Gray Cowboy Boots

Rosarito, A Slice of Paradise

Ever wonder if paradise really exists?  Well, no need to keep wondering, for nothing spells paradise than that wondrous feeling of digging your toes on the sandy beaches of Rosarito.  Come get a glimpse of paradise before you experience it at http://www.patawalk.com

Rosarito's history dates back to about ten thousand years with the presence of the Kumiai tribe.  This indigenous group first named Rosarito as "Uakuatay" meaning, The Great House.  The Spanish presence began in 1553, when Hernan Cortes ordered an expedition of Baja California.  Soon, the Jesuits followed along with their objective to convert the local indigenous groups.  As proof of this are the 28 missions found along the Californian state.  As a result of this conversion, the area became known as El Rosario (The Rosary) and it was shortened to what is known as today, Rosarito.   The increase in population is often credited to the Machado Family, who, in 1825, were the first group of people to settle and build a ranch here.  Many other families quickly followed.  One hundred years later, in 1925,  a man named Rene built a bar called Rene's and a year later Rosarito Beach Hotel was built.  These two, seemingly unimportant, establishments catapulted an entire era of tourism in Rosarito.  They came during the Prohibition Era in the United States, and so multitudes of Americans would drive just 30 minutes south of the border to escape.  Due to the high number of tourists, the developments of tourist-friendly establishments were developed and included hotels, condominiums, restaurants, clubs, museums and even a casino.  Today there are over 700 hotel rooms available throughout Rosarito.

Rosarito features world renowned clubs such as Senor Frogg's, Papas & Beer, who features a costume party every summer.  But it isn't just drinking, partying and gambling what attracks tourist to this magnificent paradise city.  Rosarito offers copious amounts of activities that range from horse-back riding, the world-famous Rosarito-Ensenada bike ride, off-roading competitions on the Cantamar sand dunes, surfing, triathlons, and even a sand-castle competition.  In fact, all it takes to convince you of Rosaritos' grandeur is a stroll down the main drag, Boulevard Benito Juarez.  This boulevard features innumerable shops, where you can buy anything from small souvenirs to a leather jacket, hotels with comfortable amenities, restaurants for every culinary taste ranging from traditional Mexican to Italian and Japanese, clubs for young and seasoned, and what's best you can enjoy all this while having the beauty of the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. Wow!

One place you MUST visit is the Hotel Rosarito Beach, which is almost like its own little city.  One must brag that this hotel has served distinguished clientele such as Dolores del Rio, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayward, Orson Welles, and even Clark Gable.  Once you step foot inside the hotel you'll sigh in admiration, for it still preserves the mosaic decoration of the 1920's.  But don't get too distracted for there is also a casino for you to test you luck.  What's more, Hotel Rosarito Beach has its own dock and shopping center as well as an art gallery.

If you're a history buff, then you must visit Wa Kuatay Museum, which features artifacts and even photographs of the first known inhabitants of Rosarito, the Kumiai people.  Another locale I recommend visiting is Edifice Rock and Roll Taco, which once served as a radio station and restaurant in the 1960s and 1970s.

If you're of the curious type, then you must visit Plaza Pueblo.  The first thing that grasps your attention is the waterfall that decorates the plaza's entrance.  Here you can simply admire or even purchase the different hand-made crafts that go from a small table to larger pieces of furniture.  What's most impressive here is the elaboration of cowboy boots; in fact you'll be able to see how this popular footwear is made.  Xploration is definitely the "it" place for the curious.  It was created by Fox Studios and it features many of the scenography used for movies such as Titanic, Pearl Harbor, and Master and Commander, among others.  Lucky for you, it has now been transformed into a theme park where you get to discover everything about how movies are made.  In fact, you sit in the director's chair for a day and create your own film. Oscar, anyone?

You cannot leave Rosarito without having a taste of the world-renown Langosta Estilo Puerto Nuevo (Lobster Newport Style).  Puerto Nuevo (Newport) began in the 1950's when a group of local fishermen would take tourists on a boat and fishing ride and on their return, the wives of the fishermen would cook the fresh lobster for the tourist.  The lobsters are marinated with butter, grilled, served with a side of rice, beans, and flour tortilla, and what better than a delicious margarita to accompany it.  Their popularity soon increased and as so the demand for this delicious dish increase.  Today Puerto Nuevo has 30 restaurants all featuring this traditional culinary delicacy among other equally savory dishes.

Lastly, I recommend setting some time to visit Complejo Turistico Calafia (Calafia Tourist Complex).  It is interesting to note that this complex is named after Calafia, who according to a traditional Spanish legend was the queen of an island named California.  This complex features an incredibly relaxing hotel where every room has access to a magnificent view of the  Pacific Ocean.  Right next to the hotel is a world-famous surfing spot known as Kilometro 38 (38th Kilometer), and people say that it is here where the sport was initiated.  But if you visit the hotel, then you must visit it during January, February, and March.  It is during these months that you'll have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see up-close-and-personal the great gray whales migrating all the way from Alaska.  In fact, all you need to do is step out on your balcony and just admire the gargantuan beauties as they make their way to Ensenada.

What are you waiting for? Don't just let me tell you about it, get a full 360 degree preview at http://patawalk.com!

About the Author

I'm an English instructor. I love my career because it allows me to work with students of all ages (from children in kindergarten to mature adults in college) and walks of life.  I have a B.A. in English from San Diego State University and have recently obtained my M.A., also in English, from National University.  During my free time I travel and write short articles for the Patawalk Virtual Tours website (www.patawalk.com).  This site takes visitors into fully mapped virtual tours in 360 formats of amazing places such as Cancun, Mexico. It's like being there!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 11:05 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.