For my very first international trip in over almost two years we headed south of the border to a hidden gem just a few hours past California — Valle De Guadalupe. Surrounded by rolling vineyards and mountains, this sprawling wine country is also home to culinary hot spots. If you’re looking for a wine tasting weekend paired with fresh local food and views to boot, look no further. We drank yummy carajillo’s all week, and ate the best pork belly. Everything there was incredible, from modern architecture to incredible wines, views and food.
You’ll only need a few days in the Valle to see it all, but I was lucky enough to do almost a full week of wine tasting and dining amongst the views of vineyards. I was pleasantly surprised by how much magical it was, and it was so lovely to relax and reconnect with nature. Highly recommend it for a quick weekend trip with friends, or as a couples trip. I can’t wait to go back!
Getting There
If you’re in Southern California it’s a quick drive from San Diego. There isn’t really a flying-only option as the closest airport is in Tijuana, and you would still have to rent a car and drive down. Be sure the check the border time website for updates on the wait time getting back into the country, but getting there is a breeze. The Valle De Guadalupe is nestled right in the hillside about 20 minutes east of the ocean and Ensenada. It only took a little over an hour to get there from the border, so it’s a quick trip. We felt completely safe, and had no issues driving through Mexico. Definitely read up on traffic rules before driving there, pack your passport, and get Mexican car insurance online as well to make sure you’re covered. If you’re driving from the U.S. you’ll want to check on your phone plan to setup an international plan, and be sure to turn on data roaming once you cross the border so that you can map your way around. As for the Valle De Guadalupe just be prepared that much of the town is on some bumpy dirt country roads (similar to Joshua Tree). We had no issues other than that our car was due for a wash when we got home.
Where To Wine Taste
Winery hopping is a must in Valle De Guadalupe. There are so many wineries you’ll barely even get to graze the surface, but I picked out a few gems for you to knock off your list. Be sure to book tastings in advance, as most places are gated and have a security guard that checks for your name on the list.
Vena Cava: A winery that hosts tastings inside of old upside-down boats. A cute cave-like ambiance, with different tasting options including a natural wine tasting. I’m a big fan of natural wine, and Vena Cava is one of the local natural wineries in Valle De Guadalupe.
Finca La Carrodilla: Definitely a favorite! They had amazing views, and the wine was delish. The cheese board is a must!
Adobe Guadalupe: Adobe has a whole compound on the property — an inn, wine tastings, a garden and even a food truck. They also have tasting tours if that’s of interest.
Clos de Tres Cantos: Tucked in between beautiful stones and concrete, this place looks like it’s from the medieval ages.
Encuentro Guadalupe: A tasting room nestled atop sprawling vineyards with views of the hillsides and farms.
Lomita: A pretty tasting room overlooking vineyards, across from Lunario.
Bruma Wine Garden: Another dreamy spot for tastings next to Fauna.
Where To Eat + Drink
You don’t need to fly to Mexico City to get your Mexico foodie fix. There is a major fine dining scene in Valle de Guadalupe, and over 50 wineries! Fair warning: you need reservations for most restaurants. Some can even fill up weeks in advance, so if something is high on your list be sure to book. Animalón can be booked 3 weeks in advance. Also, most places in the Valle are gated with a security guard, and you tend to need a reservation with your name on the list at most places to get inside.
Das Cortez Coffee Shop: A cute coffee shop in a barrel of the vineyard. Perfect for your morning coffee fix.
Primitivo Restaurante: Tucked under a gorgeous ancient 300-year-old oak tree, this restaurant focuses on using the whole animal. You choose your animal for the night from the options, and then they give you multiple courses of different parts of the animal cooked right there on the fire outdoors. We chose res, and had some of the tastiest beef dishes. The music, the ambiance, and the food were all perfection. Side note: this one is tricky to find, and you could miss it. We almost did! Turn off the highway at the large gate, and then turn left at the gate down the dirt road until you get to a string fence with a security guard, then you drive up a long dirt road to the parking lot.
Lunario: Across the street from Lomita winery, this spot is tucked away behind a lit, magical, wandering pathway and stone steps nestled between Lomita’s vines. Inside of a glass greenhouse-style building the you can see the sky inside, this prix fixe restaurant served up experimental dishes that were top-notch. They even had lemongrass water that I can stop thinking about. A must if you’re celebrating anything on your trip.
Fauna Restaurante: A dreamy restaurant perched on top of a hill with a mile-long communal table strewn across the entire restaurant. Everything was fresh as can be. We had the pork belly, broccoli, aguachille, and two of the best desserts I’ve had. I drank the carajillo which was my favorite one I had all week. We loved watching bartender do tricks and pour drinks from a few feet higher than the glass.
Finca Altozano: For more ranch-style home cooking, Finca Altozano is the place to go. We ended up eating here multiple times and loved this spot. It’s inside of a larger space with multiple shops and wine tastings, and you can enjoy the endless views or even see their farm animals on the way out. The cheese tacos are to die for, and the carajillo (a Mexican coffee cocktail) is a must. They have 5 dogs wandering around the property at all times which was so cute.
Animalón: By the same chef from Finca, this is another popular spot in the Valle. I didn’t make a reservation in time to try it, but it’s definitely on my list for my next trip. Be sure to book in advance if you want to try it.
Mixtura: Okay okay I know you came to wine taste but these cocktails are incredible. This woman-led restaurant has great food, and it’s on the lower portion of the hillside. Perfect for your way in or out of the Valle.
Troika: For more low-key food that is still delicious. It’s right outside of Vena Cava winery with stunning views of the hillside, and a pond with ducks.
El Local by Slowburger: More casual, low-key food options.
Where To Stay
Stunning architecture is endless in the Valle. There are so many modern builds and interesting boutique hotels that it was hard to choose where to stay. Here are a few options:
Casas VV: A colorful, modern boutique hotel with a pool. We stayed in room 1, but next time I would opt for the houses on the property to have a bit more space and a fridge/kitchen. You can book on AirBnb or their website.
Casa Urbina Wine Resort: A cute modern resort with view of the vineyards.
Ojo Azul: Tucked into the vineyards, this resort has views of the vineyards and a pool.
Casa 8: Inside of the compound with Fauna and Bruma this boutique hotel has 8 rooms that look super cute.
Oeno Wine Lodge: Cute individual cottages tucked inside the vineyards. There’s no pool, but the views look amazing.
Encuentro Guadalupe: A luxe splurge-stay at the top of the hills.
Santulan: A modern boutique hotel with a focus on sustainability.
Day 1:
Our first day in Valle de Guadalupe was Saturday, so we headed up in the morning for afternoon wine tasting. The wine tastings are inside of a bunch of upside-down boats, and feels like a wine cave. We stopped at Vena Cava on the way up the mountain for some of the tastiest natural wines. We grabbed lunch at the Troika food truck outside, and soaked up the dreamy hillside views of the vineyards. Afterwards we headed for Casas VV to check into our colorful, pink room. We made reservations for Lunario for dinner, and did the 4-course meal with a wine pairing. We were so stuffed and so happy with our first dinner.
Day 2:
We woke up at our hotel and decided to hop in the pool for a bit before starting the day. Once we got our fill of sunshine we headed to Finca La Carrodilla for a wine tasting. Down a dreamy dirt road surrounded by vines, we found the winery surrounded by lush gardens. You walk up a stairway to the wine tasting balcony that is surrounded by views. We got the cheese plate along with the wine tasting and loved all of the wines we had there. For dinner, we had reservations at Fauna — a dreamy restaurant perched on top of a hill with a mile-long communal table strewn across the entire restaurant. Everything was super fresh and tasty. We had the pork belly, broccoli, aguachille, and two of the best desserts I’ve had. We loved watching bartender do tricks and pour drinks from a few feet higher than the glass.
Day 3:
We checked out of our first hotel, and headed to Das Cortez for coffee. It’s the best coffee shop in the Valle. Then we headed to the Adobe Guadalupe food truck for lunch and a wine tasting at Adobe. There’s also a stunning garden on the property.
We made the trek to Encuentro for a wine tasting, and then checked into our next hotel, Ojo Azul, and then got ready for dinner. For dinner we headed to Finca Altozano and had a lovely dinner at sunset. For more ranch-style home cooking, Finca Altozano is the place to go. It’s inside of a larger space with multiple shops, wine tastings and ice cream and a coffee shop. You can enjoy the endless views or even see their farm animals on the way out. They have huge wine barrels you can walk up to and sit to take in the views with a glass from Casa Magoni.
Day 4:
On our last full day we grabbed breakfast at the hotel, and then lounged by the pool for the afternoon. Most of the Valle is closed on Monday-Wednesdays, so we had planned this to be our full relaxation day. Once we were all blissed out by the pool, we were ready for some food. Our dinner reservation for Primitivo Restaurante couldn’t come soon enough. We caught the glowing sunset among the ancient 300-year-old oak tree. They focus on using the whole animal, so the menu is a bit of a surprise where you choose your animal for the night from the options, and then they give you multiple courses of different parts of the animal cooked right there on the fire outdoors. We chose res, and had some of the tastiest beef dishes. The music, the ambiance, and the food were all perfection. It was a ton of food, and I’d recommend eating light during the day to save room.
Day 5:
On our way out we grabbed breakfast at Finca Altozano before heading to the border. Since it’s next door, we stopped by Das Cortez for a coffee and enjoyed the morning view. We wanted a good amount of time to make it through the border crossing, so we left after we finished lunch and talked about how we can’t wait to come back for most of the car ride.
Hope you enjoyed, and this inspires you to make a trip to Valle De Guadalupe. It’s one of the best kept secrets south of the border! Want more travel guides? Click here!
xoxo Erika