I think if you know me even a little you know that Cabo San Lucas is not really my kind of place. Señor Frog’s and Cabo Wabo and yards of liquor… Hell No! The only spring break that I traveled away from college, I drove from Winston-Salem, North Carolina to New York City to watch Jelly’s Last Jam and Crazy For You.j
But a few months ago some COVID-influenced travel deals popped up in my email and one of them was for a 3-night stay in Los Cabos (as the two cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are jointly called… I guess this is the summer of Chris going to twin-city type situations). It was a deal for an all-inclusive resort with airfare from LAX.
We went, and it was lovely. We flew on Spirit and it was FINE. Eric and I felt like we were gone for two months. I got some sun.
(We actually did try to go into Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina but…. you can’t just get a drink there! You have to get a meal. What is this world coming to? I don’t want his “I Can’t Drive 55 Popcorn Shrimp Nuggets” or whatever.
A few more thoughts about the trip, and Cabo San Lucas in general:
The touristy area is very alcohol-focused and people-trying-really-hard-to-sell-you-things-on-the-street focused. Every store is trying to beckon you in for their trinkets, or tattoos, or pharmaceuticals. On a bright note, everyone is friendly.
Some of the nicer trinkets are more expensive than you think they are going to be. I saw a nice ceramic incense burner that I was all prepared to purchase, except it was $300 US. Even with haggling that’s too much.
We took a local food tour from AvoCabo that was delightful. I had maybe the best pastor taco I’ve ever had. And Eric and I discovered that we don’t like mezcal in the least.
They saw the sun is extremely strong here. They are right. Witheringly so.
We stayed at the Riu Palace Baja California. In many ways it is a cruise ship experience but on land. However, it might be the most diverse group of travelers I’ve ever been around… I don’t just mean racially (which it was). I mean at one table was four corporate guys in polos looking for a golf course, next to energetic girls celebrating their 21st birthdays, next to a sedate family of four, next to Eric and me, next to five Chinese guys in NBA jerseys, next to a group of ten at a family reunion, next to a private party of 18 visiting Mexico for a renewal of vows. It would be impossible to say “this type of person visits this resort” and I thought that was refreshing.
As mentioned, I was surprised by how pleasant the Spirit flight was… probably helped that there were only 25 people on the trip there and only about 60 on the way back.
You could probably put together a cheaper trip that isn’t all-inclusive; however, one nice thing about a resort is that it takes the pressure at making the “right” decisions at things like sit-down dinner: if you don’t like the entree you ordered, you just get another one. It makes the whole experience feel easier. And you don’t worry at all about theft… no one has cash on hand.
We spent about $100 cash total for cabs, tips, and a straw hat that I purchased from a beach vendor. (And some for a wooden palm tree that customs seized. Godspeed to whatever Mexican-equivalent-of-TSA worker now has it on their mantle at home.)
Mexico is lovely and I will definitely go back.
Have a great weekend!