Holaaaa, friends!
...I just got back from Mexico so that seemed like an appropriate way to kick off this blog post, ok.
(P.S. I also took 8 years of Spanish in high school/college and I still can only speak maybe a sentence or two of Spanish... major fail on my part).
Question for you all...
When you get home from a trip, do you get the "post vacation blues" ...because I sure as heck do!? This whole entire week I have been day dreaming about laying next to the ocean, drinking spicy margs and consuming an insane amount of guacamole. My trip can't possibly already be over? How on earth did 4 days go by so quickly?
Back to reality Morgan!
I am excited to write this blog post and be able to re-live some of the fun I had in Cabo. This is probably my 8th or 9th time there (biiiiig Cabo fan... don't judge me) and I can honestly say this has been one of my most favorite trips thus far!
Why is that, you ask? Keep on reading, friends.
Let's break down where I stayed, what I did & what you absolutely NEED to do if you ever go visit Cabo San Lucas.
CABO TRAVEL RECAP + RECOMMENDATIONS.
Where I stayed:
I have stayed at a couple different places in Cabo (everywhere from all inclusive, to larger hotel chains, to boutique hotels.. like I said, love this place) and my experience with Bahia was trulyyyyy amazing. And to be totally, 100% transparent with you guys, it was a sponsored stay. Hey, you know I will always keep it real with y'all!
But with that being said...
I would legitimately come back here on my own dime. No joke. It was so dreamy!
Here's some of the deets:
For me, the location is what made it so high at the top of my list of places to stay! Right in the heart of WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. It's a 3 or so minute walk down to The Office/Mango Deck/Medano Beach (aka the fun, touristy area and swimming beach). They have the kindest staff EVER, who always greet you with a golf cart and offer to drive you to and from where ever you need to go. You better believe I took advantage of this... mama did not want to walk after having a couple of margarita's LOL. Also, if you want to take an uber into town to hit up Squid Roe (come on, we all know you want to dance in the 3 story club), it's a 10-15 minute uber and it's incredibly easy to catch a ride.
Beyond the location, the decor and aesthetic are what really did it for me. Am I the only one who judges a place based on the vibe? I know I can't be the only one. I need VIBEY.
The Bahia was like... modern, minimalist, Mediterranean chic?
There... that's a perfect way to describe it. I love staying somewhere and feeling like I am not at a hotel? And that's exactly how it felt (P.S. the showers in the room... 5 stars).
There's a gorgeous bar and restaurant in the hotel called Bar Esquina... do yourself a favor and book a dinner here. The food was phenomenal, there's live music and it's pretty crowded each night so you can enjoy a good people watchin' situation. Or if you're us, you meet a table of cute boys who keep buying you tequila shots... NOT COMPLAINING!? Also, when you stay at Bahia, you get breakfast included each morning at Bar Esquina which makes it feel more all inclusive-y and it is a super nice added perk.
There's also a pool, lounge chairs, an outdoor bar, etc... but honestly, I wouldn't spend your time at the pool. You are so close to the gorgeous beach! The Bahia is a definitely a place to stay if you're looking to be in the mix of all that Cabo has to offer (beyond a pool).
If you have skipped through all I had to say and are just now tuning in... here's what you need to know: The Bahia is worth the stay and I absolutely will be back!
UPDATE: SHE HAS A CODE. If I have now convinced you that you absolutely need to book a trip stat (you're welcome), they have been so kind to give me a code for you all to use!
To get a special rate, use code 'MLW' at checkout. In order to enter the code: select "add code" then "rate access/ corporate code" :) Enjoy!!
Where I dined:
This restaurant is attached to The Bahia and so stinkin' good. I'm truly not sure how I have been to Cabo so many times and NOT stopped here? The atmosphere is wonderful and lively and just trust me... GET THE FILET MINON. As a Texas girl, I take my steak very seriously and this was hands down one of the best slabs of meat I have ever tasted. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, I think this restaurant is worth making a reservation for. It definitely picks up later at night so if you are just wanting to stop by for a casual drink instead of hitting the clubs - great idea.
Okay here me out... I am aware this place is like, VERY touristy. But, if you have never been, I definitely think you need to stop by at least once. We went for lunch (which is a lot more affordable than dinner, TBH) and got margs, chips + guac & fajita's and just relaxed and enjoyed the views. Super pleasant! It's got a great view of the ocean and is very casual during the day (AKA I showed up in a bikini). At night, it's much more crowded and more of an experience. Despite being touristy - they have a guy named Rambo running around pouring tequila down your throat - the food is still really good. I always get the coconut shrimp and let me tell ya... DELISH. The margaritas are kind of sub par, but like... massive... so you do get some bang for your buck.
If you have been here before, my advice is to pass on it because there's so many other AMAZING food options in Cabo. Seriously, I have never been to a place where the food is so consistently good.
A restaurant. On a boat. That takes you by the arch. At sunset... need I say more? They call this "Ocean to Table" and it is truly an incredible experience that I feel like you won't get anywhere else in Cabo. It's a little pricey, but I do feel like you get what you paid for, and then some. The food is unique and created by the famous Chef Oscar Torres and trust me you will want to try the avocado margarita (thank me later). You get a 5 course meal & 3 hour sunset cruise for $185... okay, not bad at all when you think of it??? The boat also isn't crowded (I think it holds 15?) so you really feel like you are out on a private yacht. Once you finish your meal, you can sit and enjoy the views or go upstairs to check out the beautiful upper deck. Very romantic! (...& a reminder that I am single as hell).
Important note:
This is an early dinner situation because you have to be on the boat to make it before sunset and the boat leaves at 4:45 pm ON THE DOT. Do NOT make the mistake of thinking the boat leaves at 5:30 pm just because that is the time of your reservation. We made that mistake and had to frantically try flag down a water taxi to take us to the middle of the ocean so we could make it for our dinner. Just imagine how flustered I was in my orange feathered top and pink high heels... I needed about 10 drinks by the time we actually made it on board. But we did make it!!
If you are looking for a place with views (and you don't want to be on a rocking boat)... THIS IS IT. I am not kidding, when the hostess showed us our table here, I audibly gasped. This restaurant is legitimately on a cliff, overlooking the ocean and directly across from the famous Cabo arch and you get to watch the sun go down behind it while sipping on wine and listening to a live band. Like did I not just describe a dream??? I am still not over this. Also, I found out this is a hot spot for celebs so you never know who you may see eating dinner across from you.
Again, this is a pricier pick but I promise you absolutely to get what you pay for (I wouldn't lie to you guys). They offer 3 fixed menus so you can opt to go small or go balls to the wall and get 7 courses - We opted for the 3 course meal and it was honestly plenty of food. My suggestion: instead of splurging on more courses, splurge on a wine pairing! THIS WAS DELIGHTFUL. Plus the pours were pretty heavy, so essentially you are getting 3 glasses of wine with your meal and they all pair wonderfully with what you are eating. I wish I knew more about wine so I could elaborate more on this but honestly, I love any type of wine and know absolutely nothing about flavors, smells, types, etc. I just enjoy a nice wine buzz and yummy food. And you will absolutely get that at Sunset Monalisa.
Note:
This is another restaurant that you will want to go for an early dinner. We got there at 5:30 to watch sunset and it is absolutely worth it. They do space out your food though, so we ended up being there until around 8:30.
Fun excursions & experiences:
From the creators of the Bahia Hotel & Bar Esquina, SUR Beach House is equally as vibe-y and a great day time experience. It honestly feels like a private escape (I almost got Greece vibes??) and I highly recommend renting a day bed for the day. It's a gorgeous property that gives you fun, party vibes without feeling like you are in a crowded college bar with wet t-shirt contests (cough, cough, Mango Deck). Make sure to get lunch here because the sushi is INCREDIBLE and don't forget to check out the upstairs deck because you will get some killer views + amazing photo opps. Plus, a lot of people don't realize there is an upstairs area (we were told by one of the employees to check it out or else I would have totally missed it), so when we were there... we were the only ones! #winning.
Beyond the good food and drinks, they have their own private swimming area and paddle boards you can use which is pretty nifty. There are a lot of people who come up to you and try and sell you things if your chair is close to the front/water, but it honestly wasn't too bad and didn't bother me at all! In fact, I got a huge kick out of the guys selling the funny headbands (they wanted to sell me one that said "sexy booty" and I was flattered?!)
GUYS. RENT A BOAT. IT IS SO WORTH IT. I have never thought to do this and would always just take a water taxi to see the arch, but I promise this is worth all the money (I know I keep saying that but like hear me out) and you get free food/drinks, so that also is a huge bonus! Plus, it's just fun to feel like a boujee betch and take photos on a yacht, right?
I was a bit stressed about which company to use because there are SO many different boat/yacht options in Cabo. I ended up seeing a lot of great reviews about Cabo Yacht Life and I am so happy I listened to them because it absolutely lived up to the hype. We rented a 36 foot yacht (it was plenty big and you really don't need anything bigger) for 2.5 hours and we had a blast! I honestly wish I would have booked it for a longer time period.
It's $125 per person & you get unlimited drinks, freshly made guacamole and the captains are so sweet + knowledgable! EVEN BETTER... WE SAW WHALES! You are able to tell the captain where you want to go, what you want to see, if you want to get in the water, etc... and they deliver! We spent the majority of our time out in the ocean because we were chasing the whales, but you can absolutely customize your trip to exactly what you want to do. Next time, I plan on jumping in the water and playing with all the fun toys (they have that cool floating mat thing) and not getting distracting by sea creatures but like... whales?!? So cool.
Honorable mentions:
These are some other restaurants that I didn't get a chance to go to on this trip but are definitely worth stopping by, if you have time or you are looking for other options! ...Have I mentioned how much I love Cabo?
Nicksan (for the sushi lovers)
Thanks so much for reading, friends! I can't wait to take you with me on my next adventure. Now... where to now?
Xoxo,
Morgan
Comments
Laura said:
I leave for cabo in just over a week!! My family goes often, this is probably our 8 or 9th time. Edith’s we go to every trip, we just discovered flora farm last trip and loved it. We always stay at a house in Esperanza! And you might find us at mango deck/ the office at least 1 day. I recommend checking out The Rooftop at the Cape, beautiful views!! Awesome bar. We also arrived a day before my family and stayed at the Acre Treehouses last time and it was one of the coolest places I have ever stayed. Not sure if I could do a whole week there it is far from civilization but 1-2 nights is perfect! Before heading to the nice resorts. I sent some of your recommendations to my dad in case we need anymore dinner reservations.
Suzy said:
I am literally sending this as an itinerary to my husband and I expect nothing less for our anniversary ;) Such great recommendations and thanks for all the details (arrival time suggestions/food recs/reservation option/etc.) Next time, also tell us what to wear!! lol