Based on the East Coast of America, we have a wealth of opportunities to visit the Caribbean on easy short flights. However, the grass always does seem greener on the other side so we decided to make the haul over to the opposite side of the country to check out Los Cabos, Mexico! From JFK there are currently no direct flights to Los Cabos, so we had to connect in Los Angeles before boarding quick flight to our final destination.
Once through Customs, there are two important things to keep in mind. The first is to place your Mexico Tourist Card in a safe place (you need to return it when you leave). The second is to not talk to anyone in the airport as they will try to sell you things that you do not need. If you have a transfer pre-booked like we did, you must leave the airport and make your way to the transfer area outside. The official transfer representatives are not allowed inside the airport, so don’t even bother with the people hawking rides inside the airport. Transfers to the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos take about half an hour.
The Hyatt Ziva is a family friendly five-star all inclusive resort, and you can tell from the drinks they greet you with as you’re checking in. This is the exact moment I became obsessed with strawberry mojitos. Once checked in, we were given wristbands to mark us as guests and escorted to our Master Suite.
As soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted by a lounge with a couch, separated from the large bedroom by a hallway and a bathroom. There is another bathroom connected to the bedroom itself. Despite being in the entry level room category, we had a stunning view of the resort and the ocean from our furnished balcony- the U-shaped construction of the resort lends itself to most rooms having a spectacular view!
There is a huge all-ages pool that makes up the majority of the space within the “U”. Immediately in front of this pool is a smaller beach front pool with a pool bar. Both are ringed by lounge chairs. Swim out rooms and their pool are located just off to the side of this space. Separate from this main pool area is the adults only pool, which has a nearby bar- but you do have to exit the water to order your drinks which I found odd. The beach front pool was by far the most popular option given its proximity to both the beautiful ocean views and the swim-up bar.
The beach itself is wide and gorgeously white and sandy with plenty of comfortable lounge chairs available for your enjoyment, as well as several bookable cabanas. The beach is public, so prepare yourself for determined and aggressive vendors trying to sell you their wares.
This was lucky for me as I had forgotten my sunglasses and was able to snag a pair, but if you even so much as make eye contact with a vendor you may find them in front of you in a heartbeat. It’s also important to note that due to strong currents, the beach is un-swimmable, which is extensively marked once near the beach area.
There were several horses on the beach that we were able to pay to ride as well. You can haggle, of course, but the basic price offered to me was $20 for a half hour, which I found more than reasonable and didn’t bother to argue with. One of the workers will come with you, but I am an experienced rider and was allowed to split off from the group and explore to my hearts content- for more than a half hour, mind you!
There are a ton of dining options, but we spent most of our time at the Coco Loco Snack Bar as it was delicious and conveniently located near the pools. We tried the Italian restaurant- but didn’t love it- and then tried the French restaurant which was adults only and delicious. The breakfast buffet was extensive and one of my favorites. As a whole, the bartenders were talented and I HIGHLY recommend trying one of their extensive mojito options (strawberry mojitos were of course my favorite, followed immediately by dragonfruit). If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even ask the bartenders to surprise you and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with whatever drink they come up with!
From the hotel, you can book a variety of off-site excursions or try their spa! We booked a sunset cruise of the famous Arch of Cabo San Lucas- which was nice but we failed to consider that a decent portion of the cruise would be in darkness after the sun went down. We also booked an hour long spa appointment at Zen Spa, which allows you access to the relaxation pool and lockers to store your personal items.
The hotel is about a half hour drive from central Cabo so you will likely not leave the hotel aside from pre-booked excursions, but there is a public bus available for a small fee if you want to make your own way to the town proper. There are nightly performances with live entertainers and a rotating schedule of daily activities, but during our trip I found the resort to be relatively quiet despite its family friendly atmosphere which lent itself to an overall relaxing experience.