Midsummer Heat Wave in Cabo San Lucas

Living in Southern California, we've heard that many beach cities in Mexico were lively party spots. That said, we still wanted to try Cabo for a short R&R vacation. Our hotel was midway between the lively Cabo San Lucas and the more docile and cultural San Jose del Cabo. We spent most of our days lounging by the hotel's private beach and indulging in great food and spa services. When we did decide to venture out, we enjoyed the shopping and water activities found in Cabo San Lucas. We also took a memorable horseback ride through the desert.

Quick Tips:

We went in August, when the temperature hovered close to 100 degrees during the day. So if you don't enjoy very hot but dry weather, summer is not the time to visit!

Best Way To Get Around:

We used a van shuttle service between the airport and hotel and taxis to get into town.

We were delighted to be greeted with a tasty frozen margarita after a hot shuttle ride from the airport. We could feel the night ocean breezes in the large, Spanish-style lobby.

Our room was gorgeous and welcoming, with a balcony overlooking the hotel's private beach. My favorite part of the room was the bathroom, which had a marble and glass shower and large soaking tub/jacuzzi. We also had a fully stocked mini-bar. Everything about the room felt very luxurious.

Every morning, we would awake fully rested, which is quite a feat for such a light sleeper as myself. Our biggest decision every morning was whether to go to the pool or the beach. The beach, one of the only large sandy spots in the area, was great. There were never more than 12 people during the times we were out. The sand was immaculate, and the hotel staff would periodically check on us to see if we needed a towel or drinks. The only con is that currents are rather strong, so the inviting blue water is only good for wading.

The disappearing horizon pool was a tropical haven. The swim-up bar was the perfect place to sip a pina colada and enjoy an afternoon snack.

We also indulged in a couple's massage at the hotel spa. Although it was a little pricey, the experience was blissful!

The staff was very attentive and seemed to cater to every need. Since it was my boyfriend's birthday, I arranged with the concierge for flowers and a cake to be sent to our room. When we went horseback riding at a ranch down the road, the hotel dropped us off and picked us up instead of having to walk too far in the sweltering heat!

Our trip to Cabo was one of the most relaxing I have had, and staying at this hotel was the number-one factor!

I am an avid horseback rider and try to ride whenever I travel somewhere new. I must say my expectations of riding horses in Mexico were not high. But the Cuadra San Francisco Equestrian Center changed all that. The ranch was a quick golf cart ride from our hotel. I was very impressed by the quality of horses - all were well taken care of, with gleaming coats. We were told that some of the horses were used in the movie Troy.

Our guide was the owner's son and an accomplished equestrian. He was also very friendly and personable. Our mounts were very capable - not the lazy ponies I expected. We were also allowed to trot and canter and move at our own pace. The trails took us up into the hills, which were filled with large cacti and other desert vegetation. The views of the ocean were breathtaking! I highly recommend this ranch if you are looking for something other than your average "pony ride" on the beach.

We were unable to take our planned scuba diving trip from our hotel because the ocean was a little rough. So we decided to go into Cabo to see what water sports were offered. We chose the snorkel trip to Santa Maria. Santa Maria is a cove surrounded by cliffs where the tour guides ensured the water would be calmer. We boarded the large boat with about 40 other snorkelers. The atmosphere had a subtle "booze cruise" feel, with the guides handing out beers and margaritas as soon as we left the dock. The boat ride to Santa Maria took about 40 minutes, following the coastline of the Sea of Cortes. I must say we were disappointed when we anchored in Santa Maria Bay. The water was not calm and clear as the guides had described. The currents were very rough and the water was cloudy. But, we still tried the snorkeling and saw maybe a handful of fish and no coral. The one plus was that the water was quite refreshing after sitting in the hot sun. Back on the boat, we were given of lunch of tuna sandwiches and tortilla chips and salsa. The ride back to the docks was nice because the captain took the boat around the famous limestone arch and "lover's beach" - good photo ops. This snorkeling trip was very "touristy" and probably would be more worthwhile if the water conditions were better. We don't regret taking this tour because we were able to get a good perspective of Los Cabos from the ocean.