This article appears in Volume 36: Discovery.

Todos

Todos
Santos is a verdant oasis, sitting among fertile farmland
in the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, which turn
purple as the sun sets. Whales can be spotted just off the coast
from serene Playa Las Palmas and more developed Playa Los Cerritos,
while San Pedrito Point and Los Cerritos surf breaks attract wave
riders from around the globe. Throughout the 19th century, Todos
Santos thrived as the Baja sugar-cane capital, its cobblestoned
streets and mishmash of molinos (processing plants), pastel-hued
casitas and grand brick-and-adobe haciendas of sugar barons making
the town an architectural delight.

Until the mid-1980s, when the Mexican government paved Highway
19, Todos Santos was effectively off-grid and facing decline. Fast
forward to 2006, however, and the town was named a Pueblo Mágico
(Magical Town), an accolade highlighting its charm for tourists.
Today, these old buildings house organic restaurants and
owner-operated galleries and boutiques. The streets are filled with
an eclectic mix of hotshot chefs from Mexico City, New Age spiritualists from
Arizona, Californian and Canadian surfers, European
design obsessives, artists from Guadalajara – and now, a growing
number of pandemic-driven guest workers who have fled Los Angeles,
Vancouver, Seattle and Portland, flocking to this unarguably magical
town in search of a sunnier life than their old one appeared during
successive lockdowns. Use our guide as a jumping-off point to
discover this magical destination for yourself.