Eastern Coast: San Felipe

San Felipe (population 25,000) is a quintessential fishing village that has one main street (two if you count the highway into town). It's at the edge of the northern Mar de Cortés, which is protected as an ecological reserve in this region. A malecón, promenade, runs along a broad beach with a swimming area. Taco stands, bars, and restaurants line the sidewalk across the street from the malecón and beach. Impressive shrimping fleets bring in shrimp served all over the peninsula. Shrimp is so important here that there's an annual festival and cooking competition honoring it in November. You can buy fresh shrimp from fishermen along the beach; one of the fish shacks can marinate the shrimp or prepare them as a cocktail.

San Felipe has several campgrounds and modest hotels, which fill up quickly in winter and during spring holidays. Gringo snowbirds populate the RV and trailer parks, making up one-quarter of San Felipe's population; the number is only increasing. Although the demographic breakdown is 80% American, 20% Mexican, the town itself retains a fishing village flavor, with a few paved streets and dozens of fishing skiffs on the beach. On holiday weekends San Felipe can be boisterous—dune buggies, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles abound—but most of the time it's quiet and relaxing. The town also appeals to sportfishers, especially in spring. It's easy to find launches, bait, and supplies, but even novices can hop onto a fishing excursion by simply asking around the beach at about 7 AM; when you come back, you can have your catch cooked up at a local restaurant—the freshest seafood meal in Mexico. If you catch a few corvina, for example, have the restaurant make one into ceviche and fry up another with garlic.