By now, we’re all familiar with Hawaii’s strict regulations of having a negative Covid test within 72 hrs. of arrival, but you may not yet realize they just made the regulation a bit tighter and are no longer allowing passengers to board the planes without the negative test in hand. With new restrictions & curfews in place in my hometown, I began to search for a more local adventure to a place I have yet to see. I was surprised to find several other states wanting negative tests prior to arrival and/or mandatory 10 day quarantines in effect. NY is even requesting a second test five days later. I don’t know about you, but if I have a week, the last thing I want to do is stress about going to take a Covid19 test a couple of days before leaving with the hopes of getting my negative results before my flight’s departure. A friend of mine lost a day in Hawaii while waiting for her results to come in. Apparently, she lost a day because the lab was closed over the weekend. All I can say is: thank goodness for Mexico. They still want us and I want them. The land borders may still be closed, but the air borders have continued to stay open. We already checked out Puerto Vallarta. Next in line: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

ARRIVING IN CABO

Prior to leaving the U.S., Mexico wants us to fill out a Traveler Risk Factors Questionnaire. Basically, they want to know where you’ve been in the last 14 days, if you have any symptoms and/or known exposure. Upon arrival, you go through an infrared detector & are observed for signs of sweating, coughing, sneezing & other possible symptoms. Everyone must have both their noses & mouths covered at all times. Once you clear customs, you’re on your way. First stop, the margarita shack before catching your ride to the hotel. As soon as you exit customs & pass the crowd of guys trying to reserve you for their timeshare promos, you’ll see the Margarita Shack on the right. All you need is one!

SNORKELING IS MY FRIEND

About five years ago, I went to Cabo a couple of times. I had a good time, but always preferred Puerto Vallarta or Cancun. With the Corona virus blazing throughout the globe, I’ve become more open to going anywhere outside my own four walls. Literally, anywhere. Known for it’s waters to fishermen all over, Cabo came up as a last minute option & I was in. I have to say, Cabo won me over this time.

I’ve been all over the world & the snorkeling excursion was right up there with Belize. Prior to boarding, the crew went over the mask rules with us, checked our temperatures, gave us a squirt of hand sanitizer & had us step on the disinfectant mat. Once we were properly disinfected, we were allowed to board with about ten others. We made a quick stop at El Arco for a picture perfect moment, then off we sailed toward Santa Maria beach to snorkel. About 30 mins. later, we found ourselves in the warm waters of Mexico in search of fish. I soon realized the guide was feeding the fish causing them to swarm around us. I was thankful I had my new GoPro in tow allowing me to video the yellow fish as they surrounded me, hitting my hands & arms while I tried hard not to flinch & close my eyes. I was like a little kid yelling: “Again. Again.” It was one of the best experiences ever! The snorkeling was so good, we almost booked ourselves a spot on the boat a couple days later. We snorkeled with PezGato - Amazing Adventures. Everything about the excursion was first rate! You can check out their website here: https://pezgato.com

Recommended Items:

·      Water shoes or flip flops

·      Bathing Suit

·      Towel

·      Sun Block

·      Hat

·      Camera/GoPro

·      Tip Money

LOCAL EATERIES

The Office at the Beach on Médano Beach is a very popular spot for any meal. Personally, I’m a huge fan of their brunch. The location is fantastic. They have great food & drinks, too. It sits right on the beach & looks at the famous El Arco. You can rent jet skis, but beware the choppy waters. They only rent the jet skis for short periods of time. We chose 30 mins. thinking it wouldn’t be enough, but it was 25 mins. too long as the water was so choppy. We didn’t find navigating the waves fun at all. For reservations to eat at The Office at the Beach, you can visit their website at: www.theofficeonthebeach.com.

If you’re looking for a delicious seafood dinner, one of the best places we’ve found is located downtown near the Marina, Tres Sirenas. We’ve been there a couple of times over the years & will go every time we’re in Cabo from now on. The service is impeccable, the ambience is superb & the food is cooked to perfection. When you arrive, the chef brings you a display of the fish & meat cuts being offered that evening. You pick the one you want. They’re outstanding all around. For dessert, you have to get their Tres Leches Cake. It is literally the best I’ve ever had. Tres Sirenas is one of the more expensive restaurants in town & they’re worth the money. The hotel made reservations for us. 

HOTELS

There are a lot of hotels that sit on the beach, but many of them don’t allow swimming as the waters are rough & dangerous. If you’re a lover of swimming in the ocean, be sure to do your research first or you may find yourself disappointed. 

If you’re a fan of the all-inclusive resort, Americana Fiesta & the Grand Fiesta sit on the same piece of property. Sitting about 40 mins. from the airport, the Grand Fiesta rooms sit further away from the main pool & are built on the side of the cliffs. The rooms & property are beautiful. The views are spectacular, but you’ll do lots of walking. Everywhere you go seems like a chore. Golf carts are provided to help you get around, but if it’s a super hot & humid time of the year like it was when we visited, you’ll find yourself waiting in the heat or choosing to walk just to get moving. I found the food above average compared to other all-inclusive resorts I’ve stayed, although there weren’t many food options on the pool menu. Two of the five choices were hamburger beef & cheese burrito (this ended up being my go-to every day) or nachos (hamburger meat & cheese). The drinks were decent, but similar to other all-inclusive resorts. As a lightweight, I found them easy to drink without any of the repercussions. I found they made a great Jamaican Pain Killer. Personally, I didn’t taste much liquor, but I can do without it. It tasted more like a really good smoothie. The morning breakfast buffet was great. The property has several dinner options. We found the Japanese restaurant, Sushi Sky Bar, to be fairly good. The pasta I had at the Italian restaurant, Rosato, was average, but if you’re willing to pay an extra surcharge, the food at the Steakhouse was delicious.  If I ever return, I can see myself eating at the steakhouse, La Bodega, more than once during my visit as the extra surcharge is worth it.

The Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort is incredibly beautiful. Newly renovated, Hilton recently put over 50 million dollars into the resort & it shows in the rooms, the grounds & the pool. There are several restaurants on property, a few pools along with some neat side pools with great beach views for relaxing. There’s also a small stretch of beach for wading in the waves along with horses to ride along the beach. I’m a huge fan of Hilton & was pleasantly surprised by the renovations & upgrades at the hotel. In the past, I liked it, but now, I’d go back in a heartbeat. It definitely has resort vibes & I heard rumors of it being rebranded into a Conrad. I’m not sure if that’s fact-based, but I can see it. 

Finally, hiding behind a cliff, just on the other side of a private man-made tunnel, is a small resort that has quickly moved to the top of my list of favorite hotels ever. If you’re looking to stay somewhere extra special, maybe a honeymoon or anniversary, have a bunch of Hilton points to use or simply enjoy luxury travel, The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is the resort for you. Ultra private & luxurious, you’re welcomed with a margarita & have a bottle of tequila waiting for you in your room. Private plunge pools hang off almost every balcony & they’re awesome! The rooms are so beautiful, you don’t want to leave. Everything about the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal is five-star. If you can only do a couple of days at the Waldorf, I recommend transferring to the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort for the remainder of your trip. You’ll find you see several familiar faces doing the same.

No matter your preference, Los Cabos has a ton of options available. Just like at home, we continue to find everyone taking all the necessary precautions to prevent the continued spread of Covid while trying to live life as normal as humanly possible. 

Life is a journey & it throws us curveballs. Covid-19 is a curveball. We can’t control Covid, but we can control our reaction to it. We can adapt. We can be safe. We can make good choices for ourselves & our families. We can continue to live life. Keep masking up. Wash your hands often. Don’t touch your face. Keep a safe distance from others. Whether they be strangers, friends, or family, if you’re close enough to take in their mucus, you are just way too close.  

As always, If you’re feeling overwhelmed, would like a sounding board or would like feedback on your blueprint, or have more suggestions, drop us a line or leave a comment. You are not alone. Together, we can get through these unprecedented times. We are stronger, together.