Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico
Amazing wines, gorgeous scenery and Michelin-star chefs hidden just south of the border!
- More about your Oliver Guide: Kielty Nivaud
- Trip type: Adult, Group getaway, Desert
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: 2-3 days
to & from
Fly into the San Diego airport and rent a car. An SUV may be preferred to handle some of the dirt roads, but you’ll be fine in a smaller car as well. The drive to Valle de Guadalupe from San Diego is easy and scenic, roughly 1 hr. 30 min. As a native San Diegan, I have driven over the border and back numerous times, and it is nothing to fret about.
- The most direct point of entry is taking highway 5 to the San Ysidro border crossing.
- We personally loved driving ourselves, as it was a memorable part of the adventure. We did stumble across these alternatives when researching for our trip: uberVALLE, Club Tengo Hambre, and Turista Libre
- You do need Mexican auto insurance, and while there are a few places near the border to drive up and purchase insurance, we did it online and printed the policy at home, before hitting the road. Insurance for a 2 day trip costs $56.
- Definitely take note of this graph for ideal border crossing times, as there are thousands of commuters and tourists crossing the border daily.
Where to Stay
So many options to choose from! The Valle de Guadalupe consists of an incredible array of high-end boutique hotels, B&Bs, luxe eco-lodges and airbnbs.
On both trips to the Valley de Guadalupe, we stayed at La Villa del Valle, an iconic, winery-turned-b&b 6 bedroom gem perched on a hill with views of the valley. We adored our stay there! Incredible Mexican breakfast feast (included in the nightly rate), charming nooks and crannies to explore, beautiful grounds, and an eco-winery that ended up being a big highlight: Vena Cava, hip and sleek, made of recycled boats!
The Valle de Guadalupe is a place we plan on visiting again and again. And while our first recommendation for where to stay is La Villa del Valle, on our next visit, if we decide to mix it up/explore other accommodation options, I am intrigued by these two:
- Encuentro Guadalupe’s eco-pods
- Bruma: Their winery and restaurant, Fauna, were both mind blowing.