The prime reason that most people come to San Felipe is to relax. Bring a good book and be prepared to put your feet up. Golf is growing in popularity and there are several courses available to play along with many in development. If you want something more active, stop in at the tourist office on Avenida Mar de Cortez just south of the new Costa Azul Hotel or call them from any telephone by dialing (686) 577-1155. The helpful staff will tell you how to go on a visit the valley of the giant cacti, go on a fishing trip or possibly take a day trip out into the desert to see the hot springs and waterfalls.

Various sporting events, such as Hobie Cat regattas, triathlons and desert bike races, are held and there are several local colorful pageants, which are staged for major Mexican fiesta days.
If you tow a boat down you can use the free launch ramp at the harbor which is a mile south of town. This facility was constructed for all to use (military and civilian). Please note that there is no crane launch facility in San Felipe so lowering a large boat into the water is not possible.
A pleasant day trip for any vehicle is to drive down to Puertecitos, 50 miles south of San Felipe. Puertecitos is a small American retirement community that has arisen around the hot, sulfurous, geothermal springs on the rocky shore there. Unless the tide is high, the spring's water will generally be too hot to sit in, but you can test it with your feet; it is very relaxing. A small gas station and a restaurant there are open from time to time. A nominal entrance fee is charged to enter the tourist section of Puertecitos.

The road south of Puertecitos is quite rough in places but a passenger car with high clearance can get as far as Bahia San Luis Gonzaga and on to Laguna Chapala where you join up with the main highway down the peninsula to Cabo San Lucas. You should travel very slowly, tire damage by sharp rocks in the road is the main hazard.

If you are dreaming of a romantic tropical destination wedding, you can stop fantasizing and start living the dream! Baja Mexico is becoming a popular place to tie the knot. Not only does it boast a wide array of natural beauty but it is the perfect place to entertain guests.

Things can move a bit slower on the Peninsula, so get your plans started early, with a little bit of planning and the aid of a wedding planner, nuptials can come off without a hitch. Local planners are ready and waiting to help plan the destination wedding of your dreams. Give yourself approximately four days before the event in order to have everything finalized. Allow two days for festivities, San Felipe is an ideal place to celebrate bachelorette/bachelor parties as well as the wedding rehearsal dinner. With affordable travel rates and accommodations, a tropical wedding can be realized without a large budget.

Most Baja weddings are scheduled outdoors, so keep weather in consideration. With many hotels popping up in the area, it is also nice to have a plan B in case of sudden change in wind conditions. The weather is good all year long in Baja, but like everywhere there are weather issues that you might want to be aware of when choosing a date. Late Spring and early fall are the perfect times to get married in Baja, with longer daylight hours you are sure to have a full day available for all wedding activities.

Make sure all those who are going have the proper immigration documentation. Planning for your guest list is imperative. Provide information about travel, currency exchange rate and passport information on your wedding website to ensure all information is available to everyone invited to your big day!

If you feel as though you are retired, or soon might be, you should stop in at the San Felipe Association of Retired Persons (SFARP) and have a pleasant morning, meeting 50 or so active residents of the community who will be delighted to talk to you about life here. This group of people can offer a wealth of information about touring and living in the region. They get together the first and third Wednesdays of the month (October through May) at 10 a.m. (a.m. American time - you can be up to 10 minutes late) currently at the Ocotillo Lodge. There is a $2 per person charge to cover coffee and expenses.
There are miles of pristine beaches to stroll on, but take a sweater (October through March) in case the wind comes up. A delightful walk south from town takes you past the El Cortez and Las Misiones Hotels as well as several small campgrounds. At the El Cortez, you should check out the Barefoot Bar on the beach. It has a Hemmingway-era atmosphere with equipales tables and chairs and is a great place to stop for a drink on a winter afternoon. Look for a photograph on the El Cortez web page. Proceed across the harbor, where the shrimp fleet used to be housed (the big black boats you see there now are just floating relics that were repossessed by the bank), to the San Felipe Marina Resort. Head for the thatched roof building - the palapa - where you can enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch and have an incredible view for around $10-20.

Mexican Time: San Felipe is a very casual town and it is important to remember this when making plans. If you set up a meeting with someone (Mexican or resident American), be sure when you say "Meet me at 9 o'clock at Chencho's for breakfast" to be clear if you mean 9 a.m.a (american time) or 9 a.m.m (mexican time). 9 a.m.a time means not more than 10 minutes late, 9 a.m.m. means three-quarters of an hour late and is perfectly OK - just order coffee to start with.

San Felipe is also a town in which a lot of alcohol is consumed - both in the bars and on the road. The most popular local beer is Tecate, but several other brands, including US beers are available. Six-packs are common but the cognoscenti buy the more cost-effective 1 liter "caguamas" (turtles) which, custom dictates, must be wrapped in a sheet of newspaper. There is a deposit on each of these bottles to encourage recycling. Drinking on public streets is technically not allowed. Glass bottles on the streets are forbidden. You will generally see plastic cups available at the exits of bars.