COVID and Border Update
Non U.S. citizens who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have appropriate documentation are permitted to enter the United States via land ports of entry. Non-essential travelers who are not U.S. citizens are required to (1) provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, as outlined on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website; and (2) verbally attest to their reason for travel and COVID-19 vaccination status during a border inspection. More information can be found on the Department of Homeland Security website.
Anyone flying back into the U.S. from Mexico regardless of citizenship or vaccination status must show proof of a negative COVID test taken within 24 hours. US citizens driving across the border or crossing through CBX are still allowed back into the US without proof of COVID vaccinations with no COVID test required.
Fishing Licenses
Discover Baja is now able to issue Mexican fishing licenses again! Prices have increased to $23 for daily, $40 for weekly, $48 for monthly, and $60 for annual. For more information, please visit the DBTC Fishing Licenses page.
New FMM Regulations
Mexican President Obregon has issued new regulations for FMM tourist permits. Electronic prepaid FMMs are no longer issued with 180 days printed on them. When you stop at the border to get your FMM stamped, you will probably be asked how many days you will be staying in Mexico. FMMs can be issued for up to 180 days (6 months).
Rancho La Puerta Founder Turns 100 and Releases New Book
Debra Szekely, who founded Tecate’s Rancho La Puerta 82 years ago with her late husband Edmond, turned 100 on May 3rd and celebrated with the release of a new book, “100 Lessons from a Grasshopper.” The title came from Edmond’s habit of telling Deborah that she has a “grasshopper mind”—one that springs from one idea to the next without stop. The two founded Rancho La Puerta in 1940 as a rustic summer health camp where guests brought their own tents and paid $17.50 a week if they helped with chores (today, the luxury wellness retreat is one of the world’s top destination spas). Book sale profits will go to a tree-planting and watering campaign, Our Green Umbrella, to bring shade to parks and neighborhoods throughout Tecate. For more information or to purchase “100 Lessons from a Grasshopper,” visit the Rancho La Puerta website.
New Tijuana International Craft Beer Festival Announced
A new international beer festival will be held on June 11-12 this year in Tijuana at the Caliente Stadium. The festival will include 60 breweries from Mexico and the U.S. along with food, music and transportation for Americans parking in the U.S. and crossing the border. For tickets and more information, visit the Tijuana International Beer Festival website.
New Showings of La Recua
If you haven’t seen it yet, there are new showings of the documentary “La Recua” this month. The San Rafael Doclands Documentary Film Festival will be showing the film on May 7th and will also be streaming it online from May 5-11. On May 9th, Loreto’s Antigua California Festival (celebrating the upcoming 325th anniversary of the founding of Loreto) will be showing the documentary in the Loreto town plaza at 8pm.
New Baja Gallery at San Diego Natural History Museum
A new gallery about Baja called “Expedition Baja” will be opening Memorial Day weekend at San Diego’s Natural History Museum. The bilingual exhibit will feature dioramas, native species specimens, and information about the peninsula’s habitats. For more information, visit the museum’s website.