Our family (2 adults & 2 teens)is considering taking a day tour to Ensenada, MX from the San Diego area. Some tours include a visit to the Foxploration, Fox Studios Baja in Rosarita for a nominal fee. Has anyone taken these tours? Has anyone visited the Fox Studio Baja? Is the studio tour worthwhile?

Two years ago we drove from San Diego to Ensenada, and we found the town to be somewhat disappointing. We have traveled extensively in Mexico, and Ensenada was not one of our more memorable experiences in that fascinating country. However, if you and your children have never been to Mexico, you will probably find it interesting.

I haven't been to Fox Studios Baha, but having visited their web site (www,foxbaha.com) I wish I had spent time there when we were nearby.

Dear Happy Trails:
Thanks for the info. So, in your view, Ensenada was disappointing. What did you not like about it? I'm sure that we are going to take the day tour. It will be our daughters' first trip to Mexico. I am still trying to decide which day trip to reserve:
-3 hours in Rosarita with a tour of the Fox Studio
-A coastal drive down to Ensenada with an extended visit in Ensenada.
Both trips include a brief visit to Tijuana.

I'd do the first one. The coastal trip to Ensenada is not scenic - unless you consider miles of junk and poverty "scenic". You'll get just as much "flavor" from the first one, with the benefit of the studio tour as time filler.

I lived in San Diego for awhile and took several trips down to Baja while there...in my mind, Tijuana was just dirty and not worth stopping at all in, we drove right past there every time (I'm sure some would disagree but...) anyway, we stayed at the Rosarito Beach Hotel one time which was pretty nice but we LOVED Ensenada. We stayed at a place called Las Rosas right on the ocean (no beach but infiniti pool and hot tub on the cliffs!) and got great massages there. We also ate an awesome dinner at a restaurant called Mahi Mahi's in Ensenada. Unless you go on a weekend, everything shuts down very early and we didn't do much else but the drive has some breathtaking coastal views. There are blowholes south of Ensenada that we didn't see but might be worthwhile as well...good luck.

Before someone gets the wrong idea..I like out Mexican neighbors to the south and know lots of great MExicans and areas in Mexico...

Really think you should check out the State Dept website tho about Tijuana even on a tour you can run into trouble...

Thank you all for responding. I think we are going to purchase the trip to Rosarita and try the Fox tour. I will post a report on the trip when we return.

jmk, in Googling I find about a million identical tours to Ensenada, but can't find one including the Fox Studios. Do you have a link for that.

PS. Is there anything to do for the 3 and a half hours in Ensenada if you're not into "shopping" on the other tours?

I have driven to Ensenada more than thirty times in my life. To say that the drive is not scenic is just wrong.
From the time you leave Tijuana you travel directly along the Pacific. Although some aspects of Third World squalor do appear from time to time,most of the trip is beautiful.
In many sections you travel high above the ocean with spectacular views of unspoiled coastline.I would love to enjoy this trip from a bus window,as the driver I have to keep my eyes on the road.

lived in san diego and made many trips down south. i usually just drove straight through tj and took company to rosarito beach and puerto nuevo, which is the next village to the south. we liked this for a day trip. the drive down to here is very nice.
i've been to ensenada about 5 times and i must say that i think i must be missing something. i have never found it to be interesting and not worth the extra drive if you are just doing a day trip.
have fun.

jmk3,

I think you are making the right choice. Please do report back with your impressions of the Foxploration Studios. We drive down to Bajamar (between Rosarito and Ensenada) occasionally, and have always whether Foxploration was worth a stop. I asked this question last year on both the U.S. and Latin America boards and couldn't find anyone who had been there. Like it or not, you are about to become the resident Fodor's expert on Foxploration Baja .

The previous posters have valid points. You will see beautiful scenery. You will also see poverty and smell some pollution. The hardest thing to see, IMO, are the small children begging and selling "Chiclets" and other trinkets.

Like ltt, I also prefer Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo over Ensenada and Tijuana.

To answer Neopolitan's question: We were on a 3-day Baja cruise that stopped in Ensenada last fall. There are many tour companies that offer a trip to La Bufadora (blowhole) and the adjacent flea market. Other than that, if you are not into shopping, then there is not a whole lot in downtown Ensenada for you to do.