Nicknamed the City that Captured the Sun, Mexicali is a young and dynamic city in the state of Baja California that was founded in 1903. It is linked to the U.S. city of Calexico, California, by a border bridge that, with a little over 21 million people a year, serves as the third busiest crossing in the world.

State: Baja California

Coordinates:
32°39'48"N 115°28'04"W

Altitude: 3 meters above sea level

Area:
202.50 km²

Time Zone: Pacific Time UTC-8, Summer UTC-7

Population: 936,145 inhabitants (INEGI, 2010)

Area Code: 686

Considered the ninth largest city in Mexico, the Metropolitan Area consists of Mexicali and its urban areas of Delegacion Gonzalez Ortega, Santa Isabel, Delegacion Progreso and Valle de Puebla.

Mexicali offers endless cultural activities like visiting the Sol del Niño Museum and the El Asalto a las Tierras Community Museum among others.

For lovers of extreme sports and ecotourism Mexicali offers tourists La Casa de Piedra, a park that has the highest Zipline in the region at approximately 50 meters in height.

The hill "La Cuesta de la Rumorosa" offers a spectacular view between the canyons, valleys, and desert. The Hanson Lagoon and Llanos Canyon are perfect for kayaking and mountain biking.

Another activity that can be done around Mexicali is bird hunting and fishing. Among the specimens that can be hunted are pheasants, hares, ducks, coyotes, and pumas.

The city is also known for the architectural beauty of the historic center where you can find the Casa de Culture and the former Government Palace. Among the buildings that you cannot miss in Mexicali are the buildings of the Colorado River Land Company, the Rector at the University, and the Mexicali Brewery.

Mexicali also offers a Wine Tour that is conducted by the wineries of Valle de Guadalupe. Through this tour you will learn about the benefits of Mexican wine and, above all, you can admire the spectacular scenery of the Baja California's vineyards.

Getting there

The city is connected with the neighboring country of the United States by the two border checkpoints of La Garita Rio Nuevo and La Garita Nuevo Mexicali.

Mexicali is connected to major cities in Mexico and the United States thanks to the General Rodolfo Sanchez Taboada International Airport.

Moreover, the Mexicali bus station receives passengers from around the country.

Distances from Mexicali to other destinations in Mexico and U.S.A.

• Tijuana, Baja California: 163 km.
• Rosarito, Baja California: 184 km.
• San Felipe, Baja California: 199 km.
• San Diego, California (U.S.A.): 200 km.
• Ensenada, Baja California: 240 km.
• Los Angeles, California (U.S.A.): 368 km.
• Phoenix, Arizona (U.S.A.): 416 km.
• Hermosillo, Sonora: 700 km.
• Ciudad Obregón, Sonora: 1200 km.
• Culiacán, Sinaloa: 1598 km.
• Guadalajara, Jalisco: 2119 km.
• Monterrey, Nuevo León: 2220 km.
• León de los Aldama, Guanajuato: 2342 km.
• Mexico City, Federal District: 2661 km.
• Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Puebla: 2784 km.

Climate

With a warm desert climate, Mexicali stands out nationally for having low rainfall and record summer temperatures in all of Mexico.

In the summer temperatures exceed 35° C.

In the winter the maximum temperature is 25 ° C and the minimum temperature is 3 ° C. with frost being a very rarely occurrence.

What to Pack

Shorts, sandals, flip flops, hat, sunscreen, bug spray, cool shirts, tank tops, and a bathing suit. In the winter, pants, long-sleeved shirts, sandals, hiking shoes, and a light sweater.

Activities and attractions in Mexicali

Mexicali Forest and Zoo, waterslide.

Historical Center, Santa Cruz Parish, Asunción de María Parish, Metodista del Divino Redentor Church, Teatro del Estado, State Center of the Arts, Cultural Institute of Baja California.

Sol del Niño Museum, Cucapáh Community Museum, El Asalto de las Tierras Community Museum, Center for Cultural Studies - Museum UABC. Golf courses, Cross Racing, Plaza de Toros Calafia.

Hunting tourism: hunting doves, geese, pheasants, ducks, quail, hares, rabbits, coyotes and pumas.

Guadalupe Canyon (hot springs, forest), Theme Park of Alternative Energies, Cerro El Centinela, San Felipe, Hanson Lagoon, Percebu Lagoon, Salada and la Cuesta de la Rumorosa Lagoon, Valle de los Gigantes, Sierra Juarez.

Adventure sports at Llanos Canyon (kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing and caving), and La Casa de Piedra Park (zipline).

Archaeological sites: In a little less than 200 kilometers from Mexicali, there are two archaeological sites worth visiting: El Vallecito that has cave paintings and Macahuí where you can see lines in the desert that resemble those in Nazca, Peru.

Feasts and festivals in Mexicali

Regional Bi-national Theater of Contemporary Dance Exhibition (Dates vary).
February: Carnival in the town of San Felipe.
March: International Festival of Progressive Rock.
March: Expo AgroBaja.
June: Cheve Fest.
September: Feasts of the Sun.
September 15 and 16: Celebration of the Independence of Mexico.
October-November: Cotton Fair.
Oct. 31, November 1 and 2: Day of the Dead Celebration.
November-December: Feast of Winter Visitor.
December: Tamale Festival.
December 12: Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe.