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We picked up some friends on Friday morning and headed towards Valle de Guadalupe. The main reason for the trip was to attend the History of Carnitas fiesta at Doña Esthela's ranch. But, since our friends had never been to the Valle, I wanted to show them a few of the Valle's gems.
I had three goals.
• You can't see everything in a couple days, but I wanted to show a cross section of what makes Valle de Guadalupe special.
• Even though we were spending the night our time was limited. It was important to plan the tour to maximize our time enjoying the valley and minimize the time bouncing around on dirt roads.
• My friend John comes from the world of environmental design. I wanted to show him some of the best and most unique examples of design in the valle.
With those goals in mind here was our itinerary.
Friday
Poco Cielo (right next to La Fonda) -- We made a quick stop here to sit on their patio and watch the dolphins play in the surf. (Mimosas may have been consumed).
Alximia -- Our first wine tasting stop was at what many locals call the flying saucer winery.
Finca La Carodilla -- We tasted their wines and snacked while enjoying the view from their second story deck.
Vena Cava and Troika -- We walked through the upside down boat roofed winery and ate lunch at the food truck.
Encuentro Guadalupe -- Unique architecture and one of the best views in the Valle.
The History of Carnitas -- A fiesta of major proportions at La Cocina de Doña Esthela
Saturday
Clos de Tres Cantos -- Looking like a medieval castle, Clos de Tres Cantos is perhaps the most unique winery in the area.
Sol y Barro -- Aime Desponds makes some of my favorite wines in the Valle.
El Piñar de 3 Mujeres -- A LLL (Long Leisurely Lunch) at one of my favorite places in the Valle, after which we pointed the car north.
Is this my definitive tour of Valle de Guadalupe?
Heck no.
The next time I bring people to the Valle there's a very good chance our plan will be totally different
Thanks for the weekend breakdown! So helpful! I've been needing some new inspiration for the yoga group I'm taking down this Friday. I'll think we'll add Alximia to the list now :)
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Mandy, glad you found it helpful. If you'd like a two fer - Rondo del Valle is super close to Alximia. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but when you enter it looks like a James Bond villain's lair. Have a great trip!
ReplyDeleteOh, and one more thing - if you're taking a group to Alximia you should drop Lilia an email - lilia (at) alximia (dot) com
ReplyDeleteHi Chipotle, heading down there this weekend! I've hit most on this list but glad for a few new ideas, thanks. Do you happen to have a good suggestion for renting a driver for the day? Our group of 6 is staying in Rosarito and wanted to maybe book a van and driver, but having trouble finding someone. Thx!
ReplyDeleteHey Kate, we're currently on the road in Northern California and I don't have access to my Valle file of info. I suggest contacting one of the local hotels as I know they have drivers they use for guests. I remember meeting a driver named Alex who was booked through Adobe Guadalupe. Encuentro, La Villa del Valle, and even the Rosarito Beach Hotel would be other places to contact. Also, there is a link at the top of the blog called Valle de Guadalupe Travel Links. On that page I have links to a few concierge services that might be useful to locate a driver. Have a great trip! Chipotle
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias Chipotle!
ReplyDelete