Skydiving

Skydiving

September 8, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Activities

There’s no way I’d jump out of a perfectly good airplane, but friends of Patti’s recently did just that during a girl’s trip to Cabo. I guess they’d hit the tequila pretty hard the night before and decided they needed some adrenaline…

Carol and Mary booked with SkyDive El Sol (skydiveelsol.com), which I think translates to English as “you must be loco to skydive…” and they were soon jumping out of that perfectly good airplane and landing on Medano Beach. They booked tandem jumps, which means you’re securely harnessed to a veteran skydive instructor.

Carol and Mary said that the company was great, they even picked up and dropped off at the resort. It’s run by a bunch of Americans with LOTS of experience.

Tabasco’s

September 8, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Restaurants

On Medano Beach in front of Club Cascadas (just south of the soccer fields), Tabasco’s offers great breakfasts. If you’re expecting something fancy like The Office, you’ve come to the WRONG place. Pretty simple, toes-in-the-sand-Corona-in-the-hand-no-hassle beach shack kind of place.

Beach shack — no phone, no reservations! ($)


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Whale Watching

September 8, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Activities

Whale Watching — if you’re lucky enough to visit Baja in February or March, be sure to check out a whale watching trip to one of the calving lagoons north of Cabo (okay, waaayyy north). We visited Laguna San Ignacio and actually were petting the gray whales when they came up to our skiff. It’s a life-changing experience when you hit it right.

We really can’t recommend one company over another, as our whale watching trip actually started in Loreto, where we rented a car from Budget (uh, BIG mistake) and drove to Laguna San Ignacio where we tagged up with one of the whale watching outfits in San Ignaco. This was a three day trip! Baja is huge… I wouldn’t recommend doing it this way.

If we do it again, we’d fly to one of the lagoons, do the the whale watching/petting, then fly back to Cabo. The lagoons are very, very remote and pretty much lacking in even the basics, which is okay if you want to get away from it all and camp.

We hear there is whale watching directly in Cabo, but we haven’t done it from Cabo.  We’d sure appreciate hearing from someone who has though (leave a comment below!).  Is it whale watching or whale petting?

Anyway, do some research online to find a while watching company — and let us know how your trip went!!

Things to take to Cabo

September 8, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Helpful Hints
  • Passport and driver’s license (with photocopies stashed in your luggage).
  • Small bills for tips — about $50 in 1’s and 5’s. Larger bills for shopping and restaurants that may not take credit cards. Take additional 1’s and 5’s if you don’t like getting change in Pesos.
  • Sunglasses, shorts, suntan lotion and sandals!
  • iPod loaded with Jimmy Buffett tunes
  • Costco card (or Sam’s Club)
  • Digital camera
  • Laptop
  • Empty lightweight duffel bag — for carrying your shopping treasures home with you. We even go so far as to stuff it with packing materials (and a roll of tape) for the trip to Cabo, so we can wrap stuff for the ride back.
  • Printouts of the information from this website so you don’t forget all this stuff!

City Club

September 7, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Shopping

City Club — a ten minute walk from Villa La Estancia is City Club, which is a Mexican mini-Costco type of store. Memberships are inexpensive ($2/day) and the prices are okay. They also have a pharmacy, so you can stock up on legit drugs at locals prices.

Paseo del Pescador and Lazaro Cardenas


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Pharmacies

September 7, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Shopping

Pharmacies — Mega and Chedraui both have pharmacies.  Walmart and Costco also.

We tend to avoid the small ones downtown, as they have very special “tourist” pricing (which is often higher than USA pricing)! There’s also a pharmacy at City Club.

Be sure to ask if there’s a generic version of what you’re looking for, as they won’t volunteer it and the prices can be worlds apart!!


Walmart

September 7, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Shopping

Located near downtown Cabo is the new Walmart Supercenter.

Just like in the good ‘ole USofA, they have just about anything you want. We gave shopping a try here during our last visit and were pleased to find fair prices, great produce, bakery and steaks.

A lot more convenient than Chedraui, but not as extensive a selection. Still, more than enough to stock your villa with provisions. Patti says they have great fresh tortillas.

New to the area, it isn’t on Google Maps yet.


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Costco

September 7, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Shopping

Costco — if you have a family, be sure to make the required stop here.

Sorry, but the meat and seafood are lacking here — buy your steaks at Mega on the ride in from the airport (Walmart has great steaks as well). They make up for the meat/seafood situation by having great prices on alcohol (and just about everything else). You may notice that your standard “Costco items” are more expensive in Cabo — just remember you’re essentially on an island and it just plain costs more to transport merchandise to Cabo (1000 miles from San Diego).

Two prices are posted at Costco: cash and credit card.

You’ll feel right at home, as there’s the required snack bar as well. Hot dogs, pizza, sodas… We just love the jalapeno dispenser (similar to the relish dispenser). One of the best views in Cabo.

Carret. Transpeninsular Km. 4.5, El Tezal, Cabo San Lucas. (About 5 mins. by hwy out-of-downtown Cabo. Tel. 146-7180.


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Mega – Commercial Mexicana

September 7, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Shopping

Mega is located at the roundabout in San Jose del Cabo (where the airport toll road heads north from the 4-lane highway). Decent prices and a butcher department that is stocked for Americans. Hint: if you’ve caught a taxi or CaboConcierge limo from the airport, ask them to stop at Mega so you can do your shopping. It’s right on the way and most taxi drivers won’t mind the stop (for a few $$ tip). This is the best use of your time!

Located on the Carretera at the intersection of Blvd. Antonio Mijares s/n Col. 1 de Mayo, San Jose del Cabo Tel. 142-4524


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Chedraui for groceries, pharmacy

September 7, 2011 / Comments Off / Posted in: Shopping

Chedraui (pronounced ched-rou-wee; formerly “CCC” or Centro Comercial Californiano).

Great locals market, located on the road to Todos Santos (about three miles from Villa La Estancia, on the right side just after the sharp right turn at the light). Great prices on alcohol and groceries. They have fresh tortillas and a bakery. Check out the avocados and also the salsa aisle.

Calle San Antonio y Chamizal, Col. Arcos del Sol C.P. (624) 146-7200


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