My family and I spontaneously drove to Baguio for a quick weekend getaway before Holy week. As you know, Baguio is the country’s summer capital so we wanted to avoid the crowd flocking for the season. We went there without any itinerary as we already knew exactly where to go in Baguio (although I wish we explored other spots).
We traveled from the South around 2 AM and arrived in Baguio around 7 AM. We stayed in a transient house in Camp 8 to avoid the crowd along Session Road.
At first, I thought it would be hard to stay in Camp 8 because the road was REALLY steep as if you were hiking with your car. However, we were lucky to have a rooftop with an AMAZING overlooking city view.
Anyway! Here’s my list of where to go in Baguio, especially if it’s your first time:
Mines View Park
Mines View may be one of the most popular spots in Baguio. It offers an overlooking view of the city, plus the famed picture booth with horses, Igorots, and the huge St. Bernard dog.
You’ll also pass by side markets selling succulents and cacti, although prices are more expensive than buying from downtown.
Don’t forget to buy strawberry or ube taho, a Filipino dessert made with silken tofu and purple yam.
Camp John Hay
For adventure lovers, exploring Camp John Hay is one of the best things to do in Baguio. It’s home to hiking trails, picnic areas, and the famed Tree Top Adventure, slightly similar to Tree Tops Adventure in Vancouver, with zip-lines and cable car rides.
You can also visit the Bell House and the Cemetery of Negativism, a one-of-its-kind cemetery—not a human graveyard—but with tombstones inscribed with funny epitaphs.
Burnham Park
Burnham Park is likely my favorite because of how it remains unchanged over the years (at least for me). It’s one of the best places to watch the sunset in Baguio. While waiting to pass the time, you can rent a boat or a go-cart, or enjoy the street food lined up within the park.
Cafe by the Ruins
Located near Burnham Park, Cafe by the Ruins is one of Baguio’s historic landmarks. It first opened its doors in the 1980s, in a building that used to be the city’s first garden theater.
The smell of coffee and freshly-baked bread will greet you as you enter the gate, a perfect start before you decide where to go in Baguio or your morning stroll in the park.
Their Rizal Tsokolate in the morning paired with focaccia bread is a must. They also offer pasta and other Filipino dishes, but their bread selection and spreads are really something you’d come back for.
Botanical Garden
Baguio’s Botanical Garden is home to beautiful floral and fauna, divided into small gardens with sections dedicated to different Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
The lush garden also has picnic areas for families and small souvenir stalls selling local handicrafts. You can combine this to your visit to Wright Park as it’s just less than a kilometer away.
Night Market
I was looking forward to visiting the night market as I wasn’t able to go before. It’s a street full of ukay-ukay and tiangge (bazaar)—you’d enjoy shopping here if you’re a thrift store lover.
They even have sweaters as low as PHP 10. Sometimes the clothes still have the tags on, so better put your thrift store shopping goggles on.
The whole street is also surrounded by street food stalls with kwek-kwek (quail eggs), fishballs, barbecue, and more.
Just a note when visiting the night market: pickpocketing is sadly prominent in the area. Be extra careful with your belongings and leave your valuables in your accommodation.
Wright Park
Wright Park is the place to be active so make sure to wear comfortable clothes. You can rent a horse for an hour for PHP 400. They also allow riding outside of the premises for an additional fee.
Climb the stairs of over a hundred steps to reach a viewpoint overlooking the city. Wright Park is also across from the Mansion House, the official summer house of the Philippine President, and another tourist attraction with lush gardens.
BenCab Museum, Tuba
A quick 30-minute drive west of Baguio City lies BenCab Museum, home to the permanent art collection of Benedicto Cabrera, a Philippine National Artist. You’ll see paintings, drawings, and sculptures, among others.
The museum also has an in-house coffee shop, Café Sabel, offering fresh and organic food with ingredients sourced directly from BenCab’s farm. Make sure to try BenCab’s Brew, the cafe’s signature coffee blend.
For quick shopping, the museum has a small shop selling art books, wood carvings, postcards, and other souvenir items.
Lion’s Head
It’s hard not to spot the massive Lion’s Head when going to Baguio. The popular landmark is carved into a mountain by local sculptor Anselmo B. Day-ag, first unveiled in the 1970s. It has been painted numerous times over the years.
The sculpture is located in Camp 6, along Kennon Road, near the Baguio-Tuba boundary. Since it’s along the highway, you can easily tick this off your list of things to do in Baguio.
Strawberry Farm, La Trinidad
Located roughly 15 minutes north of Baguio City, Strawberry Farm is a haven for veggie lovers. The prices are cheap, and you get the chance to handpick your own produce.
Add the farm to your list if you want to try strawberry-picking and walking around in your cute summer outfit, breathing fresh farm air. Depending on the weather, you might have to leave your white sneakers at home since it can get muddy.
The farm is also home to lettuces, broccoli, and other green veggies that you can buy relatively cheaper than in Manila. My favorite might be the massive sunflowers.
For more strawberry delights, along with other local flavors, there’s an ice cream stall outside the farm.
The Colors of StoBoSa, La Trinidad
Also known as the Valley of Colors, the Colors of StoBoSa is a community artwork intricately designed by the Tam-Awan Village group. The name is a portmanteau of three villages it covered, namely Stone Hill, Botiwtiw, and Sadjap.
The area is bursting in colors, a popular pitstop when you explore strawberry farms in La Trinidad.
How many hours travel from Manila to Baguio?
Travel time from Manila to Baguio is typically 4 hours by car and 6 hours by bus.
I haven’t been to Baguio in years but I saw how much it has changed since, mostly because of the traffic. It was hard to find a good parking space! I would recommend that you go there by commute if you’re traveling with your friends or your loved ones.
What place would you recommend in my where to go in Baguio list? Share in the comments below!
For more travel posts:
Try to visit the Botanical Garden.
Hi Nilfa, thanks for the reminder! I just added it to the list.