Last month, Lindsay boarded Princess Cruises and headed out from Los Angeles. Today we briefly chat about the three ports of call: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Are you missing the sun and sand yet?
Cabo San Lucas
Located at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas, or Cabo as it’s affectionately known, is one of the best resort destinations in Mexico. The wealth of marine life, white-sand beaches, and sport fishing draw thousands of vacationers each year.
- El Arco & Lover’s Beach, a haven for sea lions
- San José del Cabo, historical center with Spanish colonial charm
- Médano Beach, lovely street vendors, restaurants beside a world-famous beach
- Marine sanctuary wealth of gray whale, dolphins, and other sea life to explore on yachts or snorkeling
Lindsay on Cabo:
We went sail boating and because of the winds weren’t able to go into the bays, but we got 50% off and fewer people on the boat so it was even better. The food they served was really good and it was endless beverages of your choice. We went out and saw the arch, lovers and divorce beach and sailed around for a while (something we had never done before and was such a cool experience, nothing like I expected!).
I heard people got off and grabbed taxis up to resorts about 40 minutes away and they enjoyed it, also was lower cost.
Mazatlan
Sitting on a peninsula below the Sierra Madre, Mazatlan boasts markets, world-class sportfishing, famous Papantla dancers, fresh shrimp and excellent rocky and white sand beaches.
- Gothic and Moorish inspired Cathedral Basilica & Plaza Revolución
- Teatro Angela Peralta, 19th-century, Italian-style national landmark
- Golden Zone, or Zona Dorada, with palm-lined beaches and private beaches
- Stone Island, with less crowded beaches, crashing waves and gentle coconut palms
- Pacifico Brewery, which produces one of the country’s finest premium brews, founded in 1900 by three German immigrants
- High Divers, acrobatic divers take the plunge from a 59-foot high ledge
- Copala-Concordia, twin colonial towns renowned for their craft furniture, cobblestones, red roof tiles and pottery
- Outdoor Activities, from hiking to sportfishing to ziplining
Lindsay on Mazatlan:
Mazatlan is such a colorful town! We did ceviche and tequila tasting with a short city tour. It was a bit pricey but the food was SO good, 3 different types of ceviche–as much as we wanted as well as the tequila. I’m not big on tequila but it was a very clean finish, I enjoyed the repasado but didn’t dare the anejo or extra anejo, both of which were much smokier.
El Presidio is in the picture, the restaurant we went to and just the coolest vibe. It was basically the outdoors inside, very peaceful and had lights strung across so I am sure it is very beautiful and romantic at night. We had a private lunch before they opened so not sure how busy it can get, but it was a little bit hidden.
Saw cliff divers, WOW, jumped into the narrowest space twice no problem. This area was limited in what to do or reach, but it was a nice little walk along the beach.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is a fantastic cosmopolitan destination straight on the water’s edge. Thousands of visitors are drawn each year to its excellent shopping, with excellent handicrafts and leather goods, as well as its palm-lined beaches.
The Malecon, a popular boardwalk made up of shops and artisanal wares. Start at the Los Milenos sculpture and head southward.
- Las Caletas is a secluded cove in Banderas Bay surrounded by lush jungles. You can only reach it by boat!
- The bird-friendly islands called Isla Marietas, off the coast of PV, offer kayaking, scuba diving and snorkeling.
- Tequila Hacienda, learn the art of tequila making from its humble origins of the blue agave cactus
- The sleepy town of Yelapa is in a secluded cove south of Puerto Vallarta, only accessible by boat
- Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a must for architecture buffs. Look for the gilded crown, a replica of one worn by Carlota, Empress of Mexico
Lindsay on Puerto Vallarta:
We showed up on the day of the children so there was no school and have the city center was closed to traffic so we didn’t get to see that part of town as we drove down to the Hyatt Zive, a little bit isolated but really nice private beach. Our tour guide said Princess was the only cruise line that goes to this resort, and even with the guests from Princess the beach had plenty of space open.
Highly recommend this property to those who want to just go enjoy a beach and relax. The food was really good, they had a buffet that was surprisingly delicious, a bbq for lunch with fresh ceviche station and all was very good.
I believe they had shuttles, if not a quick 5-10 minute taxi will get you up to the nearby town that was very quaint and looked lovely to walk around. Colorful and casual.
