A Look At Cabo San Lucas & Quivira Los Cabos With 4 Visiting Travel Writers

Before November 2017, my only on-the-ground experience with the country of Mexico was what I call “cruise ship Mexico.” Simply put, in “cruise ship Mexico,” you get off of a ship and are led towards shops and tours that are largely associated with a cruise line. Under those circumstances, there is minimal need to speak the local language, as you are essentially walking around a beautiful extension of the United States. It may look nice, but it probably isn’t the Mexico you had envisioned.

When visiting Cabo San Lucas, specifically the collection of resorts and destinations known as Quivira Los Cabos, I experienced the exact opposite of what I had expected. Situated along the Pacific Ocean among a picture-perfect mix of beach, hills, plants and open land, Quivira is home to destinations like the Pueblo Bonito Resorts, The Market At Quivira, and the Quivira Golf Club. Once on-site, there is something for everyone, whether you are there for high-end dining, swimming, golf, hiking, fine wine, and/or general sight-seeing. Quivira offers both all-inclusive and a la carte options to its guests, while its lodging options range from standard hotel rooms and suites with 24/7 butler service, to three-bedroom villas for long-term rentals and permanent living. All guests and residents have access to free shuttles to take them around the various parts of Quivira Los Cabos, which is a 15-minute drive from Downtown Cabo (e.g. Cabo Wabo Cantina, Cabo San Lucas Marina, Baja Brewing Company, El Squid Roe, Nowhere Bar) and a 45-minute drive from Cabo San Lucas International Airport.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of doing Q&A with some fellow travel industry correspondents that had also experienced both Cabo San Lucas and Quivira Los Cabos:

• Andrew McCredie, Postmedia travel writer
• Mira Temkin, Freelance Journalist & Head of Mira H. Temkin & Associates
• Aniesia Williams, Publisher of A Global Lifestyle
• Matt Saternus, Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Plugged In Golf

More on Quivira Los Cabos can be found online at www.quiviraloscabos.com.

What was your favorite part of your Cabo experience?

Andrew McCredie: Playing the Jack Nicklaus-designed Quivira golf course, one of the best and most fun resort courses I have ever played.

Mira Temkin: We journeyed on an Off-Road Adventure with Cabo Adventures. We drove a Polaris UTV through the unspoiled Baja desert, which was thrilling and beautiful. We maneuvered through canyon trails and along the beach, careful not to disturb the sea turtle nests.

Aniesia Williams: Experiencing the next phase of development for the city.

Matt Saternus: I enjoyed everything we did in Cabo — sailing, fishing on the beach, the meals — but the golf at Quivira Golf Club stands out. The course is unbelievably dramatic in terms of the scenery and the design of the course follows suit. There are four really good “normal” holes on the course, and the rest are roller coaster rides with huge elevation changes and fairways turning in all directions. And then there are the three “comfort stations” on the course that are more like mini-restaurants. It’s a golf experience that’s unlike anything I’ve played before.

What was the best thing you ate while in Cabo?

Andrew McCredie: The ceviche prepared by the Pueblo Bonito chef on the beach as we cast for fish with massive fishing rods. So fresh and with a nice Mexican kick to it.

Mira Temkin: I loved the chilaquiles at Captain Tony’s at the marina for breakfast — corn tortillas cut in quarters with eggs, onions, salsa and cheese. Some places also serve with refried beans and chicken. It was delicious and a filling way to start the day.

Aniesia Williams: The fish tacos from Quivira Golf Club.

Matt Saternus: This is another really hard question. I think that the seared tuna at the Quivira Golf Club steakhouse was the best single dish, but the experience of eating dinner on the beach at Pacifica was the best meal overall.

Chilaquiles at Pueblo Bonito / Photo by Mira Temkin

Was there anything about Cabo that surprised you?

Andrew McCredie: The infrastructure, particularly the new highway from the airport to the resort.

Mira Temkin: What surprised me the most about Los Cabos was the amount of building and new construction going on throughout the two cities. Everywhere I went, I saw new hotels going up, which is indicative of the strength of the economy and their confidence in tourism.

Aniesia Williams: How clean it was.

Matt Saternus: I didn’t have many expectations heading into the trip, but I was still surprised at how perfect the weather is in Cabo. The biggest complaint anyone could generate was that around noon, when there weren’t any clouds, it was a few degrees too hot. When that’s your biggest problem, life is really good.

What’s your next travel destination?

Andrew McCredie: The City of Angels for the L.A. Auto Show.

Mira Temkin: My next trips are to San Antonio, Houston and Orlando.

Aniesia Williams: Resorts World Bimini in the Bahamas .

Matt Saternus: I’m heading to Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia in mid-November.

The view from a Cabo Adventures boat ride / Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz