I just returned from Loreto, Mexico, and while I can’t say it was my favorite place in Mexico, it still had its charms. Zipolite still gets my vote for being the most charming. A lot of people love Loreto because it’s not touristy, which I appreciated. But, it’s also a struggle to find things to do there, which is why there is a lack of crowds.

Loreto is located on the coast of Baja California Sur, on the sea of Cortez, and is a sleepy fishing village. I didn’t find the beaches of Loreto to be that nice. You definitely had to get on a boat tour or drive about two hours for the nicest beaches. If you do find yourself there, these are the best things to do in Loreto.

The Best Things To Do In Loreto, Mexico

1. Walk Around The Historic Centre

Loreto has a small, charming downtown area which is fun to walk around and to people watch. The Mission of Our Lady of Loreto is in the middle of town and the area around it is a gathering place, and at night, a few vendors come out and set up a market. The streets are captivating, and I enjoyed roaming around in the mornings before it go too hot.

2. Indulge On Chocolate Clams

The Sea of Cortez and the Pacific coastal region of the Baja Peninsula are the only places in the world where it’s possible to harvest chocolate clams. There’s no chocolate involved, but they get the name from their brown color. The locals like to eat them with a spicy chipotle aioli and cheese. BuenaVida Restaurant is a palapa restaurant that’s a great spot to try them. I also enjoyed their ceviche tostada, and they have many other seafood offerings. I also really enjoyed the chimichurri chocolate clams that were served Los Olivos at the La Mision hotel.

3. Eat Mangoes

If you’re in Loreto during mango season, you’re in for quite a treat. I’ve never seen more mangoes anywhere than I did in Loreto. Many of the locals even lined them up on the walls for the taking. I got lucky when I was there, and Cafe Ole was serving freshly squeezed mango juice. Don’t miss this treat if they have it.

4. See Blue-Footed Boobies

Loreto is the only spot outside of the Galapagos that you can see blue-footed boobies. Their feet turn blue because of the fish they eat. In fact, it’s considered that the bluer the feet, the healthier the bird. You can easily seem them on the back side of Coronado Island.

5. Snorkel with Sea Lions

Most of the boat tours to Coronado Island will also let you snorkel with the colony of sea lions who are around the island. The water was quite rough the day we went, so we didn’t stop to snorkel with them, but it was great to watch them and their antics.

6. Take A Boat Tour To Coronado Island

Coronado Island is the most popular boat tour in Loreto, and it’s easy to see why. The water around the island is absolutely mesmerizing with its beautiful blue and green colors. Even with it being so popular, it wasn’t overcrowded. I wouldn’t say the snorkeling was great, but its descent, and it’s a beautiful spot to spend the day. While there was a restroom at the island, it was out of order the day I visited. There were pavilions for shade, and the water was perfect for swimming.

7. Cool Off With A Paleta At La Michoacana Loreto

I went to La Michoacana Loreto almost every day while I was there. Since I was there in June, it was quite hot, and this was the perfect way to cool off. They are open until 10pm, so they also make the perfect after dinner treat.

8. Visit Ensenada Blanca Beach

I wasn’t that impressed with most of the beaches in Loreto, but Ensenada Blanca was the most decent, a short drive away. The beaches in town had dirty grey sand and lots of rocks, but this beach had less rocks. The water was also a little more clear. The waters were calm. Its located across from  the  Villa del Palmar, and is a great spot to spend a few hours.

9. Visit the Marina Puerto Escondido

The marina was a great stop with beautiful views and a wonderful rooftop restaurant, La Brisa. La Brisa had wonderful ceviche and was a great spot to spend the afternoon. The restaurant is known for its pizza which I didn’t get a chance to try.

10. Sip A Cold Coconut At Mirador Frida

Mirador Friday ahs stunning views of the Sea of Cortez and the Islands of Loreto. There are a few coconut and snack vendors there, so it makes for a great stop after having lunch at the marina.

11. Watch the Sunrise

Loreto has beautiful sunrises that are definitely worth getting up early for. You can watch them right off the Malecon, or, if you’re lucky like I was, from the roof of your Airbnb.

12. Drive to Bahía Concepción and Mulegé

Driving to Mulegé takes about two hours, so it makes for a long day, but it was definitely the highlight of my trip. In fact, if you pick just one of my suggestions for things to do in Loreto, make this be the thing that you choose. Or better yet, stay in Mulegé for a few nights of your trip. The views of the water were some of the prettiest views I’ve ever seen. The water is peacefully calm, and you can rent kayaks or paddleboards at many of the beaches. I stopped at most of the beaches in the area, and they were all beautiful. Playa el Requeson is probably the most popular, with its unique sandbar, but make sure to stop at a few spots and enjoy the most vibrant water you will ever see.

13. Dine At Los Olivos With Its Malecon View

Los Olivos was my favorite Loreto restaurant. The view of the Malecon was lovely, and I thought their food was some of the best I had in Loreto. They had excellent cocktails. Don’t miss the passion fruit margarita, and I’ve already mentioned their chocolate clams. The fish with capers was another favorite. If you order the Caesar salad, get the dressing on the side.

14. Charter A Boat To Agua Verde

While you can drive to Agua Verde, the steep and crazy road will take at least two hours. So, we chartered a boat. A much more relaxing way to go, and we got in a pod of hundreds of dolphins on the way back. There is a restaurant on remote Agua Verde, Brisa de Mar, and they serve some of the best fish tacos I’ve ever had. First of all, they make the flour tortillas from scratch. And, after we had waited almost an hour for our tacos and they still hadn’t come, I joked that they must be catching the fish. Well, sure enough, the fisherman came in with a bucket of fish, just after I said that. It was a memorable day, and just the kind of place I had hoped to discover on the day that I went which just happened to be Anthony Bourdain’s birthday.

15. Dolphin Watch

My favorite of things to do in Loreto was dolphin watching. We saw so many, and they came right up to the boat. So take any trip, and you will probably see them. Watching dolphins never gets old.

16. Visit Honeymoon Beach on Danzante Island and Isla Carmen

These two areas were combined in a boat tour I did with Loreto Sea and Land tours, and they were spectacular. I especially loved Isla Carmen, shown in the photos above. We also got to see beautiful rock formations, so many dolphins, and we got to snorkel and swim in clear, blue waters. Honeymoon Beach was a very small beach, but still worth a stop.

What are your favorite things to do in Loreto? Let me know in the comments below!