Mexico almost seems like a home away from home for my husband and me! With every trip to Mexico, we fall in love with this amazing country. Mexicans are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet and their warmhearted culture is so welcoming. During the last few years, we visited several touristy resort towns in the Yucatan peninsula and on the Pacific side, such as Cancun, Tulum, Mazatlan, Los Cabos, etc. So for this trip, we opted for a more authentic experience in Mexico City — to dive into the culture and architecture of this historic colonial city and it ended up being one of our best trips!

The city is built on the ruins of Tenochitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire. It contains numerous historical buildings dating back to the 16th-century. It has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its amazingly rich historical and cultural significance. Mexico City is quickly becoming popular among tourists and recognized for its architecture, cuisine and culture. As one of the largest cities in the world with a population of almost 9 million, Mexico City is sprawling and busy. There’s always something to do here! You’ll find museums, historic churches, plazas, buildings, and incredible parks. Most of its tourist attractions are all centered around a fairly small geographical area. 

The first thing that comes to mind, when you think of Mexico city is dangerous, dirty, polluted and crowded. If this is your impression of Mexico city, you could not be more wrong. We were pleasantly surprised to see how safe and clean the city was, and there was a lot of traffic, but no honking or crazy drivers on the streets of Mexico City.

Mexico City is one of those destinations that you truly need to experience for yourself. It’s time to reconsider what you think about the Mexican capital, be adventurous and explore all the wonderful things this city offers! This gem in Latin America is the perfect place for a weekend getaway. Best of all, Mexico is an affordable place to travel, as the cost of living is low compared to the United States.

We are excited to share the details of our trip and our recommendations with you! Here are suggestions on what to see, where to stay, what to do, what to eat and explore the beautiful Mexico City in 3 days.

Where to stay?

Mexico City offers plenty of options to stay in some of the most unusual neighborhoods. You can’t go wrong if you chose any of the following neighborhoods.

• Paseo de La Reforma is one of the most exciting neighborhoods in Mexico City. This part of town is known for its monuments, street vendors and a bustling nightlife scene. La Reforma is Mexico City’s version of Times Square and it hosts the majestic La Angel de Independencia. Visitors who are staying in this pedestrian friendly area of the city can enjoy breathtaking views of the city at night.
• Roma is home to Mexico City’s quirky subculture. The neighborhood plays host to many art installations, and visitors could spend several hours admiring the murals throughout the neighborhood. This is considered to be one of the coolest places to stay in Mexico City with some of the best restaurants and bars.
• La Condesa is trendy, urban, chic and a popular location for young people. The neighborhood is home to designer boutiques, beautiful parks, and a world-class nightlife scene.
• Centro Historico or El Centro is the historic center of Mexico City and has some of the country’s most incredible architecture. The old city center is centered around the Plaza de La Constitucion, an area with narrow cobblestone streets and distinctly European architecture.
• Polanco is the Beverly Hills of Mexico city! Do you need a better explanation of what this neighborhood has to offer? It’s known for upscale shopping, dining, art galleries and more museums. It is centrally located within the city and the area is very pedestrian-friendly and you can enjoy a beautiful stroll in the evening in this luxurious neighborhood.

We decided to stay in the centrally located Paseo de la Reforma neighborhood, so that we can easily access all the major attractions around Mexico City. We stayed at the Le Meridien hotel, which was ~25 minutes from the airport, so it was very convenient for our quick getaway trip to Mexico City. The hotel is also ~8 min walk from the metro station if you go with public transportation. The Le Meridien Mexico City hotel location had everything within walking distance. The hotel location was a 5 min walk from the Monumento a la Revolución, half a mile from the Angel of the Independence, and one mile from Zócalo. We loved exploring the city, getting lost in the the local attractions and soaking in the culture.

Polanco, Centro Historico, Roma or Condesa are the most popular neighborhoods in Mexico City for tourists. Our suggestion is to pick something that is close to what you plan to do. We always prefer staying close to the heart of the city and it’s easy to get to the most important landmarks. Here are a few suggestions for some upscale hotels — St. Regis Mexico City, Villa Condesa, Hotel Gran Ciudad de Mexico, Condesa DF, Hotel Carlota, Chaya B&B, Las Alcobas, Casa Prim Boutique and La Valise.

What to see?

Did you know that Mexico City has the largest number of museums of any city in the world? You can spend a week in Mexico city and not get tired of everything this city has to offer.  Our trip was time-boxed to a long weekend, so we picked some of the top attractions.

• Angel of Independence — El Ángel or Monumento a la Independencia, is a victory column in the center of a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma in downtown Mexico City. This is one of the most representative symbols of Mexico City and the whole country. The monument was constructed to pay tribute to the heroes of Mexico’s Independence. It was inaugurated on September 16, 1910 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence.

• Chapultepec Park and Castillo de Chapultepec — This is a huge park and you can spend an entire day here. There are several market stalls, cafés, etc. You can climb up the hill to the impressive and beautiful Chapultepec castle to watch the sun set over the city. The castle closes at 5 pm local time, so if you want to check out the museum make sure you arrive here early.

• Zócalo, Alameda, Palacio de Bellas Artes — Zócalo is located in the heart of Mexico City and it’s one of the largest public plazas in the world. This area is beautiful to take a stroll as it’s surrounded by museums, cathedrals and restaurants. Zócalo is one of the city’s most famous attractions! The Palacio de Bellas Artes, or the Fine Arts Palace, is one of most beautiful buildings in all of Mexico City with its unique and intricate domed top.

• Catedral Metropolitana De La Ciudad De Mexico — We felt this to be one of the most beautiful cathedrals we’ve seen and it’s one of the largest churches in Latin America. This famous cathedral dominates the Zócalo area in Mexico city. There are very friendly and helpful guides throughout the cathedral who can describe some of the most intricate details of its history. We loved this amazing place!

• Frida Kahlo Museum — One of Mexico city’s top attractions. Even if you are not a fan of Kahlo’s art, the museum, which is housed in her former home, is less about her art and more about Kahlo as a person – and what a fascinating person she was. Strolling through the place where Kahlo spent most of her time, you can see where she slept, the art studio where she worked, and the lounge room for entertaining her friends. The beautiful garden is ideal for a nice stroll.

What to do?

• Visit the Teotihuacán and take a hot air balloon ride to the Sun and Moon Pyramids — Teotihuacán is a quick 1-hour road trip from Mexico city and it’ll be one of the most unforgettable road trips you’ve ever taken. Teotihuacán is shrouded in mystery and it was once Mesoamerica’s greatest city. This complex of majestic temples is known for its two massive pyramids — Pirámide del Sol or Pyramid of the Sun and Pirámide de la Luna or Pyramid of the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest pyramid at Teotihuacán and the third largest pyramid in the world. We decided to purchase a hot air balloon tour, which includes roundtrip transportation to the pyramids. It is a bit expensive, but definitely worth the money. The company picked us up around 5 am in the morning from our hotel, so we took one of the first hot air balloons up to the see the pyramids from high up the sky. We spent the day at the pyramids and decided to check out La Gruta restaurant after the tour. Make sure you have an entire day set aside to check out the Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, Temple of the Feathered Serpent, Palace of Quetzlpapalotl and Avenue of the Dead. My husband was a little uneasy about the balloon ride yet in the end he absolutely loved it!

• Enjoy a scenic boat ride at Xochimilco — Be sure to check out Xochimilco (pronounced: So-chi-mil-co) and spend the afternoon floating through the canals on brightly painted boats called trajineras. A fair price is $350 pesos per boat per hour. It is ideal to visit this place on a weekend when the locals and tourists visit. The place will be filled with people and music. Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the last remnants of Lake Texcoco. A trajinera (flat-bottomed boat) excursion here is one of the best things to do in Mexico City. Local families hire trajineras for special occasions and parties with friends, passing through the famous canals perhaps to the tune of a mariachi band. Be sure to ask your boat captain to take you to the island of dolls, it’s creepy and awesome! While there are various routes to take on a trajinera, some pass by chinampas, another remnant of Aztec civilization. Tenochtitlan did not have arable land, so the Aztecs created it. Chinampas are artificial islands formed by woven mats underneath the water’s surface that are staked into the ground to build a fence. Mud and aquatic vegetation fill the space between the fence until topsoil appears above water level. Crops grown on the chinampas included maize, beans, squash, tomatoes, and chilies. Today in Xochimilco, you might see these same crops in addition to tules (used for woven mats), flowers and more. 

• Visit a local Mexican market — Head to one of Mexico City’s many markets for lunch. We visited the famous Coyoacan market located near the Frida Kahlo museum. It had a staggering maze of vegetables, hardware, piñatas – you name it. If  you’re brave enough, you should try the fried crickets or scorpion tacos.

What to eat?

Mexico City’s food is some of the best in the world, and we recommend you to taste as much traditional Mexican cuisine as you can!

• La Gruta, Restaurant at the Sun and Moon Pyramids — Meaning “grotto” this is an underground restaurant that serves traditional Mexican cuisine inside a volcanic cave. If you visit the Sun and the Moon pyramids in the city of Teotihuacan, which is around an hour’s drive northwest of Mexico City, you can’t miss one of the country’s most-spectacular places to eat situated just behind the ancient landmark. La Gruta offers a truly unique dining experience!

La Gruta Restaurant, Teotihuacan, Mexico

La Gruta Restaurant, Teotihuacan, Mexico

La Gruta Restaurant, Teotihuacan, Mexico

La Gruta Restaurant, Teotihuacan, Mexico

• Taqueria El Progreso — You’ll find taqueria’s serving up delicious tacos, tamales, chilaquiles etc. pretty much on every street. Yes, you will eat a lot of tacos when you’re in Mexico City, and it never gets boring. We had some delicous chorizo breakfast tacos right on the street and it was amazing.

Taqueria El Progreso, Mexico City

Taqueria El Progreso, Mexico City

Taqueria El Progreso, Mexico City

Taqueria El Progreso, Mexico City

• Restaurante El Cardenal — This restaurant is an excellent place to try authentic Mexican food and it is a popular destination for breakfast. The freshly baked bread is one of the most perfect deliciousness you will ever have! We had the Escamoles al epazote for lunch! After reading the reviews, I had to try it. Escamoles are the edible larvae and pupae of ants harvested from the roots of the Agave tequilana (tequila) plants in Mexico – super weird and yummy with a unique buttery taste.

El Cardenal Restaurant in Mexico City

El Cardenal Restaurant in Mexico City

El Cardenal Restaurant in Mexico City

El Cardenal Restaurant in Mexico City

• La Hacienda D Los Morales — This restaurant offers fine dining at its best. The location was once a historic residence for Mexican socialites. It’s known for its charming interiors, romantic ambiance and impeccable service. Hacienda de los Morales has numerous accolades, including Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. The building dates from the 16th century, and it has retained its colonial style. The hacienda exudes history and it is truly enchanting!

Hacienda D Los Morales in Mexico City

Hacienda D Los Morales in Mexico City

Hacienda D Los Morales in Mexico City

Hacienda D Los Morales in Mexico City

How to save money?

1. Eat Street Food — Mexico city is known for its street food. Typical Mexican dishes include enchiladas, tamales, tacos, guacamole, etc. You can eat delicious food at the local markets or street vendors for a few dollars. Our only suggestion would be to avoid ice in your drinks when you eat on the street.
2. Share a Uber or Lyft — We used Uber for our entire trip. You can rent a car, but trying to find a parking spot in this city is not worth it. You can save money by using Uber POOL or Shared Lyft, which is a shared ride that allows you to split the cost of your ride with a stranger who is headed in a similar direction as you. Plus it can be a fun way to meet other tourists and learn of fun places to visit.
3. Save money on currency exchange — Mexico uses the Mexican Peso and 1 USD is typically equal to ~18 Pesos although the exchange rate fluctuates. Some resort cities may accept U.S. dollars. However, it’s likely that you will be charged more if you paid in dollars. You should have some pesos on hand when you land in Mexico to buy a bottles of water, a snack or pay for a taxi. Based on our experience, it is best to exchange currency at your local bank before your trip.  You’ll spend less in fees versus exchanging currency at the airport or the hotel. NOTE: You may need to order the currency from your bank with several days notice.
4. Book hotel accommodations in advance — Upscale properties in Mexico offer discounts up to 30 percent for travelers who book their stays three months or more in advance. Shop for hotel deals and use coupons on orbitz.com or hotels.com when you book your hotel room.

May we recommend?

Our recommendations for anyone hoping to travel to this spectacular destination:

• Museums are closed on Mondays, so if you are planning a long weekend in Mexico City make sure that you plan your activities accordingly. You can always tour the local markets or take a day trip to Teotihuacan on the Monday.
• Do not rent a car… Getting around in Mexico city is easy. Uber works really well and it is very inexpensive. You can also use public transportation to get around.
• Carry pesos with you at all times. You can use credit cards at large restaurants and some locations, but if you want to buy something on the street or a local market, it is always good to have pesos with you
• Stay within the central part of Mexico city. Don’t stray too far outside the city center, just to save money.  You’ll waste a lot of time commuting instead of enjoying the many places to see.

Mexico City is arguably one of the most underrated travel destinations in the world. Also known as “CDMX”, this city is so worth your time, so put it on your travel list! You won’t run out of things to do in Mexico City… we guarantee it!

And remember… Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer!

New Orleans, also known as NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) is one of those cities that is near and dear to our hearts. There is no other city in the world quite like it. My husband and I traveled to New Orleans for the first time in 2014 and we haven’t stopped visiting this amazing city since… We have such beautiful memories of our visits, and we have been back to New Orleans at least 5-6 times.

You can live in any city in America, but New Orleans is the only city that lives in you. — Chris Rose

The city is located on the banks of Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico. NOLA is a 6 hour road trip from Houston, so this a perfect long weekend destination for us. The city is nicknamed the “Big Easy” and it is known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant music scene and some of the best street performances you will ever see. New Orleans is also very famous for the raucous costumed parades and street parties that happen during Mardi Gras. We have never been to NOLA during Mardi Gras, and I expect that to be an experience in itself.

New Orleans is known for its food and history as a melting pot of French, African and American cultures. New Orleans is a city full of history, culture, art, and music — and this is a city that likes to party! Any given day in The Crescent City can be quite an experience. And remember, when you’re in NOLA, you eat even if you aren’t hungry!

What to see?

The French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré, is a historic neighborhood that stretches 12 blocks to the Mississippi River. Some of the best streets that you should check Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Commerce Street, Prosperity Street, Magazine Street and Ferdinand Street. Jackson Square is another popular area that is filled with local artists and performers.

Plantation Tours — Laura Plantation and Oak Alley Plantation — Louisiana’s plantations offer a fascinating look at lifestyles of the past and a crucial period in the history of the United States. It is truly amazing to take a glimpse into the past, and discover what life was like for the plantation owners, women, slaves and children who once called this centuries-old, sugar cane farm their home. Laura Plantation is a restored historic Louisiana Creole plantation on the west bank of the Mississippi River near Vacherie, Louisiana. It is significant for its early 19th century Créole-style raised house and slave quarters. They are located ~1 hour from New Orleans.

Where to stay?

We highly recommend getting a hotel in the heart of the French Quarter, so you can be in the center of the action of Bourbon Street and the thriving nightlife scene. Listed below are hotels we stayed at that we recommend.

• Maison Dupuy Hotel
• The Saint Hotel, Autograph Collection
• The Westin New Orleans Canal Place

Other hotels that we recommend are — Audubon Cottages, Hotel Le Marais, Omni Royal Orleans, Hotel Monteleone, Royal Sonesta Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans.

You might also like… Los Cabos

 

 

What to do?

NOLA offers an abundance of great music and great street performances!

• Street Performances: You never know which performer you’ll get to watch on any given day. We make it our routine to walk the streets of NOLA every day to check out performances in and around the Jackson square area, Bourbon street and other popular streets in the French Quarter.
• Take a Swamp Tour: The guided swamp tours take you into the bayou to explore the wetlands and wildlife of South Louisiana, and see alligators in action.
• Ride a Streetcar: For a fun and inexpensive way to get around town, hop on the streetcar. For $1.25 one-way, you can travel to the Garden District or the French Market while people watching and enjoying the views of the city.

What to eat?

Now where do we start? New Orleans is known for its signature foods such as —gumbo, jambalaya, po’boys, muffuletta, chargrilled oysters, seafood, beignets etc.

New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin. — Mark Twain

• Commander’s Palace: This restaurant is located in the middle of the tree-lined Garden District, and has been a New Orleans landmark since 1893. We had our first date at this restaurant back in 2014, and we went back to celebrate our anniversary in 2018. This is one of the most amazing restaurants we have been to – the ambiance is beautiful, the staff treat you like king and queen, the food is delicious and it is truly a magnificient dining experience!
• Charbroiled or Chargrilled Oysters at Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, Felix’s Oyster Bar and Acme Oyster House: Drago’s is the granddaddy of New Orleans chargrilled oysters.  The oysters are covered with butter, garlic, cheese, pepper, and oregano and grilled to perfection. We had both fresh and chargrilled oysters at all these locations, and they are all great.
• Beignets to die for at Café DuMonde and Cafe Beignet: You cannot go to New Orleans and not have a beignet from Café Du Monde. It has become our routine to have beignets for breakfast and a midnight snack. The beginets are warm, delicious, covered in powdered sugar, and it’s best when you have them with a café au lait. This is the ultimate New Orleans treat that you cannot miss! 
• Best fried chicken in the country at Willie Mae’s Scotch House: We found out about Willie Mae’s during our second trip to NOLA, and it is one of those things that is on our to-do list always. This is a family owned restaurant since 1957 and was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina. They serve the most delicious fried chicken and soul food in a very humble setting. Keep in mind that the lines are long, so be prepared to wait at least 1-2 hours.  They are closed on Sundays and you have to get in the line before 3 pm. 
• Best Muffuletta at Napoleon House and Central Grocery & Deli: NOLA is known for it Muffuletas. It is a huge sandwich made of sesame-crusted bread and stuffed with ham or salami, cheese and olive salad.
• Street Hot Dogs on Bourbon Street: You can never go wrong with a warm and delicious hot dog in New Orleans, especially when you are out on Bourbon street late in the night.

This is just a small list of restaurants to wake up your appetite… Every street and every corner has something delicious to offer.  Here are a few other restaurants with great reviews — Mother’s Restaurant, Ruby Slipper, Cochon, Atchafalaya, Brennan’s Biscuits and Buns in Banks, Cafe Amelie, Brown Butter Southern Kitchen and Bar, R&O’s Po Boys, Aunt Sally’s Creole Pralines, Domilise’s Po-Boys and Bar etc.

Where to drink?

The Hurricane is one of New Orleans best known cocktails and the frozen daiquiri is a Louisiana staple. You’ll find a bar serving drinks in just about every block in New Orleans. You can’t blog about NOLA without recommendations on places where you can get amazing drinks. You’ll find people walking with a drink their hand as early as 10 am in the morning.  It’s 5 pm somewhere in the world, right?

• Fat Tuesday
• Bar Tonique
• Arnaud’s French 75 Bar
• Latitude 29
• Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar
• Cane and Table

How to save money?

• Parking is very limited in the French District, so you’ll either have to park in a garage or valet park your car at the hotel, which can get very expensive. If you’re in NOLA for the weekend, your best bet is to find free parking on the street. We typically find a great parking spot on a late Friday evening and renew parking via the ParkMobile app until the parking becomes free on Saturday evening. Trust me, this option is a lot cheaper than the others. Keep in mind that you don’t need a car in NOLA, so this works out great.
• Groupon always has great deals on hotels and tour packages!
• Invest in a New Orleans Pass or the Sightseeing Pass to get discounts and keep in mind that both include swamp tour experiences at no additional cost.

May we recommend?

• Bring small bills to tip the amazing street performers. The talent you see on the streets of NOLA is nothing like you’ve seen before!
• Be careful when you go out at night. The streets of NOLA are packed until 2-3 am in the morning, and you’ll be safe as long as you hang out where the crowds are.
• Be adventurous and try oysters, alligators and crawfish when you are here. The broiled crawfish and charbroiled oysters are delicious!
• Walk around and check out street performers! You’ll enjoy this as much as we do.
• Pack Comfortable shoes — this is one of those cities that you’ll explore on your feet! Be prepared to get 20-30K steps per day, and that means absolutely no guilt when you eat all the delicious food this city has to offer.

New Orleans is one of the world’s most fascinating cities! We promise you that it is impossible to go to New Orleans and not fall in love with the music, the food, the people, and the city itself!

As they say in NOLA, “Laissez les bon temps rouler” or let the good times roll!

Always remember… Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer!

We absolutely love visiting Mexico and we try to getaway for a week or a weekend whenever we can; living in Houston makes this possible as most destinations are a quick 2 hour flight away from home. So far we have been to Mexico City, Cancun, Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Mazatlan. Our next stop is the popular resort city of Cabo San Lucas, located at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Our ultimate goal is to live in Mexico, but for now we enjoy this amazing country one week at a time!

Los Cabos is a popular year-round destination, but it’s especially lovely in the winter months when the whales migrate through the Sea of Cortez, visible just off the shoreline. This is our first trip to Los Cabos, but we definitely want to go back again during the winters months to see the baby whales and their migration, which should be magical.

Before we get into the details, here are a few pictures that were taken at the Misiones beach in Cabo San Lucas with the amazing Arch of Cabo and Land’s End as the backdrop!

We are excited to share the details of our trip and our recommendations with you! Here are suggestions on what to see, where to stay, what to do, what to eat and explore the beautiful twin cities of San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas in 4-5 days.

What to see?

Located where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, the twin cities of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo are together known as Los Cabos. The cities are  located ~30 minutes apart, and connected via the “corridor”.  As you drive from San José del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas, you see miles and miles of spectacular coastline. Both cities offer a lot of options for sightseeing.

San José del Cabo is known for its charm, colonial architecture and beautiful streets. The art galleries in the old town host the art walk on Thursday evenings and open their doors to visitors, often serving small glasses of wine or mezcal for the walk. The peak season here is from November through June. We landed in Los Cabos on a Thursday and found out about the art walk at the car rental, so we decided to check it out on the same day. Our trip was in August during the off-peak season, so the galleries were still open, but the streets were pretty quiet with very few visitors. Plaza Mijares Town Center, Parroquia San Jose, Costa Azul, Playa Palmilla and Santa Maria Beach are other places that are worth checking out in San José del Cabo.

Cabo San Lucas is a resort town known for its beaches, water activities, vibrant nightlife, bars, restaurants and resorts. The main attraction here are the golden beaches, the oh-so-romantic arch or El Arco and Land’s End. Keep in mind that there are very few “swimmable” beaches in Cabo San Lucas.  Most beaches are very rocky or the waves are too harsh, so it’s not safe for swimming. Cabo San Lucas is a preferred destination for tourists due to the luxorious resorts, beautiful beaches, active nightlife, delicious food and countless adventure activities!

Based on our experience, a vacation in Cabo can be anything you make of it! You can choose to relax and stay at the all-inclusive resorts and make it a relaxing getaway, or you can explore everything Cabo has to offer. Cabo has it all!

Where to stay?

When we started researching our trip to Los Cabos, we learned a little more about the two cities that make up the area – San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. We read about each city and decided to stay at the Villa del Palmar all-inclusive resort in Cabo San Lucas since it was closer to a lot of the activities that we had planned. Villa del Palmar is located on Playa Médano, which is one of the very few “swimmable” beaches in Cabo. We could walk just a few steps, be right on the beach and step into the water. Laying on the beach and seeing Land’s End, the southern tip of Baja California is just beautiful! And who doesn’t want to lay on the beach looking at Land’s End? However, the resort is about 30 years old and the amenities at the all inclusive are not the best. There are better resorts that are newer and better such as The Cape, A Thompson hotel, Esperanza, an Auberge Resort and Pueblo Bonito. But if you want beach access to one of the best beaches in Cabo San Lucas, we suggest staying at the sister property, Villa del Arco, which is located right next to the Villa del Palmar on Playa Médano.

If you want to enjoy the culture of the region, our recommendation is to go with a hotel in San José del Cabo. If your dream vacation is to lay on the beach and relax, then Cabo San Lucas would be your best bet. One option we would definitely consider in the future is to stay a few days in both cities, so we can explore the best of what both cities have to offer!

What to do?

Glass-bottom boat tour to El Arco: We hired a boat to take us to the tip of the Baja Peninsula to see El Arco, the iconic rock arch at Land’s End that separates the Pacific from the Sea of Cortez. This rock formation is one of Cabo’s top attractions. We took the boat from Playa Médano, where our resort was located. Disembarking at “Lover’s Beach” was an option, but the waves were very rough and with no cover on a hot day, so we chose not to get off the boat. On the other side of El Arco is “Divorce Beach” and it can be rough and choppy as well.

ATV Ride on the desert trails and Cabo beaches: We chose to go with Cactus Tours and hire an ATV for a little off-road adventure. The ride takes you through the Baja desert trails that are a wild treat, and the beautiful white sandy beaches of Migriño Beach with huge dunes and amazing views. The ATV tour is pretty expensive at ~$240 USD for 2 adults, picture package that costs $75 USD, and the park entrance fee which is $20 USD per person.

Other activities that are available in the Los Cabos area include Surfing, Sailing, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Kayaking, Jet-Skiing, Parasailing, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Camel Riding, Whale watching (December to April only), Sunset Cruises to El Arco, Shopping, Tequila and Mezcal Tasting, Golfing, etc.

What to eat?

Staying at an all-inclusive resort does limit how much you can explore the food scene. During our travels, we love to explore both the street food, small restaurants on the beach that serve fresh seafood, as well as high end restaurants. We mix it up and try a little bit of everything, while staying on a budget at the same time.

Mexico is the mecca for tacos and Cabo San Lucas has some amazing places to enjoy delicious tacos. We did a mini food tour on this trip by hopping from one street food restaurant to another and we hit several taquerias recommended by the locals.

1. Los Claros serves up the best seafood tacos in town. You can add your own toppings from the salsa bar, which is a neat idea. We had the crunch shrimp taco and crunch fish taco which were both delicious and super inexpensive. Without a doubt Los Claros was our favorite!
2. Las Guacamayas is a Mexican street restaurant named after the macaw, and features macaw themed murals inside the restuarant. They offer authentic and affordable regional Mexican cuisine. We had the Al Pastor tacos and a quesadilla. Both were delicious!
3. El Paisa was another taquería recommended by the locals. We ordered the Papa Rellena which was a stuffed baked potato covered with melted cheese and topped with grilled beef, grilled pork and chorizo. This place also had a salsa bar with both mild and spicy versions to add more layers flavor.
4. Lechuga Express is neither a taquería or a mexican restaurant, but if my Venezuelan husband finds a Venezuelan restaurant anywhere in the world, we wouldn’t leave that place without checking it out. So we heard about this place from the locals, and ordered the traditional cheese arepas which were great.  However, they didn’t have other typical Venezuelan items such as tequeños and cachapas, which was a bit disappointing.

This trip marks our 4th wedding anniversary, so we decided to go all out and enjoy an amazing dinner at the Cocina del Mar restaurant in Cabo San Lucas. The restaurant is carved into the bluffs overlooking the Sea of Cortez and offers amazing panaromic views from all angles. It is located on a cliff with waves crashing below, and the setting is just breathtaking for a romantic dinner. There isn’t a better place to celebrate our love, friendship and this amazing journey! Note: Picture credit for first 3 photgraphs goes to Esperanza resort where the restaurant is located.

How to save money?

1. Save money on your flights by using Kayak, Google Flights, Scott’s Cheap Flights and other online sites to monitor the flight prices for the trip. If you are flexible on the travel dates, weekday departures are typically cheaper than weekend departures. Same goes for the arrivals as well.
2. If you haven’t done this before, try buying Spirit Airlines tickets at the airport to save anywhere from $20-80 per ticket by eliminating the passenger usage fees that you would normally pay if you booked the tickets online. This is not just for last minute tickets only. You can buy tickets well in advance at the airport and still save the fees.
3. Most budget airlines charge additional fees for cabin and/or checked baggage.  If you plan on checking in bags, pay for it in advance online versus at the airport to save money.  Even better, travel light with just a backpack with the essentials to eliminate all baggage fees.
4. Shop for hotels on websites such as orbitz.com, hotels.com etc. to find the best deal. You can accumulate money or points on some of the sites such as Orbucks that you can use for future trips.
5. Choose combo packages such as airfare + hotel + car rental to get a great deal!

May we recommend?

Our recommendations for anyone hoping to travel to this amazing destination:

• Skip the tours and taxis and rent a car! We love to explore everthing the city has to offer, so renting a car is always the best and most economical option for us.
• Skip the all-inclusive resorts, and find local places that serve up delicious food. Talk to the locals, eat what they recommend and at the places where they hangout.
• Skip the water, and lay on the beach! The waves in Cabo are rough and choppy, so it takes a lot of effort to swim in these waters. If you’ve been to Cancun or Tulum, you’ll quickly realize that the beaches in Cabo are nothing like that.
• Be smart and stay safe (this applies to most destinations, not just Mexico)!
• Keep in mind that the Pacific hurricane season runs from mid-May to November. We visited Cabo in August, and we got lucky with perfect weather throughout the entire trip, but there’s always a risk if you travel during this time.
• Do your research on whether you want to stay in Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself driving up and down the corridor that connects the cities and it takes ~30-45 min to travel each way.

Overall, we could not have asked for more from our trip to Los Cabos! Explore, have fun and seek out authentic experiences. Mexico is so worth your time, so put it on your travel list!

And remember… Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer!