Todos Santos! What a charming little place. A favorite among surfers and artists, this tiny colonial beach town does a wonderful job of maintaining an authentic, old-world vibe. Todos Santos sits on Baja’s Pacific coast, 45 minutes north of Los Cabos and 90 minutes west of La Paz. It was the perfect destination for my 31st birthday getaway. Small enough to get the lay of the land in two days, but full enough of shops, restaurants, and bars to keep us busy.
Because Garrett and I are spending so much time on the water these days, I decided to forgo the coast and spend all of our time downtown. This guide to Todos Santos includes my recommendations on where to stay, eat, drink, and shop based off of our first-hand experiences. Before I dive into recommendations, though, one big tip: carry cash. A lot of the places in town are cash-only. There is a bank, but its ATM doesn’t always take foreign cards (luckily, it did for us).
Where to Stay:
Hotel Casa Tota. At roughly $85 a night, this contemporary 15-room boutique hotel was a steal! Hotel Casa Tota sits right in the middle of town, has a beautiful pool and spacious rooftops with seating areas, and nice, clean minimalist rooms. We enjoyed our two-night stay thoroughly.
Todos Santos Inn. This was another contender for our visit, but even with its reasonable nightly rates, we couldn’t pass up Hotel Casa Toda (hello, cruising budget). Anyway. Todos Santos Inn exudes charm and would be perfect for a romantic getaway. It’s built into the estate of an old sugar baron and is absolutely gorgeous. We dined at their restaurant one night—more on that below!
Where to Eat:
Caffé Todos Santos. An eclectic, brightly-colored restaurant with cinnamon buns larger than your face, Caffe Todos Santos is the perfect spot for breakfast. We enjoyed lattes, the cinnamon roll (of course!), a veggie omelet, and chilaquiles. The omelet was just okay, the chilaquiles were phenomenal. I’d go back and order those in a heartbeat.
Tacos el Poblano. If you’re looking for authentic, affordable, no-frills street tacos, Tacos el Poblano is your place. Get the al pastor tacos. At 28 pesos a piece (which is roughly $1.45 USD), you can’t go wrong!
La Copa Cocina. A few tables in the lush back garden of Todos Santos Inn make up La Copa Cabana, your new go-to for a romantic night out. The menu is small, which, in my opinion, translates to good, and gives you a break from traditional Mexican fare.
El Refugio Mezcaleria. Call ahead to see if you can book a mezcal tasting. We did and it was excellent! Rachel, the owner, was super friendly and knowledgeable. We tried six different mezcals and then ordered a sampler of what was on the menu that night, which was only four things, the maximum they’ll offer on any night. They pride themselves on serving fresh, local fare. The food was delicious, the mezcal strong, and the staff personable.
Where to Drink:
Taller 17. This is your coffee and quick breakfast spot. They offer coffee, teas, kombucha, bread, scones, and other baked goods. The cheddar jalapeño scone saved me on a hungover Saturday morning.
Teatro 6. Only open in the high season (October-April), this trendy husband-and-wife-owned cocktail bar is the perfect place for a pre or post-dinner drink.
Where to Shop:
Nomad Chic. On the main drag, this pretty little boutique is the best place to shop for clothing, jewelry, and home accessories. I bought my birthday dress here and am obsessed!
Mexico Gourmet. This is the place to go if you’re looking to buy mezcal. There are two locations; if one is closed, go to the other. It’s 200 pesos (about $10 USD) for a mezcal tasting, and the owner’s knowledge is very thorough. We did the tasting and bought…maybe too many bottles here. But it’s hard to find good mezcal for sale, so it was worth it!
If you’re thinking about going to Todos Santos, run, don’t walk! It’s becoming more popular by the day. I hope you enjoyed this guide—let me know if you use it!