City of La Paz

Founded in 1535, La Paz is a cosmopolitan Mexican city with a population of 250,000. As the capital of Baja California Sur, La Paz is the political, commercial, educational and cultural center of the southern Baja peninsula. The city has all of the day to day amenities of a large metropolitan area including a vibrant downtown restaurant and art scene as well as a high quality health care system. La Paz also has the highest concentration of scientific research institutes and four year universities of any city on the Baja peninsula. Along with its many nongovernmental organizations, the city is at the forefront of environmental conservation and advocacy throughout northwest Mexico. The most defining feature of the downtown area is the three mile malecon (boardwalk) overlooking the Bay of La Paz. The malecon is the place where families and friends congregate at the end of the day to stroll along the seaside and enjoy the sunset. More broadly, the most appealing characteristic of the La Paz region is the Sea of Cortez, the numerous islands just off shore, and the coastal mountain range. With its exceptional marine biodiversity, the Sea of Cortez is home to many world-class natural attractions and activities, including fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, whale watching and swimming with sea lions. The coastal mountain range just northwest of the city is also rich in ecological diversity, and is an excellent place for hiking, bird watching and camping.

Throughout the winter season (November through March) the desert climate is ideal for all types of outdoor activities, with average high daytime temperatures ranging from about 75 degrees to 83 degrees. At night, average low temperatures fall within a comfortable range of about 52 degrees to 60 degrees. On average, there is only about one rainy day per month during the winter season. Winter water temperatures in the Sea of Cortez range from 66 degrees to 79 degrees. While the summer season is considerably warmer, it remains popular for many water-based activities, including deep sea fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling. From April to October, average high daytime temperatures range from about 87 degrees to 98 degrees while average low temperatures range from about 57 degrees to 75 degrees. During April, May and June, there is virtually no rain. However, between July and October average rainy days range from about 1.5 to 4.1 days per month. Summer water temperatures in the Sea of Cortez range from 72 degrees to 86 degrees.