If you're like me then you've heard at least one nightmare story a friend had in Mexico, most commonly the need to bribe the police. There was one rumor that I was told that hooligans scope out your car driving in through Tijuana and then follow you to the outskirts of town and rob you. All of these rumors are sure to put you off but I'm here to tell you, you shouldn't believe everything you hear about Baja California.Baja is a beautiful and wild. It looks similar to that of the California coastline yet it is untouched by over development. If you are considering driving across the border you should absolutely should and here's why!

SURFING!Baja has long been a major surfing destination for American tourists. People drive down annually to hit up their favorite surf beaches along the coast line. It happens so much so that you can meet more tourists than local Mexicans at some beaches! What I found in Baja is that there is a welcoming and communal attitude everywhere I went.
CAMP ON THE BEACH!Camping anywhere is totally legal and free! There are privately owned campgrounds especially closer to the border, but Baja can get, as one friend called it "pretty wild west." Once you drive south of Ensenada, camping on the beach is free and unregulated. Check out where I set up camp in La Fonda!
WINE VALLEY!Guadalupe is a thriving Wine Valley with several wineries/resorts. When you think of wine, your first thought may not be to grab for a bottle that hails from Mexico. But maybe next time, you should! The Guadalupe wine valley has been producing wines for decades. With weather similar to that of California, still remains a lesser known wine region northeast of Ensenada. I recommend checking out Encuentro Gaudalupe!
FEDERALES ARE THERE TO PROTECT YOUThe Federales are just ernest men doing their jobs. If you've watched as much Locked Up Abroad as I have, being faced to encounter any foreign military sounds frightening. The Federales are not the police. They are a military outfit that are stationed to keep the peace and search for whether anything is being smuggled in and out of the country. Unless your road trip involves anything of that sort, your encounter with the Federales will simply be as easy as being asked where you came from, where you are going, and to roll down your window so they can quickly inspect the back seat.
WELL PAVED HIGHWAYS AND CLEAN PETROL STATION BAÑOSThe main roads are well paved and the Petrol stations are full service and have cleaner bathrooms! The 1 which is the equivalent to the 1 of California's coastline, is one of the the best kept roads I have been on. In fact, we even saw it being repaved as we were driving on it. Another astonishing thing was that all the Petrol Stations that we stopped at had impeccable bathrooms! With that being said, once you get off the main highway, the roads are very rough! The reason people warn you not to drive at night in Baja has a lot to do with potholes.
ENSENADA TOURISMEnsenada is known for being a stop on many cruise line destinations! This one you probably know already but I wanted to reinforce it. As it is the biggest city south of Tijuana, you may get worried that you will encounter corrupt police or some sort of mugging, but that is also not the case. Ensenada is a big city and a massive tourist destination, it is no more dangerous that Los Angeles or New York. The rule of thumb is always trust your gut! If you feel like you may be in the wrong place, then simply go back! Plus! You don't want to miss the oldest bar in Ensenada that supposedly invented the Margarita - Hussongs!

I have always hated the idea that the world in not safe to travel and explore the world. There are regions in Mexico that are overrun by the drug cartels and tourist advisory warnings are readily available here if you do a little research before your trip. With that being said, Baja has a natural and untouched coast line that is certainly worth putting on your bucket list!Share your favorite places to visit in Mexico in the comments! I can't wait to explore more of the beautiful country that is Mexico!