It’s taken me a while to finish this post. The holiday season crept in, and honestly, thinking about it too much was just giving me vacation withdrawals. Even though it was a month ago now, I can’t help but reflect on what an amazing experience the Baja peninsula of Cabo San Lucas was. Mitch and I both agreed that it was our favourite trip to Mexico yet, and likely because we were entirely free of adult and parenthood responsibilities for one week! Undoubtedly we missed Hudson more each day, and near the end felt desperate to get back to him, however, it was a liberating experience as parents and we got a chance to connect again on a more intimate level.
Selecting our hotel was relatively easy after reviewing all that Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas had to offer. A family-friendly resort front-facing across an amazing stretch of white-sand beach, Riu offers exceptional quality in all things, with an emphasis on their 24-hour all-inclusive cuisine, customer service, and cleanliness.
Upon check-in we were greeted with margaritas and escorted to an incredible Ocean Front Junior Suite filled with personalized surprises for our stay. Cold champagne was delivered to our room which was romantically filled with rose petals, chocolates and a lovely welcoming note from the resort. The view was nothing short of incredible, and it made the experience a fascinating one with every passing sunrise and sunset.
I was so impressed with how passionate the staff at Riu were in delivering exceptional experiences everywhere we went. There were two buffets, daily poolside bbq, a Mexican, Indian and Japanese restaurant, and a bakery/ice cream/cappuccino bar (yeah, that’s a thing). As seen below, the staff line up and formally prepare before the opening of every buffet, and the quality of the whole experience made a notable difference and the food was always delicious! There was also a great kids selection of food everywhere we ate, as well as accommodation for strollers, and a Kids Club for activities during the day as well a babysitter service at night. I couldn’t help but think of how convenient all of this would have been (for us) had we brought Hudson, as he would have loved it so much!
For daily activities, we enjoyed waking up in the morning to grab a coffee, breakfast, and then hit the resort gym which was modern and fully equipped. Connected to the gym change rooms is the Renova Spa, with a serenity hot tub area which can be reserved in advance for relaxing privacy. The resort also offers tons of daytime aqua-fit (RiuFit) activities and we joined in with other couples and had a blast in the pool.
For a day trip we walked down the beach to take a water taxi to the renowned Arch of Cabo San Lucas. The taxi dropped us off right on Lover’s Beach and we paraded around there and swam in one of the best (and only) protected areas of clear blue and calm waters. Across from the Arch is the Cabo San Lucas Marina area which has some incredible shopping and restaurants.
The sister resort called Riu Sante Fe also has a waterpark playland for adults and children, and we felt like kids again ripping down these steep waterslides. I was pretty freaked out at first but it was so much fun!
For nighttime entertainment, the daily fun transitioned into an amazing variety of live rock or Mexican music as well as themed dance performances. The party then continues at the Riu Sante Fe, as they host INSANELY FUN themed pool parties every other night. This, too, is part of the all-inclusive.
If you’d prefer to explore off-site, there is an amazing pub crawl service called Cabo Madness that organizes pick up from the hotel, a tour of 7 of the best clubs (with a drink at each bar), and a safe return. We did so with 2 other couples that we became good friends with and it was the highlight of the trip!
If you’re needing some good packing tips for this sort of a trip, remember to always bring extra sunscreen (we ran out and it’s expensive to purchase there!), light, flowy, resort-friendly clothing only- no heavy fabrics (the climate is so humid that you’ll be sweltering in no time), and extra cheap sunglasses in case you have a few too many and forget them somewhere. I saw lots of people with their own floaties in the pool, too! We forgot this and it’s definitely something I wish I had brought. It’s also a good idea to pack a good camera, a Go Pro, or something like a Polaroid to capture the moments in the way they deserve!
All in all, the experience at the Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas was an unforgettable one, and we will definitely be back again, and likely next time with Hudson.