We were itching to go on vacation but specifically, escape to a relaxing beach all-inclusive resort. Los Cabos, Mexico fit the bill and made sense for an extended 4th of July long weekend. Cabos was a short 4-hour flight from Seattle with a 1-hour time difference. While there were endless hotel options, the Riu Baja California was adults-only, trendy and all-inclusive. 

Day 1 – Friday, July 1, 2022

We landed around 6pm and soaked in the stunning sunset sky against the famous rock formations at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. We wandered and explore the resort pools, restaurants and grounds. Our room was trendy but not very private if you weren’t staying as a couple. 

We had dinner at “Guacamole” the steak restaurant. Our dishes were pretty salty and unimpressive. Overall, the food and drinks were mediocre to bad. Even though I had low expectations since it’s all-inclusive, it tasted worst than other all-inclusive resorts I’ve been to. We suspect Chi got some food poisoning from this night too. 

Day 2 – Saturday, July 2, 2022

After the breakfast buffet, we lounged and napped by the pool and did nothing that morning. Exactly what we wanted on this trip.  

In the afternoon, we went on a snorkel and catamaran tour with Cabos Adventures —the same company we planned our wedding with. The boat and staff were fantastic but the snorkeling was disappointing. We docked too far from the reef which required swimming to reach. Both Chi and I aren’t strong swimmers so we just snorkeled near the boat with a few fish. Both stops were within Chileno Bay, despite the advertisement of a two-bay snorkel trip. They did however take us to El Arco where we got our first glimpse of this famous arch rock. 

Day 3 – Sunday, July 3, 2022

This was a resort day. We visited a sister resort, Riu Cabos San Lucas and used their pools this morning. Their main pool is surrounded by more greenery and palm trees but it is also family-friendly for kids. It was a good change of scenery and our lounge spot had a great view of the rocks and the pool. 

We had breakfast and lunch at this resort, hoping for a change but the food was relatively the same. In fact, their decor feels a little more dated and not as nice as our resort. Chi liked this pool more though. 

In the afternoon, we made a sweaty and hot walk back to our resort and then enjoyed another pool until it was time for dinner. 

Day 4 – Monday, July 4

After breakfast, we took an uber to Medano Beach —a swimmable public beach. We didn’t stay long and booked a water taxi ride for $10 USD to drop us off at Playa del Amor, Lover’s beach. 

For 10 bucks per person, this was a great excursion as we got a quick tour around the arch and an hour and a half on this fantastic swimmable beach at the rock formations. The water temperature was very refreshing on a hot day and the calm waves made it safe to float in. 

We also saw the granite stone and patterns up close and walked to the opposite side to see Playa del Divorcio, Divorce beach. The waves were wild and it is not safe to swim in. 

When we docked back on Medano beach. We had lunch at the Sandbar and it was very good —a welcomed change from the resort food. We also had one of the best seats to people-watch while enjoying the cool ocean breeze. 

We debated on swimming the waters but ended up going back to the resort and checking out the day pool party hosted by our resort. This party was actually impressive and fun! There was a live DJ, swim-up bar, foam, food and dancers. It was lively and reminded me of Vegas pool parties. 

We had dinner at Krystal restaurant in the resort. The food was slightly better than the buffet but nothing too memorable. Their service was definitely slow though. 

Day 5 – Tuesday, July 5, 2022

We rented a car this morning and ventured to a swimmable beach called Playa Santa Maria. This beach had easy parking and great public showers. We rented an umbrella for $14 USD from the locals and parked ourselves on the left side (looking into the ocean). This side had calmer waters due to coral reefs. We swam, floated and snorkeled here. The fish were plentiful and huge. They came in schools when Chi was feeding them fruit. It was a fantastic beach day and Chi’s favorite day. 

For lunch, I decided to head to San José del Cabo, the eastern more cultural area of Los Cabos. We had a taco lunch at La Lupita. Our five unique tacos were fantastic but skip the churro dessert. Regardless, this was the most memorable meal of the trip. The only downside is it was very hot since the dining area only had fans and no air conditioning. 

We explored the gallery district a bit which is where the restaurant was located. There were papel picado flags, colorful buildings, cobblestone roads and artisan galleries and shops to browse.

This was my favorite area as there were some impressive art pieces to admire. It’s a shame that I wasn’t visiting during the “Art Walk” season that occurs Thursday night between June to Nov.  I’m sure I would have loved it and it wouldn’t be so hot in the evening. 

We went back to the hotel for some rest as Chi was feeling heat exhaustion. Once the sun went down, we drove out to Cabos San Lucas (the western touristy area) and strolled along the marina. It was lively with lots of restaurants and bars. 

We had dinner at “The Office”, a popular and cute Mexican restaurant in front of Medano beach. Finally, I had a good lemonade and virgin mojito. The beef, chicken and shrimp fajitas were excellent as well. At last, my cravings for good Mexican food were fulfilled on this trip. 

Day 6 – Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Our final morning was spent by the infinity pool and taking the views one last time before heading to the airport. 

Overall, it was a wonderfully relaxing trip despite some bumps Chi had and lackluster resort food. Unlike our last few trips to Hawaii or the National parks, it was not filled with activities and things to see. It was just spent lounging around and being lazy, which was exactly what we wanted. 

Los Cabos is fun and I can see the appeal but it isn’t my favorite compared to Puerto Vallarta or other tropical destinations (like Hawaii or Cuba). The biggest downside to Cabos is that most beaches aren’t safe to swim so it’s hard to find a swimmable beachfront resort. Also, Baja California is where a dry desert meets the sea. It’s nice but not overly impressive but I’m biased toward lush green mountains in Puerto Vallarta or Kauai over brown dry ones like Vegas or California. 

Adios and until next time, Mexico! Definitely hoping that Rivera Maya and Tulum will be my next stop.