
A family friendly destination; stunning mountains; an amazing, crystal blue ocean; and 350 days of sun per year!
Now that traveling is opening up, are you itching to take not only a family trip but also a real girls’ trip (or guys’ trip) just to hang out and have a little fun? Well, I recently went on a trip to Los Cabos, Mexico, and though I enjoyed it with my family, I want to return there with my girlfriends as soon as they all can get away.
Los Cabos is one of my favorite new destinations in Mexico, and you may want to add it to your list for your next trip.
In case you all are unfamiliar with the location of Los Cabos, it makes up the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Sur. It is best to fly to Los Cabos in terms of getting there and many bigger airports have non-stops to Los Cabos.
In my opinion, Los Cabos has the best of both worlds. Sunny, dry heat paired with gorgeous views of mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other side. When people ask me to describe it, I always say it is like Arizona, but with an ocean view. What could be better than that?
For my trip to Los Cabos, I wanted to experience an all-inclusive resort and also a regular, non-inclusive resort, so we decided to stay at the all-inclusive Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa for the first half and then transfer to the JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa for the second half of our visit. Although I don’t like to pack up and move too much, for me, it is always fun to stay at one resort and then surprise yourself with a new resort to explore.
So, here is where to stay and what to do on your next trip to Los Cabos.
Where to stay
Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa
Located on the Sea of Cortez, Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa is a AAA Four Diamond Resort that is all-inclusive and has over 260 private balcony suites facing the ocean. We stayed in one of these suites, and it was just heavenly. The best part about an all-inclusive is that you pay one price, and you can eat and dine at your leisure. Of course, there are upgrades if you choose, but for the most part, what is included is unlimited dining, unlimited drinks (this can add up on a girls/guys trip), 24-hour room service, pool, beach wait service and free WiFi. What’s not to love?
Plus you can enjoy the beautiful pools with a swim-up bar, cabanas and all with a view of the beach. One note, the beach in Los Cabos can have a strong current, so it is advised you maybe dip your toes in the water but hang out laying on the beach, playing volleyball or just enjoying the beach view from the pools at the resort.
One fun way to really enjoy the views is a sunset dinner, and if you are wanting to sleep in after a night at the resort, room service is included. We ordered a beautiful breakfast with a Mexican twist and had a leisurely meal on our balcony facing the beach. It was the best way to start our morning! Afterward, we checked out the spa and had an amazing massage! We chose to stay in the spa, but if you want a massage on the beach, the resort has that option. And, who doesn’t want a massage on a beach?
JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa
After staying in the all-inclusive, we were ready to head to our next resort, the JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa. After experiencing the vibrant mood of the Dreams resort, the JW Marriott was a tranquil oasis with stunning views of the ocean. Both were different, but yet so beautiful, and it was great to experience two unique resorts.
The JW Marriott has rooms and suites, and we chose a room overlooking the ocean with a wonderful private balcony. But, in fact, the entire resort faces the ocean! The best part was not only the pools, in which they have both freshwater and saltwater options, but also the swim-up bar. That was a big hit. Also, they have a wonderful kids club if you are traveling with your family; but if with adults, they have an adult pool, as well.
What to eat
At the Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa, because it is all-inclusive, you can enjoy several meals on location. But it is always nice to explore the town, as well as enjoy the local flavors. Upon recommendation from some Los Cabos insiders, we were able to experience unique and special restaurants that are a “not to miss” when visiting Los Cabos.
Los Tamarindos
La Revolución
AGAVE Kitchen
You can’t go to Los Cabos and not have a tequila. It’s a tradition and some of the best in the world is known to come from Los Cabos. Check out this fun and quaint restaurant in Los Cabos!
What to do
Cabo Adventures
Although Cabo Adventures is clearly designed for the tourist, this is a one-stop shop for almost every bucket list adventure that you want to explore in Los Cabos. The nice part is if you have a group of friends or family with different interests, you can sign up for so many different adventures, so everyone is doing what they want to do. We opted to sign up for the Electric Bike Beach Adventure in which we rode bikes in the desert and on the beach, but if we stayed longer, I would have jumped at the chance for several more adventures.
Some of the adventures that Cabo Adventures offers are:
- Whale watching
- Camel rides on the beach
- Burro Safari Tour
- Swimming with seals
- Swimming with whale sharks
- Catamaran snorkeling…and more!
Quick tip—Cabo Adventures was located about 1 ½ to 2 hours by car from Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa, but it was an easy ride and a great way to check out the land. That said, Cabo San Lucas is a very large city, so check out the distance from your hotel and allow yourself enough time when planning your adventures.
How to get there
Flying from any major airport is the best way to get to Los Cabos, and many cities have a non-stop flight. We traveled from Chicago, so it took about 4 hours non-stop to get from our hometown to beautiful and sunny Los Cabos. We went from gray skies and snow, to arrive and see a beautiful crystal blue ocean, palm trees and gorgeous sun! In fact, they say they have 350 days of sun a year! We were in heaven.


Transportation when you get there
In my opinion, Los Cabos is a very large and spread out destination. So, that said, if you are planning on leaving the resort (some people don’t), I would definitely advise renting a car. Another option is to use a car service such as Uber or a private service. We used a car service as needed and found it a very easy way to get around Los Cabos.
Quick tip—Dollars are widely accepted almost everywhere, so no need to exchange your currency!
Overall, if you are looking for one of my now favorite family friendly destinations in Mexico, put Los Cabos on your list. Like I said before, it is like Arizona but with an ocean and with 350 days of sun. You will be happy you did!
By: Colleen Kelly
Read the first article in this series: “Los Cabos: Part 1 – For the Kids!”
A WLS-AM 890 Chicago radio podcast about Los Cabos is featured on https://www.wlsam.com/round-trip-with-colleen-kelly/.
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