Southern Californians use Rosarito (population 150,000) as a weekend getaway, and during school vacations, especially spring break, the crowd becomes one big raucous party. Off-season, the place becomes a ghost town, which is arguably even less appealing than the frat scene. The beach, which stretches from the power plant at the north end of town about 8 km (5 miles) south, is long with beautiful sand and sunsets, but it's less romantic for the amateur explosives that boom every few minutes.
If you do wind up here for a night, head out to the wooden pier ($1 entrance fee) that stretches over the ocean in front of the Rosarito Beach Hotel, or hire a horse at the north or south end of Boulevard Benito Juárez for $30 per hour. ATVs are also available at the base of the pier for $25 per hour.
