Cabo San Lucas
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Cabo San Lucas
Sept 2007
We are trying to decide where to take a vacation this winter. I really
want to go someplace warm with a beach to relax on. Cabo and Hawaii are 2
options we are considering. We have not been to either place. We would be
taking our 3-yr. old daughter and a 9-month old. Does anyone have advice
on either place, which one might be better, or suggestions for some other
place?
Trip Challenged
I personally would go to Hawaii over Cabo. Cabo is nice in parts -- beautiful
even -- but the hassle of being scared to drink the water (I went for a wedding
last year and was the only one not drinking margueritas, and was the ONLY one
not to get heaving sick) would be a headache not just for yourself, but with
kids. Also, the focus on DRINKING and drinking HEAVILY is the modus operandi in
Cabo, unlike in Hawaii. In the downtown area, it's all about tequila shots.
Maybe that's your thing, and you can get a sitter for your kids in your resort
or something, but it's just a bit seedier of an atmosphere than I find anywhere
in Hawaii. Hawaii is also tailor-made to families - things seem to start
earlier and shut down earlier at night. It's not famed for its night life or
anything gross like Senor Frogs.
If I were you, I'd go to Maui - great for families with kids, and even adults
without them. Mellow vibe, no money changing, not filled with t-shirt stores
selling shirts about how drunk you were the other night, etc etc etc. And
believe it or not - I'm no prude when it comes to drinking. I love my wine and
beer and vodka and sodas. Just don't like the spring break atmosphere that is
in places like Cabo and Cancun - and I've been to both.
--No prude, just no shots and no worm, thanks.
I have been to both Cabo and Hawaii. I would say Hawaii is much better when
travelling with small children. We recently took our 6 year old twins to Maui
(Kaanapali) and had a wonderful, relaxing time. Kaanapali is known for it's
mild surf.
The ocean in Cabo can have very dangerous surf and if you stay on the Gulf
side, it's mild but not very pretty. Plus the beach itself is rocky, more
similar to California.
Good luck and have fun!
Kerri
Personally, I would go to Hawaii rather than Mexico (but that's a personal
preference). You don't need a passport, don't have to worry about the drinking
water, and (if applicable for your family) you don't have to deal with language
issues. I'm a travel consultant in Berkeley, and if you need any help putting
together the trip, I'd be happy to help.
David
July 2005
I'm looking for a nice place to stay in Cabo with a two year
old. I'm looking for somewhere with a fun kids beach and pool.
I need a real vacation!
need a break from cooking and cleaning
We rented a 1BR timeshare unit, direct from an owner, at Villa del Palmar in Cabo. Our 2-1/2 year old loved it! It's right on the beach, near the town of Cabo (quick cab ride or long-ish walk), has multiple pools (one for wading, another for toddlers/young swimmers), 2 onsite restaurants (one features an outdoor pizza oven), plus the complex has a small supermarket, deli & ice cream shop on premises. We really could have spent all our time there, and our daughter would have been perfectly happy. Do a search on craigslist to find local owners looking to rent their place, or email me and I'll give the name of the person we rented from. Good luck!
Amy
Sept 2003
We've been invited to a family wedding in Cabo San Lucas
in April. We plan to travel with our son who will be 18
months at the time, and are looking for somewhere that
would be toddler friendly. Affordability is a bonus since
this is an unexpected expense.
At this point we're open to anything from a resort, to a condo
to a bigger house that we would share with my husband's
parents. If anyone has specific recommendations I'd be
very grateful.
Thanks.
Susannah
I can highly recommend the Hotel Cabo San Lucas,
www.hotelcabo.com. My wife and I spent three days there in May
and never left the compound. It's a 50's era swanky hotel, one
of the first in the area. Excellent restaurant (we got the 3-
meal a day meal plan and didn't have much appetite for dinner,
the breakfast and lunch were so good), helpful staff, uncrowded,
nice pool. Scuba/snorkeling/swimming beach about a half mile up
the beach, large, lovely private grounds with several small
beaches (one w/ palapa bar) that are sort of swimmable (big
riptides common in Cabo). Other than airport taxi/timeshare
sharks, a lovely 3 days.
Tim
Feb 2003
We are considering taking a vacation this spring to Cabo San
Lucas. Any recommendations for great places to stay, things to
do, and things to avoid would be helpful. I'm also a little
worried about my daughter getting sick -- should I be?
Jennifer
We took our 2-year old to Cabo last spring and she loved just
hanging out at the kiddie pool. I can't remember the name of the
place we stayed, but it was kind of a combo hotel/timeshare with
several pools and it's own beach. Besides the kiddie pool, they
had an entertainment/buffet show that she also enjoyed. We
mostly hung out at the hotel b/c I broke my foot on our second
day there(and was 6 mos. pregnant but thats another story).
I would caution you against booking a place that is under
construction, like many of these timeshare places seem to be,
and the travel agent won't tell you unless you ask specifically.
They can be very noisy and ugly to look at depending on the
location of your room. These larger places can be convenient
with kids b/c food, etc. is all on the premisis, but can get
pricey compared to the local restaurants that are so much
cheaper. Also, ask about proximity to town. Some larger resorts
are a taxi or bus ride away from town, and they gouge you for
taxi fare to and from town. While the local bus is alot cheaper,
it can be quite a walk from the bus stop to your hotel. Also, on
the beach the tides are sometimes unsafe so keep a close eye on
your little one near the water. They usually post warnings when
the water is unsafe.
As for food, just stay away from raw uncooked veggies in places
other than resorts or large hotels. Fruit that you can peel is
safe, just be sure to peel it. Most large hotels have potable
water but its always wise to have bottled water for day trips.
On past trips to cabo, we enjoyed taking the ferry to Lovers
Beach, and wanted to take our daughter on the glass-bottom boat
but we didn't get a chance this trip. That might be something to
check out. The local parks w/playgrounds were great because
there were always other kids there. Most other aspects of Cabo
are adult-oriented (i.e. bars, nightlife, ATV riding, scuba
diving) so you kind of have to seek out stuff to do with kids.
Aslo if you are going to use a stroller, be aware that the
streets in town are cobblestone and have many steps - not very
stroller-friendly.
Angelica
We lived in the Baja for 2 years (mostly La Paz) and never had a
problem with any of the food or water. Even the locals drink
bottled water because the Baja is a desert and that's the way
water comes. As for the food, you shouldn't have a problem with
any of it, including the taco vendors on the street. Veggies are
also fine, chances are some of the fruit and veggies that you eat
here in the states already come from there. Don't miss out
on the smoothies. Most people get sick because they are not
used to the amount of fat/lard that they use to cook the food.
Personally, if you only eat at the hotels, you'll be missing some
of the best reasons for visiting and the local flavour. Mexicans
are very kid friendly, so you shouldn't have any problems. In
fact, if you pick the right restaurant, you might get lucky and
have the waiter/waitress take your kid while you get a chance to
eat.
anon
I just returned from a trip to Cabo San Lucas with my 3 mos.
old. We stayed at one of the major resorts (Hacienda del Mar by
Sheraton), so it was fairly easy. The grounds were nice (great
kids' pool area), there were ramps so strollers weren't a
problem, cribs were available, and the taxi service they used
had seatbelts in all vehicles (for strapping in the car seat).
They provided babysitter recs ($15/hr), if interested, though we
didn't use them. Our daughter isn't eating solids yet, so we
didn't have a food issue. However, I was careful that anything
her mouth came in contact with only came in contact with bottled
water.
melissa
Be sure to eat at Mi Casa. The food is good, and there are big
adobe benches with cushions that are perfect for sleepy children
to nap upon. We've been there over the years, and it's
consistent
and very pleasant. The Melia hotel on the strip (there's one in
town also) between San Jose and
San Lucas is nice, because it has a jetty that creates protection
for tykes from the Pacific waves, and the beach is much cleaner
than those in town. But staying on the strip is expensive if you
rely on taxis and want to go into town. One trip into town is
plenty for me. If you don't mind driving in Mexico, you can rent
a real Volkswagon bug (just like the old ones, but brand new) and
tool around. Beware, the back seats on the convertibles didn't
have seatbelts last time, but the enclosed models were ok.
MW
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