Find Your Beach in Cabo San Lucas

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I was in my midish-20s when I boarded the plane for my first international trip. And we almost didn’t make the trip. The folks at Frontier Airlines had heartburn that my husband’s name on his ticket (Steve) didn’t match the name that wasn’t on his passport (Stephen). Security was still kind of tight back then. After some arguing, and possibly a phone call home to mom, we finally got on the plane for our trip to Cabo San Lucas.

Cabo San Lucas is a resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. The city is known for its beaches, restaurants, and bars. It is arguably one of the most popular tourist cities in Mexico and because of that, Cabo still remains fairly safe. We traveled to Cabo to attend a friend’s wedding so we were in good company. In fact, maybe an hour after we landed in Cabo, I was already in a swimsuit swimming with fish (literally) at a private beach owned by the hotel we were staying at. Yes, Cabo is that awesome. Did I mention I was swimming with fish?

The next day, the wedding group jumped on a boat for a tour of the harbor and some snorkeling. Up until this point, I was sort of a virgin when it came to snorkeling. An hour after exploring the Pacific Ocean with my head underwater, I think of myself as a pro. Okay, maybe more like a novice, or amateur. But what an experience! We saw fish and even an octopus during our snorkeling tour. A year or so later, I would go snorkeling along the beaches of Hawaii. Though fun, it wasn’t the experience I got while snorkeling in the waters that embrace Cabo.

A few days later after this trek, another adventure: swimming with dolphins. If you bring children with you on your trip to Cabo, this is a must do. We went to Cabo Dolphins and for an hour, we got to touch, kiss (or be kissed), and swim with dolphins. If you know me, you know that I am slightly obsessed with dolphins. They are magnificent creatures in my mind. So this experience was a dream comes true!

So let’s review all the things you need to do while in Cabo:

Find your beach to swim, surf, or just simply relax and read a book.

Go snorkeling. Enough said.

Swim with dolphins.

Here are some other things to check out if you plan to visit Cabo San Lucas anytime soon (or need an excuse to travel to Cabo).

Visit El Arco de Cabo San Lucas. You don’t need a translation. You will, however, need a boat if you want pictures or an up close look at the arch.

Find yourself in a food coma. We are talking about some serious authentic Mexican food. So be sure to check out the local eateries.

Take a stroll along the marina boardwalk. You can visit local shops and meet some the locals who will all be more than happy to sell you something.

Visit neighboring San Jose Del Cabo.

There is really not a bad time of year to visit Cabo. I will say while we were in Cabo, there was a hurricane some distance off the beach. We left a few days before the hurricane made landfall which made for some exciting phone calls from my relatives. But it was fine. It is a tropical location after all. Another thing to watch out for is when you first arrive in Cabo. You may find yourself unwilling talking to someone about timeshares. Just say “no” and go about your day.

Let’s talk home exchanges. International Vacation Home Exchange as a few properties in both Cabo San Lucas and neighboring San Jose Del Cabo. You will either need to rent a car or hire a taxi to get from the airport to these home exchanges. Just talk with your IVHE coordinator. And as always, safe travels.

Thank you to travel guest writer Carla Pruitt. You can follow Carla on Twitter at @crobscarla 

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Mexico home exchange

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THE DAY OF THE DEAD:
A Lively Time for an IVHE home exchange
Holiday in Mexico

Photo source: flickr, Kevin

On the heels of Halloween, November 1 and 2, Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), a tradition that originated with the indigenous people in Pre-Colombian times and later adapted to the Christian All Saint’s Day.  The frivolity of  Halloween is still there but with the added dimension of reverence for the dead. On Dia de los Muertos, the return of their spirits is welcomed. It is believed that a veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is the thinnest on Muerto nights. Death as something spooky or an event to be feared is mocked with decorations depicting playful skeletons in all walks of life (er, former life that is) -- young and old, cowboys and office clerks, mothers and babies, dancers and musicians, you name it. Skull themes are everywhere. Even skull shaped candy for the kids. 
The festivities include colorful street parades with brass bands, mariachis and fireworks. Some towns stage comparsas, theatrical performances representing the return of the dead. The whole thing is a party to die for.

Photo source: flickr, Alex Pearson

While there is a lot going on during Muertos, the main stage is the local cemetery. Families erect elaborate memorial altars at the graves of their dearly departed, filling it with flowers, candles, decorations, and the deceased’s favorite food and drink. They cheerfully gather at the altars with candlelight vigils, mariachi music, shared bottles of tequila and picnics on the cemetery grounds.

Halloween and Dia de los Muertos are ideal times to visit Mexico. It is off season. Tourist traffic is down, the weather is mild, and you will be catching Mexico’s biggest fiesta of the year. It is also a great time to consider visiting inland cities. Non-coastal Mexico will amaze you. 
The International Vacation Home Exchange offers properties in two inland locations – the beautiful colonial cities of San Miguel de Allende in east/central Mexico and Oaxaca in southern Mexico.

Photo source: flickr, Andrew Gould

Oaxaca offers a treasure of historic colonial-era buildings and monuments, as well as native Zapotec and Mixtec cultures and archeological sites. A city of some 270,000, Oaxaca is filled with fantastic museums, colorful handicrafts, beautiful baroque churches, inexpensive markets and elegant five-star restaurants.

Monte Alban, a world Heritage Site six miles west of Qaxaca, is not to be missed. This is one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica and was the socio-political and economic center of the Zapotec empire for almost a thousand years

Property #0444 --
Cozy three-bedroom house
Your home in Oaxaca is a charming country house in a quiet wooded setting, yet it is only 15 minutes from the city’s main plaza. It has three bedrooms that can comfortably sleep five, a big kitchen, spacious living room, plus two terraces and a large garden.

San Miguel de Allende is another stunning colonial city with well preserved neoclassical and baroque style buildings.  These enchanting structures from the 17th and 18th Centuries are studies in color, texture and design.  No wonder an artists’ colony took root here in the late 30’s. Two world-class art schools were later

Photo source: flickr, Jluguang Want

established by foreign artists --  Instituto Allende and the Escuela de Bellas Artes. Artists and writers from Mexico and the world, as well as tourists and retirees, are still drawn to the city.

There are some 140,000 residents in the metro area. The actual town of San Miguel counts about 80,000. Of these, 10-15 % is ex-pat retirees, mostly from the United States.

Property #0418:
two bedroom home near the central plaza
This lovely hideaway is located just a few short blocks from the central plaza, "the Jardin," and within walking minutes from the Warren Hardy Language School, the San Juan de Dios Public Market, the Belles Artes, Angela Peralta Theater, the Instituto and Parke Juarez. 
It has an outdoor living room (sala) by the garden, and an inside living room with a 13-foot ceiling and walls of bookcases. The master bedroom on the second floor has a luxurious en-suite bathroom with a dressing room and lots of closet space. The home is architect-designed and furnished with an eclectic selection from some of San Miguel's leading interior designers. It is equipped with high-speed internet, cable television, and all the modern amenities you expect, yet it continues to radiate the warmth and charm of Colonial Mexico

Property #0462 –
Four-bedroom luxury home exchange
This four-bedroom, four-bath home is open and airy with unobstructed views of the city, a lake and the Sierra Madre Mountains. Each room has its own carved cantera fireplace and a full bath. A fully-equipped kitchen and spacious living room are on the first level, as well as an outdoor sala and barbeque grill. The master bedroom and bath and a second bedroom with a trundle bed are on this level. On the second level, you can walk out from either of two large bedrooms onto a terrace where you will find a secret garden and a stairway leading to the third level. There is a relaxing sitting area and a thriving herb garden on the third-level terrace.

A housekeeper is available three times a week or more if desired. A cook can also be arranged and payment made directly to him. A 2007 car is also available for your use with no extra credits required.

Click the property #’s above to find out more about these casa exchanges in Mexico. To find out more about the International Vacation Home Exchange that brings these, and hundred of other properties around the world, to you, visit www.ivhe.com.

Blogsmith:  Mike DiPrima

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