Looking for a Cruise Port Ensenada Itinerary that doesn’t break the bank? Tired of paying big bucks for excursions you don’t really enjoy? Me too!!
Before I share with you my Cruise Port Ensenada Itinerary, I have three mind-blowing tips that might rock your world and revolutionize how you think about cruise ports? You ready? Here we go:
- Number 1: It’s okay not to be the first one off the cruise ship.
- Number 2: It’s okay not to see everything that the city of Ensenada has to offer.
- Number 3: It’s okay not to see the world’s largest (fill-in-the-blank) or taste the country’s best (fill-in-the-blank) in Ensenada.
You may have to read that list over a few times to let it sink it. You may even have to print out that list and bring it along. It took a lot of cruises and a lot of reflection time for me to realize that I am not missing out if I don’t see or do everything in every port city that I visit.
So, let’s get to it. If your cruise is stopping in Ensenada, Mexico, here is my personal Ensenada Cruise Port Itinerary that doesn’t break the bank.
1. Watch the Seals
You do not need to leave the cruise ship to do this if you are sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas cruise ship. As the cruise ship approaches the terminal in Ensenada, you will hear honks, barks, and grunts filling the air. The sounds will get louder the closer the cruise ship gets to shore. The sounds are coming from none other than a noisy choir of seals (and lots of them), along a rocky embankment. Get out on the deck (port side) and watch the seals wildly perform as they welcome you to Ensenada, Mexico.
Royal Caribbean Cruise docks at Dock #2 so the seals are easily heard (and seen) from the cruise ship.
2. Walk the Ensenada Boardwalk (Malecón)
In Mexico, a boardwalk along the ocean is called a Malecón. Ensenada has a lovely Malecón and it is possible to easily walk to it from the cruise ship. Along the boardwalk, you will discover shops, restaurants, and a massive flag that acts as a “hub” along the waterfront boardwalk.
How do I get to the Ensenada Boardwalk and Flagpole from the Cruise Terminal?
You can easily walk to the boardwalk (and giant flagpole) from the cruise terminal in Ensenada. Getting to the boardwalk is as easy as 1-2-3.
Step 1: When you get off the cruise ship, make a left hand turn and walk along the pathway towards the terminal’s main entrance. The terminal’s main entrance has security arms that restrict the flow of traffic (similar to the up-and-down bars that you find in a patrolled parkade).
Here is a visual map of where to go once you get off the cruise ship.
Step 2: Once you reach the terminal’s main entrance, pass through an open brown building structure (as shown in the photo below) and immediately turn left onto the Pedestrian Bridge. Head towards the flag pole. Let it be your guide.
Step 3: Cross the Pedestrian Bridge. The Pedestrian Bridge is lined with black decorative railing and street lights. There are no vehicles on this bridge. If you see vehicles on the bridge, you have gone too far.
Here’s a quick video recap of what it looks like:
After you cross the Pedestrian Bridge, you made it. This is Ensenada’s Malecón or oceanfront boardwalk. At this point you will see a large flagpole. The large flagpole acts as a “hub” for the boardwalk.
3. Admire the Massive Flagpole in Ensenada
Soak it all in. Put on your tourist hat and take lots of photos. At the Monumental Flagpole (which is the tallest landmark along Ensenada’s boardwalk), you will see an Ensenada letter sign. Take your turn to snap a photo in front of the sign.
Walking to the Flagpole from the cruise ship doesn’t take long.
At the Monumental Flagpole, there is also a water display. At this point, I don’t recommend running through it as you want to keep your clothes dry for the next item on my Ensenada Cruise Port Itinerary.
4. Take a Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride
Next on the Itinerary is to take a ride on a horse-drawn carriage.
The horse-drawn carriages line Alvarado street, which is just across the street from the flagpole. You can see the horses from the flagpole. Not sure how to get to the flagpole from the cruise ship? You can easily walk to the flagpole from the cruise ship in less than 10 minutes, but take your time and take photos along the way.
Horse-drawn carriage rides in New York City can cost upwards of US$200, so when the driver said he would take us on a tour for US$39 for our entire family, we hopped in and experienced an impromptu tour of Ensenada.
Go for the experience of going in a horse-drawn carriage just like they did in the olden days (and not anything more). The horse-drawn carriage route is not romantic. In Ensenada, the horses prod alongside (what feels like) zooming vehicles on a main road. If you are lucky, your horse-driver will point out various museums and restaurants along the way like ours did.
This was our first time doing a horse-and-buggy ride so we thought the experience was pretty neat. After the experience, we had a whole new level of appreciation for the invention of the motor vehicle (with air conditioning) and our forefathers who had no choice but to travel by way of horse-and-buggy.
5. Check out the Plaza Civic de la Patria
Next on the Ensenada Cruise Port Itinerary is Plaza Civic de la Patria. You will see three large gold heads and a waterfall wall. This is an “along the way” attraction where you can capture a few neat photos for your Facebook or instagram feed.
How do I get to Plaza Civic de la Patria from the cruise ship?
Step 1: At Ensenada’s famous flagpole, walk one block along Alvarado street past the horses to Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas.
Step 2: Turn left on Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas. This is a busy four-lane road (with sidewalks).
Step 3: Walk along Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas until you see the Golden Heads and Waterfall Wall. You can’t miss it. (You will also be able to see the Golden Arches (i.e. McDonald’s) across the road.)
Here is a visual map of where to walk. After visiting Plaza Civic de la Patria, head across the street to McDonald’s for an ice cream cone.
6. Go Shopping in Ensenada, Mexico
After you have your ice cream cone at McDonald’s (which has also free WIFI), go shopping. The main tourist shopping street is Av Adolfo López Mateos. It is the green line on the map above. The main shopping street is located at the rear of McDonald’s. This street runs parallel to the boardwalk and is lined with mom-and-pop shops and street vendors selling a variety of merchandise.
What is there to buy in Ensenada, Mexico?
There is no shortage of tourist shops in Ensenada where you can buy t-shirts, jewelry, vanilla, sombreros, sunglasses, hammocks, pharmaceuticals, drug rugs, Mexican Cola, and more.
What is a Drug Rug?
I call it a Mexican poncho. Others call it a Baja pullover. These Mexican-style hoodies are typically made from cotton or a cotton-blend material. Ensenada sells these poncho-like sweaters, also known as drug rugs, in a variety of colours.
Can you barter in Ensenada?
Yes, you can barter in Ensenada.
Some people dread the thought of bartering. However, think of bartering as simply paying less than asking price. It’s what we do all the time in America when we “wait for a sale” or “shop around” to get the best deal.
Mexicans don’t want you to “wait for a sale” because they know that you won’t be around in a week or even tomorrow. Therefore, if you want an item, simply ask for a discount. Think of it as asking for the “sale price” today. The worst they can say is no.
Does Coca-Cola taste different in Mexico?
Yes, American-made Coca-Cola uses high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener; whereas, Coca-Cola in Mexico uses natural cane sugar. Buy a bottle of Coca-Cola when you go shopping in Ensenada and taste for yourself.
We found cold miniature Coca-Cola bottles (at a liquor store) and we did our own taste test. Although I personally couldn’t taste much of a difference, we enjoyed the cold beverage and took home the miniature Mexican Coca-Cola bottles as a souvenir.
7. Walk the rest of the boardwalk
Once you are shopped-out on the main shopping street, head back to the flagpole, let your kids run through the water display to cool off, and walk the rest of the boardwalk.
You will find more shops, restaurants, bars, and statues. We stopped to look at the boats along the docks and took a few more photos along the way. Near the end of the boardwalk we found this statue:
Although there are several museums that are within walking distance to the cruise ship, my kids were eager to get back on the Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas cruise ship and go water sliding.
It is not necessary to do everything that a city offers to have a great day. Pick what interests you and/or the people in your party. It is not a competition to see who can see or do the most stuff at a port stop. I hope you enjoyed my personal Ensenada Cruise Port Itinerary.
If you are also going to Catalina Island on your cruise, check out my “5 Surprising Facts About Catalina Island Cruise Port” before you set sail.
Until next time,
Happy Planning!!
-Shelley