Post Card from the Future

Ready for a ReturnTrip to Baja

Sometimes, when it’s too cloudy outside, I like to remember my trip to Mexico. I can still feel the warm sand between my toes, cold drink in my hand, and cramped face muscles from smiling too much. The cramps also might have been from me forgetting my sunglasses and my desperate attempts to squint the sun away, but it sounds a lot cooler to say it was from smiling.

 Cerritos Beach was the highlight of my summer and ended up being even better than I expected. Those memories help me through dreary days and give me something to look forward to, assuming I have the privilege of going back. That was something that wasn’t in question for me or my family, we all knew we wanted to come back once our week was up.

My family usually doesn’t travel a lot, so this trip was a big deal for us. We decided to avoid the terrible weather at home and go to Cerritos for about six days. When we went, it was during Christmas. As the snow fell at home, I got to bask in the rays of the Mexican sun. This was the main reason we went, because around holiday season Cerritos is the coldest and still doesn't get below 47 in the daytime. 

There are many places you could go if you were just looking for some warm sun and sand, though. What made Cerritos unique is the large assortment of activities and entertainment that have grown out of the recent success of the area.

While we were there, we stayed at a guest house that was right on the beach. The house was through AirBnB and was part of a small tourist community. It was a healthy mix of Spanish-speaking locals and English-speaking visitors like us. We went with the cheaper option, around $77 a night, but nearby there is a more fancy option, the Cerritos Beach Club. Both have nice rooms, friendly people, and an ocean view. 

The housing follows the trend that most services do in the area; if it doesn't suit you, there's someone nearby willing to do it cheaper or grander. Cerritos has a place to stay for any economic situation and they are all a conversation with a helpful local away.

The nearby town of Cabo is one of the most recognizable travel destinations in the world and has brought a lot of prosperity to the surrounding communities. Cabo is constantly evolving with its large assortment of art, food, and culture. The rest of southern Baja seemed to follow suit in the last couple of years. Countless activities are run in the area by private companies and local families. We had our choice of surf lessons, camel riding, dune-buggy exploring, and much more.

As I said earlier, my family usually isn’t big on trying new things or traveling. My mom is no exception to this, so we let her pick out what activity she thought sounded fun. She picked the dune-buggy exploring to kind of meet in the middle with us and ended up having a great time. Weaving through the desert plant life for hours while we enjoyed the view and animals was the highlight of the trip. 

I am a lot more used to the giant green trees of the Pacific Northwest, so getting to see a whole other kind of wilderness was awesome. It wasn’t just dust and plants, though. Many large, isolated communities lived in the brush of the desert. We got to see old fathers working on their farm, churches and kids waving from schools as we shot down the dusty, pothole-filled road. We also got to experience the land mines that their cattle left for us on the path. I can’t think of another circumstance that would make my family laugh when getting sprayed by cow manure, but we were having way too much fun to care.

I can confidently say that we spent our time well while in Mexico. We stayed within our budget and managed to cover a lot of space in our short six days. Even with our trip being so satisfying, I wanted to immediately go back. One day I hope I can afford to do round two with my future wife and kids.

At a Glance

Cerritos Beach

Where: Baja, Mexico

What: Relax on sandy beach and explore southern Baja

Status: Open

Official Website: https://www.cerritosbeachinn.com

Best Way to Get There: Fly into San José del Cabo Los Cabos

Admission: Free unless you park a car.

Where to Eat and Stay: Cerritos Beach Inn and ask locals where to eat.

Special Dates: Mid-January there is a week long music festival at the famous Hotel California.