Planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas? Check out these tips for enjoying Cabo San Lucas and save this Cabo San Lucas Travel Guide for the future!
Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar Cabo San Lucas Mexico
Sirena del Mar
Located on a cliff outside of Cabo, this resort has stunning views of the Sea of Cortez and Del Arco, the rock formation that Cabo is famous for. We were amazed by stellar sunrises and the sound of the surf crashing against the rock formations in the ocean. Our food was good, we highly recommend their Mexican selections. We stayed in the one-bedroom unit. We had a living area, a full kitchen, and a bedroom that faced the Sea of Cortez. Our room was clean. Maid service is weekly. Here are some not-to-miss events associated with the resort:
Romantic dinner-the staff at Sirena del Mar will give you an opportunity to do a private meal facing del Arco and the Sea of Cortez. They completely remove all the chairs and lounges from a small patio and fill the space with flowers, special lighting, and candles. The meal was $100 per person, but worth every penny. The six-course meal was exquisite.
San Jose excursion-our trip to San Jose was so much fun. Our guide told us some of the histories of the area and kept us entertained on the short ride there (ours was about 30 minutes, due to traffic.) We shopped, had authentic tamales, visited the Mission, had a private tequila tasting, visited a blown glass factory, and roamed the art fair. It was the perfect amount of time to be gone.
Tequila tasting-prior to our San Jose trip, we had a tequila tasting at the Resort. For $25 a person, we were able to sample 4 different tequilas, learning about the nuances and differences between the kinds of tequila. I found it to be very helpful when we went to San Jose, where the tequila tasting was more sophisticated.
We spent a lot of time at the pools and hot tub, choosing a different site to hang out each day. The swim-up bar is a lot of fun and the bartenders are fabulous.
Cabo Restaurants
Metate Cabo- The ambiance here is true Mexican. Beautiful lighting that winds through fruit trees, the beautiful and colorful Mexican table settings made this a wonderful experience. Our service was a bit lacking at the beginning but then the owner himself came out and explained that due to the holiday, this was a one-seating serving and we were waiting on others. There was no worry on our end, as we were enjoying the cocktails, the fabulous bar, and people watching. The food was delicious and again, the owner/chef came out to explain what we were eating. We will definitely go back!
El Farallon-You may have heard of El Farallon if you are into the food scene. This restaurant is perched on the side of a cliff, next to a five-star resort. You wind your way through this beautiful resort to get to the restaurant. We stopped at the resort bar and had absolutely fantastic cocktails. Once our party was together (we had 8) we headed up to the hostess. She took us to the champagne bar (!) and purchased a bottle of champagne. After a few minutes, we were escorted to our table, past a display of the fish that was going to be used in our meal later! The view was incredible, and even though we were there at sunset, the weather was overcast and we didn't get to see it. Our server explained that since our party was large, we would be served a pre-fixe menu that would highlight all the best that El Farallon has to offer. And it did not disappoint. The service was impeccable and all that one would hope for at one of the world's most beautiful views!
Flora Farms- Not in Cabo San Lucas but very close! This restaurant lives up to its name. A HUGE garden where we got one of the finest margaritas we have ever tasted. The menu is full of Mexican dishes with an updated twist. It was cold the night we visited, and we still chose to sit outside, and the waiter offered Mexican blankets to cover our shoulders and moved a heater close by. You can stroll the grounds and shop in a small but wonderful grouping of buildings featuring Mexican fashions, crafts, and arts.
Whale Watching hit the jackpot of days to go whale watching. The whales are in migration in the winter months at Cabo, and it is the highlight of the season to go out and find some whales to watch. Our company was the Cabo Dolphins and I highly recommend them. The boat is easy to get in and out, it goes very fast which is a lot of fun on its own, and we had the most tremendous whale experience ever. Even the guides were in awe. We watched a humpback whale breach for over an hour! Typically they will come out of the water once or twice and we saw 15-20 breaches. It was a wonderful sight. The biologists were informative and we even had a treat of Oreos while on the water!
Deep-sea fishing-The guys went on a deep-sea fishing excursion through Edith's Sport Fishing. They didn't catch "the big one" but they came back with a lot of smaller, edible fish that they had cleaned on location. Fresh fish was on the menu that day! Our resort has a grill and we were able to grill most of it before we left for home. Friendly service and helpful guides as our guys were somewhat new to fishing. You can find other great fishing charters at the Marina in Cabo San Lucas.
Cabo Activities for Families
Whale Watching hit the jackpot of days to go whale watching. The whales are in migration in the winter months at Cabo, and it is the highlight of the season to go out and find some whales to watch. Our company was the Cabo Dolphins and I highly recommend them. The boat is easy to get in and out, it goes very fast which is a lot of fun on its own, and we had the most tremendous whale experience ever. Even the guides were in awe. We watched a humpback whale breach for over an hour! Typically they will come out of the water once or twice and we saw 15-20 breaches. It was a wonderful sight. The biologists were informative and we even had a treat of Oreos while on the water!
Deep-sea fishing-The guys went on a deep-sea fishing excursion through Edith's Sport Fishing. They didn't catch "the big one" but they came back with a lot of smaller, edible fish that they had cleaned on location. Fresh fish was on the menu that day! Our resort has a grill and we were able to grill most of it before we left for home. Friendly service and helpful guides as our guys were somewhat new to fishing. You can find other great fishing charters at the Marina in Cabo San Lucas.
The beaches-Cabo has a few beaches scattered around the area. The beaches are clean and the water is a gorgeous turquoise blue. Vendors stroll up and down offering handmade crafts and many have beautiful silver jewelry. I have purchased from a vendor at the beach and my necklace and bracelet have stood the test of time.
Glass bottom boat tours- Kids love seeing the fish and corals under their feet on this delightful boat tour. Usually, the boats go near del Arco and you will see hundreds of fish and birds. Many of the birds like to perch themselves on rocks that jut out from the sea. They will soar from the rocks, make a big sweeping circle, and come back to their rock. The kids love it!
What is Cabo San Lucas Known For?
When you ask that question of the citizens of Cabo San Lucas, you will get many answers. Some will say Cabo is known for its historic art district, while others will say that the Marina, with all their restaurants and boating excursions options. We love their courtyard eating establishments and all the boutique shopping. Cabo has a wonderful foodie scene that attracts people from all over the world. Whatever it is that draws you to this area, you won't have to worry if others in your party will find something to do. They surely will!
Our best travel tips for Cabo
Word has it that Southwest Airlines is opening a direct flight from St. Louis to San Jose Cabo in 2023. That will make flying to Cabo a breeze for most of the Midwest. Be sure to keep your eyes open for special flights.
Cabo has a wonderful Facebook group called Caboholics that is full of insider information that is useful. The group is kind and very helpful when planning your trip. We joined when we first started vacationing in Cabo and learned things like where the best bank was located to exchange money, where the best happy hours were, and which shops to frequent.
Take a few pesos with you when you travel to Cabo. Getting them from your own local bank will hopefully ensure that you are getting a fair rate of exchange. We learned that putting everything on a credit card works, too, but be sure to know what the exchange rate is before you do so.
I highly recommend all these spots for your upcoming Cabo San Lucas vacation. Please note that El Farallon is difficult to get in and you must try to book as far out as you can. The rest are good to try when you get there or have your concierge book them for you.
