Walking to Ensenada town.

Wife , myself and our 7 year old daughter had gone on the weekend cruise from LA 2 years back. At that time we took the Blowhole tour and we were not really impressed. This time around ( Feb 10) we are going with my parents who are 75 and 61. We really want to just get out of the ship and walk to the town. I remember town center is pretty near to the port but not sure if its just walkable. I remember seeing people just walk to the area where the BIGGGG Mexican flag is. Is that where the town center is?

No, that flag is not center of town.

A better option may be the bus. I think it's $3 per person - ROUNDTRIP. When you get off the ship, walk thru the metal building and the busses will be lined up. They take you to their terminal which is one block over from the main street. When you're ready to head back walk back to the terminal and they take you back to the ship.

I was there in 2010. I would say it depends upon two things, how far can they (your parents)can walk and can you run through the chiclets line.

I am 60 and I could easily walk to the town center, and have. It isn't very far. The hard part is once you hit that main street getting through the dozen or so old ladies with kids in tow trying to sell you chiclets. If you have the intestinal fortitude to ignore them, then yes you can walk. If not,,get a ride.

BTW,,any honest Mexican tour guide will tell you to never buy from these kids as they are being used bytheir parents and grandparents when they should be in school but instead they get held out so they can beg. The last tour guide that told me that was a school teacher and she says a lot of times they try to get them off the street and into school but then they get yanked out again so they can beg.

When you walk out of the port, it's about 1/4 mile to a 1/2 mile to "downtown", but it's an easy walk. When you walk out, you'll turn left and then after a couple of blocks turn right for a block or two and you will see the main street.

I second what the previous poster said about the sad children. There are signs in most business windows pleading for you to not encourage the parents by giving the children anythign, when they should be in school. It is VERY sad!!! My friend did not know and gave one little guy a couple of dollars and next thing we knew there were about 10 adorable little children pushing in with their mothers pushing them towards us.... The saddest was the little children that were about 5 lugging around little sisters....very sad....

If they are into this kind of thing, I thought the winery tour was very nice and very walkable.

I was also told not to give money to the kids because they were pulled out of school to make money on the streets. Some of the "moms" there aren't even their parents. These kids are borrowed to up the sad factor.

Walking to downtown is very close. We generally walk to the marina to get fresh shrimp cocktails, go to Hussongs for some beer, then across the street to Papa's and Beer to see the drunk girls flash people and shake their butts.

Walking to downtown is very close. We generally walk to the marina to get fresh shrimp cocktails, go to Hussongs for some beer, then across the street to Papa's and Beer to see the drunk girls flash people and shake their butts.

Sounds like a perfect day.... :D

Bob

I did this last year. It was an easy walk into town from the pier. And I must have been very lucky, because I was not bothered by anyone trying to sell things. Here is a map of town that was at the cruise terminal. I walked up the street marked in red on the map. It's the main shopping and restaurant street. I returned to the ship along the Malecon. The whole thing took me about an hour and a half, and that was walking slow and taking lots of photos.

Ensenada, Mexico by Jasperdo, on Flickr

Here's a link to the photo set I took from that walk:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytravelphotos/sets/72157629028835497/with/6766731811/

Are there any good family friendly restaurants where we can get a good lunch with our kids without too much craziness? :)

Are there any good family friendly restaurants where we can get a good lunch with our kids without too much craziness? :)

El Charro is a good choice. They are known for their rotisserie chickens. It is on Lopez Mateos across the street from Papas&Beer. Look for the rotisserie and the women making tortillas in the window. I don't think they take credit cards.