IMPORTANT INFORMATION: SAN FELIPE is a remote desert community of about 25,000 people that sits on the shores of the Sea of Cortez, known in the United States as the Gulf of California. It enjoys the benefits of a temperate, dry, winter climate, and a hot, humid summer.
San Felipe Zip Code: 21850. Area code (686)
Latitude, Longitude: 31.024915,-114.840782
Located 125 miles (200 km) south of the International border at Calexico, California/Mexicali, Baja California, the primary route to San Felipe is via Mexico’s Federal Highway 5. A secondary route exists via Tijuana following Highway 1 south to Ensenada, Highway 3 east to Highway 5 and south from there to San Felipe.
During the summer months, May through September, the weather is best suited to a relaxed lifestyle on the beaches. Fishing is good and the pace of life slows considerably. There are many accommodation options in town. You can find timeshares for sale and rent, condominiums, hotels and motels, many overlooking the Sea of Cortez.
CULTURE:
The intense cultural exchange between north Americans living close to the border and citizens of Baja California has created a unique predominantly Mexican culture.
 The evolution of this society, proud of its land and identity, is reflected in its arts. The art of Colectivo Nortec is the result of a fusion between traditional Mexican sounds – northern rhythms, drums, rhythms from the jarabe tapatio, - with the modern sounds of techno-dance. This original mix unveils the new younger generation of Tijuana and Ensenada. The rebirth of the lost society asks the visitor to forget stereotypes and prejudices: ” forget the… unpaved roads, drug-traffickers, donkeys; forget the danger, the fear and concern..” says the international acclaimed volume 1 of Nortec Collections.
"Paso del Nortec, This is Tijuana!” is their latest creation. A book that expresses the social criticism of the young inhabitants of the state concerning fear culture, drug trafficking, violence; themes that have for many years characterized the border culture they belong to.
The modernization of the border cities has also contributed to change the stereotypes, offering an attractive environment for international investors as well as for tourists who wish to enjoy the natural and cultural wealth the region has to offer.
GASTRONOMY:
Who hasn’t tasted the famous Cesar Salad? The refreshing Margaritas? The rejuvenating Clamato mix? These are the most famous culinary contributions the Baja Californians have given the world.
 The government frequently organizes Gastronomic Festivals, to keep its traditional cuisine; there visitors can taste delicious seafood dishes such as ceviche, lobster, the Paella and fish taquitos. Not to mention the wines from the Guadalupe Valley, Mexico’s Bordeaux region.
As a curious note, in Mexicali, the states’ capital city, the traditional food is Chinese food, and still many restaurants offering delicious Asian dishes can be found.
 NATIVE ARTS AND CRAFTS:
Pottery, ceramics, dolls, wood toys, aromatic woven baskets made with willow leaves, and skirts made with willow bark , are some of the native artworks made by the different indigenous communities of the region such as the Pai-Pai, Kumiai, and Cucapas (Cocopah).
HISTORY:
The prelude to the story of San Felipe began on May 5, 1535, when the Baja California peninsula was discovered by Hernan Cortés.
Four months later, in September of 1535, Cortés assigned one of his captains, Francisco de Ulloa, to navigate and chart the coast of the Sea of Cortés, which was at that time referred to as “The Southern Sea”. Interestingly enough, it was on this voyage that Baja California was discovered to be a peninsula, rather than an island, as was previously believed. Records show that Ulloa reached the area around San Felipe, though the bay was not truly discovered until the following year.
In 1536, Don Domingo del Castillo, Ulloa’s cartographer on the previous voyage, returned to the Baja peninsula with Don Hernando de Alarcón, on a expedition to accurately map the peninsula. It was on this expedition that the bay of San Felipe was discovered, and was first named Santa Catarina.
Years passed and the discoveries faded from memory until 1701, when Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, an Italian evangelist, rediscovered the Baja California peninsula. Again time slipped by, this time, until the Jesuit Padre Juan de Ugarte, sailing in the first Baja-built ship, found his way into the bay, landing in what is now San Felipe, on July 5, 1721. This day was the saint day of San Felipe de Jesus.In 1746, twenty-five years later, Jesuit Father Fernando Consag, while mapping the area, landed in San Felipe, and formally proclaimed the bay San Felipe de Jesus, in honor of the date Padre Juan de Ugarte made his landing there. Consag Island, the small rocky island that can be seen from San Felipe was named after him in recognition of his contribution to the cartographic records of the area around San Felipe.
1766 marked another landmark expedition to reach San Felipe. In this year Wenceslaus Linck became the first recorded person to reach San Felipe by way of land.
In 1772, San Felipe has officially named a port by José Joaquín Arrillaga, Lt. Governor of the Californias, and by 1794 ships were being sent out. 
GEOGRAPHY:
The California Peninsula is a narrow strip of land separated from the Mexican territory by the Gulf of California or Sea of Cortez, and the Colorado River. Its area covers 143,600 square kilometers which holds two of the Mexican states: Baja California and Baja California South. To the north it borders the state of California, which used to be part of Mexico and was known as Alta California; to the west and south it borders the Pacific Ocean.
It has a length of 1200 km, its width ranges between 45 and 250 km. It is surrounded by 35 islands with an area of 1500 sq. km.
Baja California state is located in the northern part of the peninsula to the north of Baja California South. It covers an area of 24,832 sq. km. ;with coasts to the east and west and 251.9 Km of borderline with the United States.
The mountain chains Sierra de Juarez and Sierra de San Pedro Martir originate in the southern part of the neighbor American state of California. Sierra Cucapah, Las Tinajas, La Peralta, San Felipe, San Miguel and Santa Isabel are other smaller mountain chains in Baja California. Pumas, white tail deer, rattle snakes, red tail hawks and gray foxes are some of the wildlife species that live in the region.
The 3000 km. long coast is one of the driest regions of the peninsula with very low rainfall records. To the east coast, on the Sea of Cortez, the climate is Mediterranean, very dry and warm with rain during the summer. The southwest and south coasts also have very dry conditions but temperatures are cooler, being 17º C the annual average.
There are two geographical systems in the northwest region of Baja California; the first is known as the Californian region ; its on the northwest and it is characterized by its Mediterranean climate with warm, dry climates and cool winters; and for its wetland ecosystems mainly dunes, bushes and conifer forests.
 The rest of the peninsula is part of the Sonora Desert. High temperatures, lack or little rainfall and cactus-like vegetation characterize this region. Mountain lion and lamb live among the desert vegetation.
The peninsula is rich in natural mineral resources: tungsten, salt, turquoise, gold veins , and copper beds stand out.
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