Cabo San Lucas is a popular destination for West Coast college students
every spring.
Soon it will
be that time of year when studies, common sense and moderation are abandon
by the visiting US college students and the average age of the Cabo
tourist drops considerably. It's Spring Break time.
Beginning in
late February and running through mid April, thousands of young adults
descend on Cabo to blow off a little steam and a bunch of dad's money.
We visited some of the usual hot spots to see what this year had to
offer.
More
below...
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Hands down
of the above mentioned pubs, Cabo Wabo has the food. Always busy with
those who remember Sammy Hagar (sorry Sammy) and those who have heard
of Cabo Wabo make it happenin' all the time. If your in Cabo to party,
make it to the Wabo. It's a bit more expensive than some of the other
bar food, but I like it.
In the courtyard
adjoining Cabo Wabo are Rip's & The Jungle Bar. Within feet of each
other these two smaller bars rock during spring break.
Medano Beach
will littered with "cruedo" corpses Sunday mornings, basking in the
warm tropical sun. By 11AM all of the lounge chairs will be filled at
the Mango Deck, Billigan's
Island and The Office most with folks feeling a bit pale or unconscious
entirely. But, that's what vacation is for folks! It's good to rotate
through these beach hang outs, after you've been here a few days you
can tell what time it is by when "YMCA" is played at Mango Deck.
Along Medano
Beach you will find places to rent Jet Skis, kayaks, skim boards and
snorkel gear. There are also several kiosks that offer scuba trips.
Your best bet for a scuba trip is early morning or ebb tide.
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Let's start by getting the rules out of the way. Public drunkenness
can get you arrested. Fighting can get you arrested or at best, an immediate
trip home. Know that even verbally threatening someone in Mexico is
a felony. Open containers, just like most US cities, can get you a ticket.
Most bars will offer to pour your unfinished beverage into a plastic
cup.
If you or your
friend have had too much to drink, don't venture back to the hotel alone.
Although the incidents are low, putting a drunk into a cab alone is
not a good idea.
We have some
new establishments along Marina Blvd like ROXX, which hopes to attract
the breakers who want to dine & dance. One of the more spacious bars
in town, the decor is upscale, (there is a waterfall in the men's room!)
the sound system good and the food is much more than usual bar fare.
The Crazy Iguana
is located up stairs above the busiest intersection in Cabo. They are
new this past summer and get a good crowd only on the busier nights
in town.
For those Breakers
craving the Latin Rhythm, the hottest ticket in town right now is probably
the Mambo Cafe. Located next to
Hotel Costa Real Cabo San Lucas and Solomon's Landing
this place sways with the Cuban beat with both live music and disc.
Saturday night is hot, there is usually a long line to get in
after 11PM. The flavor is tropical, men should wear long pants and a
collared shirt, ladies should dress competitively.
Obscene Spring Break drink specials really pull them into places like
Squid Roe, Cabo
Wabo and the
Giggling Marlin.With a bit of experience in the subject, I must
suggest avoiding the Jell-O Shooters. As delicious and tempting as they
are, I and several of my friends describe them as the "Express lane
to a nasty hangover" Aw, but cheap tequila straight up never does that.
 If
your gonna drink tequila stay away from the names you remember from
the states. Those are OK if you want to belt something down that is
gonna prove your a man (even if your a woman), make your eyes water
and your head pound in the morning. Try better brews like Don Julio
or Tres Generacions. You don't have to toss them because they taste
much better than Jose's stuff. Personally, I don't think 1800 is a brand
name, it's the last time they cleaned the vats!
Oh, and that
salt and lime thing, totally a gringo invention. Probably by the big
name company to cover the product's poor taste. Good tequila is as sip-able
and can be enjoyed like any other fine alcohol. Done right it doesn't
have to be concealed in margarita mix or slammed down the throat with
a yowl.
 Around
1AM there is usually a wait to get into Squid Roe. The bar (I understand
they serve food too) was packed and the pea whistle blown by the DJ
was encouraging the flailing dancers on the tables near the dance floor.
A complete wardrobe, on occasion, became optional.
On party nights
I personally enjoy getting started with dinner at the Giggling Marlin.
The 'Floor Show' is provided by the staff and unsuspecting participants
from the guests. The food is good, the price ain't bad and the margaritas
and fun get you fired up for an evening of debauchery and slaughtering
brain cells.
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Our friends at
Spin Doctor Catamaran Charters are gearing up for Spring Breakers
too. Their Snorkel trips to Santa Maria and Sunset Cruises are very
popular, but in winter it's prime whale watching season. The grey whales
come within a kilometer of the harbor and sightings are all but guaranteed.
These trips make an impressive date
Moonrise with Spin Doctor
All Spin Doctor Cruises enjoy margaritas, bottled beers,
water, fruit juices, rum and vodka beverages. The crew is very friendly
and works hard to make your trip enjoyable. Say "hi" to Captain Ismail
for us please!
Spin Doctor is located at Dock M-O behind Hotel Costa
Real Cabo San Lucas & in front of Solomon’s Landing Restaurant.
Click here for a Spin Doctor
Discount Coupon
When Cabo is crowded I recommend a reservation.
It's not uncommon to find the staff of the BajaInsider
enjoying dinner at the Stoplight Cafe. Right next to Squid Roe (by the
stoplight!) the food is very good, the prices reasonable and I love
the Rare Ahi Salad. The big plus is you sit in view of the parade of
Cabo as all the contestants for "Party Animal of the Night" pass you
on the sidewalk. You can also make a game of rating sunburns; Blonde
Finnish girls from Minnesota on their second day in Cabo usually rank
in the top 5.
There are a number of other bars worth noting for the
Spring Break Crowd. The Love Shack is a Cabo fixture. Located just off
the strip on Morelos. The No-Where Bar is hot on Tuesday (Ladies) Night
and Tanga Tanga draws an outdoor sports bar crowd - particularly a lot
of local gringos.
A couple of significant closures are Kaboo, a large
stylized disco in a cursed location closed over the Labor Day weekend.
And _____ burned and was demolished early this past summer.
One of my local friends said that they joke about walking
along the strip after midnight amongst the revelers "...collecting drunk
blond gringas into a burlap sack." They don't keep the trophies though,
they just "...empty the bag out on Medano Beach in the morning."
Cabo never ceases to be amazing though, for both the
partiers and those of us who have retired from the big game. My advice,
get up there and get involved when the master of ceremonies grabs your
hand at any of your stops. You'll never see (most of) those people again
anyway!
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