There is one thing for certain for residents of the Coachella Valley: the summer is hot. All of the top five hottest summers in Coachella Valley history have happened within the past six years, showing how climate change is driving up average temperatures in the region. For many, but not all, it is the reason and the season that we look to a sojourn in places with cooler, milder temperatures.
Once in a while, fate decides to help out. An email arrives announcing a press junket to Cabo San Lucas. A term not heard much anymore, “press junkets” once referred to an opportunity for journalists to interview celebrities for an upcoming film. It could also be an invitation to visit a particular hotel, property, or event. For the record, I have been on many junkets, most notably to Egypt and the Maldives. This particular press trip was to visit a resort located on the southernmost tip of the Baja California Peninsula—Cabo San Lucas. From Los Angeles, this is a less-than-three-hour flight.
Cabo is known for a few things: a vibrant nightlife, the Arch of Cabo San Lucas (the iconic arch-shaped rock formation located at Land’s End), and as a port of call for large cruise ships. It is a tourist destination, as are Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Tulum, and, most recently, to the north, Holbox (pronounced Hool-bosh).
From the Cabo airport, shuttles are frequent, and it is less than a half-hour drive to the heart of Cabo. The veil lifts as Highway 1 comes into view—here, the Gulf of California meets the Pacific. Connecting San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas is the Tourist Corridor, a 33-kilometer (20-mile) four-lane highway surrounded by stunning views of both the desert and the coastline of the Sea of Cortez. And here we find Mar del Cabo by Velas Resorts. This is but one of the three Velas Resorts that all sit next to one another. To the right is the Grand Velas Hotel, a luxury all-inclusive resort. A short walk to the left is the Grand Velas Boutique Hotel in Los Cabos.
Our stay is at Mar Del Cabo, a boutique hotel catering to adults only with a pet-friendly crowd. All three are designed by Ricardo Elias, principal of Elias and Elias Architects in Guadalajara. The three hotels could not be more different—Del Cabo exudes old-world charm with lush entryways and a sloping sidewalk to the sea. The Grand Velas Los Cabos has an entrance that is dramatic, stylized, and cinematic.
For this junket, we are joined by fellow travel writers—it is a good group: diverse, informative, and friendly. We are staying at Mar Del Cabo by Velas Resorts, a triptych of hotels, all unique and vastly different. Mar Del Cabo is a boutique hotel—it feels intimate and organic to the region. The hotel, Mar del Cabo, is a stylish adaptation of a classic boutique hotel, designed to captivate and comfort with its unassuming and pleasing minimalism. With 46 one- and two-bedroom suites, two penthouses that have king or two queen-size beds, kitchenettes with a coffee maker and microwave oven, terraces with a sitting area, separate living areas with a sofa, a bathroom-width step-in rain shower, and daily turndown service, The restaurant, Encanto Farm & Sea, showcases the local and fresh flavors of Baja California in a unique seaside chic ambiance less than 50 yards from the ocean’s edge. Two bars, spa services, a sleek and sensual oceanfront pool, as well as outdoor spaces to hold private events, complete Mar del Cabo.
It was our first day on the press trip, and we headed off to Todos Santos with our loquacious driver, Marcello. It is a 47-minute drive north on Highway 19. Marcello informs us that in Todos Santos we will find the Hotel California—the hotel behind the famous Eagles’ song. He alludes to “colitas,” which in Spanish is the flowering bud of the cannabis plant, as proof of the song’s linkage to Mexico.
All of which is conjecture—there is no evidence any of the Eagles ever stayed at this particular hotel, but it is a fun storyline nonetheless. Todos Santos is a magical and mysterious place. There is a large bazaar that belongs to the designer Rouss Ramírez. In the bazaar, you can discover the objects that Rouss has found on her travels through Mexico and around the world.
From there, we head back south towards Cabo and stop at the Magical Todos Santos & Camel Ranch. Here, we are treated to a vision straight out of Lawrence of Arabia—groups of people on dromedaries wearing shemaghs (headscarves). It is here that we learn a single-humped camel is called a dromedary—a camel with two humps is a Bactrian.
Lunch is enjoyed outdoors while, in the distance, we watch whales play along the Pacific. Later that night, the entire press group was treated to dinner at Encanto. It is Valentine’s Day, and the atmosphere at the restaurant is festive. Near the sea, on a small stage, a performer is singing love songs in English. It is our last night—the days have swept by. Tomorrow is the short flight back to Los Angeles.
Part of the fun of any trip is the journey—getting there. From Palm Springs, the fastest route is naturally by air. While direct flights might not always be available, depending on the season and airline schedules, travelers can often find connecting flights through major hubs such as Los Angeles (LAX), Phoenix (PHX), or San Diego (SAN). Flight time directly from these hubs to San José del Cabo International Airport (SJD), the closest airport to Cabo San Lucas, typically ranges from 2 to 4 hours.
Another option is to take a private jet from the Palm Springs International Airport. There are nearly ten private jet companies offering service to the Baja Area. The cost and the time vary according to the kind of jet, but all can get you there in two to three hours.
