La Paz, the capital city of Baja California, offers year-round beauty and a fun getaway for family travelers. In October, the sea brings out breathtaking wildlife, having La Paz live up to the nickname “world’s aquarium,” dubbed by Jacques Cousteau. The Sea of Cortez is home to sea lions, whale sharks, manta and mobula rays, giant squid, dolphins, schools of fish and more.
One of the most memorable experiences is snorkeling with whale sharks, a sight to behold as the largest, living, non-mammalian vertebrate on earth. Despite their size, they are gentle, slow-moving giants. Schools of whale sharks can be found just 10 minutes off the coast of La Paz, where you can explore the area and swim with sharks for an intimate snorkeling excursion.
As a community, La Paz takes extraordinary measures to remain a leading protector and conservator of of whale shark. All tour operators must be fully certified, with most guides educated marine biologists. During the season, a maximum of 14 tour boats depart for 2.5 hours to find whale sharks. No more than two boats may follow any one whale shark and only a total of five guests and one guide may be in the water at the same time. Swimmers can never approach the animal from the front, only from behind. Swimmers are reminded not to touch them.
Another adventure you can’t miss is the annual gray whale migration, which begins in December and lasts through April. This migration sees gray whales travel upwards of 10,000 miles from the Artic Sea to the Baja Peninsula. The warm and calm waters attract thousands of friendly gray whales as a safe spot to give birth and raise their babies.
Lastly, head to Espiritu Santo Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for one of the best diving experiences in the world. This island serves as the home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in Mexico. Snorkeling around Espiritu Santo offers a wealth of charms, including playful sea lion pups, colorful fish and stunning beaches, perfect for picnics. The island lies about a one-hour boat ride from La Paz. You can catch a wide range of tour operators offering full- and half-day excursions with certified guides.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedMultigenerational
Nov 27, 2023Sip Some Holiday Afternoon Tea on the Napa Valley Wine Train
All aboard! A holiday afternoon tea on a vintage train winding its way through lush wine country? If that sounds a lovely to you as it does to us, the Napa Valley Wine Train is on track to offer you a great seasonal experience perfect for sharing with family or loved ones. Tea is served in a holiday-decked vintage Pullman rail car with historic features like Honduran mahogany paneling, etched glass partitions, sumptuous armchairs and gleaming brass accents.
Sponsored Content
Interior Upgrades Begin Rolling Out Across United Fleet
United Airlines is in the midst of a major initiative to modernize its fleet over the next several years. After first announcing the plan in 2021, planes fitted with United’s signature interior are finally beginning to appear across the airline’s narrowbody fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes. United flyers are sure to notice these enhancements from the moment they step on board: Each new or updated plane sports remodeled seats, seatback entertainment screens for everyone, Bluetooth connectivity and more, all adding up to a better experience on every journey.
Multigenerational
Nov 27, 2023How to Keep Everyone Happy on a Multi-Gen Vacation
One of the appeals of multi-generational travel, as opposed to family gatherings at home, is no one is the host and everyone is a guest. When you’re all traveling together, nobody gets left to wash the dishes after everyone else leaves. But the best multi-gen trips are those well planned. Here are a few tips to make your family’s trip the best ever:
Travel Tips
Nov 24, 2023Friendly Like Me App Helps Families Find Accessible Travel Options
Friendly Like Me, available for Apple and Android devices, is a first-of-its-kind app designed with the more than 33 percent of Americans who may need special accessibility accommodations while on family travel in mind.
Sponsored Content
United Airlines Celebrates its First Class of United Aviate Graduates
As the only major U.S. airline to own a flight school, United Airlines already hit a major milestone, and now the carrier celebrates another important — and historic — step as the inaugural class of United Aviate Academy pilots graduates, leading the next generation of aviators. The 51 students in the graduating class were majority, at 80 percent, women and people of color — another stride toward United’s goal of training 5,000 new pilots by 2030 with half women or POC.
Destinations / Latin America
Nov 23, 2023A Couples’ Guide to Tango in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina, has its attractions for families, but traveling there to experience the city’s tango culture is a getaway better suited to couples. As they say, it takes two to tango.
ShareThis