Hey World! We’re nearing the end of 2020 and Covid is FAR from behind us! How crazy?!? If you asked me back in March what life in October would be like I definitely could not have imagined THIS! But here we are and I hope everyone is staying safe and sane!
For all my travel bugs out there, how have you been maintaining your sanity? We’ve been trying to take little day trips and weekend trips here and there and fortunately live in California where there is A LOT to see discover and much of the activities are outdoors. Unfortunately we’ve been hit hard by the wildfires all along the west coast so its limited a lot of the time we are able to spend outdoors and at national parks and forests.
Sooooooooooooo, somewhere in all of that we decided to book a last minute trip to Mexico, specifically Los Cabos. We’ve been to a few different regions in Mexico, check out Getaway Guide: Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, and More, Exploring Mexico, Puerto Vallarta!, and Exploring Mexico, Sayulita! for some Mexico travel! Cabo is about a 3 hour flight from the Bay Area and only an hour ahead in terms of time difference so it was easy to work remotely as well!
First Things First, Let’s Talk COVID!
I know that is a MAJOR concern for many people who are on the fence about flying so here is (MY) experience, thoughts, and top 5 recommendations;
- Don’t fly United! Almost every airline is giving up the middle seat but not United. Matter of fact they are packing their flights to the max and something doesn’t sit right with me about it especially right now! We flew with Alaska Airlines and Southwest so far in Covid and neither of them allowed for passengers to sit in the middle seat (unless its one family).
- Bring your own sanitizing products to wipe down seats and common areas like the bathroom. Of course do not forget to bring your masks! I say it plural because it is good practice and hygiene to keep a few in rotation.
- Research the hotel/resort you are staying at ahead of time to see what Covid protocols they are taking. We stayed at Pueblo Bonita – Blanco (next to Rose) which is located about 5 steps to the beach with the perfect view of Land’s End! They were very well equipped and prepared! When you first arrive at the entrance you have to go through a sanitization box where they first take your temperature and you walk into a glass box that sprays you and your belongings down with sanitzer. The staff onsite take your bigger bags and sanitize them before you are able to enter the hotel lobby. Matter of fact, you have to go through this box every time you enter the hotel. Not every hotel in Los Cabos is practicing this so I would check ahead of time.
- Resorts all over Mexico are operating at 25%-30% capacity due to current regulations passed by the Government of Mexico. However if you are able to start your vacation during the week, you’ll reduce the crowd factor significantly.
- Take a Covid test before and after your trip! No matter how safe or cautious you are being during travel you should take a covid test before and after to minimize the spread. There are so many free tests out there and you can get your results back in about 48 hours now!
Now to Los Cabos…
We picked Los Cabos for two reasons; there aren’t many things to do there except hang out at the pool/beach to drink and we’ve never been there. If you follow my travels then you know that I’m big on the exploration part of traveling and can be found perusing through museums and landmarks instead of bars and lounges. Buuuuut since everything of that nature is closed at the moment we wanted to go somewhere that wasn’t big on tours, museums, etc. Cabo was perfect! Their biggest tourist attraction is taking a boat ride to view the arch at sunset…talk about Covid friendly!
Where to Stay…
Old town, Medano Beach, or Sunset Beach…now that is the million peso question! We stayed on Medano Beach which is where you’ll find bars, restaurants, shopping, and resorts all in one place. If you’re looking to do tours then I would recommend this area as it will have the most options and availability.
We did go and explore Cabo de San Jose which they referred to as ‘old town’ and also has all the perks of Medano Beach area but you’ll get more of the ‘local’ vibe if you’re looking for more culture and authenticity. There are a few large resorts in the area with boutique and brand name shops as you drive in where the resorts start. I noticed that the resorts are much larger and spread apart so there isn’t much of a central area which may be good for those looking to have even more distance from others.
If you’re looking to be completely secluded with no access to authentic tacos but close to American steakhouses then I would recommend staying Paraiso Escondido area or near Playa El Suspiro. Also if you like golfing or someone in your party appreciates golfing then this may be the area for you.
Pool, Beach, Eat, Repeat…
That’s all we really did for 5 days. It was weirdly relaxing and very underwhelming. It was so nice to get out and travel especially because as Californians we were stuck inside due to the poor air quality and fires but compared to my typical trips it was not an adventure and more of an unwind. For those of you that love all-inclusive resorts and lounging by the pool then this is perfect getaway! For my digital nomads and remote workers, this was a great way to get out while still being able to maintain my roles and responsibilities at work. As I mentioned earlier there’s only an hour difference from the Bay Area which made it easy to go to my hotel room for meetings and head back down to the pool area for lunch and mid-afternoon breaks.
Sunset Cruise and Visiting The Arch
Like I mentioned earlier, this is the main attraction. Yes, you should do it at least once in your lifetime because the views and sunset are gorgeous. Other activities that they had included an array of water activities such as jet skiing, boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc. They also have other excursions like the glass bottom boat and boat cruise to Lover’s Beach and other nearby beaches. We didn’t partake in any of these activities as we do a lot of these water sports at home but definitely a great way to mix up the day activities.
Nightlife or No Life…
Cabo is definitely known for their nightlife (from what I heard) but most of the actual clubs are currently closed. However that didn’t stop many of the bars from having whip cream/oil/body contests during the day to live karaoke at night. Take a walk down Medano Beach which is where the main attractions are and you’ll find a handful of events happening day and night. If you’re looking for something a little more low key then head to the Marina/Downtown area where you’ll find a ton of outdoor bars with music and drinks that don’t stop flowing!We opted for a way more low key time while there and indulged in having a sunset dinner on the beach for one of our evenings. We happened to be there during Mexican Independence Day and were treated to have a fabulous dinner right on the beach! It was actually both of our first times and recommend it for a romantic evening out!
Be Safe and Stay Sane!
<3 Happy Travels
