WHAT ’’S HE R E !!™ co n c i e r g e co n n e c t iio n
WHAT S HE R E ™ co n c i
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From top to bottom, left to right: Alija, SueMac, Discover Baja California
¿What’s Up, Down South?
Baja California
V
isitors to Orange County
are often very surprised
how easy it is to get to
Mexico. The Mexican
city of Tijuana, gateway
to Baja, California, is less than a
two-hour drive from Orange County.
If you plan to stay within 75 miles
of the border and return within
72 hours, you do not need a travel
card. Tourist cards are free with a
valid passport, and are available at
the Mexican Consulate, airport, or
border crossing.
Know Before You Go
If you plan to visit Mexico, every
person in your group should have
identification (driver’s license, passport, notarized birth certificate with
photo ID). Pets can travel with you
as long as they have up-to-date vaccinations and paperwork to prove it.
Pay for purchases in dollars, pesos,
traveler’s checks or major credit
cards. If you pay with American
currency, you will receive your
change the same way. U.S. residents
may bring back $400 worth of g oods
duty free including one liter of
alcoholic beverages.
Important Numbers—
How to Dial
011 + 52 + city code + local number
(look in white pages of your Orange
10
June/July
2007
County phone book to find city
codes for some cities in Mexico).
Concerts & Events
Getting There
June 23
There are a number of ways to get to
Mexico from Orange County:
(1) Take the train from Orange
County to downtown San Diego
then take the San Diego Trolley to
the Mexican border. Walk across
the border or take a shuttle on the
American side that will take you
across to Revolucion, the main shopping/dining area in Tijuana. From
there, you can take a bus to Rosarito.
Across the border, there’s a busy taxi
stand. Taxis can take you anywhere
in Tijuana. Ask about fares to
Rosarito or Ensenada.
(2) Drive south from Orange County
via I-5 that ends at the border. Just
drive through the gates at the border.
Purchase Mexican auto insurance
before you reach the border or at
the border crossing. If you’re driving
a rental car, check with your car
rental company for its policies.
(3) Drive south from Orange County
via I-5 to parking facilities near the
border then walk across or take
the shuttle to Revolucion or bus to
Rosarito. Parking lots on the U.S.
side of the border average $6-$10
daily.
Musical Event With
The Mariachi Vargas
De Tecatitlan and Aida
Cuevas
Ensenada ( L.A. Cetto Winery).
Musical concert features the best
mariachi in the world, the Mariachi
Vargas de Tecatitlan, and a great
singer of Mexican song, Aida
Cuevas. Organizer: L.A. Cetto
Winery. (646) 155-2264/155-2269.
(664) 685-3031.
Festivals & Fairs
May 13
Celebration of the
Vineyards
Ensenada. This vineyards flowering
festival at harvest time begins the
production of wine grapes. Each
year, this celebration takes place in
a different winery in the Guadalupe
Valley. Organizer: Winemakers of
Baja California Association.
(646) 178-3038.
May 26-27
28th Annual Fiesta
En La Mision
Ensenada. This fiesta, in honor
of the San Miguel de Archangel
Mission, includes folkloric
dances, Mexican food, and music.
Organizer: Profr. Mario Reyes. Fac.
De Turismo. (664) 682-1697.
May 27
5th Annual Horse
and Wine Festival
Adobe de Guadalupe Winery at
Guadalupe Valley (Wine Country).
This festival features the participation of different wineries in the
region, horseback riding, a horse
obstacle jump, Flamenco dancers,
contemporary dancers from Cuba,
local painters and craftsman.
June 3
Paella and Wine Festival
Tijuana. Wine tasting and Paella
Valenciana contest. Organizer: L.A.
Cetto. (664) 638-5848/585-3031.