Each November, Ensenada hosts the start of the Baja 1000, one of the most storied off-road racing events in the world. The race village sets up in the days before the event, with trucks, motorcycles, buggies, and the factory teams from Honda, KTM, and other manufacturers preparing their vehicles in public view.
Even if you're not a racing fan, the atmosphere of race week is electric — the town fills up, the waterfront hosts events, and watching the staggered starts on race day is a genuine spectacle. The racers depart into the Baja desert from the starting point near the city, and many locals gather along the early stages of the course to watch. If you happen to be in Ensenada in mid-November, it's worth timing your visit to overlap.