1 | Where Desert Meets the Sea
Twenty-five minutes south of downtown San Felipe, at Km 20.5 of Highway-5, sits Percebu Lodge—sometimes called Chenowth Legacy Lodge—right on the tranquil lagoon locals know as Laguna Percebu Chenowth Legacy Lodge. Ringed by cinnamon-colored desert hills on one side and the emerald Sea of Cortez on the other, the tiny settlement feels worlds away yet remains an easy four-and-a-half-hour drive from the U.S.-Mexico border. The remoteness is part of the magic: there are no high-rise resorts, only sunsets, starry skies, and the rhythmic hush of Baja tides.
2 | A Quick History: Racing Roots & Coastal Calm
Percebu began as an off-the-grid fishing outpost. When famed desert-racing pioneer Lynn Chenowth fell in love with the spot, he built a handful of casitas so friends could watch the Baja 500 and Baja 1000 roar past while still waking up to birdsong and gentle surf. Today, the lodge still hosts racers, but most guests are couples, families, or digital nomads craving solitude and soft sand. The onsite “Pit Stop” restaurant pays tribute to its motorsport DNA with vintage race photos and hearty plates designed to “fuel the adventure” Chenowth Legacy Lodge.
3 | Beachfront Rooms & Off-Grid Comforts
The main complex contains just five rental units and a handful of standalone villas, so crowds are never an issue. Rooms run on solar power with backup generators, have air-conditioning for summer, and boast sliding doors that open straight onto the beach. Step from your bed onto powder-soft sand, grab the complimentary kayak, and paddle into mirror-flat water at sunrise—no city noise, only pelicans diving for breakfast. An onsite caretaker lives in the sixth building and is always available for extra towels, fishing tips, or a fresh ceviche platter.
4 | Why the Beach Here Feels Private
Percebu’s shoreline forms a shallow lagoon protected by a sandy barrier island. Tides can vary up to 20 feet; when the water retreats, a vast shell-strewn seabed emerges—paradise for clammers and beach-combers. At high tide the “laguna” turns into a salt-water swimming pool: warm, glass-calm, and child-friendly. Locals claim it’s one of the best beaches in San Felipe for safe swimming and SUP boarding.
5 | Eat, Drink, Repeat
You don’t need to drive back to town for dinner. The Pit Stop’s Baja-Med menu runs from sunrise chilaquiles to rib-eye with garlic-butter shrimp, all priced in pesos and served under a giant palapa facing the Sea of Cortez Chenowth Legacy Lodge. Prefer DIY? Each villa includes a charcoal grill and outdoor sink so you can sear the day’s catch while the desert sky blazes pink.
6 | Adventure at Your Doorstep
- Fishing & Clamming – Drop a hand-line right off the sand for corvina and triggerfish or dig for chocolate clams at low tide.
- Off-roading – Test your 4-wheel-drive on the same desert tracks that host SCORE and NORRA races.
- Hiking – Five miles south lies Valle de los Gigantes, a protected forest of 60-foot cardón cactus that will dwarf even the tallest traveler Baja Bound Insurance Services.
- Day-trip Hot Springs – Drive 35 minutes to Puertecitos for a soak in seaside thermal pools.
7 | Family-Friendly Touches
Unlike party-centric resorts, Percebu Lodge trades nightlife for nature nights. Kids splash safely in knee-deep water, build driftwood forts, and roast marshmallows at the communal firepit. With no streetlights, the Milky Way looks like powdered sugar dusted across velvet—download a stargazing app and treat bedtime as a mini astronomy lesson.
8 | How to Get There & When to Go
- Driving: From Mexicali, follow Highway 5 south for 180 km; paved asphalt all the way. Look for the Km 20–21 Percebu sign and turn left toward the beach.
- Best Season: October–May offers mild days (22 °C) and chilly, star-bright nights. Summer brings 35 °C heat but bath-warm water for dawn paddles.
- Essentials: Cash (nearest ATM is in San Felipe), reef-safe sunscreen, and reusable grocery bags—the lodge minimizes single-use plastics.
9 | Pair Your Stay with Vees RV Ramada
Traveling by camper or towing toys? Book a pull-through site at Vees RV Ramada, our partner park just north of town. Spend a few nights soaking up full hookups, Wi-Fi, and shaded palapas, then run south for an unplugged spell at Percebu Lodge. Need extra boards, kayaks, or an ATV? Vees’ gear-rental desk can outfit you before you roll down the coast. When you return, swap stories with fellow overlanders around Vees’ communal fire ring and rinse salt away in the hot-water showers—Baja balance achieved. Reserve your site at veesrvramada.com and mention “Percebu Adventure” for insider tips on road conditions and tide charts.
10 | Final Thoughts
Percebu Lodge, San Felipe, Baja California offers something rare: a slice of beachfront still shaped more by tides than tourism. Wake to pelican formations, nap under a thatch-roofed palapa, dine on just-caught shrimp, and end the day with galaxies overhead. Whether you park your rig at Vees RV Ramada and day-trip down or book a week-long villa right on the sand, Laguna Percebu reminds you why Baja holds such mythic sway over travelers. Ready to trade notifications for ocean murmurs? Pack your sense of wonder and point your compass to Km 20.5—Baja’s quiet side is waiting.