29Nov13
Here are our La Paz travel tips! As our two months here come to a close, we wanted to give a shout-out to some of the places we like and would recommend if anyone is visiting. It’s hard to keep the list short, but we tried.
/ ACTIVITIES & CULTURE /
- Roz in La Paz: Roz maintains a very comprehensive calendar of cultural events in La Paz, like festivals, art shows, cultural talks and music shows. Check her website for listings and information on venues, like el Teatro de La Ciudad.
- Malecón: This waterfront walk takes you all the way through downtown. There are restaurants and bars along it, along with places where you can hire a boat. There are lots of benches or places on the beach to sit and do awesome people-watching or sunset-viewing. On the northeast end there are a bunch of stands where you can eat fresh pineapple or coconut. Get it “loco” if you want to eat like the Mexicans do.
- Playa Balandra: Absolutely gorgeous beach that’s in a protected little cove. You can rent kayaks or swim (or walk — the water is very shallow in some places) to some of the other beaches that surround the cove.
- Playa Tecolote: Great view of Isla Espiritu Santo and a shorter boat trip to get there. Bigger beach than Balandra, with restaurants and more rentals.
- Art in Todos Santos: There’s a gallery walk — and lots of other art galleries — worth checking out. There are a lot of tourists there that come up from Cabo, but it’s a nice day trip.
- Harker Board Co: They offer stand up paddle board rentals for good prices. They have a patio area out front where you can have food and a drink, but don’t settle just yet! Go upstairs to their rooftop bar for great views. On Alvaro Obregon at Constitucion.
- FANLAP: Fundación Ayuda Niños La Paz does great work to support underprivileged children in La Paz. They have lots of ways to get involved and volunteer. It’s very worth your while.
/ FOOD & DRINK /
- The Bagel Shop: A hangout among tourists and locals alike. Fabrizio and Patty make a delicious bagel, are very friendly and have a great story. Make sure to try the Churrasco bagel sandwich, inspired by Fabrizio’s favorite sandwich at home in Chile. On Belizario Dominguez between 5 de Mayo and Constitucion.
- La Miserable: Across from The Bagel Shop, this bar specializes in mezcal. Carmen co-owns it with her boyfriend and will happily tell you all about mezcal. Drink it straight or get a cocktail with jalapeño in it. On Belizario Dominguez between 5 de Mayo and Constitucion.
- Pan d’Les: European-style bakery with fresh baguettes and baked goods. Love the carrot muffins. On Madero between 5 de Mayo and Constitucion.
- Taco ‘n’ Madre: Delicious al pastor and carne asada tacos on house-made corn tortillas with lots of good salsas. Javier, one of the servers there, loves to hang out and chat and is probably the closest friend we made here. On Madero at Constitucion.
- Tacos de Pedro: Very tasty, juicy pork tacos with a spicy red onion salsa. Stand is on Belizario Dominguez between 16 de Septiembre and Independencia.
- Carnitas Don Abraham: More pork tacos! There are always lots of people here. On Revolucion between Constitucion and Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, next to the post office.
- Fish taco stand: I don’t know the name, but this place has excellent fish and shrimp tacos with a wide variety of fixings. On Guillermo Prieto between 5 de Mayo and Independencia.
- Cafe 5ta Avenida: Trusty coffee shop with multiple locations in La Paz. There are lots of great coffee shops, but we went to these often because they had consistently reliable internet access. On 5 de Mayo at Revolucion.
- Cafe Olimpia: My dad’s favorite lunch spot. For 60 pesos you get soup, an entree and rice and beans. The menu changes almost every day and the food is delicious. They also have a great breakfast. On Marquez de Leon between Madero and Revolucion.
- Cocina Yanedy: Similar to Cafe Olimpia, this cocina economica serves big breakfasts and lunches. We like their tortas! On Constitucion between Revolucion and Aquiles Serdan.
- Big Joe’s Restaurant: Big Joe makes some mean BBQ. Seriously. We didn’t get a chance to try his grits breakfast, but I’m sure that’s delicious too. On Madero between Jalisco and Colima.
- The Dock Cafe: An interesting mix of locals and gringos hangs out at this restaurant in Marina de La Paz. They have both Mexican food and American food, and they make a great breakfast. Order the small nachos but share them with a friend if you have any hope of finishing them. On Topete and Legaspy.
- Churros: Our favorite stand is on Revolucion and Ocampo by Mercado Madero.
- Cafe El Triunfo: Great food in an old mining town. They also have a bakery. In El Triunfo, south of La Paz.
/ ACCOMMODATIONS, SERVICES & SHOPPING /
- Baja Bed & Breakfast: They have regular rooms as well as an apartment with a kitchen for rent. Cecilia and Antonio are the owners and always have good recommendations. Two blocks from the water and very central. On Madero between 5 de Mayo and Constitucion. They also have apartments for rent on the other side of town.
- Posada LunaSol: This is where we’ve stayed every other time we’ve been in La Paz. Quiet little hotel that is affiliated with Mar y Aventuras tours. On 5 de Febrero between Abasolo and Topete.
- El Nopal Academia de Español: We didn’t take any Spanish classes here, but they offer monthly cooking classes that we tried. On Legaspy between Padre Kino and Yucatan.
- Lavanderia Vijando: Same-day wash and fold laundry service. They never lost anything and the people are very friendly. On Aquiles Serdan between 5 de Mayo and Constitucion.
- Mi Mascota: Great grooming services, basic pet supplies and a very friendly and efficient vet clinic. On Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla between Madero and Revolucion.
- Cafe Batalla: Great place to buy freshly ground coffee for a good value with good flavor. They sell cups of coffee or you can buy beans/grounds. On the corner of 5 de Mayo and Belizario Dominguez.
- Organic farmer’s market: On Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9am-noon, there’s a farmer’s market selling fresh produce, smoked meat/fish, baked goods and local art items. Be sure to try the cinnamon rolls. On Madero between 5 de Mayo and Constitucion.
- Supermercado Aramburo tamales: There’s a guy who sells tamales outside of Aramburo for only 15 pesos each and they are super tasty. Puerco or pollo con salsa verde, queso con rajas or carne. On Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla at Madero.
