Culture
San Quintin is one of the top sportfishing destinations on the Pacific coast of Baja, and a seasonal draw for bird hunting and watching. Thousands of geese migrate to and through SanQuintin Bay annually, as do thousands of sailboats, yachts and catamarans.
The bay area is one of the largest on the Pacific coast of Baja, with two distinct sections. The inner bay is sheltered, quiet and offers good fishing, clamming, kayaking and safe anchorage for boats.
The Pacific beaches along the outer bay are great for clam digging and surf fishing and excellent for beachcombing. The tidal flatlands south of town are the place for good duck and goose hunting in winter and for quail hunting all year. These same bays and marshes offer some of the best birding in Baja.
Twelve extinct volcanoes surround San Quintin Bay. Well north and south of the populated town area, the rugged shoreline can be notably wild, with steep cliffs, rocky beaches and long, unbroken lines of surf.
The town of San Quintin itself, and the surrounding miles of flatlands and produce farms, are not for tourists. Many simply gas up there and move on. But the few historical sites in town can be visited in an hour and are worth the time if you're not in a rush.
The San Quintin area was settled in the late 19th century by a group of English colonists who expected to grow wheat in the fertile valley. Sadly, a prolonged drought dashed those hopes, but original machinery from the grist mill is on display today at the Old Mill Motel, which serves as an informal museum. The English cemetery, with its poignant collection of weathered colonial crosses, is worth a brief stop, too.
Whatever your reason for being in the San Quintin area, don't leave without a seafood stop, preferably at the Old Mill's excellent restaurant, Gaston's Cannery. Or stop for a drink at the Old Mill just to see the weathered fishing artifacts in the restaurant. Wander around; ask the staff to show you some of the motel's very un-Baja-like rooms. With corner fireplaces, chintz comforters and curtains, you'll think you've been transported to a New Englandbed and breakfast. The motel is the only don't-miss stop in San Quintin.
Staying overnight is a fine alternative to Catavina, in terms of both food and lodgings. If you're heading down the peninsula, a trip break at San Quintin, about four hours from the border, allows you to make the numerous photo and exploratory stops that the area deserves, lets you see all of the great central desert surrounding Catavina the following day, and still gets you to Guerrero Negro before dark after an easy six-hour drive. Numerous options range from tent/camper sites on the beach for $5 with no hookup, to full RV hookups throughout town for $15. Rooms run from $21 a night at Motel Chavez (011-52-616-52005) in town to $90 a night for a two-bedroom suite, with fireplace and bay view, at the Old Mill (800/479-7962).
You'll find great seafood just about everywhere, plus the usual Mexican fare of inexpensive carne asada and roast chicken. Clams are the city's best bargain, and the best clams are at Gaston's Cannery Restaurant (800/479-7962) at the Old Mill. A giant platter of baby butter clams, steamed in wine and garlic sauce, runs about $6. Otherwise, the restaurant is pricey, and weekend waits during fishing season can run three hours.
Don't miss The cracked crab at the Celito Lindo Motel (619/593-BAJA), south of town, and the smoked clams at Cocteles Fito, a roadside stand on the west side of the highway in San Quintin.