Best Things To Do in La Paz, Mexico

La Paz is located on the Eastern side of Baja California Sur in Mexico in the heart of the Sea of Cortez and has been my absolute highlight to visit in Baja California. While it is popular with international tourists, the city is not too touristy and overcrowded like Cabo San Lucas but offers a perfect combination of a relaxed and laid-back vibe paired with the variety of things to do and explore of a big city. And the picture-perfect beaches and abundant and diverse sea wildlife around La Paz will certainly belong to the most amazing experiences you will have while traveling! In this post, I will share with you my favorite things to do in La Paz, Mexico.

Best Things to do in La Paz, Mexico

#1 Visit Playa Balandra

Located about 30 minutes north of La Paz, Playa Balandra is an absolute beach highlight and will most likely be one of the most amazing beaches you will have seen in your life! Nestled in a small bay, the crystal-clear turquoise waters and white sandy shores invite you to long walks along the beach and even through the water when the tide is low. The famous mushroom rock is located at this beach too.

I advise you to go earlier in the day as it is considered a natural reserve and access is monitored and stopped if the maximum number of visitors is reached. Make sure to visit the viewpoint on the small hill too to get the best overview of the bay.

#2 Take a boat trip to Isla Espirito Santo

Take a boat trip to Isla Espiritu Santo, a pristine island renowned for its untouched natural beauty. Tours will take you there for a full day to show you different parts of the island, explain to you the diversity of the bird and sea wildlife there, have delicious fish ceviche for lunch at one of the stunning beaches with great snorkeling opportunities and, as an absolute highlight, let you swim with friendly sea lions in the open water in their natural habitat. We also saw dolphins and whales during our trip.

There are different tour operators offering a full-day package, for which you should expect to pay around 100USD. We went with Desierto Azul Expeditions and can highly recommend it as our guide David (a studied marine biologist) was super knowledgeable about the wildlife and took great video footage of swimming with the sea lions which he shared with us afterwards.

#3 Go whale watching

From January to March, La Paz becomes a prime location for whale watching. Embark on a whale-watching tour and marvel at the majestic gray and humpback whales as they migrate through the waters, breaching and playing alongside the boats.

#4 Explore the Malecon in La Paz

La Paz has a really nice walkway that stretches almost along the entire city from south to north. You will see many people going there for a run or cycling along the malecon, passing the many nice cafes, bars and restaurants. Take a stroll, run or ride around the walkway to fully enjoy the magic of La Paz, especially during sunset hours as it is facing west.

Best time to visit La Paz, Mexico

The best time to visit La Paz in Baja California Sur is during the fall and winter months, from October to March. The weather is pleasantly warm, with temperatures ranging from 75°F to 85°F (24°C to 29°C). This period also coincides with the migration of gray whales, providing excellent whale-watching opportunities.

Best ways to get to La Paz, Mexico

Reach La Paz by car from Cabo San Lucas

To be able to explore the beaches around, especially Playa Balandra, I would strongly advise having a rental car when you get to La Paz, especially if you are also planning to visit other places in Baja California Sur like Todos Santos and Cabo San Lucas (check my article here). We had a rental car from Europcar with a smooth pickup and return process in San Jose del Cabo (SJD) airport, that is about 2hours drive time away from La Paz (passing through the pristine pueblo magico Todos Santos). Check Discover Cars for best rental car offers during your planned visit.

The roads in Baja California are usually well-maintained, however if you plan to drive to many beaches you might face some dirt roads so a full rental car insurance is recommended. If you plan to travel for a longer period to multiple destinations and use rental cars more often, I would recommend a credit card that includes rental car insurance, for example an American Express Platinum Card.

Recommended places to visit near La Paz, Mexico

Los Cabos: Best Things To Do in Los Cabos

Todos Santos: Best Things To Do in Todos Santos

Reach La Paz by plane or ferry

Also, La Paz has its own international airport (LAP), however flights are a lot more expensive and are less frequented than San Jose del Cabo (SJD). Another option is the ferry terminal in Pichilingue that offers connections to the Mexican mainland in Mazatlán and Los Mochis (if you plan to take the El Chepe train through Copper Canyon).

Best areas to stay in La Paz, Mexico

I recommend staying in the area of Estorito, located north-east of the main square if you look at the map. Most of the nice cafes, bars and restaurants are in this area (see recommendations below) and you can also head easily north to Playa Balandra and other beaches from there.

There are plenty of accommodation options available in La Paz, so check airbnb and booking.com for the best options in the area for your travel dates.

Best restaurants in La Paz, Mexico

To start your day with a delicious breakfast, I can recommend Maria California for a mix of Mexican and international breakfast options as well as Dulce Romero, which is a bakery that is particularly known for its great avocado toasts.

Also, La Paz offers great places to enjoy a variety of seafood. We really enjoyed Tatanka Baja Fish and Steak House for really exotic seafood options that you won’t find on many menus and Las Tres Virgenes (they serve freshly baked bread as an appetizer that is coming straight from heaven!). Other popular recommendations that I could not try however include Nim, Sorstis and Hambrusia.

Best Things To Do in La Paz, Mexico