Travel Guide MEXICALI Contents DISCOVER MEXICALI 01 MEXICALI PROFILE 02 MEXICALI ATTRACTIONS 03 MEXICALI DINING 07 MEXICALI SHOPPING 09 MEXICALI NIGHTLIFE 11 THINGS TO DO IN MEXICALI 12 DISCOVER MEXICALI A prosperous city located in a fertile valley on the northeastern tip of Baja California, this destination receives thousands of business and leisure travelers each year. Mexicali has something to offer everyone, including entertaining bars and nightclubs along with delicious fusion cuisine created by the blend of cultures featured in the city (from Arabic to Chinese). Major industries take advantage of the city’s close proximity to the United States to efficiently produce and export a variety of goods that range from fashionable clothing to high-end technology. Mexicali offers hotels to suit all budgets as well as a diverse cultural repertoire that includes museums, galleries and venues that host artistic and cultural exhibits as well as sporting events. UNITED STATES BORDER Thanks to the city’s location, near the border between Mexico and the United States, Mexicali and Calexico share many economic and social ties, including their peculiar names, which were created by playfully combining the words Mexico and California. Known for its agriculture and industry, Mexicali is home to many textile factories and assembly plants. Thanks to the production of a variety of merchandise, the city is a major gateway to the U.S. market and offers great business opportunities. 1 MEXICALI PROFILE The state capital of Baja California. The third busiest border crossing in the world, after Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana. The gateway to the North American market and California, the most economically important U.S. state and ranked eighth in the world. The main provider of water in the region thanks to the numerous aquifers in the Mexicali Valley and the Colorado River delta. Home to a large Chinese population, making Chinese food a major part of the local cuisine. Popular with tourists who live near the border in California and Arizona, who visit to shop or visit the doctors and dentists on the Mexican side. Offers exciting nightlife options, including restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Features majestic natural attractions, such as El Centinela Hill, the Guadalupe Canyon, Laguna Salada, Sierra de Juarez and the Hardy River. 2 MEXICALI ATTRACTIONS Mexicali not only has fantastic family and business hotels, it also offers a wonderful variety of cultural attractions and entertainment venues, including several theaters, museums and water parks. Visitors can also enjoy easy access to beautiful natural attractions, such as the beaches of San Felipe, the Hardy River in the Mexicali Valley, the canyons of the Sierra de Juarez, Sierra de San Pedro Martir, Sierra de Cucapa, and the town of La Rumorosa. BOL BOL BOWLING Enjoy modern and cutting-edge family entertainment at Bol Bol Bowling in Mexicali, where up to six players can use one lane. Touch screens let you keep track of scores and there is even a system that helps players line up their next throw. The bowling alley also sells snacks and drinks. SOL DEL NINO MUSEUM This fun and educational children’s museum opened in 1998. Located within a building that was once a cotton warehouse, it now houses various interactive activities related to a number of scientific fields, including physics, chemistry, mathematics, electronics, optics and the environment. The museum also features large gardens. 3 CITY FOREST AND ZOO Within the City Forest you’ll find green areas with barbecues and children’s activities along with the Museum of Natural History, a small Zoo and a Botanical Garden with desert plants. Visitors are invited to enjoy an outdoor theater, a lake and a water park with a giant waterslide. For your convenience, the forest also has restaurants and a shop. LA CHINESCA Many of Mexicali’s residents are of Chinese descent, having immigrated to this area when the planting and harvesting of cotton fields was at its peak. With their festivals, cuisine, architecture and customs, the Chinese community has greatly contributed to the city’s cultural identity. Many of their houses, shops and restaurants are located in La Chinesca, a neighborhood that showcases their unique culture on every corner. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY THEME PARK More than a theme park, this training and education center allows visitors to learn about the use of solar energy as a way of reducing global warming. The park has a large exhibit room that utilizes bioclimatic energy and also displays various uses of alternative technologies. 4 SAN FELIPE Located south of Mexicali on the coast of the Sea of Cortez, San Felipe is a tranquil area with inviting beaches where you can enjoy the sea, water sports, scuba diving and sport fishing. You’ll also find many restaurants that serve delicious fresh seafood. The pristine beaches of San Felipe have gentle waves that make it easy for you to spot marine creatures like the Vaquita, a small friendly porpoise that inhabits these waters. VALLEY OF THE GIANTS The Valley of the Giants is less than 10 miles south of downtown San Felipe, and very close to Punta Estrella. Set between the Sea of Cortez and the Sierra de San Pedro Martir, this area offers incredible views of majestic desert landscapes as well as the unique and colossal cacti that grow in the valley. LA RUMOROSA Located between Mexicali and Tecate, the beautiful town of La Rumorosa sits at the top of a mountain and has spectacular views, recreational parks and camping areas. The ideal destination for exploring, mountain biking, and hiking, this is also the location of El Vallecito, a renowned archeological site that is famous for a cave painting known as “El Diablito”, which is illuminated by sunlight each year during the winter solstice. 5 LAGUNA SALADA This large sandy depression, which translates to “Salt Lake”, begins near Cerro Centinela and travels south until it ends in the area between the Sierra Cucapa and Sierra de Juarez, approximately 18 miles away from Mexicali. This natural system is part of the Colorado River Delta but has been dry since the mid-1980s. This deep, dry lake is 16.5 feet below sea level and is believed to be the deepest part of the country. You can explore this stunning landscape with a trip on an ATV. CAÑON DE GUADALUPE This majestic location in the Sierra de Cucapa is an oasis of palm trees in the middle of the desert. With natural pools and a waterfall of lithium-rich mineral water, you can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the hot springs. The canyon also has rocks with ancient petroglyphs that are well worth seeing during your visit. PUERTECITOS Situated 35 miles south of San Felipe is the small, picturesque town of Puertecitos, which offers incredible views of the Sea of Cortez along with hot springs, beautiful beaches, rustic restaurants and lovely natural areas where you can admire the local flora and fauna. VICENTE GUERRERO PARK One of the largest and oldest parks in Mexicali, Vicente Guerrero Park has large green areas, barbecues, children’s activities and “palapa” rentals for all kinds of events. HARDY RIVER This river is an old canal with fresh water that travels from the Mexicali Valley and empties into the Colorado River Delta. Several campsites and water parks with cabins are located alongside the river, providing you with the perfect opportunity to enjoy water skiing, kayaking and fishing. If you wish, you can also hunt small animals like quail and pheasant. 6 MEXICALI DINING Pioneer of these lands, the Chinese community has contributed greatly to the local cuisine, with their many and varied dishes. Here you can enjoy everything from Chinese inspired cuisine to traditional carne asada (grilled meat). Beer has long been a customary drink in Mexicali and you can also savor the best wines from Baja California. STEAMED TAQUITOS Made with corn tortillas cooked in oil, these tacos are filled with a mixture of shredded beef and onion before being folded like quesadillas and placed in a steamer for heating. CARNE ASADA TACOS The secret of these grilled-meat tacos is to marinate the meat with salt, pepper, lemon, chili powder and onion slices for at least two hours. They are accompanied by corn or flour tortillas and served with salsa or guacamole as well as lemon, roasted onions and radishes. 7 FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH CALAMARI This Chinese stew contains asparagus and calamari fried in olive oil. It is then served with soy sauce and a dash of rice vinegar. DRINKS In Mexicali, meat dishes are accompanied with beer or red wine while seafood is served with white wine from Baja California. Another popular beverage is “las chabales”, a drink made with beer, clamato (spicy tomato juice) and ice. STEAMED FISH WITH BLACK SOY BEANS This Chinese inspired dish is made up of either white fish (whole or fillets) and is prepared with spring onion, garlic, soy sauce and salted black soy beans before being steamed or wrapped in foil and cooked in the oven. SHARK FIN SOUP Also brought over by early Chinese immigrants, this soup used to be made with real shark fins that were salted and dried in the sun. Now prepared using fish stock, the soup is made with shitake mushrooms and agar jelly to create the consistency of shark cartilage or with mung beans that are shaped to resemble shark fins. CARNITAS COLORADAS This Chinese recipe was adapted for use in Mexicali. It is prepared with pork loin marinated in tomato sauce or ketchup as well as sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and a dash of tequila or beer. The dish is baked for an hour and then cut into thin slices.