Things to Do in Loreto

Loreto is a small town on the Sea of Cortez side of Baja California Sur, about 220 miles north of Cabo San Lucas. It was the first Spanish settlement in California (1697) — the original mission church still stands. Today it’s about 19,000 people, no cruise terminal, and one of Mexico’s quietest tourism zones. The big draw is the Bay of Loreto National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of five offshore islands and the marine ecosystem Jacques Cousteau called the world’s aquarium. The Sierra de la Giganta rises sharply right behind town.