November Birthday in Oaxaca!
Each year, I try to plan a new adventure for my birthday. Usually international with the exception of last year, pre-vaccine. It softens the blow of getting older and helps me reframe the occasion to be a more joyous one. Once September hits, I get that back-to-school fall feeling even though I have not been in school in years. That nervousness of starting a new chapter, not knowing what to expect.
Each year, I try to plan a new adventure for my birthday. Usually international with the exception of last year, pre-vaccine. It softens the blow of getting older and helps me reframe the occasion to be a more joyous one. Once September hits, I get that back-to-school fall feeling even though I have not been in school in years. That nervousness of starting a new chapter, not knowing what to expect. That anticipation of the cold and dark winter coming. And that looming birthday, which marks the end of my personal year and forces me reaccess my life. Travel (and vacation) gives me something to look forward to and helps me get my mind off the stresses of adulthood. After such an amazing road trip to Valle de Guadalupe this past June, I decided to return to Mexico and explore Oaxaca. Many Californians like to visit Cabo, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Vallarta, but I’m not really a beach resort type girl and I’m not a fan of the super touristy spots. I love quaint little towns, countrysides, nature, small little beach destinations, and boutique or unique accommodations.
My friend in Missouri joined me on my annual birthday adventure and we met up in Mexico City. If you’re meeting your friend at the airport in Mexico City, make sure you know your arrival terminal. We arrived at different terminals and it took us awhile to find each other. She had to take the tram from Terminal 1 to meet me in Terminal 2 and it took an hour to wait in line for a taxi. Make sure you purchase a taxi ticket and wait in line first thing. Traffic in Mexico City is pretty bad. Also, another tip. If you travel to Mexico in November, it’s super cold at night! Pack warm clothes. Except for a couple hours in the afternoon, most of the time, we were freezing! I packed mostly dresses! It felt colder than what the temperatures showed.
We only had a couple days in the city so I can’t say we had that much time to really explore the city other than visit some delicious restaurants—Cha Cha Terraza, Contramar, Quintonil, and Gin Gin—and take a boat ride at the Xochimilco canals. Cha Cha Terraza had a fun lively vibe for dinner and drinks on their upstairs terrace. Contramar had great seafood. Gin Gin is a great bar/lounge down the street from Contramar and has really good cocktails and music. Quintonil is super upscale with an option for a tasting menu. Even though Quintonil is a special culinary experience, it was a little stuffy. Indoors. No vibe. No ambiance. It was also expensive for Mexico standards. You could get an amazing meal at a more fun restaurant for half the price or less. We also stopped at Cafe Toscana next door to Buna cafe in Roma North for a snack and glass of wine mid-afternoon one day and both places were really cute.
In Mexico City, we first stayed at the Sofitel in Cuauhtémoc, which felt like downtown. Even though the area is close to Condesa and Roma North, it was very busy and not as nice. We also stayed at The Orchid House Hotel in Polanco, which I loved because it’s small and boutique. Polanco is Mexico City’s upscale neighborhood. It’s quaint, charming, and walkable. I would definitely stay here again. I had previously wanted to stay at Brick Hotel in Roma North, which is also a cute area, but the rooms were all booked. If you prefer the big hotels, but want to stay in Polanco, you could do The W or The Intercontinenal.
From Mexico City, we flew to Oaxaca. It is a short 1 hour flight. And just as I imagined, Oaxaca was amazing! So quaint and charming! Arts and crafts sold by street vendors. Markets with an array of textile, leather handbags, hats, and jewelry. Cobblestone roads. Decorative flags lined the street. Colorful buildings with beautiful exterior artwork. Old churches. Boutique hotels, delicious food, and great cocktails. Every meal we had was better than the last. I was in heaven!
One thing to note is that I made the majority of the restaurant reservations about two months in advance. Thinking that it would be warmer in Oaxaca, I chose many outdoor rooftop venues for dinner. While Oaxaca was hot during the day, it was even colder than Mexico City at night. Some of the places had heat lamps but they weren’t always working. On two different nights, a couple restaurants mentioned that they ran out of gas for the lamps, which made eating very uncomfortable. I would recommend dressing very warm or doing the rooftop spots during the day for lunch to enjoy the view.
We dined at Los Danzantes, Tierra del Sol, Casa Oaxaca, Criollo, and The Terrace on top of Hotel Los Amantes. While the food was good at all the restaurants, my favorites were Casa Oaxaca and Criollo. Criollo was where I had my birthday dinner and it was super special! The chef from Mexico City’s world renowned Pujol is part of the Criollo team. The only option at this restaurant is to enjoy their 6 course surprise tasting menu, which included a variety of Oaxacan dishes. Each plate was artfully presented and delicious! Casa Oaxaca was a pleasant surprise for lunch. They have rooftop dining. I loved the fresh table-side salsa, the sweet potato wrapped squash blossoms, the agua chile, and their corn-flan dessert. I had never had a CORN flan dessert before and I loved it! Tierra del Sol has a nice rooftop terrace view. They had really good tacos de lechon with chicharron wrapped up in what looked like a banana leaf. It was so good that we came back the next day on my birthday for lunch! The other dishes weren’t as good but we could have ordered the wrong items since they didn’t have an English menu. One thing I learned on this trip is that I love chicharron on everything! I ordered soup several times while in Oaxaca and it often included chicharron in the soup with Oaxacan string cheese, which is also very delicious. Downstairs in the same building of Tierra del Sol, there’s a little cafe that sells Atole, which is a soothing hot corn and masa based beverage that Oaxacans often drink for breakfast or at night. It comes in different flavors. Try it! It’s interesting and different. I liked it. Los Danzantes also served really good food. That’s where we dined on our first night in Oaxaca. But that Sunday night, it was really quiet. We had tortilla soup, mahi mahi and fresh garden tomato ceviche, and fresh short rib pasta.
Upstairs from Los Danzantes is their partner speakeasy bar called Selva. There’s no sign. The entrance is roped off with a man guarding the doorway. The bar is super charming with prohibition era vibes. Cocktails were pretty and carefully curated. Another bar we enjoyed was Sabina Sabe, which is a lot more casual but has great music and good cocktails. They serve food as well but we didn’t get a chance to try any. The rooftop at Hotel Los Amantes has great views for a sunset drink. They have a small bar downstairs that we liked as well. I think I ordered a mezcal cocktail with pineapple everyday in Oaxaca.
Aside from eating really well, I did a group tour to Hierve el Agua. Helpful tip: exchange your dollars for pesos. You will need it for the entrance fee, for the group buffet lunch, and also for mezcal purchases at the distillery (they have a high minimum for credit card purchases). The tour lasted all day because they include a few stops including a mezcal tasting, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Because of land disputes, we had to take the unpaved, bumpy road up the mountain to get to the pools. Once you get to the entrance/parking lot, you have the option of hiking 45 minutes down to see the petrified waterfalls or just going straight to the pools. Going down was not a huge problem but it was a little exhausting coming back up because of all the steps. It definitely gets you all heated up and ready to jump in the pools. But if you just want to take cute pictures and relax, skip the hike and just go straight to the pools and then you won’t have to worry about packing hiking clothes and sneakers along with your bathing suit and towel. The view was beautiful. Bonus: I made a few new friends on the tour because I went solo. My friend didn’t want to wake up at 7am to join the tour.
My friend and I stayed in 2 different hotels during our time in Oaxaca. The first few nights we stayed at Grana B&B, which is very quaint and quiet and the staff is so accommodating. We had a suite with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, which was nice. Breakfast was included and is made to order and it was delicious. I don’t normally love yogurt but the yogurt was really good! Yogurt anywhere outside of the U.S. is really good, in my opinion. The location was central. We also stayed one night at Hotel Los Amantes, which has the most beautiful rooftop views. Great for sunset drinks and the food was pretty good as well. It’s made up of 2 buildings across from eachother in a central location not far from Grana B&B, with 2 rooftop restaurants, and a small bar downstairs. We stayed in the Cuishe room with 2 queen beds. While the room was nice, the hotel in general is a little loud because of the atrium and rooftop restaurants. But it was convenient to be able to just run upstairs for a cocktail or snack. Breakfast was included there as well and it was pretty good also.
The people of Oaxaca were so welcoming, nice, and helpful. The tourists we befriended were also so friendly. I loved Oaxaca and would definitely visit again! They have direct flights from Los Angeles to Oaxaca on Mexican airlines. I have to say that the best part for me was the food because as you know, I love food! They use grasshopper in a lot of dishes but it’s unrecognizeable. I’m not a huge fan of mole even though it’s a popular dish in this region. Though I did discover that I am a huge fan of chicharron, Oaxacan cheese, and mezcal cocktails. I love their fresh corn tortilla and chips and salsa. I regret that I didn’t get a chance to have churros or hot chocolate while I was in Oaxaca and Mexico City. Check out my Instagram to see all the yummy food I ate!
I can’t wait to see more of Mexico. I want to visit Guadalajara, the town of Tequila, San Miguel, Matzalan, and maybe Puerto Escondido next. This vacation was such a nice reset. I felt like I was fully able to unplug from work and the stresses of life. It has been such a long time since I’ve been on a week long trip that did not involve any sort of work. Weekend road trips don’t count because you get those days off anyways. I’m already looking forward to another vacay. It has been hard for me to focus on work after returning from such a good trip. Plus, we’re right smack in the middle of the holidays. All I want to do is curl up on the couch and watch Christmas movies. This year is flying by too fast. And my post-vacay blues are setting in. I need to plan my next adventure soon. What’s next on your travel list?
Escape to Valle de Guadalupe
I love road trip adventures and Valle de Guadalupe has been on my list for awhile. But then, you know, pandemic happened. And crossing the Mexican border by car felt a little daunting. I’ve never done it before and didn’t know how it worked. To my surprise, it wasn’t as complicated as I had anticipated and I had the most amazing time! I loved Valle de Guadalupe!
I love road trip adventures and Valle de Guadalupe has been on my list for awhile. But then, you know, pandemic happened. And crossing the Mexican border by car felt a little daunting. I’ve never done it before and didn’t know how it worked. To my surprise, it wasn’t as complicated as I had anticipated and I had the most amazing time! I loved Valle de Guadalupe!
My friend drove her SUV and added Mexico coverage onto her car insurance for an additional $70. From Los Angeles, it took only 2.5 hours to get to the San Ysidro border on a Thursday morning. Prior to crossing the border, we made sure to stop in Chula Vista to fill up on gas and use the restrooms in case there would be any delays at the border. The border crossing was pretty simple and seamless. No one even checked our passports. We drove through easily and quickly.
We took the more common coastal route through Mexico. We passed through 2 toll stations that are $2 usd each, so it was helpful that we brought small usd bills. About 30 minutes from the border is Puerto Nuevo, where we stopped for a seafood lunch oceanside at Villa Ortega. My friend and I shared one combo dish with 2 lobster tails, shrimp scampi, rice, beans, veggies, and tortilla and it cost us $16 usd each. Pretty good deal for lobster by the sea! They served us the freshest, softest giant tortilla ever! It was soooo good! This giant tortilla is still on my mind and I don’t even normally eat tortilla. You can also really taste the corn in the tortilla chips they serve you first. A pit stop for lunch here is a must so definitely make sure you schedule that in!
From Puerto Nuevo, Valle de Guadalupe is about an easy hour drive along the coast and then through mountainsides (not scary though). Once you arrive in Valle, some of the roads are bumpy with potholes and some roads are completely unpaved. The area is still newish and developing but there is still so much beauty. There are many amazing wineries, restaurants, and hotels that are not visible from the main road. Some initially appear obscure off a dirt path, but then behind the trees or gate is an enchanting resort or a luxury glamping site on the other side. There are so many unexpected little treasures like that in Valle. With the exception of the vineyards, resorts, and select areas, the landscape in general was very dry, with cacti and mounds of rocks.
To me, Valle de Guadalupe is a perfect combination of Joshua Tree desert vibes merged with Santa Barbara or Napa Valley Wine country, but even cooler. I am a huge fan of Joshua Tree and deserts in general so this merging of the two vibes really appealed to me. Restaurants and hotels overlook the vineyards with the mountains in the backdrop. Everywhere you went, there was a beautiful view. In California wine country, there are scenic views as well but usually the restaurants and hotels are located in town several miles away from the vineyards and views. In order to enjoy the backdrop of the vineyards in California, you have to be wine tasting and picnicking. But in Valle de Guadalupe, you can enjoy them all day, everywhere you go.
We booked our trip only a week in advance and stayed in the last available exclusive suite at Hotel Boutique Valle de Guadalulpe. The room was nice, clean, and simple. It would have been better if we had a room with a balcony or patio or a direct view of the vineyards but you have to pay extra for that. This resort was lovely and the staff was super friendly. The pina coladas were so delicious. There is a separately operated spa on the property grounds, which has a pool with a direct view of the vineyard but you have to pay for access to it. Our pool was nice but it was centered on the property where the vineyards were not visible. We wanted to get massages at the spa but it was $120 usd, which is about the same price as in California, and the spa day pass was $75. There were a couple other options for massages offsite that were a little less expensive but not necessarily that much cheaper than the U.S. so we decided to forego it all together. The spa on the property does offer yoga classes on the weekends though at a discounted rate of $15 for hotel guests if you want to experience the spa and get a light work out in.
Now, onto the best part of Valle de Guadalupe—the food! You definitely need to make reservations in advance. It seems that people generally eat early. Restaurants are not open that late. Wine country is more of a relaxed and sleepy vibe. All the food in Guadalupe is amazing and definitely a lot less expensive than the U.S. for delicious, elevated seafood meals with wine. Plus, you get large portions for the cost, which was a lot of food for two petite women.
For dinner our first night, we visited Finco Altazano, located off a dirt road behind a guarded gated entry. This large open-air restaurant overlooks the vineyards and has a stable for goats on the property. They have giant life-size wine barrels made for guests to climb up, hang out on, sip wine, and enjoy the views. There is also a huge plot of land next to the restaurant with an arch that looks perfect for a wedding venue. The restaurant served elevated food, fairly reasonable sized plates, with a variety of options in a relaxed, casual, farm-style atmosphere. We ordered all seafood and it was delish and the wine was amazing too. We had their tuna tostada, their grilled octopus in a light sauce, and their catch of the day served with greens. For dessert, we ordered their panna cotta and their basque cheesecake. Everything was delicious but my favorite was their lavender white chocolate panna cotta! It was the most amazing panna cotta I’ve ever had! It is still on my mind and I wish I could have more. Everything about Finco Altazano was so charming and I would definitely visit again. It was my favorite restaurant from the trip.
On our second day, we visited the popular local farmhouse La Cocina Don de Esthela. It’s indoors, cash only, with no air conditioning, and located up a hill off a dirt road. We arrived at 11:30am on Friday and thought we were early for lunch but apparently not. We had to wait an 1 hour and 15 minutes for a table. The host initially quoted 40 minutes, which didn’t sound that bad. But over an hour is ridiculous! The meal was local and very good though. The menu was all in Spanish so we sort of guessed what to order. We got a half portion of the popular plate of the Borrego Tastemado, which I think is a slow cooked shredded beef or lamb dish that comes with tortilla and a side of consomme. The meat was juicy and moist and the consomme was really flavorful. We also ordered a quasotaco with chicharron but the chicharron was too hard for me to chew and I didn’t want to crack my teeth! It was a lot of food and only cost $9 each. While the meal was delicious and inexpensive, I do not think it was worth waiting over an hour for.
After that long lunch, we went to Decantos Vinecola for wine tasting. It was not too far from our hotel and located at the end of a dirt road after Baron Balche winery. We wanted to visit both but our lunch took up too much time. Decantos is a large winery with great outdoor space and unobstructed vineyard views. They did not require a reservation in advance but most of the other vineyards do, especially the larger ones. Wine tasting was less than $12 for 3 wine tastings, which you can enjoy on their lawn. They serve cocktails and food here too but we didn’t get a chance to try any of it because there was only so much we could eat and drink in one day. I enjoyed all of the wine I tasted here.It was easy to visit and not crowded at all.
Dinner on our 2nd and last night was at Fauna, located a litte further away at Bruma hotel and winery. The road getting to the restaurant is a dirt road that will bring you to a guarded gate, then you drive along a manicured tree-lined path that leads you to the restaurant set on a small hill above the vineyards. Bruma is upscale and sophisticated and the property feels very exclusive. Fauna was definitely a different experience than Finca the first night. The restaurant itself was smaller. It has shared communal tables and was very lively and packed with loud music. They have indoor seating, patio seating, outdoor seating and bar area seating in the back. It would be a fun destination for a larger group.
The menu options at Fauna were very limited and not descriptive so we weren’t sure what to expect when the dishes came out. There was only one wine option for red, white, and rose but I didn’t really like the one white wine they had. The tiki cocktail I ordered next was simple and a little disappointing as well. We ordered the ceviche, the clams, grilled lettuce, shredded lamb, and the churros. My friend and I were dying for fresh greens because we ate so much meat and seafood but they didn’t have any raw green choices. Even the lettuce we ordered was grilled. The dishes were good and well made but quite large and very hearty, rich, and heavy. Although I enjoyed the meal, nothing really stood out to me. The ambiance was fun but a bit too loud. I’m not sure I would visit this particular restaurant again but I did love the property. As we drove out, we noticed that there was another restaurant on the property underneath the trees called Casa Ocho Wine Garden. I couldn’t find a link for this and I don’t think you need a reservation. We drove up to it and the guard invited us to go take a look but we didn’t because we were too tired and full from dinner. From the outside, it looked really charming with its open-air concept, outdoor tables located underneath the trees, outdoor string lights, and an open grill kitchen. Definitely on my list for next time!
On our last day, Saturday, we dined at Casa Frida for lunch. It is located off the main road. It has multiple restaurants (including an oyster bar), rooftop bar, vineyard, winery, and Airbnb all on its large property. It’s casual but also lively and fun. Apparently, Frida is a popular spot for weekend nights but I’ve heard it might be a long wait to pull into the parking lot to get in. We enjoyed good wine and some great bites for lunch. We ordered a shrimp aquachile in a black sauce (similar to ceviche), tuna crudo, duck quasadillas, and coconut panna cotta. It was a lovely last meal in Guadalupe.
Crossing over the border and coming back to the U.S. was a little more complicated. The traffic was insane near that area. Finding the right lane was so confusing. There is a general lane, ready lane, and sentri (global entry) lane. The roads leading to the border crossing included massive rotaries and loops that made getting to the border a little intimidating. But we survived. Once we made our way to the right lane (which took about 20 min), then it was about a 30 minute wait to get through the border. They checked our passports and we breezed right through. No fees, car check, or questions asked.
I absolutely loved Valle de Guadalupe! More than I thought I would. I did not anticipate it being a blend of Joshua Tree and California wine country and I loved that it was! The unique variety of accommodations, the glamping, the architecture, the design, the views, and the landscape all had so much character and charm. The food was amazing, which is important to me everywhere I travel. I didn’t expect Guadalupe to have such a delicious offering of seafood dishes. The area is still being developed and I think it will blow up in the next few years. Now is definitely the time to visit. It’s closer to Los Angeles than Napa. It’s only an hour further from Los Angeles than Santa Barbara wine country. And it’s more affordable than both those destinations. It was exactly what my soul craved—a getaway, a chance to relax, be present, and recharge. I was so impressed by everything during the entire trip that I felt fully present and in the moment, as I enjoyed every sip of wine, every single bite I tasted, all the vineyards, the breathtaking sunset views, and the moments by the pool drinking pina coladas.
If you plan to visit, here are a few tips. Leave on off days like Thurs-Sat to avoid traffic if you can. It also helps with getting cheaper and available accommodations, as hotels tend to book up fast since it’s not a large area. Add on Mexico coverage through your car insurance. Download an offline google map in case you don’t have Mexico phone coverage or if connection is bad. Get gas and use the restroom before you cross the U.S. border into Mexico. Conversely, use restrooms and don’t drink a lot of water when you approach the border leaving Mexico because you don’t know how long you will have to wait in line to cross over. There will be rest stops between Valle and the border, after Puerto Nuevo. Pack closed-toe shoes such as booties or wedges because you will be walking along dirt paths and your feet will be filthy and probably uncomfortable. I brought flip flops, converses, flat open toe sandals (because they worked with my outfit more but I kind of regretted it), and booties. Bring a hat because the sun is strong and it does get hot. Carry some cash for tolls, tips, and local eateries. Make reservations in advance for restaurants and wineries. Keep in mind that some restaurants and wineries require a deposit online when making reservations. Don’t order too much because some of the portions are large. Give yourself the opportunity to try food at multiple places including the wineries. Research restaurants and winery locations in advance so that you can plan your day out smoothly and not have to drive to opposite ends of the region to visit each place.
Three days and two nights was the perfect amount of time for the trip and I probably could have stayed another night. There are still so many restaurants and wineries on my list that I want to try. I took note of places we drove by that looked really cool. Here is a list of some places I’d like to do more research on and possibly explore next time I visit:
RESTAURANTS:
Casa Ocho Wine Garden in Bruma Hotel - casual outdoor restaurant under the trees
Animalon - upscale restaurant, requires a deposit when making a reservation
Latitud 32 restaurant - located in El Cielo winery
Adobe Food Truck - casual tapas and wine with outdoor seating
WINERIES:
El Cielo -requires prepayment when making a reservation
ACCOMMODATIONS: (I haven’t researched these so they may be high-end and not budget friendly but definitely worth looking into)
For more photos, food pics, and videos from Valle de Gaudalupe, visit me on Instagram. There is a Highlight Reel in my profile of all my Insta stories from the trip. Check it out! I will also be working on a Valle de Guadalupe Reel and will be posting that soon so follow me and be on the look out for it! When you do, please share, like, comment, and support. And subscribe to my blog. I hope my trip inspires you to visit Valle de Guadalupe yourself or to plan your next adventure!