Baja, California: Fast and Feathery

When you’re headed south out of San Diego, the border crossing at San Ysidro is the first real obstacle you’ll have to deal with before you can enjoy all that Baja California has to offer. From there, however, it’s smooth sailing down the beautiful coastal Hwy 1 into Ensenada where your adventure can truly begin. Just don’t forget to bring some cash for the toll booths along the way. For those looking for a less direct route, however, traveling through Tecate will offer a unique experience bookended by vineyards with wonderful food—and the toll-free highway south is an added bonus.

The beautiful, twisty Hwy 3 is a getaway of its own. Quickly becoming an internationally renowned wine country, the Valle de Guadalupe hosts steep hillsides with a mix of fruit-bearing groves, shimmering grasses, and the familiar desert succulents. Before uncorking your bottles, enjoy a stroll through the wilderness, bicycle around ecological resorts, and even journey on horseback all the way to the ocean. Even if you don’t have the hours available to stop along your way to the coast (this time), the scenery will have plenty to offer during your ride.