Exploring Baguio in Just One Day
Let us say you have only 24 hours or less to spend in Baguio City -- how would you make the most out of your trip?
Folks visit the City of Pines for many reasons and do not always come up on vacation. The reasons coming up on a short trip would be business, or maybe to attend a friend or relative's wedding, or maybe to use the city as a jump-off point to places like Sagada and other
places in the Cordillera Region of the Philippines. So if you want to take in a bit of sightseeing or shopping, here are some suggestions for you.
For purposes of this article, we will assume that you will be here during daylight hours and that you will be going around in your own vehicle, okay? Of course we will leave it up to you to "insert" your appontment wherever you should.
07:00 am:
Breakfast at Cafe by the Ruins
Cafe by the Ruins is right across Baguio City Hall and both places are great for photos. The Cafe serves native ethnic cuisine fused with Western influences and is a good place for breakfast, lunch or snacks.
08:30 am:
Burnham Park
Burnham Park is at the heart of the city and is the heart of the city. It is a wide expanse of green in what is a rapidly urbanizing city center. You may want to take in a boat ride or maybe check out the Orchidarium while there.
10:00 am:
Leonard Wood Area | Teachers Camp | Botanical Garden | Wright Park Riding Circle | The Mansion | Mines View Park | Good Shepherd Convent
Now on to the pretty part of the city -- a drive through Leonard Wood Road on the east side of the city gives you a glimpse of the American colonial hill station that Baguio was. Enter Teachers Camp, stop by the Botanical Garden entrance to have your photo taken with the natives. On to Wright Park Riding Circle for 30 minutes to 1 hour on horseback, especially if the kids are with you, after which you can drive up to The Mansion for photos there and at the Pool of the Pines en route to Mines View Park. At Mines View, do a bit of shopping, get dressed in a bahag, and stop by Good Shepherd Convent to buy up some baked goodies, ube (purple yam) jam, or cashew brittle.
12:00 am:
Lunch at Camp John Hay Mile-Hi Center (we suggest Little John's)
Mile-Hi Center has a good selection of restaurants and is a good starting point for our tour of Camp John Hay. There are also some souvenir shops located there that are pretty good.
01:00 pm:
Explore Camp John Hay | The Manor | Historical Core
Another place that is a must visit is Camp John Hay, that former US Armed Forces rest and recreation facility. It gives visitors a glimpse of beautiful old Baguio with wide avenues, and a competition golf course redesigned by Jack Nicklaus. The condotel named The Manor is located in the area of the former Main Club and has a garden with a spectacular view of the Cordillera Mountain Range. The Historical Core area has the Bell Ampitheater and the Commander's Cottage and a nice trail. Camp John Hay has many other attractions and one would normally spend a whole day there, but three hours' total for dining, touring and shopping will have to do if you have only a day to spend in Baguio City.
03:00 pm:
Baguio City Market for Souvenirs
05:00 pm:
Session Road | Baguio Cathedral
06:30 pm:
Optional: Dinner somewhere in the Central Business District (Palizzata, Don Henrico's, O'Mai Khan, or at Upper Session Road toward Loakan (Ebai's @ Narda's, Mario's, Forest House)
Please note: Getting from place to place depends on the traffic conditions existing during your visit, so that it may not be possible to hit all the spots at the times indicated above. For example, this itinerary is so not possible during Panagbenga weekends, during Holy Week or during the Christmas break, when the city is packed with visitors.
"Speed Baguio"
Taking in A Little Bit of Everything Baguio City in Just One Day
Stay an Extra Day!
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Baguio City has so many more attractions and recreational activities for you and your family to explore and enjoy. It would really be a pity to limit your visit to just one day or less, so of course we would suggest you stay and extra day or two to maximize your visit.
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