Hola! Welcome to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

The beach. The sun. The free spirit. The tequila! Mexico is so much fun! There is something for everyone, especially in Cabo San Lucas. Located at the tip of Baja, Cabo is a quick plane ride from Southern California and a great long weekend getaway.

My recent stay was with some great friends at Santos Finisterra Resort in downtown Cabo. We were only there for 2 full days and 2 half days, but we made the most of our visit.

Santos is a beautiful resort with plenty to do without even leaving the property. They have a few pools, a gym, a spa, and several restaurants. I loved the food here. I was impressed with how well they handled all allergies. At most of the restaurants, there was a sign asking for you to identify any allergies or eating preferences. Vegan was listed, so I felt confident about the food. Right off the bat, I knew that ordering would be easy and the staff was trained for all those who choose/require different ways of eating.

Yes! Thank you, Santos! Every meal was delicious and many choices I had were off the menu. They have a breakfast buffet with some choices and another restaurant that made me avocado toast – enough for two! By the pool, they offer sushi and pizza with vegan options. Their ‘exclusive’ dining at La Tortuga (for timeshare members) is where I had the most amazing meal. From appetizer to dessert the chef made me special dishes that were beautifully presented and delicious. The main course portobello tacos – get this though, the part of the taco that is usually tortilla was the portobello mushroom. It was stuffed with sauteed vegetables and served with delicious red salsa. I have never had tacos prepared this way and I can’t wait to try and replicate them.

Should you visit, be aware that this is a timeshare property too; know they do try to upsell. Our friends have a timeshare here and so we were mostly spared the high sale tactics.

Not all places are this well equipped to handle requests. If you are traveling to any country, make sure you learn how to say you are vegan in other languages. And, just in case your accent is not understandable, have it written down or easily accessible by phone.

In Spanish, you should know how to say:

 Yo soy vegana (if you are female)

Yo soy vegano (if you are male)

Throw in por favor (please) and gracias (thank you) for good measure. 

I always recommend learning 20-25 words of any language when you are visiting another country. And, PLEASE remember, if someone doesn’t understand you, it does not mean you should talk louder! They are not deaf! You are just not saying things properly!

Ah, I digress…

This sign cracked me up because the Viagra and pregnancy tests are on the same part. Um, I think one causes the other! I always love looking at signs. Am I the only one? 

A fun day trip from Cabo in Todos Santos. It is about an hour north of Cabo by car. The road is pretty desolate, so make sure you have plenty of gas. Todos Santos is a little beach town popular with surfers. The downtown area has plenty of shops and restaurants. We stopped at Santos Pecados for refueling, well just margaritas (doesn't that count as refueling?!). I loved the fact that it was about 20/36 (F/C) degrees cooler than Cabo the day we visited.

We stopped at Hierbabuena in Pescadero on our way back, about 5-6 miles south of Todas Santos on the ocean side. There is a dirt road next to the Permex gas station, look for the sign and follow the road for about 2 kilometers. What a treat in the absolute middle of nowhere! That is probably not true, it is somewhere; down a dirt road nestled in farmland, but it seemed like nowhere for this city girl. Hierbabuena is a beautiful restaurant setting. You can dine amongst the vegetables you eat and lovely flora and fauna. There is a separate bar and plenty of delicious food choices. The French press coffee is divine. There are walking paths around the property and even a fire pit for chilly days. There was a steady breeze and it was so peaceful just enjoying the beauty. We stopped for a late afternoon snack. They have a daily seasonal menu in addition to their regular menu. The mango chia seed pudding hit the spot!

One morning we visited The Glass Factory and I got to make my own glass! What a fun experience. Check out the video to see how it is done. We watched the glassblowers make a variety of objects, from glass mugs to a butterfly. They are so talented. I was talking to one of the glassblowers and he said he can make up to 150 pieces per day. They make the job look easy, but it is really tricky to work with the glass. They are fast and precise and within seconds take a blob of glass and create something beautiful.

The resort was pretty quiet during our visit. We were able to score a private cabana bed and had plenty of room to spread out. Unfortunately, the beach right at the resort is pretty dangerous to swim at due to constant undercurrents. But you can walk on the sand and of course, the pools at Santos are refreshing from the hot sun.

All in all, Cabo San Lucas is a little slice of heaven! Bring your sunscreen, your smile, and your party attitude.

Note, this is my personal review of my trip to Cabo and I was not compensated in any way for my opinions.