Fun Things To Do for Families: Los Cabos, Mexico - 2

Day Trips From Cabo

Hate to leave the beach? On a day trip from Cabo, you can always bail from the car for a beach fix or two along the way. 

Artsy, picturesque Todos Santos makes a great excursion. Head west out of San Lucas for an hour-long ride. 

Warning: Once you reach the stunning surf, cliffs and beaches of the rugged Pacific coast, you may find it tough to keep your eyes on the road. Pull off and take a break to scramble over sands you’ll likely share with no one else. 

 

• The Hotel California is hard to leave once you're settled in.

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Eventually you’ll reach the town of Todos Santos, a contented collection of galleries and restaurants tucked among traditional homes and artists’ cottages. Stop for a drink in the courtyard of the Hotel California. Never mind that it wasn’t the inspiration for the famous Eagles’ song. You’ll still get the eerie feeling that “you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”

When you finally do leave Todos Santos, take time to stop at one of the fresh fruit and vegetable stands along the highway back to Cabo. I like to pick up a jicama or two. Peeled, sliced, and dashed with fresh lime juice and a little chili pepper, they make a crunchy, tart and tasty appetizer.

 

• There is an abundance of handmade art in Los Cabos and surrounding towns.

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North of San José, East Cape beckons with rugged wind and surf.  Within an hour’s drive, you’ll come upon miles of deserted beaches and picturesque coves. There’s fantastic snorkeling at Cabo Pulmo Marine Park, but swimming is treacherous along other sections of the cape. 

Hopefully you’ll work up an appetite. At the open air Nancy’s Restaurant and Bar near Cabo Pulmo, I enjoyed the best-ever chicken in mole, a smoky Mexican barbeque sauce.

 

• Spend a few days of your trip pitching in to help local causes.

Deb Vanasse

Volunteering Cabo-Style

Cabo is a great place for kids—and grown-ups—to add a little volunteer spirit to vacation time. Mexican social services are not always the same as what we’re used to back home, and many children drop out from school to care for younger siblings so parents can work. Private organizations have sprung up to fill the gap and always need donations of time or money.

Through Liga M.A.C., an organization of Mexican, American and Canadian women, I helped with art classes given free to kids in impoverished areas. I delighted in their creative efforts, and they giggled over my broken Spanish.

A similar organization, Optimist International, helps kids stay in school through their Kid Smart Cabo program. You can sponsor a student or volunteer at one of the monthly reward outings for kids who stay in school.