with food, drinks, and shaded loungers for 200-400 MXN ($11-22 USD) per day.
Sea Turtle Conservation at Tortugueros Las Playitas
From November through March, olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles nest on the beaches near Todos Santos. The local conservation group Tortugueros Las Playitas patrols the beaches, protects nests, and hosts public baby turtle releases at sunset. Watching hundreds of tiny turtles scramble toward the Pacific while the sun drops behind the waves is one of the most emotional experiences we’ve had anywhere in Baja. The releases are free, though donations are appreciated and directly fund the conservation work.
Hotel California and the Eagles Mythology
Even the Eagles deny the connection, but that hasn’t stopped Hotel California from becoming Todos Santos’ most visited landmark. Tour the art gallery, have a drink at the courtyard bar (margaritas 150-220 MXN / $8-12 USD), browse the boutique shop, and climb to the rooftop for sunset views. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights — usually acoustic guitar or jazz. Whether you believe the myth or not, it’s a beautiful hotel with genuine character.
Sierra de la Laguna Day Hike
The mountain range rising behind Todos Santos is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with trails through desert, oak forests, and freshwater springs. A guided day hike costs 1,500-2,500 MXN ($85-140 USD) per person including transport and lunch. The trails range from moderate to strenuous. We did the Canon de la Zorra hike to a waterfall — four hours round trip through cactus-studded canyon walls — and it was the highlight of our last trip.
Farm Visits and Cooking Classes
The organic farm scene around Todos Santos is thriving thanks to that underground spring. Several farms offer tours and cooking classes where you pick ingredients and learn to cook traditional Baja dishes. Pachamama Organic Farm does a popular tour-and-lunch combo for 800-1,200 MXN ($45-68 USD) per person. Jenice loved learning to make salsa from freshly picked tomatoes and chiles while looking out at the desert.
Sunsets over the Pacific paint the Sierra de la Laguna gold, and baby sea turtles make their first journey toward the horizon.
The Art Scene That Built a Town
Todos Santos wasn’t always a destination. For most of the 20th century it was a quiet agricultural village, growing sugar cane and mangoes in the desert oasis fed by that underground spring. When the sugar industry collapsed in the 1950s, the town nearly died. What saved it, slowly and then all at once, was art.
In the early 1990s, a handful of artists — both Mexican and American — discovered that the combination of extraordinary light, cheap real estate, and colonial architecture created the perfect conditions for studio work. They moved in, restored crumbling buildings, and opened galleries. Word spread through art circles. More artists followed. By the mid-2000s, Todos Santos had earned a reputation as one of Mexico’s most important emerging art communities, and in 2006, the Mexican government granted it Pueblo Magico status.
What we love about the art scene here is that it’s not performative. These aren’t galleries selling mass-produced souvenirs to cruise ship passengers. The artists live here, work here, and show here. Walk into Galeria de Todos Santos and you might meet the painter whose work hangs on the wall. Visit during the February Open Studios weekend and you’ll see sculptors welding in their backyards and printmakers pulling editions in converted garages. Jenice spent an afternoon talking with a ceramicist from Oaxaca who’d been in Todos Santos for twelve years and had no intention of leaving. “The light,” she kept saying. “You can’t get this light anywhere else.”
The art has attracted a broader creative community — chefs, architects, designers, musicians — and that community has built the restaurants and hotels that make Todos Santos work as a travel destination. It’s a virtuous cycle: the art draws people, the people support businesses, the businesses fund more art. We’ve watched this cycle accelerate over four years of visits, and while the town is growing, it hasn’t lost its soul. Not yet.
The Mission, the Spring, and 300 Years of History
The Jesuit mission of Santa Rosa de las Palmas was founded here in 1733, drawn by the freshwater spring in the middle of the desert. The Church of Nuestra Senora del Pilar — built on the mission grounds — anchors the central plaza, its simple white facade and bell tower the most photographed landmark in town after Hotel California.
Walking the streets, you’ll notice buildings from different centuries standing shoulder to shoulder. Sugar-era warehouses converted into galleries. 19th-century merchant houses operating as boutique hotels. The town wears its history visibly, and the preservation happened organically as artists restored buildings one at a time. The Museo de Historia Regional on Calle Juarez (free admission, Tuesday through Saturday) tells the full story in thirty well-curated minutes.
Planning Your Days in Todos Santos
Two nights is the minimum. Three is better. Day one: galleries in the morning, garden restaurant for lunch, Hotel California for an afternoon drink, dinner at Jazamango or La Casita. Day two: morning surf at Cerritos, beach club lunch, sunset turtle release if it’s season (November-March), dinner at Benno or Hierbabuena. Day three: Sierra de la Laguna hike or farm tour, afternoon gallery browsing, long farewell lunch before heading to the airport.
Scott’s Pro Tips
- Getting There: Fly into San Jose del Cabo (SJD) — it's the closest airport with direct flights from most US cities. From SJD, rent a car and drive north on Highway 19 along the Pacific coast. The drive takes about 1 hour and the road is well-paved and scenic. From La Paz (LAP), it's about 1 hour south on Highway 19. A rental car is essential — there's no reliable public transit to or within Todos Santos.
- Best Time to Visit: November through May is perfect — dry, sunny, daytime highs around 24-30°C (75-86°F). Sea turtle season runs November through March. The art festival is in February. Avoid June through October when temperatures climb above 38°C (100°F), humidity spikes, and hurricane season brings occasional storms. September and October are peak hurricane risk.
- Getting Around: The town center is entirely walkable — everything from galleries to restaurants to hotels fits within a 15-minute walk. For Cerritos Beach (15 min south) and the Sierra de la Laguna trailheads, you need a car. Local taxis charge 150-300 MXN ($8-17 USD) to Cerritos. There's no Uber in Todos Santos — ask your hotel to call a taxi.
- Money & ATMs: There's one Bancomer ATM and one Banorte ATM in town on the main street — both work reliably but can run dry on busy weekends, so withdraw early. Many restaurants and hotels accept credit cards, but taco stands, market vendors, and some galleries are cash-only. Bring pesos — USD is accepted at tourist spots but at a poor exchange rate. Budget 700-1,800 MXN ($40-100 USD) per day depending on your style.
- Safety & Health: Todos Santos is one of the safest towns in Baja. We walk the streets at night without concern. The main hazards are sunburn (it's a desert, wear SPF 50), dehydration (carry water, especially if hiking), and Pacific riptides at some beaches (swim at Cerritos where there are lifeguards, not at the unmarked beaches north of town). Drink bottled water. The nearest hospital is Hospital General in La Paz, 1 hour north — for minor issues, there's a clinic on Calle Juarez.
- Packing Essentials: Sunscreen (SPF 50, the desert sun is no joke), a wide-brimmed hat, reef-safe sunscreen for ocean days, comfortable walking shoes for cobblestone streets, a light jacket for cool evenings (November-February nights drop to 15°C/59°F), and a rash guard if you're surfing. If you're hiking the Sierra, bring proper trail shoes and at least 2 liters of water per person.
- Local Etiquette: Todos Santos is a small community and people notice how you treat them. A simple "Buenos dias" or "Buenas tardes" when entering a shop or gallery goes a long way. Tipping 10-15% is standard at restaurants. At taco stands, rounding up or leaving 20-30 MXN is appreciated. Ask before photographing people or their art. Many gallery owners are the artists themselves — engage with them, ask about their work. Jenice reminds us that this isn't Cabo — the pace is slower, the vibe is quieter, and that's the whole point.