Sun, Sand, & Tequila Sunrises in Cabo
Anyone else currently freezing their booties off while reading this post? Ok, so I know its still February… BUT its been cold and rainy here in South Louisiana (and apparently everywhere). So, I’m daydreaming about a little summer sun! AND I’m tired of having no tan line WHATSOEVER, so maybe a need a LOT of summer sun. So, I’m reminiscing on some memorable times at the beach. One of the best summer destinations I’ve experienced was when I visited Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Cabo San Lucas is located right on the southern tip of Baja California in Mexico. It offers amazing beaches, charming shops (although still plagued with tons of tourist chains), and a reputation of of having crazy nightlife. Plus it hardly ever rains there and has so many great and affordable activities. Basically, it’s a great spot for a summer getaway!
Upon arrival we waited in the customs line for over an hour, so I wasn’t in the best of moods. But then the 30-minute car ride from the airport to our resort through a gorgeous desert landscape INSTANTLY put me in a better mood. The drive was absolutely stunning. There were so many shades of brown and many different varieties of cacti, with tons of beautiful houses scattered high and low throughout the mountains. You could also see the beautiful beach stretching into the distance, calling your name! Just with the car ride, Cabo was already showing off, and I couldn’t want to see what else it had to offer.
All About Our All-Inclusive
We stayed at the Riu Santa Fe, an all inclusive resort. This was my first time staying at an all-inclusive, and I am definitely a fan of not having to spend any money besides on tips and taxis. The resort was massive and complete with like 5 pools. Some had swim up bars, some had in-pool lounge chairs, and some had infinity pools.
And when it comes to food, all-inclusive really does mean alllllll-inclusive. Not only was there several buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner located around the resort, but they also had a la carte restaurants for dinner including Italian, Chinese, and (of course) Mexican. One night we tried the Mexican restaurant, but every other meal we ate the buffet and honestly, I preferred it. They had everything from pizza and hamburgers to fresh guacamole and beef carpacchio. And I had enough fresh guacamole to last me a lifetime. The resort also had a sports bar, a night club, shows every night on an outdoor stage, and several other bars that made for a pretty good nighttime scene.
Outside of the Resort
While the resort had tons to offer, one of my favorite things to do was take a 5-10 minute cab ride outside of the resort to the Cabo San Lucas Marina. This marina was a tourist trap, but also had a few hidden gems. Impressive yachts were docked along the marina, and seals were swimming in the water right there in between them.
My personal favorite part (since I’m a sucker for street markets) was the straw market. It was in a shadowy corner down a winding dirt path covered with tents. What I loved about it was that it wasn’t one of those markets where every booth sold the same thing. It also wasn’t just all cheap souvenir crap. I walked away with a beautiful hand-painted cross, velvet woven purse, painted sugar skull, and a large silver ring. And if you plan on visiting the market, make sure to haggle for a better price. Vendors always offer ridiculously high prices first, so beware.
Things to do
Open Bar Snorkel Cruise
After wandering around the Marina’s shops, restaurants, and markets, we headed to catch our Snorkel Cruise we had booked through Cabo Escapes. The 3+ hour cruise included a fajitas onboard and took us on a scenic journey to Chileno Bay, passing right past Cabo’s famous arch (Arco de los Cabos) on the way. Once we arrived to Chileno Bay, we were able to jump right in and snorkel! They even had a guide who helped us locate the best spots in the water to see the best marine life in Baja.
And of course, in true Cabo fashion, there was an open bar on-board! There was food (more fresh guac, YES), drinks, and great music playing the whole trip. It was definitely a highlight of my trip! I definitely recommend Cabo Escapes. But if the open bar and snorkeling is not your vibe, they also offer sunset and dinner cruises! I think seeing the beautiful water of Cabo San Lucas by boat is a definite must, no matter what type of boat cruise you do!
The Mango Deck
Another notable place we visited was Mango Deck: this beachside bar/restaurant was like a Señor Frogs. While we were there they had everything from a lap-dancing competition to a wet t-shirt contest that patrons could watch on a stage facing the beach. We didn’t get food there, but we got drinks and watch the craziness. My favorite part about Mango Deck was the incredible view of Arco de Los Cabos, where the Sea of Cortes meets the Pacific Ocean. We were also able to rent a banana boat on the beach right in front of the restaurant for a good price. It took us right in front of the Arch where we saw a family of seals perched on the rocks. Check out the Mango Deck here.
Overall, it was an amazing trip. Cabo was absolutely gorgeous. The water and sand were both really different from the Florida beaches I’m used to. The sand was darker and the water was rougher, but beautiful in its own way. I liked my first all-inclusive experience, although I would definitely still recommend leaving the resort and exploring the town. I would love to return and maybe stay at a quaint B&B instead of a huge all-inclusive resort, and would love to walk down more winding streets and visit local shops. At least I have an excuse to return in the near future!
