Cabo San Lucas Mexico 2/8/24

 

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Authored by Laurie Hardcastle Seil

One of Mexico’s top five tourist destinations here on the Sea of Cortez. The view is great here from the ship with the city on one side and the famous rocky point and arch on the other, you see it the whole time we’re in port since Serenade will be anchoring and we’ll be tending into the dock. The heart of Cabo, as it’s called by most people, is about a 10-minute walk down the waterfront. Cabo San Lucas is one of the safest destinations in Mexico and at restaurants, hotels and bars the water is typically filtered and safe to drink. The great thing about being in Cabo in February is that it’s whale migration season and it’s almost a guarantee that you’ll see pods of whales in the area if you do a whale watching tour. Lots of beaches here as well, along with shopping and restaurants, the entire vibe is definitely casual. The area has been inhabited since 13,000 BC when the hunter-gatherer Pericúes people lived here. Under Hernán Cortés the Spanish first explored the Bay of La Paz in 1534, followed by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and company in 1542. However, the first permanent settlement didn’t begin until 1697. During the Mexican American War in the 1840’s the United States ended up conceding Baja California to Mexico so Spanish language and customs stayed in place. The town got its first economic kickstart as a fishing village in 1917 and has been famous for fishing ever since. Hurricane damage in 1941 destroyed most of the large tuna cannery that had been built here and the city was mostly abandoned during WW2. In the late 1950s the “super posh” Las Cruces Hotel was built and began attracting celebrities from Hollywood. With positive recommendations word spread pretty quickly and Cabo became a destination for the rich and famous. It was around this same time that the Mexican government decided to develop the town as a tourist destination based on sport fishing. And now it’s a resort and cruise stop as well. The iconic sight here is El Arco, the impressive natural rock formation at the end of the peninsula that you can get to via tour or water taxi. This three-story high spot is where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific and home to two of the city’s most famous beaches. On the bay side you’ve got Lovers Beach, soft sand, calm waves, while on the ocean side is the more tempestuous, rough, Divorce Beach. 

We did not do much in Cabo except to stroll around downtown and relax, since we have been to Cabo many times.  I got a pedicure while Mickey walked the harbor.  Went to lunch at a little taco house that a local recommended which was terrific. MARGARITAS were outstanding... While food on ship is very good, it is always nice to get a new taste.... whale watching pics from fellow cruisers...