Having never been to Mexico before, we decided to take a rather impromptu and incredibly undeveloped trip to the southernmost tip at Baja California Sur’s Cabo San Lucas. Impromptu because my friend stated we should go to Mexico and the rest of us nodded in unison and began packing (not exactly how it went, but pretty damn close). Undeveloped in comparison to every other trip our group has thought through, we ultimately booked a flight and a place to stay and decided to sort the rest out upon arrival. As different from an experience this trip was in the planning phases, it ended up ranking as one of my favorites and I believe it’s due to the sheer fact that for once we decided to let the destination determine the itinerary. So without further ado, I give you the Cabo experience from my point of view.
Set the Scene
Before diving into specifics, this city deserves a shoutout for natural beauty and geography. Be ready to pick your jaw up off the floor when you head downhill toward the beach and marina, because the closer you get to the water, the more unreal the view becomes. This city rests on the absolute most southern tip of the Baja California peninsula and by definition is not only surrounded by the deepest and richest blue water of the Pacific, but also a terrain of rock formations and the Sierra de la Laguna mountain range. Cabo is where the mountains meet the ocean and words cannot properly describe the spectacular scenery this city provides. So take a look for yourself; you’ll be booking a one way ticket in no time.
Location, Location, Location
After thorough research on where to stay, we decided upon residing in the neighborhood closest to El Medano Beach, as this is where all the action seemed to take place - and our assumptions rang true. We booked a beautiful condo through VRBO in Downtown Cabo which was a prime location. Being less than .5 miles from the marina, restaurants and nightlife and just under one mile from the beach full of water sports and day bars, we were able to walk everywhere with ease and didn’t have to worry about transportation from points A to B. Our condo was also located within a resort complex which provided us with assistance as needed as well as on site amenities if we chose to partake, but allowed us the space to explore and experience the city outside the grounds. Highly recommend staying at the Marina Sol Resort and looking online at Airbnb and VRBO for condos within because our stay was amazing.
Mojitos, Margs, and Hangovers
Ah yes, because what is a trip to the beautiful beaches of Mexico if not for the margaritas, mojitos, and pina coladas to be enjoyed under the sun? We all can attest that the bar scene is nothing shy of plentiful and diverse in Cabo San Lucas, ensuring there’s a spot for all kinds of travelers and party-goers. To start, there are the casual bars and eateries along El Medano beach overlooking the beautiful ocean which is where we spent most of our week. Not only is the location of this strip a day drinker’s paradise, but it’s also ideal for those who desire to take a dip in the water or hit the water sports after a quick bite. We often started our days off with a pina colada or spicy margarita on a daybed at Billygan’s, hopped over to Milky Beach for some mid-day ceviche and Pacificos, and cooled off in the ocean before the next spot. Name a more ideal situation, I beg you. Our favorites on this strip were those mentioned above along with Mango Deck and The Sand Bar, but there are so many more to check out that you’ll just have to see for yourself.
If day drinking is not for your group (props to you, vacation mode friends and I cannot relate), you may enjoy the club scene near the marina after the sun sinks over the mountains. And there are plenty to choose from, so you’re guaranteed to have an absolute night wherever you end up. To name a few that are all grouped together in location, there’s Cabo Wabo, La Vaquita, Mandala, and El Squid Roe. While our experience was not the clearest depiction of what nightlife in Cabo is like due to COVID-19 repercussions, we definitely made the most of our times at the bars. To celebrate my friend’s birthday, we had a girls night at the Mandala Los Cabos club where the music bumped, dancing never stopped, and rounds of shots were thrown back. We also had a night out at El Squid Roe, which is a three story bar with loud music, fun decor, and a team of outgoing servers who ensure your table is never without drinks or high energy. At full capacity, these bars would be absolutely insane, so definitely plan your trip wisely and wait until all restrictions are lifted before visiting if you’re seeking a wild experience.
Delectable Dishes
While we mainly ate in between bar hopping and often caught a meal at one of the beach bars, we found a few restaurant gems worth sharing. Our very favorite restaurant of the entire trip was Bajo la Luna. This restaurant is definitely one you’ll want to hit when in Cabo and when you do, make sure to dress up a bit for this slightly fancier establishment. We sat in the back courtyard of this restaurant which had several tables scattered throughout the patio separated by plants and trees and all under the beautiful and open starlit sky. Not only was the food truly delectable (no really, we scraped our plates clean), but the atmosphere was stunning. We hit the restaurant on the later side when the sky was dark and the string bulbs overhead were the main source of light, which meant we were one of few groups in the restaurant. And for this we were grateful, as we were accompanied by attentive staff and able to hear the beautiful acoustics from the guitarist that much better. Honestly one of the most beautiful dining experiences I’ve had to date, so big shout out to Baja la Luna. If you don’t dine here in Cabo, you did yourself a disservice.
For a hearty brunch with the best pina colada we tasted the entire trip, head to La Galeria at the marina. The service here was also impeccable, namely when the servers cheffed up a delicious array of sea bass, mahi, and ceviche with the fresh fish we caught the day of. They seasoned the fish we caught in three different coatings and truly dressed up the fish in a way we certainly would not have been able to on our own.
Adventures and Activities
Now for the fun part, we’re talking excursions baby! As mentioned earlier, we went with the flow for a majority of the trip and let the adventures come to us. Cabo is probably the best place to have this mentality, as there are so many different excursions offered to guests on site. For example, at El Medano Beach, there are tons of companies and reps offering boat tours, water sport activities, fishing trips, ATV deals, and more. While sometimes a little forward in their approach to have guests sign up for their activity, you know there is always a spot for you on their excursion if you wanted to partake. This helped us out as we planned a snorkeling experience and ATV tour through one of the representatives we met on the beach. So overall, you can get away with not planning much prior to arriving in this beachy city.
My favorite activity that we did was snorkeling around Lover’s Beach near The Arch just across the water from El Medano. We took a short water taxi ride over to Lover’s Beach where we swam around the crystal clear water and amidst hundreds of different fish. With the water as translucent as it could be, we were able to see so many kinds of fish and take videos and pictures swimming side by side with them. To break up the snorkeling a bit, we were guided out to a large rock in the ocean where the tradition is to climb on top and jump straight into the clear water below. Afraid of heights but inspired by fearless friends, I took the plunge and am happy to have conquered that fear even for a short while as I now have the memories to look back upon. View the video below and see my Instagram Reel on @isthataworldtor to see all the fish we swam with and the diving rock!
Another interesting excursion we took part in, and was the only one we had planned, was our deep sea fishing tour in the Pacific Ocean. Having never been fishing before, it’s kind of surreal to state that my first time was spent in the deep blue waters of the Pacific off the coast of Mexico. What made this experience even more unreal is that we woke up with sun for an early morning trip out to sea, watching the sunrise through the natural cutouts of the rock formations and over the open landscape. Furthermore, the views we passed throughout the day were just as beautiful without an ombre sky, notably the endless line of mountainous terrain transcending into a sandy beach with white foam waves crashing upon reaching shore. This day we spent about 5 hours on the open sea with Land’s End Charters seeking out mahi mahi and sea bass, and boy did we catch some good ones. With Land’s End, the team on board set all the lines and rods up perfectly so that when it was time to reel in the fish, even the most novice fisherman (me) would have zero problems. Collectively, the five of us each ended up reeling in a mahi and we also caught a couple of sea bass, so I’d consider it a success!
Our last main adventure unfortunately ended before it started as an unpredictable and very strong storm rolled through on our last full day in Cabo. We had planned to ride ATVs inland and get down and dirty in the mud, however the storm had another idea in mind. Highly recommend looking into activities that are away from the beach because there is still much to see and do in Cabo that is not by the ocean. And of course, make sure to have a back up plan in the off chance that the one day a year it storms in this city occurs during your vacation (classic).
Ultimately, this trip was so much fun as it was in celebration of a birthday and being surrounded by unmatched company. Not even the unexpected storms put a damper on our vacation because we made the most of it and in each other's presence, anything (even a day long power outage) is fun. Aaaaand that's a wrap on Mexico for now! Will likely be back one day, but until then I'll be reminiscing on this week long trip.