Cabomas Getaway
My personal experience
All pictures are my own unless otherwise noted/sourced; do not use without permission.
Christmas time
We were lucky to find a nonstop flight to Cabo, a smooth five-hour trip from Sacramento. After landing, we made our way through customs and were greeted by our hotel shuttle. The drive from the airport took about 20 to 30 minutes, and as we looked out the window, Cabo revealed itself as a stunning coastal desert, where sun-baked earth meets the sea.
This was the satellite view of our location; we thought it was funny, lol.
We checked into the hotel and, after getting settled, headed out to find something to eat. We stopped at a local Mexican restaurant for lunch, where the ceviche cups were enormous. Later, we took a ferry to the beach, which was buzzing with people. We spent a relaxing afternoon lounging by the water before enjoying dinner at one of the beachfront restaurants. Somehow, everything tasted better with a margarita in my hand.
We took a ferry across the marina and spent some time unwinding on the beach. Naturally, we couldn’t resist indulging in a few more margaritas and some delicious bites to go with them.
On this trip, we took a boat tour to see the famous Arch, known locally as El Arco de Cabo San Lucas. Unfortunately, it was high tide, so there was no chance of walking beneath it. We had read that the tide drops low enough for visitors to pass under the arch only once every few years, so we knew it was a rare sight to catch.
The boat ride itself was a little nerve-racking for me. The waves were strong, the water was choppy, and the boat rocked constantly. Meanwhile, Cliff put on a brave face, acting completely unfazed, while I held on tight and laughed through the nerves.
After visiting El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, we were dropped off at a beautiful cove for snorkeling.
We were the first ones there, aside from a local man renting out snorkeling gear and life jackets. After renting what we needed, we were eager to get in the water, but hesitated because there was no one to watch our belongings. Eventually, more people began to arrive and casually left their things on the rocks. Since we were all on the same small stretch of beach, we decided it was probably safe and followed suit.
The water was warm and inviting. As soon as we slipped beneath the surface, we were surrounded by vibrant coral reefs and fish of every color and size. It felt like swimming inside a giant aquarium. After about 30 or 45 minutes, Cliff suggested it was time to head back. I refused. I wasn’t ready to leave just yet. He laughed and said okay, though he still thought we should go. Eventually, I gave in. We climbed out of the water, dried off, and were later picked up by our boat, already reminiscing about the underwater world we had just explored.
Note: Months after the trip, Cliff finally admitted the real reason he wanted to leave the water so quickly. He thought he saw what looked like a whale shark gliding below the reef. Hearing that long after the fact completely freaked me out. For a while, I couldn’t stop thinking about what might have been beneath us, and it definitely made me hesitant to go snorkeling again.
We wandered around the marina, where locals eagerly offered a variety of cruise packages. One sunset tour to El Arco de Cabo San Lucas caught our attention, and we decided to book it. The price was advertised at about $20 per person, but somehow we were only charged $6 total, a mistake we didn’t realize until later. It felt like we had stumbled onto the deal of the trip.
The cruise was a bit crowded, but it gave us an incredible view of El Arco de Cabo San Lucas at sunset. As we held onto the railings and looked out over the ocean, the sky exploded into brilliant shades of orange, red, and pink. With the wind whipping through our hair, it was one of those rare, perfect moments when you feel completely alive, surrounded by the ocean, the fading light, and the magic of the evening.
As night fell, the music grew louder and we danced with drinks in hand, carefree and happy. In that moment, life felt absolutely perfect.
After the cruise ended, we strolled through the marina, admiring the Christmas lights and festive decorations glowing against the night sky. Eventually, we made our way back to the hotel.
All I could think was how incredibly blessed I felt, and what a beautiful, unforgettable Christmas this had been.
