This blog is the first in the Pink Bear’s Cabo series.   

This Blog Includes:

• Introduction
• Preparation
  • Accommodations, Activities, Packing Tips
  • Currency
• Travel Day NJ to Cabo
• Westin Los Cabos Check in
• Dinner La Estrellas
• Travel Tips
• Westin Los Cabos Pink Bear Rating
• Final Thoughts

To follow the entire Cabo girls’ trip, go to :

https://pinkbearjourney.com/cabo-san-lucas

Introduction

After months of writing about Patagonia, glaciers, submarines, and expedition cruising, it was time for a completely different adventure—sun, pools, ocean views, and a girl’s getaway to Cabo San Lucas.

This trip is a girls’ trip with D and me. It is part of our retirement strategy to do at least one fun girls’ trip a year. Pink Bear is, of course, coming along too. Cabo seemed a great choice for sun, beach, pool, and other fun activities.

Preparation

Anyone who travels with me knows I love a good spreadsheet. Flights, transportation, activities, restaurant ideas, packing lists—everything eventually finds its way into a spreadsheet.  Since Pink Bear loves to plan, we started filling in our spreadsheet.

Accommodations

Since Marriott has a Vacation Club in Los Cabos, that was the logical choice of accommodations. The Weston Los Cabos has great reviews, and the two-bedroom villa looked perfect. I loved that the villas have ocean views. For Pink Bear and me, it is all about the view. So, 13 months out, I went on the website and snagged a two-bedroom villa with a 19 Jun arrival. We were a go.

Activities/Transport in Cabo

After accommodations were locked in, Pink Bear wanted to pick out activities. TripAdvisor “things to do” is always a good place to start. Snorkeling is at the top of the list of things to do on tropical vacations. The activities will be discussed in detail in future blogs.

As a retired older traveler, I like to arrange airport pickup, especially in foreign countries. After comparing reviews, services, and prices, I chose SJD Taxi for our airport transportation with Pink Bear’s help.

One thing that completely confused me before our trip was the Baja California Sur tourist tax. Our SJD taxi service told us it was mandatory, so we paid online and received a QR code. Then…nothing. No one asked for it when we arrived, and no one asked for it when we left. I honestly thought I had been scammed! After looking into it, I learned the tax is legitimate—it’s just not consistently checked. So don’t panic if no one ever asks to see your QR code.

Travel Packing List:

Below is a list of things I packed

• Shorts
• Tops
• Dress dinner outfits
• Bathing suits
• Cover up
• Under clothes
• Sweaters
• Socks
• Sandals
• Waterproof backpack
• Beach bag
• Sunglasses
• Glasses/Contacts
• Jewelry bag
• Suntan lotion
• Bug spray (ended up not using it, we did not find it to have a lot of bugs in the main areas)
• Insulated coffee cup
• Flavored coffee
• Medications
• Hearing aid batteries
• Power cords and blocks
• Portable battery pack
• Toiletries
• Camera equipment: Sony DSLR camera, Olympus Tough underwater camera, extra batteries, chargers, memory cards, lens cleaner, and cloths
• Passport book and card

Currency

A couple of weeks before the trip, I ordered a couple of hundred dollars in Mexican pesos from Bank of America. Because of my banking relationship with Bank of America, I was able to order pesos at a favorable exchange rate and with discounted fees. Many vendors accept USD, and I use credit cards for most things, but for local stores and craft markets, I like to have local currency.  We did find it useful on this trip, and the amount was just right

Travel Day NJ to Cabo

Since we live in NJ and D is from PA, she stayed with us the night before. We had a 7:00 AM flight, so we had an early 4:30 AM start. Since Tom was not going on this one, he was the chauffeur to EWR.

On the day of the flight, we left early, at 4:30 AM, and breezed to the airport. On the way, we were treated to a beautiful sunrise.

Premier Access was uncrowded, and we quickly checked our bags and were off to the gate.  We were at the gate by 5:30 AM. Pink Bear was excited to be going to Cabo and wanted a group picture.

Boarding started on time, and soon we were off to our connection at IAH. We arrived a little early at IAH and navigated our way through the large airport to our connecting gate. If you travel through Houston, be sure you leave enough time between connecting planes. The airport is very large, and if the gates are not near each other, it could take a while to navigate. There are 5 terminals at IAH, 3 are currently in use:

• Terminal A: Primarily serves non-United domestic flights.
• Terminal B: Currently undergoing a massive rebuild.
• Terminal C: The main hub for United Airlines domestic flights.
• Terminals D & E: Dedicated to international and long-haul flights. Customs and immigration facilities are housed in Terminal E.

IAH features 2 train systems that act like a monorail to transport passengers between terminals.

Pink Bear was anxious to get to Cabo, but she was waiting patiently in her seat.

Los Cabos Airport

Upon arrival in Los Cabos, after exiting the plane, we made our way to the luggage pick-up area.  We found the signage to be very clear and in English and Spanish.  The immigration process was not electronic; therefore, we needed to fill out a paper form.  They did not have them on our flight; we received them upon arrival.  It’s always a good idea to travel with a pen because they don’t provide one.  We arrived at around 1:30 pm, and immigration was not crowded.  We breezed through in a few minutes. We then made our way to pick up our luggage.  It only took about 10-15 minutes. There was another scanner, but they waved us through, so off we went.

Arrival

We followed the exit signs and passed an area with timeshare sales, but no one approached us, and there were no aggressive vendors.  Once outside, we looked for the brown awnings and “Area 3” where we were told to find the dispatcher.  After finding her, she called for our car.  It was a very nice suburban that fit our luggage and us very comfortably.

We made a quick stop at a supermarket.  It was very nice that the taxi service offered the option to stop at the supermarket. They gave us half an hour. The stores in Cabo are very nice and modern, and have a great selection.  The bakery was a standout feature. We picked up lots of water because even in the major hotels and restaurants, you need to be careful.

Westin Los Cabos

Note: We stayed in the Westin Los Cabos, not the Baja Point section.  The properties are connected but distinct.  Amenities are shared, and Owners can use pools and services at both.

Check in

When we arrived at the Westin Los Cabos, we received a warm greeting, and that theme extended throughout our visit.  The staff here is extremely warm, friendly, and eager to assist with any request.  The Lobby is open-air, with a check-in Desk area with seating and a Tour Desk area. Check-in was efficient, and when I reiterated my request for a villa on a high floor in the Royal Tower, she indicated they were doing everything to accommodate it.

We were a little early, and at first, she said our villa was not ready, but within a few minutes, as we continued the check-in process, it became available.  This was about 2:30 pm. 

We were escorted through the beautiful property to our lovely two-bedroom villa that had a spectacular view.  A complete review of the Westin will be available in future blogs.  Here are a few pictures to pique your interest.

The pictures below were taken on our walk from the lobby to our villa.

These are a few pictures of the villa.

Our View from both balconies was spectacular!

Dinner La Estrellas

Dinner the first night was at Las Estrellas. It was a casual way to start our vacation.  Las Estrellas is located at the elite Esperanza resort in Los Cabos.  It was about a 20-minute ride.  It is very easy to get an Uber from the Westin resort.  They pick up at the main entrance, a two-minute walk from the lobby.  Many drivers wait at the entrance.  It was a very convenient way to get around.

There are many gated entrances to Las Estrellas, and it is a bit tricky navigating the resort, but we arrived at our destination with no problem.  The resort is gorgeous with many pools and flowering plants.  The Estrellas is in a beautiful outdoor garden.  The service was impeccable and the food outstanding.  We shared a hummus appetizer and 2 entrees.  For dinner, we shared mushroom gnocchi and a warm cheese dip.  We were too full for dessert.  Our first dinner was a success

Our walk through the resort to the restaurant.

The restaurant

The dinner

After dinner, we took a walk to the lobby of this beautiful resort.  We got an Uber back to the Westin from the lobby.

Travel Tips:

• If you connect through Houston, be aware it is a very large airport, so leave enough connection time.
• If you pre-arrange transport, many companies will offer a supermarket stop.
• The Westin has two interconnecting resorts, the main Los Cabos and Baja Point. 
• Credit card readers can be tricky here.  If your card does not go through, ask for another reader.
• The villas do not have full kitchens, just kitchenettes.  There is no stove, and the appliances are not full-size.
• The coffee maker is a large single-serve.  There are no filters for the coffee maker in the villa.  They only provide small coffee packets.  If you bring your own coffee, you will need to also bring filters.
• For the best view, ask for a high floor in the Royal Tower.
• The Baja California Sur tourist tax can be paid online before arrival. Although it is mandatory, don’t be surprised if no one asks to see your QR code.

Westin Los Cabos Pink Bear Rating:

• Resort Amenities and Pool: 10/10
• Villas: 9/10 (no full kitchen)
• View: 10/10
• Service 10/10
•  Pink Bear Approved: Yes

Final Thoughts

After a smooth travel day, an easy airport transfer, and a spectacular villa overlooking the Sea of Cortez, our Cabo adventure was off to a great start. The Westin Los Cabos exceeded our expectations on day one with beautiful pools, friendly service, and one of the best views I have ever had. Pink Bear quickly approved of the accommodations, and after a relaxing dinner and sunset walk, we were ready to see what the rest of Cabo had in store.

Stay tuned—snorkeling, tequila, camels, and a few surprises are still ahead. After all, “It’ll be fun,” she said.