Surfers and savvy travelers have
been doing it for years. Now it’s time
for the rest of us to get on board a
fl ight out of TJ. Here are fi ve things
you should know:TRY IT. Fly Volaris if you’re going to Baja. Consider
it the Southwest Airlines of Mexico. Aff ordable, effi -
cient, clean, and with several direct nonstops to smaller
Baja towns including La Paz and Loreto.The planes are
new and the Coronas and lime-fl avored tortilla chips
are free.DON’T DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT. Either hire
a private car to take you to the terminal (which is just
a 300 yards from the border) or, go Greyhound. Yep,
we said it. For $15 per person, a luxury coach takes
you from the bus station downtown (the bus is clean
with TVs and A/C; the bus station is still pretty grimy,
so don’t arrive at an hour early) across the border
and right to the curb of the Volaris terminal. On the
way back, fi nd the lounge for coach passengers at the
airport and wait for the next one heading for the border
(usually every 30 minutes). A special bus lane makes for
no waiting at the border, and the coach drops you off
back downtown. About a 20-minute trip, one-way, with
very little fuss.BRING PESOS, AND PREPRINT YOUR
BOARDING PASS. Pre-printing your boarding pass
will get you through the fi rst few hoops at security eas-
ily. Then there is the “special tourist card” (not a formal
visa) that everyone with a foreign passport is required
to purchase at the airport. The government station only
accepts pesos. No dollars, no plastic. ATMs dispense
pesos in the outer-most layer of the terminal, so be sure
to get at least 300 pesos per person before you get in
the security line. Just follow the surfers.BE PATIENT. The Tijuana airport handles 360
fl ights per day. It’s crowded with international jet-
setters. It’s also clean, with gi shops and cafes, has
gleaming marble fl oors, modern restrooms, and friendly
security and airline staff that are helpful with directions
and hand motions, so you don’t get in the wrong line.BRING READING MATERIAL. There are very
few English-language reading materials available at the
airport (and none on the planes). Spanish versions of
Martha Stewart are readily available, but even fi nding a
gringo-friendly USA Today can be diffi cult. Tablet read-
ers beware: Wi-Fi is free but spotty.Rancho La Puerta
Fresh off their prestigious designation as
the World’s Best Destination Spa in 2011
(voted in an international poll by Travel
+ Leisure readers), Deborah Szekely’s
wellness retreat has more to off er health-
and-fi tness-focused travelers than ever.
The one-week programs are the most
popular way to experience the resort. They
include serious fi tness routines, pilates,
meditation, tennis clinics, cleansing walks,
and hikes, and artsy stuff , too, like movie
nights, dance classes, and piano recitals.
Rates start at $2,835 per week, including
all meals and fi tness classes.
WHAT’S NEW The Bar Method fi t-
ness trend has made it to the ranch this
year, personal fi tness concierges are also
now available, as well as a new four-hand
massage, where two masseuses work you
over at once.
COOK The ranch includes a six acre
farm, where guest chefs from around the
world source ingredients for unique menus
and cooking classes. The resort compiles
many of the best recipes into
cookbooks, the latest edition
Celebrate the Seasons at Rancho
La Puerta was nominated for a
James Beard award.
FEEL GOOD Along with provid-
ing world-class wellness experiences,
Szekely’s team is a integral part of the
Tecate community, employing hundreds of
locals and donating to local charities that
help foster youth education.98 SanDiegoMagazine.comNovember2011
Fly out of TJ
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