Quick Visit to Loreto, BCS Mexico
If you're thinking about moving to Mexico, Loreto might be the perfect location for you. It's a 14 hour drive from the US border - far enough to not be a "border town" like many closer locations are, but not so far that it's hard to return to the US if needed. A lot of Americans are retiring in Loreto.
Loreto is on the drive north from our home in La Paz (about 4 hours further south.) It's located in the state of Baja California Sur (BCS) on the Sea of Cortez (AKA Gulf of California.)
In this video, Kat and I visit the traditional downtown area of Loreto and also the new urbanist town Nopoló / Loreto Bay.
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Loreto is the way to go, if anybody wants to see Mexico from the safest spot, in terms of security, it's way safer than going to Sonora or any other state in Mexico. Lovely place indeed. I'm from Loreto.
Me gustaría saber cuáles son las ciudades más seguras de México. También estoy particularmente interesado en La Paz BCS, que tal es esa ciudad para vivir? Saludos desde Colombia
I agree - Loreto seems like a very safe place to live. Sonora is probably one of the least safe states in Mexico, but there are plenty of other safe locations.
Hay muchas ciudades seguras en México. Ver los KZhead channels sobre México en ingles. Normalmente gringos ir a ubicaciones seguros ;-) La Paz, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Queretero, Lake Chapala, Merida... pero esos ubicaciones son mas caros. :-(
My wife and I are looking to retire in Mexico within the few years. We would love a little beach town like this. I have family in Pachuca and her family is in Nayarit. Are home rentals reasonable in Loreto?
Agreed…
Brighton, you always appear to be having the time of your life. It's nice to be able to watch someone enjoying himself. Thanks for the video of this lovely town.
Thanks Bill. I've had to learn to not get frustrated in Mexico. If something works out, that's great. but if it doesn't work out, that's OK too!
Your videos have such a great 'vibe' while being so insightful/informative
Thanks William - are you still in La Paz? I have this strange memory of reading on Facebook that you were moving somewhere...
Excellent video I think when you come back home it will be a good idea to visit San Francisco Javier, that is the second mission that was built in Las Californias, it’s such a great place in the middle of the mountains and there still remain of the first oliva’s trees brought them from Spain in charge for the missionaries
Maybe if we are driving a car - bit it doesn’t look like a fun drive in an RV!
We were just there in Loreto 2 weeks ago. We were supposed to go to San Javier but we went to the Giggling Dolphin and fell down the second night dancing to a really good rock band . There was no way I could sit in a car for long or on a boat to Coronado . We got to see it the year before 😊 We are planning to find a place for a month next year and discover our future part time home
What a Beautiful stretch between the two different places you stopped they both look great to me! :) Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it
We love Loreto ❤️ We like the Downtown area 🙌 ❤ Lovely locals
Informative and worthwhile video to watch if you are headed to Loreto. Thank you for sharing.
Glad to share. I still wanna spend a weekend in Loreto to really explore. So far we’ve only stopped for the night.
Great video!
Thanks!
Great video amigo👍👍👍👍 SALUDOS DESDE ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA. My brother goes fishing down there a few times a year.
Gracias Robert - you need to join your brother for a trip south!
This is the only other option we have been looking at. We like La Paz as a community much more, but Loreto Bay has a couple of very specific features that we REALLY like (a 25 yard lane pool that is outstanding and the golf course - La Paz has the two courses, but are much less accessible than the course in Loreto.) Most of the 2 and 3 bedroom units are in the US$350K-500K. Loreto, the town, is nice. The two things I usually say about it is that 1) the malecon doesn't hold a candle to La Paz and 2) the restaurants aren't nearly to the standards of those we experienced in La Paz. For me, too, La Paz has several very good marinas to accommodate a sailboat (one of my wishes) while there is no such accommodation in Loreto (although, there is a marina about 15-20 minutes south of Loreto Bay where mooring balls are well sheltered.) And, Loreto is SO far from anything. Four hours to La Paz and really not much else any closer. The upside on that point is that it has an international airport that actually has better connections back to the U.S. than La Paz (we have concluded that we would just end up flying in and out of Cabo if we end up in La Paz.) We have a trip to La Paz at the beginning of July and then another to Loreto in December. We'll make a decision after that. They really do offer such different things that it's really hard to figure out which would be the better choice. My sense is that Loreto would be interesting for about a year --- then what? La Paz, on the other hand, I don't think would ever get boring, not only for the fact that the city offers so much, but one also has easy access to the Cabo area as well as all the little towns south of Loreto (to say nothing of the fabulous beaches of La Paz, again something lacking in Loreto.) What time of the year was this? I'm assuming you are still in Oregon catching up on videos you've made in the past year.
You can not compare a city of 18k to a city of 300K plus. I am a part time resident of Loreto. As an investment I think there is more growth potential in Loreto, only time will tell. Best of luck in your quest!
Thanks for the detailed comment. I'm sure this will be helpful to others early on in their journey! This was in late April - yes, I'm editing away all the videos I started this past winter. I heard that Loreto has better flights. Someone lured Alaska Airlines from La Paz to Loretto. But I agree that Loreto could become a bit boring if you're there full time. I've seen others move to La Paz from Todos Santos for the same reason. I'm guessing the folks living in CDMX think La Paz is a boring backwater though! It's all relative and connected to what you're looking for! I hadn't thought about the lack of a protected port and the lack of beaches. La Paz does have nice beaches nearby!
Thanks for the detailed information
@@johnportilla4978 Comparisons are certainly much more of a challenge. What's most ironic to me is that the two things I mention above, things that one would think would be more accessible in a larger city are actually really good in Loreto and very problematic in La Paz (the pool and golf.) And if the last year is any indication, I certainly agree that properties in AV and FN seem to be a very good opportunity right now (and to take advantage of the HOA benefits, those are really the only options we continue to look at.) One that we looked at (AV 60, I think,) was selling for about 360K last year and based on current values we are seeing, would probably sell for well into the mid-400K range. Plus, it's an attractive time share (if one is a part timer - which we won't be.) I think one of the things that has shaded our perspective is that we visited Loreto last summer (think sweating husband) and La Paz in March. It's no wonder we came away with a more favorable impression of La Paz. :) So, this year, we're reversing that to see if it has an impact. We'll see. At the end of the day, they really are very hard to compare, but compare we must if we are to make a decision between them.
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico Mr. B you might consider doing a video on the CBX in San Diego opens up more options for those thinking about buying a second home in Mexico. Certain times of year I believe there are daily flights from TIJ to LAP. I fly from TIJ to LTO for 50$ U.S. one way. Best of luck! 👍
Love your videos , Very informative. I live in the UK and have never visited Mexico but am planning my first trip there soon with a view to staying a long time .I found out about Loreto as I love kayak fishing and it seems like a good place to start. I'm hoping to subsidise my trip by playing my guitar as I make my living here doing it. Do you know if playing in the street is legal and would it make me any money and hopefully lead to getting gigs in bars and restaurants ?
Love Loreto. But, I think it's pretty expensive.
We plan to spend a weekend in Loreto this winter - I hope to find a real estate agent to give us a tour to share with ya'll.
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico Jill Jackson runs a boutique inn just a couple of blocks off the malecon and is an outstanding agent. I would highly recommend her (as well as her and her husband's place - Las Cabanas de Loreto - it's great.) I think Jill's agency is Mision Loreto Properties.
@@davidmalone9022 Thanks! I'll connect when we are scheduling our trip
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico for Nopolo you should definitely talk to Tracy Collingridge of Momentum Realty. I have been subscribed to your channel for a while now and was happy to see you in Loreto. I live in Loreto Bay/Nopolo part time and was there in April when the video was taken. I would have definitely recognized you wandering on the Paseo.
@@DougHarts Thanks for the recommendation! I'll reach out to Tracy too. I may reach out to you when we plan our trip to Loreto. It feels like forever in the future right now! I'm planning a summer trip, but I can't make it to Loreto...
Wow they have surrey bikes! I grew up with those
Where did you grow up? Inside the movie Oklahoma?
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico hahhaah
Is Napolo the place with the amazing looking golf course you can see from the highway?
I believe so. There is one more golf course a bit further south, but I don't think you can see that one from the highway.
Yes. When you are headed north on 1, you round a corner and are looking down at it. The front 9 is a little unkempt, but the back is a fabulous layout. It’s a Tom Weiskopf design, if I remember correctly.
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico ...and that course farther south is a TPC course. TPC Danzante Bay. World class course.
I’m staying at Hotel Morrow in July on my way to Cabo.
Great - I think that’s very close to the square downtown. Enjoy!
Hola Brighton. Thanks for sharing your vidio of Loreto. We will be in La Paz sometime next winter to look at property around El Centenario but also spend a couple of weeks in Loreto to do the same. Nopolo doesn't interest us because of the amount of North American residents and the whole Gringo community lifestyle. I knew the Loreto of the 1960's & 70's and feel that some of that is still around. Those that speak a lot of Spanish should do so when in Méjico, out of respect. Hope to have happy Hour with you and Cat in La Paz. I already have 3 bottles of different Crema de Tequila to share. Saludos
Nopoplo was nice, but didn’t feel like Mexico. Loreto still feels Mexican. Mmmm crema de tequila!
Did you took an rv from Oregon? Thank you for your videos
Kat and I used an RV for the first two years to go back and forth. But last summer we sold the RV and take a car now.
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico i was thinking of eventually buying an RV and drive throughout Mexico to see which place we like the most. What do you think about the idea. Thank you
I think you may have saw me. My tire blew up and pulled to the side and was changing tire. I saw a OR plate car past by. I'm just guessing. I think I was near Mulegé. I was in a lil prius
Sorry to hear about your tire! It's possible that we passed you by (and I'm sure you looked fully capable of changing the tire so we didn't stop :-)
Here's the pronunciation correction you knew was coming: no-poe-LOH. A big factor if you're considering living there is the availability of flights out of that dinky airport. It's a long drive to San Diego or Cabo/La Paz.
Thanks. I was getting that pronunciation really really wrong. But I think most people call it Loreto Bay... As to the airport, I think Loreto has more direct flights weekly to the US than La Paz. Some weird political deal I think.
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico Try finding a direct flight from Portland or Seattle, amigo. ha ha.
Actually, they have better connections than La Paz. I flew there from Salt Lake connecting through LAX, then direct to Loreto. I just looked and you can fly from Portland to Loreto with a modest layover in LA. That is actually a plus for us when compared to La Paz.
@@davidmalone9022 Ok, layover guy. I'll still take Cabo.
@@prime8nate LOL - fair enough. No question, from Cabo, you can go almost anywhere. Still a two hour commute from La Paz. And I couldn’t live in Cabo. Actually, maybe San Jose del Cabo, if it weren’t so expensive. Where are you?
❤️❤️❤️🥂🥂🐶
🌅🌶🍻
Once again good info. I have my doubts that bandit will ever be a Golden Nugget . Not that you shouldn't try though. 👍👍👍👍👍🐕🐕🦺 P n D
Bandit found his forever family! He lives on a 25 acre farm in rural Oregon. It's perfect for him!
@@AlmostRetiredinMexico Sounds like you 2 did goooood.🤠👩🌾 P n D
Is "Marco Polo" pronounced "Marco Poli". !=T
I’m not sure I understand 🤔
I'm like you Brighton, I prefer Mexican neighborhoods. Less gringos 🤣
Yes!
That's could come across as racist 🧐
@@PSP92262 Not in my opinion. If I move to another country it would be through a desire to be around that culture and the people - I wouldn't move from Cda to Mex in order to surround myself w Cdns or Americans.
@@PSP92262 I'm in agreement with Kate. Some gringos prefer to be around other gringos (and the culture, language, etc that accompanies large groups of gringos.) And some want to go to Mexico to integrate more into the local culture. And some want to be in between.
@AlmostRetiredinMexico I am a gringo from Canada and met many from the States, Canada and Mexico 🇲🇽 😀 in Loreto. If you respect and envelope yourself in their culture, the richer you are. I felt love ❤ and magic in Loreto . It's the perfect size for me and has mountains and water and happy 😊 people . Also only one traffic light in town is appealing 😍
Go to the hotel Oasis good restaurante for breakfast
Thanks for the tip!
We stayed at the Hotel Oasis for two nights on our way to La Paz last Jan. Great Room, great location, good restaurant for breakfast. The fire pits outside the restaurant burning Ironwood were relaxing with a couple of Herradura Ultra to sip.
Shhh. Please 🙏 don't advertise Loreto 🧐
Sounds good - it will be our little secret ;-)
Being a old Baja rat just not my style
Yeah - Loreto is a bit more upscale than much of Baja
Very dangerous area, Don’t let it fool you.
How so?