Cabo Off-Season: The Best Time to Go

I had been living with the notion that Cabo is only for those who are twenty-two, ready to graduate, yet not ready to fully embrace adulthood. I went to Cabo for my last birthday since my friend secured excellent rates at the Hampton Inn & Suites Los Cabos and plane ticket prices were ridiculously cheap. I guess it helps having an August birthday that is not within the high tourist season for the two Cabos. Since we didn’t want to have the typical Cabo experiences, we opted for these three must-dos.

When people think of Cabo, they are probably thinking of Cabo San Lucas, at the tip of the Baja California Sur peninsula, filled with a bright nightlife. Rather than heading there for the day, we took the main shuttle a few miles north to San Jose del Cabo. We walked the last little bit in the hot sun, but were greeted with open doors to air conditioning and, if you purchase some jewelry like we did, free cervezas by the shop owner.

The town center is small, but it made me feel that I was in a real city in Mexico, not one that is completely overrun with tourists, even if it is still a tourist town. It was colorful and clean, and the people we met were open and friendly. It’s the perfect way to spend the afternoon before heading out for dinner and drinks.

City Center of San Jose del Cabo

For my actual birthday, I decided to treat myself to a sunset cruise with Cabo Adventures that left from Cabo San Lucas. The other passengers ranged in ages from mid-twenties to mid-fifties, from couples to ladies’ weekends, like what we were having. The boat took us around where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. We settled on the deck of the sailboat as the staff brought us unlimited drinks, and plates of appetizers before watching the sun sink below the horizon.

Sunset into the Pacific Ocean

View of Lover's Arch From Our Spot on the Sailboat

On our last day, we decided to do something different. Our hotel had views of the ocean, but we did not have beach access. My friend worked out day passes to the Hilton resort less than two miles away. We got there early enough to have uninterrupted access to the beach.

Up until this point, we had remained true to our mission to not have a “spring break” experience, but sometimes, you just get sucked into it no matter what. Note that this should be a life lesson for anyone else wanting to take photographs close to the ocean.

Katie insisted that we get some pictures of us on the beach showing off what a splendid time we were having in Cabo. As I was using her phone to take a picture of a wave cresting a large rock, I tucked mine into my bikini (which, please note, never do!). The wave, in all its majesty, came up much farther than I anticipated, knocked me down and took my phone with it.

Yes, I lost my phone in the Sea of Cortez.

Not much else I could do after that besides call my carrier and carry on with my day. We would not let a phone sacrifice to the ocean dampen our day. We sat at the poolside bar for piña coladas cut out of coconuts, were upgraded to a cabana (which would have been worth the extra cost, even if we didn’t get the free upgrade!), and spent plenty of time alternating between pool and shade for the rest of the day.

Timing is Everything When Taking the Perfect Photograph