Where I live, in Los Angeles, wine lovers are used to heading north for weekend escapes, whether to Santa Barbara, Sonoma or Napa Valley. Yet there’s some exceptional sipping to be had in the opposite direction, just south of the border – in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s most important wine region.
Just 90 miles south of San Diego in Baja California, Valle de Guadalupe produces over 80% of Mexico’s wine. Accordingly, the area is dotted with wineries offering tastings, tours and top-notch culinary offerings.
Even if you don’t know your sauvignon from your shiraz, vineyards make for particularly beautiful scenery, and the hotels here like to show it off. Which means any visitor can skip the wine altogether, and come for, say, sunset soaks in pools and hot tubs surrounded by vines. The best part: luxury stays here cost a fraction of comparable rooms in the most popular California wine-country destinations.
Here’s how to make your first trip to Valle de Guadalupe a memorable one.
August is the most exciting time to visit Valle de Guadalupe. The region’s Harvest Festival takes place during throughout the month, and you can expect special tastings, concerts and even a paella-making contest.
Spring and summer are great times for seeing lush landscapes and grapes on the vine, as well as for lounging by a pool. If you come in the winter, the vines will be bare – but the weather is still pleasant enough to sip wine outside.
A long weekend is ideal. If you’re driving, come on Friday and leave on Monday to avoid increased traffic at the border on Saturdays and Sundays.
The closest airport to Valle de Guadalupe is in Tijuana, reached by a two-hour drive that largely hugs the coast and has amazing views of the Pacific. If you fly into Tijuana, you can rent a car and drive the rest of the way; you can also drive across the border from San Diego. While both driving options are safe, stick to the main highway and try to drive during the day for added security.
Drivers should be aware that while heading to Valle de Guadalupe is easy, driving back to the US requires patience, with wait times at the border between one and three hours, depending on the day and time. To know what you’re in for, keep an eye on the US Customs and Border Patrol site to gauge wait times. If you have a Golden Entry Card and your car is registered with SENTRI, you can expect a quicker passage across the border.
If you’re driving, we recommend downloading map data ahead of time, since the first few miles into Tijuana can be confusing, especially if roads are closed unexpectedly. From there, it’s a beautiful drive along the coast to the Valle de Guadalupe on brand-new highways – though the roads leading to the wineries
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For as long as I can remember, I’ve longed to be asleep. Sleep is the most sacred thing we do, and I protect it stubbornly from obligations that might pry me from it. Like my Italian ancestors, I nap nearly every day after lunch—a habit that feels like a rarity in bustling New York City, I’d argue. Yet I can’t say that I ever feel truly rested. In fact, I’m always chasing restfulness, searching for it in upscale pajamas, magnesium lotions and meditation apps that promise of dreamy peace.
Before my days at TPG, I didn't know much about airline elite status nor did I particularly care. Lounge access and first-class upgrades felt like something only attained by road warriors who flew weekly and only saw their families on the weekends.
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