As a way to celebrate some big personal milestones and to get away from the PNW cold/rain for a spell, we went to Cabo for a week and had so much fun exploring a part of Mexico that neither of us had ever been to.

I would give you the entire play-by-play, but let’s face it, you’re here for the recommendations and the pictures. It’s okay, I get it. But first, just a couple of hiking-related bits and bobs.

One of my favorite hikes was up Cerro de la Zeta, even though we didn’t stay at the top of the hill long, we found ourselves in a part of town that some tourists never see, climbing up a cardio-inducing paved trail to a peak that is worth every single step.

We also walked the length of the beach heading northeast from the marina. You think the outcropping of rocks isn’t THAT far away, and then you begin to feel like the Energizer bunny. Also, the sand is not forgiving and our feet were wrecked for a couple of days afterward from walking barefoot. Having the beach all to ourselves and sitting on the rocks enjoying some snacks was perfection!

Okay, okay, okay, now to the food recommendations. Please keep in mind that we were there for a week, had breakfast in our condo each day, and didn’t try EVERY single restaurant because that would take months. But. Here are the places we did try and really liked:

1. La Lupita Tacos y Mezcal – we ate here for dinner twice. If you like tacos, you will be blown away by their creativity. There’s also a location in San Jose del Cabo.
2. Tacos Guss – simple, yet satisfying. Get the pastor tacos and at least two Pacifico beers per person. You will not be disappointed.
3. Roasted – holy smokes. If you are looking for a fancier night out and have the space in your stomach, chow down with a friend or two on one of their shared plates. You’ll smell like your food by the end and you won’t care.
4. Hacienda Cocina y Cantina – resort-y but delicious. The restaurant is part of a hotel on the beach, but the food and drinks did NOT disappoint. We arrived around 5:30pm and were the only ones there for almost 45 minutes, which was kind of magical. If you mention that you like spicy food, they’ll bring out one of their “spicy” salsas to go with your chips. It was the spiciest thing I ate in Mexico and ridiculously tasty.
5. Teo Restaurant Bar and Grill – this place is up in San Jose del Cabo (which you MUST day-trip to if you’re staying in Cabo San Lucas). The food was magnificent, the drinks were cheap, and the staff were friendly!

For activities, we had a healthy mix of relaxing and active. Outside of the couple hikes/walks mentioned above, the other notables you should check out in Cabo San Lucas are:

• Mt. Solmar/Grand Solmar Resort Beach – we walked around the mountain and loved the resort beach, where we saw a whale breach the surface of the water!!
• Massages upstairs at The Sand Bar – you can get a 60-minute massage for $33.00 and a 90-minute massage for $45.00. Do it. Don’t look back, just do it.
• Sunset Cruise – most of them will take you out to the arch and also wine and dine you. It was a great way to spend an evening, sailing around the bay. We went through Cabo Adventures and highly recommend it!
• Beach Day – be prepared to say “No, thank you” about 5 million times if you’re at the main beach. But also be prepared to just sit and listen to the waves. If you’re looking for something a little quieter, head to Playa Coral Negro (part of the Cannery Beaches) by the Navy yard.

As mentioned above, you should definitely spend at least a day up in San Jose del Cabo! A few things to check out there:

• Plaza Mijares – there’s a small missionary church you can walk-through, art galleries and other shops, and restaurants.
• The Estuary – you can take an old walking path about halfway down the side (if you don’t feel like getting in the middle of the reserve). I’d recommend stopping where the path stops, otherwise you might end up getting extra soggy. You can also take Calle Boulevard Antonio Mijares down towards the Holiday Inn Resort, go past the stables on Paseo Malecon San Jose and see more of the Estuary, without getting wet.
• The Beach – yes, the beach shows up twice, but you’re at the ocean, why not? We took the beach access trail next to The Grand Mayan at Vidanta Los Cabos. It was much quieter and looked so serene compared to the beaches down in Cabo San Lucas.

And when you get tired of all of the places and activities mentioned above, know that there are hundreds of thousands of more places to eat, drink, and be merry in that area of Mexico. Want a real adventure? Say yes to the folks on the beach who will take you out on a glass-bottomed boat. Eat at all of the other places we didn’t try. Hike outside of the city. Whatever you decide to do, if you choose to go to Mexico: be safe and take it all in!

GREAT NEWS! Our videos from vacation are up on YouTube:

• Cerro de la Zeta
• Coral Negro Beach (Cannery Beaches)
• Beach Day
• Sunset Cruise
• San Jose del Cabo