When you become a parent, rowdy trips in warm climates usually come to an end. Capture some of those fond memories and take your kids to Cabo San Lucas for a fun, easy vacation with a little taste of nightlife.
Cabo San Lucas, at the bottom of the Baja California peninsula in Mexico, makes for a relatively clean, safe Mexico visit. The marina has been built up for cruise ships and tourism, and you’ll see the evidence in its luxury mall, gated resorts and general walkability. The seafood is fresh and delicious, and family-friendly nightlife (think beers at sandy beach bars) is definitely a bonus.
Why Go to Cabo with Kids: Due to its remote location, Cabo has been largely excluded from the ills that have plagued some Mexican towns. We walked the streets at night with our toddler and never once felt uncomfortable or unsafe. It may be a sanitized version of Mexico, but it’s one appropriate for kids of all ages. The resort area is easy to get to: buy tickets right in the airport for a tourist shuttle bus that stops at all the hotels (about an hour and a half with all the stops) and has an English-speaking guide.
The All-Inclusive Resort: What better way to feed a picky eater, constant snacker or food waster than by giving the kids an all-access pass to food and virgin pina coladas? We absolutely love all-inclusive resorts, namely because Little J likes to eat tiny portions a million times a day, and I get really cranky when hungry. Pair that with free drinks, and all the family’s needs are covered. You’ll also get free bottled water, a lifesaver since you can’t drink tap water in Mexico. We bought a Groupon for the Marina Fiesta Resort, a unique all-inclusive that gives you breakfast as a buffet and then lunch and dinner at sit-down restaurants. You can order multiple items off the menu, and we typically ordered a full-size meal for our 2-year-old, letting her have her fill of whatever she wanted. Marina Fiesta also has a playground and kiddie pool, and was right on the marina (but a 15-minute walk to well-known Medrano Beach).
Great Activities for Kids: Medrano Beach has restaurants with tables right on the sand, so kids can play while eating. It’s a relaxed atmosphere at The Office and Mango Deck, and Little J ran around with a mix of tourist and local kids while we enjoyed our beers on the sand. The beach can get a little rough during the day, so bring or borrow a life jacket for small children. At Cabo Dolphins, kids can swim with or pet dolphins in the tank. Going for dinner and a show on the Pirate Ship is also popular, and can be free if your kids are willing to sit through a timeshare presentation about one of the new properties in Cabo. We didn’t do this, as 2-year-olds are not notorious for sitting still, but may in the future. For a break from the sun, take a stroll through the luxury mall or watch a kids’ movie in Spanish at the mall’s theater.
Beach for Baby’s Tips for Cabo with Kids
A hotel room with a kitchen If you need to prepare formula or clean bottles/sippy cups, you will want a kitchen to sterilize the water. Our hotel had a stove, pots and a sink so I could boil large quantities of water to clean Little J’s sippy cups. We needed the fridge to keep store-bought milk too, since I was concerned about the temperature of free milk we got from the restaurants and bars.
When in doubt, bring a stroller Legitimate sidewalks are few and far between, and you don’t want your kids accidentally walking in the street. That said, you can spend your whole vacation in Cabo without ever setting foot outside the protected marina area.
Split up to do Cabo’s active sports If you’re bringing children, understand that you’ll be spending time at the pool and beach as they may not be old enough for jet skis, snorkeling or ATVs. Switch off watching the kids so the grown-ups can enjoy all that Cabo has to offer. Otherwise, seafood, margarita, siesta, repeat. ☺
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