Maybe in
Mexico

El Pescadero: Surf Beaches and Farmland on the Pacific

El Pescadero is a small farming town on the Pacific side of Baja California Sur, just south of Todos Santos. Vegetable fields, sandy beaches and a growing collection of cafés and small hotels give it a character quite different from the large resorts farther down the peninsula. Surfers come for Playa Los Cerritos and Playa San Pedrito, while others use the town as a quieter base for exploring this stretch of coast. It remains a working community, though tourism and new construction are increasingly visible.

Fields between the desert and the sea

El Pescadero sits along Highway 19, where irrigated fields make an unexpectedly green patch in Baja’s dry landscape. Farms growing vegetables and herbs are part of everyday life here, not just scenery for travelers. Beyond them are dusty roads, low buildings and the Pacific coast; inland, the land rises toward the Sierra de la Laguna. This mix of agriculture and shoreline is the town’s defining feature. It does not have a compact historic center or a waterfront promenade. Homes, fields, restaurants and places to stay are spread across a broad area, so the distance between two spots can be greater than it first appears on a map.

Two beaches, different surf

Beach time here usually means heading to Playa Los Cerritos or Playa San Pedrito. Cerritos has a broad sandy shore and is a popular place for surf lessons, although the water is not calm every day. San Pedrito is more closely associated with experienced surfers; its break and shore conditions deserve more caution. Neither beach should be treated as a guaranteed safe swimming spot, and conditions can change quickly. The coast feels open and exposed rather than sheltered. People come to walk the sand, watch the waves and spend time outside, especially when the desert heat eases later in the day. A car makes it much easier to move between the town, beach access points and nearby Todos Santos.

A working town in transition

El Pescadero has a more scattered, everyday feel than a purpose-built beach resort. Farm activity continues alongside surf-oriented businesses, casual places to eat and small-scale lodging. That combination appeals to people who want access to the coast without staying in a larger tourist center, but it also means visitor services are unevenly distributed. Its location is useful: Todos Santos is a short drive north, while the larger resort area around Cabo San Lucas is farther south. The trade-off is that Highway 19 and unpaved local roads shape most outings. Development is changing parts of the area, yet the fields, wide beaches and dry hills still explain why El Pescadero feels distinct from its neighbors.

What is there in El Pescadero?

A quick overview of the most notable things you can find in El Pescadero.

Pacific surf breaks

The breaks at Cerritos and San Pedrito draw surfers with different levels of experience.

Vegetable farms

Irrigated fields give this otherwise dry coastal area much of its local character.

Wide sandy shoreline

Open beaches provide space for walking and watching the surf, though ocean conditions call for care.

Small cafés and restaurants

Food spots serving residents and travelers are scattered around town and the beach areas.

Desert and mountain backdrop

Dry hills and the distant Sierra de la Laguna frame the cultivated land near the coast.

What to see in El Pescadero?

Notable places and attractions connected to El Pescadero.

01

Playa Los Cerritos

A broad sandy beach south of town with a well-known surf break and surf lessons. Swimming conditions vary with the waves and currents.

02

Playa San Pedrito

A Pacific beach associated with a more demanding surf break. It is worth seeing for its open coastal setting, even if you do not enter the water.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓Easy access to two distinct surf beaches.
  • ✓A coastal setting that still includes active farmland.
  • ✓A quieter, less built-up base than the major Los Cabos resorts.
  • ✓A short drive to the shops and restaurants of Todos Santos.
  • ✓Small local cafés and places to stay.

Cons

  • −A car is useful because the town and beach areas are spread out.
  • −Unpaved local roads can be dusty or rough.
  • −Strong surf and currents limit casual swimming.
  • −Services and dining choices are fewer than in larger towns.
  • −New development is changing parts of the area.

Location

El Pescadero is located in Baja California Sur.

El Pescadero, Baja California Sur, Mexico
23.364174, -110.167529
Open in Google Maps

Explore more places in Mexico

Discover more cities, towns and destinations across Mexico.

Quintana Roo

Tulum

Tulum is a fast-growing coastal town in Quintana Roo, Mexico, on the Caribbean side of the Yucatán Peninsula, south of Playa del Carmen. Its best-known sights are the Maya ruins above the sea, white-sand beaches and freshwater cenotes scattered through the surrounding limestone landscape. But Tulum is not one compact beach town: the inland center, newer residential districts and beachfront hotel zone feel quite different. Understanding that layout helps explain both its appeal and its frustrations, from easy access to varied landscapes to costly journeys between town and shore.

→
Baja California Sur

La Paz

La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, on the eastern side of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. Built around a sheltered bay connected to the Sea of Cortez, it is a working city with a waterfront promenade, fishing boats, marinas and a strong connection to the surrounding desert and sea. People come for beaches, island trips and marine wildlife, but the city itself matters too: it has markets, museums, neighborhood restaurants and an everyday rhythm that feels distinct from the resort corridor around Los Cabos.

→
Aguascalientes

Calvillo

Calvillo is a small agricultural town in western Aguascalientes state, roughly 50 kilometers west of the state capital in central Mexico. Guava growing, traditional needlework, and a compact historic center give it an identity distinct from the larger city nearby. It is also one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos, a designation recognizing towns with notable cultural and visitor appeal. People come for its churches, fruit-based sweets, and relaxed plaza life, often combining a walk through town with a drive into the surrounding countryside. The town itself and the wider municipality provide quite different experiences.

→
Yucatan

Valladolid

Valladolid is a small inland city in eastern Yucatán, Mexico, between Mérida and Cancún. Its compact historic center has pastel-colored houses, substantial colonial churches, and shaded plazas, while cenotes punctuate the limestone landscape in and around town. Maya culture remains part of everyday life, from the language spoken in markets to regional cooking. Travelers often stay here to explore archaeological sites and swimming holes, but the city itself rewards a slower look at its neighborhoods, food stalls, and streets beyond the main square.

→
Hidalgo

Huasca de Ocampo

Huasca de Ocampo is a small highland town northeast of Pachuca in Hidalgo, central Mexico. Its cobbled center sits amid farmland, wooded hills and ravines, with former silver-processing estates scattered through the surrounding countryside. The nearby Basaltic Prisms are its best-known sight: tall volcanic columns lining a gorge crossed by waterfalls. But the wider appeal lies in the combination of industrial history, rural scenery and a compact town center. It makes more sense as a base for exploring several nearby places than as a town packed with monuments.

→