I agree with you about cruises. I have never taken one and I have very little desire to do so.
I've been through Ensenada a couple of times. I don't know if it is still safe to do so because of the narco-violence along the border but the way to see this town is to drive south on the toll road from Tijuana. This is a bit like Highway 1 through Big Sur, as you have the road right along the cliffs and some pretty dramatic views.
A must-see attraction in Ensenada is la Bufadora (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Bufadora ), toward the southern end of the region. This is a pretty spectacular natural attraction. Afterwards, get some shrimp tacos from one of the local taco stands and you have yourself a pretty decent day trip.
There is also some great fishing, surfing, and diving off the coast there at Islas Todos Santos.