Cyclists riding the Pacific coastal highway toward Ensenada

Events in Rosarito

The calendar that repeats every year: the Rosarito-Ensenada bike ride, beach festivals, lobster season in Puerto Nuevo and more.

APR · SEPspring & fall

CyclingWhen: Spring and fall (late April–May and late September)

Paseo Ciclista Rosarito–Ensenada 50

The legendary 50-mile coastal ride from Rosarito to Ensenada — a SoCal cycling tradition since the '80s.

This is the event Californians know Rosarito for: a 50-mile fun ride (not a race) that rolls out of downtown Rosarito, hugs the Pacific coast, cuts through rural valley roads and finishes on the Ensenada waterfront with a finish-line fiesta — food, beer and live music until sunset. It has run twice a year for decades, spring and fall editions, and draws thousands of riders from San Diego and beyond: serious club cyclists, families on tandems, and people in costumes who are just there for the party. Register online well in advance (search "Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride"); shuttle and bike transport back from Ensenada are available. Many San Diegans ride down Friday, do the ride Saturday, and make a weekend of it.

•Book your hotel weeks ahead — the town sells out on ride weekend.
•The "El Tigre" climb mid-route is the one hard section; plenty of riders walk it, no shame.
•Not riding? Watching the start on Benito Juárez Boulevard is a show in itself.
•Reserve your return shuttle from Ensenada when you register — it fills up.

MAYlate in the month

Arts & cultureWhen: Late May

Art Walk Rosarito

60+ artists from both sides of the border take over Rosarito's state arts center for a free weekend.

For one weekend, Rosarito's State Center for the Arts (CEART) fills up with painting, sculpture, photography and murals by Mexican and American artists. The theme is always the border and what connects us — migration, memory, shared culture — which hits different when half the crowd drove down from San Diego. It's more than an exhibit: live jazz, folk and classical music, poetry readings, design showcases, plus local food stands pouring Baja California wine and craft beer. Admission is free and the vibe is relaxed and family-friendly, not stuffy gallery energy. If you're in town that weekend and want something beyond beach and lobster, this is the move.

•Free admission; come in the afternoon to catch the live music.
•Much of the art is for sale directly from the artists — respectful haggling is fine.
•CEART is a few minutes from downtown; drive or grab a registered taxi.

JUN+ Nov edition

Running raceWhen: June (plus a Rosarito–Puerto Nuevo edition in November)

Medio Maratón Rosarito

A 13.1-mile race along the Pacific starting at the downtown arch — cool coastal weather even in summer.

Rosarito's big running date: a half marathon that starts at dawn under the downtown arch on Benito Juárez Boulevard and runs with the ocean alongside and a Pacific breeze that makes even June feel kind. Shorter distances are offered too if 13.1 miles isn't your thing, and the atmosphere is pure community — families cheering, music, medals at the finish. In November there's also the Rosarito–Puerto Nuevo Half Marathon, heading down the coast to the lobster village, which gives you the best possible excuse to refuel with Puerto Nuevo-style lobster afterward. Registration opens months ahead on Mexican race platforms (search "Medio Maratón Rosarito"); it's a cheap, scenic alternative to crowded SoCal races.

•Start is around 7:00 am; arrive early, the boulevard closes to traffic.
•June mornings are overcast (yes, June gloom reaches Baja) — great running weather, bring a light layer.
•Coming from San Diego? Stay the night before; crossing the border at dawn on race day is a gamble.

JULseveral weeks

Town fairWhen: July (runs several weeks)

Feria Rosarito

Rosarito's hometown fair: carnival rides, live concerts and street food for most of July.

For most of July, Plaza San Fernando turns into a classic Mexican feria: 30+ carnival rides, a free kids' zone with bounce houses and a petting farm, food stalls everywhere, and live concerts almost every night — banda, norteño and local acts. This is the most local-first event on Rosarito's calendar, which is exactly why it's worth a visit: town-fair prices, not tourist-strip prices, and a genuine slice of everyday Baja life you won't get on the beach boulevard. Admission costs about as much as a soda back home, with weekly deals (free-entry Mondays, two-for-one Tuesdays are the custom). Great with kids, great after a beach day, and the people-watching is unbeatable.

•Check the daily deals — free Mondays and 2-for-1 Tuesdays are typical.
•Big-name concert nights get packed; show up early if a headliner is playing.
•Bring pesos in cash: many stalls and rides don't take cards.

AUGone weekend

Music festivalWhen: August (one weekend)

Baja Beach Fest

Reggaeton and Mexican music on the sand — the biggest Latin beach festival on the West Coast.

The festival that put Rosarito on the Latin music map: three days of reggaeton, Latin trap and regional Mexican music right on the beach, Pacific as the backdrop, with recent lineups featuring Ozuna, Anuel AA, Nicky Jam, Junior H, Farruko and Sean Paul. It's 18+, it's massive — tens of thousands per day, a huge share of them driving down from California — and for that one weekend the whole town runs on festival time. Tickets sell online months ahead at bajabeachfest.com, with payment plans starting at a small deposit. Fair warning both ways: if you're going, it's a full-throttle party weekend; if you're not, it's probably the one weekend to avoid a quiet Rosarito trip.

•18+ only, strictly enforced with ID (passport works best).
•Hotels and rideshares surge that weekend — book months ahead.
•Buy tickets only from the official site; social-media resale is full of scams.
•Want a mellow Rosarito trip? Pick literally any other weekend in August.

AUGone afternoon

Food & drinkWhen: August

Festival del Pescado y el Marisco

Baja's seafood scene in one oceanfront garden — tastings from 20 restaurants plus regional wine.

One afternoon to eat your way through Baja California: the local restaurant chamber (CANIRAC) gathers around 20 restaurants and 15 seafood producers from across the state in the gardens of the historic Rosarito Beach Hotel, right on the ocean. Your ticket buys a generous run of tastings — ceviches, clams, grilled fish, oysters — plus regional wine pours and live music, with proceeds typically supporting local charities. It's a grown-up, graze-at-your-own-pace afternoon: more gourmet than the town fair, but zero pretension, and a fraction of what a comparable food festival costs north of the border. Presale tickets are noticeably cheaper than day-of; look up "Festival del Pescado y Marisco Rosarito" on CANIRAC Rosarito's social media.

•Buy presale — day-of tickets cost noticeably more.
•Come hungry and pace yourself: the popular stands run out first.
•The wine is all Baja; ask for Valle de Guadalupe labels.

AUG–SEPvaries by edition

SurfWhen: Late August to early September

Abierto Mexicano de Surf

Mexico's best surfers compete in Rosarito's waves — free to watch from the sand.

Rosarito has become home to the Abierto Mexicano de Surf (Mexican Surf Open), gathering the country's top competitors — including champions like Johnny Corzo, Mexico's first world surf champion — in the waves off Rosarito's main beach. It's one of the rare pro sports events you can enjoy start to finish for free: plant yourself on the sand, watch the shortboard heats and the women's and junior divisions, and soak up the beach-party atmosphere between rounds. For surfers, it's also the perfect excuse to explore the area's legendary breaks like K-38 just south of town, which fires year-round and is a longtime favorite of San Diego surfers. Exact dates shift each edition; they're announced via the federation's and city's social channels.

•Free for spectators — just show up, lay your towel down and enjoy.
•Heats run with the tide; mornings usually bring the best conditions.
•If you surf, K-38 is the classic local break — but respect closed zones on competition days.

OCTseason opener

Food & drinkWhen: October

Festival de la Langosta y el Vino de Puerto Nuevo

The lobster village kicks off its season with music, Baja wine and its world-famous signature dish.

Every October, the tiny fishing village of Puerto Nuevo — about 15 minutes south of Rosarito — celebrates the start of lobster season (which runs through April) with its annual festival: the village's restaurants serve their famous Puerto Nuevo-style lobster, flash-fried and plated with beans, rice and fresh flour tortillas, paired with Valle de Guadalupe wine and cold beer. Expect live music, folkloric dance and small-town fiesta energy in the little streets above the sea. Consider the scale: a village of roughly 170 residents serves over 100,000 lobsters a year — this festival is their proudest day, and it's been a San Diego day-trip tradition for generations. Exact dates are announced each year on the restaurants' and city's social media.

•Arrive early (before 1 pm) — the oceanfront-terrace restaurants fill up first.
•Lobster is priced by size; asking the price before ordering is normal and expected.
•October through April is the season: miss the festival and the fresh lobster is just as good any weekend in those months.

📅 Before you plan

Exact dates change every edition — confirm on each event’s official channels before planning your trip.