Mexicali makes an interesting base for exploring the northern portion of Baja California. While it has intriguing cultural offerings, cosmopolitan shopping, and gay and lesbian nightlife, Mexicali is especially distinguished by its various nearby sporting options.

Conspicuous among them are the bullfights held in the Plaza Calafia. Don’t get the wrong idea when you hear that Mexicali is famous for its Sand Drags; these are auto races held off-road in the dessert; the sight of aggressive, masculine cars kicking up a storm under a semi-tropical sun may or may not have its gay side. With 1550 miles of freshwater canals, the city offers abundant opportunities for fishing, while close-by saltwater options could lead you to such trophy fish as the pez vela, marlin dorado or the jurel. Thirty miles west of Mexicali is a mountainous area with some of the kick-assingest mountain biking trails in the world.

While Mexicali is off the beaten path of gay travel destinations, it nonetheless has many gay friendly hotels. An annual food festival held in November and December is of particular interest to those wishing to experience the local cuisine in all its richness. The region is famed for its beers and known to connoisseurs for a small but distinctive local wine production. Curiously enough, Mexicali is highly-regarded in the food world as a center for Chinese cuisine; many Chinese people originally came to work in agriculture, and the waves of immigration spawned superb Chinese restaurants. In short, if you are a cosmopolitan gay person with a rugged edge looking for an unusual travel destination, Mexicali is now on your homo holidays list.