Loreto: Small Town Charm, Big Time Recreation

LORETO, Baja California Sur — Big things sometimes come in small packages, they say. We’re not quite sure who qualifies as “they” are, but, perhaps, they were thinking of places such as Loreto when juxtaposing package size and derived experiences. The city of Loreto has fewer than 20,000 residents. There are as many signal lights in town (one) as daily flights from Los Angeles International Airport. It’s not uncommon to find bighorn sheep strolling along the highway just south of town limits (and en route to one of the two major resorts nearby). Good luck finding a McDonald’s or Walmart anywhere in town, as we stated in a 2016 story about Loreto. Loreto, all the while, has much to offer any angler or boater who takes the time to venture into the one-time capital city of the Las Californias province (1768-1777). Local resorts, marina operators and city leaders have been angling to make Loreto a prime destination for sportfishing. Puerto Escondido Marina, about 20 minutes south of town via automobile, has been one of the parties leading the charge of crafting Loreto as the place to originate fishing jaunts. Just beyond the marina’s reach is the Sea of Cortez, home to a...