Ever have the joy of going on an adventure that beats all of your expectations? That’s exactly what Centro de Trenes did for us.
I’m a big fan of going someplace from a vague recommendation that sounds like a fun adventure. There’s a restaurant at the end of a dirt road which itself is at the end of a long road that goes nowhere? Count me in!
Centro de Trenes is a 2-story building with about 10 tables, a couch, a bar, and a pool table inside. This opens to a patio with maybe 10 more tables, a pool and small water slide. There are also tables on the sand, an outdoor couch and a section of the pool which has bar stools that face the ocean and some hammocks. In addition to all of this, it has beach access to Bahia de Los Sueños, a gorgeous, tranquil bay. Mr Snacks took our SUP for a great paddle, jumped in and snorkeled right off the board in coral and crystal-clear water. Don’t have your own? They had 2 kayaks there you could use.
They are open from 10-6 and you can just set up camp and hang out all day. This is what most people do. They have WiFi and one couple seemed to be using it as their “work remote” location for the day. It seems to be a popular place to visit from the water—we chatted with a sailboat captain who was anchored offshore, and saw a boat come in with a small (3 person) tour group.
The cost to use all of this? Order something from the restaurant. We had a burger (good but overcooked) and sea bass (amazing). Entrees cost $12 or $15 a piece.
By now you are probably wondering why this place is called “train center”(I was). On the upper floor of the restaurant, is an enormous model train set. In fairness, it seems kind of out of place. The story I was told is that as a child, the owner asked Santa every year for a train set. His family was poor, and could not afford to get him one so he was disappointed each year. However, as an adult he had some very successful years and was finally able to buy his own enormous train set. And if “successful” counts as getting both a train set, and constructing a building on a stunning Baja beachfront location? Then, I hope I’m successful enough to get a train set soon!
So, now you want to go. What should you do? DON’T follow the Google Maps directions. As of March 2021, I have no idea where they’ll take you…but they’ll make your life a lot harder. Fortunately, they seemed SO wrong that we couldn’t follow them. The goat path they try to send you on seemed so suspicious we kept driving, until we found something better (and more obvious once you know what you are looking for). Take Hwy 286 like you are going to Enseñada de Muertos, just before you get there the pavement will end. Immediately after the pavement ends on your right, you will see a guard shack and a huge sign for Gran Sueño Resort with smaller writing for Centro de Trenes underneath. Check in with the security and he’ll lift the gate for you. Then its 2 miles of well-marked, amazingly maintained dirt road to the restaurant.
It’s a great day trip to a different area of the coast.
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