Best place for a beach day? Catalina, Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta?

[amcb]

Hi All.

 

We will be doing a b2b and hitting these ports over the Christmas holidays.  We are a family of 5, mom, dad, DS-15, DD-13, and DD-10.  Our youngest will be fully vaccinated the day before we board, so I believe we will be able to go out on our own. Our older daughter wants to do a beach day, and at the moment there are no ship sponsored excursions that do that. What port would you recommend for the best beach day?  We would probably prefer a hotel or resort vs. a beach we would just go to on our own.  DH and I are not huge lounge-at-the-beach-all-day people, so even a few hours of beach time would be great. It is our first time visiting the Mexican Riviera, so all advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks again,

🙂 amcb

[Mike45LC]

To me, the port with the fewest things to do is Cabo,, and Cabo is also an easy place for a beach visit.  So I would do a beach visit on Cabo.  I would take a boat "tour" to the Arch, and get dropped off by the boat at Medano Beach.  I'd spend a few hours at the beach and then catch a cab back to the tender dock.  

 

Stone Island in Mazatlan is my favorite place for a beach day, but if it is your first visit, you need to visit the Mercado, the Cathedral, Zona Dorado, the Cliff Divers.  That probably won't leave enough time for Stone Island.    I am not sure if you will even have time to spend a few hours at the beach at Zona Dorado, which does have resorts which (at least pre-pandemic) offered day passes -- but that would be my plan for the day in Mazatlan.

 

[jas283a]

Cabo, Mazatlan, or Puerto Vallarta probably for that bill the best, imho. And I agree Cabo is the  first one that came to mind. There are Ensenada beaches, but not resort style like your talking (at least that I’m aware). Avalon (Catalina) has some beaches but it’s not set up to be a beachy beach place, though I really enjoy going there. 

[amcb]

Thanks!  This is very helpful.

 

If we did decide to do our beach day in Cabo, do you have any recommendations as to the best place to go?

 

In Mazatlan, would you recommend a private tour? Right now the ship's offerings are minimal at best.  We are sailing on Navigator of the Seas and I do realize they have not yet started any of their sailings yet. I am hopeful that there will be more excursions once they get up and running.

 

Thanks again!

🙂 amcb

[Mike45LC]

Cabo:  Medano Beach.  Walkable from the tender dock.  Or easy land cab or water taxi ride.

 

[yoshi]

In both Catalina and Ensenada the water temp will be cold in the winter, the Mexican Riviera ports will have better water temps for swimming/playing at the beach. Have fun!

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Not Catalina or Ensenada. I'd say Cabo San Lucas or Mazatlan.

[SelectSys]

On 11/11/2021 at 1:06 PM, Mike45LC said:

Cabo:  Medano Beach.  Walkable from the tender dock.  Or easy land cab or water taxi ride.

 

I agree with this.  @amcbif this is the first visit, I would recommend talking a water taxi and take a run by the arch first.   

 

Have them drop you off at the beach in front of the restaurants such as Mango Deck or The Office if you want something to eat.  My preference is to not eat/drink on the beach proper, but to eat off the sand in a terrace section.  For me, the view from the beach isn't as nice as you will be faced with a continual barrage of vendor requests.

 

The end of the beach by the jetty has lifeguards and is quite clean.  You can also rent an umbrella if you want.   The water is clear and the waves are almost non-existent.  This part of the beach puts you at  entrance to the marina and you can follow the path back to the boat  - it's probably about 2 miles total with all the curves.

[Podie]

On 11/11/2021 at 11:14 AM, amcb said:

Thanks!  This is very helpful.

 

If we did decide to do our beach day in Cabo, do you have any recommendations as to the best place to go?

 

In Mazatlan, would you recommend a private tour? Right now the ship's offerings are minimal at best.  We are sailing on Navigator of the Seas and I do realize they have not yet started any of their sailings yet. I am hopeful that there will be more excursions once they get up and running.

 

Thanks again!

🙂 amcb

We did a private Segway tour in Mazatlan and it was great! We preferred the old city for restaurants vs. the "Golden Zone," but both areas have nice, reasonably priced places.

 

[bearette]

Cabo for beach and as it is your first visit get a local boat, they will find you not effort t no find them, and do a tour to see the Arch and they drop you off for an hour or two to see the beach there, Honeymoon Beach is one side and Divorce beach is the other, the waves prevent swimming on the Divorce Beach side. No facilities are here so good for a short beach visit.  

 

A shorter boat or cab ride away is Medano Beach where the beach clubs, restaurants, bars,and restroom facilities can be found. Hotels tend to be farther away from port so not sure about any day passes.

 

Mazatlan we used to go to a hotel in the Golden Zone and just use their facilities ( some have pay day rates other times we ordered drinks and they let us stay), but Stone Island is nice too (did this last time we were there).  You can arrange a tour after you exit the ship, but if you exit the port and make a left you can walk to the dock, I use the term loosely, very local, and take the boat over to the island. (Search this board for Stone Cold island for detailed directions). Then you just pick your restaurant/bar and settle in. If you are ordering food and drinks the chairs are free, but the ones closer to the boat area try to charge per chair, so keep walking for cheaper prices. Then there are horse back riding, ATVs, and such available.

[kpjb]

Great info here.  I was going to ask the same question.  I think I'll do the beach day in Cabo with the boat tour and a stop to Baja Brewing which looks to be right at Medano Beach.

 

[coloradocruisers101]

Puerto Vallarta.  Highly recommend Marriott at the Marina day pass.  Been there many times, great beach and pool.  Day pass includes lunch so it is almost free.  Very good food and drinks.  Say hi to Warren from the Sawyer’s.  He will treat you like royals.

Have fun.  We will be there again in Feb 2022!

[SelectSys]

On 12/4/2021 at 7:27 PM, kpjb said:

Baja Brewing

Good call on Baja Brewing! 

 

[macfam5]

On 12/5/2021 at 8:05 AM, coloradocruisers101 said:

Puerto Vallarta.  Highly recommend Marriott at the Marina day pass.  Been there many times, great beach and pool.  Day pass includes lunch so it is almost free.  Very good food and drinks.  Say hi to Warren from the Sawyer’s.  He will treat you like royals.

Have fun.  We will be there again in Feb 2022!

How do you book this ? And is it walkable or do you need to take a taxi, if so what do you negotiate for a price per person?