Which La Paz area neighborhood is the right one for your dream home? You decide.
You’ve decided to buy a home in La Paz. You’ve booked your house hunting trip. You’re ready to live your dream! Now, you may wonder, which La Paz neighborhood is the right one for you?
Luckily, there are many options available – from downtown condos within walking distance to the malecon and La Paz nightlife, to spacious homes on large lots with spectacular views, to beachfront homes just steps from the water’s edge. Each of these options offers different benefits and tradeoffs, so having your ideal lifestyle in mind will help you and your real estate professional find the best properties to see while you are here. Regardless of your choice, you’ll be just a short drive away from the best beaches, restaurants, and local shopping that La Paz has to offer.
La Paz Zona Central
Downtown La Paz offers visitors an exciting blend of restaurants, activities, shopping and nightlife, all within the Zona Central, which stretches along the waterfront and several blocks up the hill into town. Here you’ll find the La Paz malecon, a 3+ mile stretch of boardwalk and sand that runs along the bay for the entire length of downtown La Paz and beyond.
Here you’ll see walkers, joggers and cyclists during the day, and families strolling with kids and enjoying sidewalk entertainment during the evening hours. With regular bus routes and now Uber serving the city, living downtown means driving can be optional. The area offers a multitude of condo options, all within several blocks of the water, and some with amazing ocean views. More traditional, single family homes can also be found, though fewer of these will offer bay views.
Museums, the cathedral, numerous coffee shops, and an organic farmer’s market can all be found just a few blocks from the malecon. There are also several small grocery stores and open air markets, as well as a downtown shopping district for shoes and apparel. Downtown La Paz living is the ultimate in convenience, though it also comes with more noise in the early morning and potentially late at night, especially on weekends.
Lomas Palmira, Colinas del Sol, Pedregal & Costa Baja
These communities reside on or near two hills at one end of town, and offer amazing ocean views and easy access to downtown by Uber, scooter and bicycle. By virtue of their location, homes here tend to be higher priced than in some other areas of town. Some are even walking distance (Lomas Palmira and Colina del Sol only). These areas also offer a short 10-15 minute drive to La Paz’s most popular beaches: Playa Balandra and Playa Tecolote.
Furthest from town, Costa Baja is a full-service resort community that includes a Gary Player designed golf course, hotel, spa and marina. While most of the property options at Costa Baja are condos, there are a few custom homes available as well. Because of the terrain, homes tend to be of the 2-story variety, situated on a sloping hill with a pool or terrace space but no yard. Some lots are also available, so you can build your dream home on the hill overlooking the bay.
La Posada and Marina
On the opposite side of town from “condo hill” and Costa Baja, the mid-town community of La Posada offers a nice blend of proximity to downtown and shopping, as well as easy access to La Paz Bay and several marinas. The area includes a few different condominium properties, along with many more traditional homes.
Homes here tend to be multi-level, surrounded by fences for added security. Most of the neighborhood is easy walking distance to the beach, and you’ll find many residents strolling the water’s edge with their dogs, or exercising on the beach in front of La Posada hotel, a small boutique hotel with spectacular views of the bay. The water here is not the best for swimming as the currents don’t circulate as well, and the beach can get a bit muddy at low tide. However, you can often spot dolphins swimming and a huge variety of shorebirds along this stretch of the bay. There are several local restaurants, and downtown La Paz is just a 5-10 minute drive, taxi or Uber ride away.
Fidepaz
This area is home to many medical professionals because of its proximity to major medical facilities, including the Fidepaz hospital and a walk-in urgent care center. This area is also very close to major shopping and just a short distance from several marinas.
Homes here are typically 2-story structures with security walls or fences, and lot sizes tend to be a bit smaller, although there are some homes that sit on larger lots. Proximity to the hospital and shopping can result in a bit more road noise. There are several dining options within a mile or two, and it is a short 10-15 minute drive from this neighborhood into downtown La Paz.
El Centenario
The quiet community of El Centenario is just 15-20 minutes from downtown La Paz but is growing quickly, thanks to its great blend of open space, views of La Paz Bay, and lower home prices compared to many equivalent properties in town. Lots here tend to be larger, many ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 acre, giving owners extra space for pets, a garage, or storage for an RV, boat or off-road vehicle.
This area also offers easy access to miles of hike and bike trails, desert trails for off-road adventures, and the beaches of El Mogote. On the hill side of the highway and within a mile of the water are neighborhoods including Lomas and the gated community of Haciendas Palo Verde, both offering homes on large lots with views of the bay. If a home closer to the water is on your list of priorities, you can find some of the lowest priced waterfront lots and homes on the bay side of the highway. The small beach community of El Comitan is here as well, with many homes either right on or walking distance to the beach. Nearby stores including Walmart, Home Depot and Sam’s Club offer convenient shopping, and there are several local restaurants as well as some local options for evening entertainment.
Paraiso del Mar (El Mogote Peninsula)
The El Mogote peninsula is a stretch of land that juts out into the bay, directly across from downtown La Paz, and is home to a master-planned beachfront community accessible by a 10-minute free water taxi from the downtown La Paz marina. Homes here include both condos and single family homes overlooking the bay, with easy access to miles of empty beach, kayaking and standup paddleboarding on the bay.
On the far side of the peninsula and just a 15 minute boat ride from the malecon is the home of one of La Paz’s most well known tourist attractions: the rare and majestic whale sharks, which can often be seen from shore in the winter months. The community can also be reached by a dirt road that turns off the highway just outside of El Centenario, though this is a 30-45 minute drive from the highway and an hour or more from downtown. Community amenities include an 18-hole golf course and a soon-to-be-built marina and golf clubhouse. Residents typically take the water taxi into town for groceries, to visit restaurants and go shopping.
No matter what your dream home looks like, La Paz likely has an option for you. To learn more about the homes available for sale in these different neighborhoods, contact us at info@bajaliferealty.com.