Getting back to that road trip…we started our journey in LaPaz, which is only about 2 hours north of San Jose del Cabo. We were particularly blessed as two of our good friends from SJD joined us for this first stretch. Along the way, we stopped in Todos Santos. If you have never visited Todos Santos, it is definitely worth the trip. Along with the famous Hotel California, there is a historic church and an artistic vibe to the town. The Green Room, a gorgeous waterfront restaurant outside of the main square, serves amazing food and drinks. I have also seen some of my best impromptu whale shows there during the spring months while sipping a carajillo.
But our focus today was on Viñedo Las Tinajas, a beautiful winery just before you reach the main square of Todo Santos. Upon arrival, we were given a refreshing vino blanco to enjoy while we toured the wine making room. Our guide was knowledgeable about the finer points of winemaking and not only studied wine making at UC Davis in California, but also taught some of the classes there as an undergrad student. He served us a tinto (red) straight out of the barrel; doesn’t get any fresher!
We then went into the tasting room for a complete tasting and charcuterie board. I purchased a few bottles of the welcome wine (my favorite!) and even stopped on the way back through to get a few more. If you are anywhere in the Cabo area, this is a great day trip. As for us, we were headed to La Paz!
La Paz is home to Balandra Beach, truly one of the most beautiful I have seen in my life. Had I not visited the Tahiti/Bora Bora beaches in the past, it could easily be number one. We spent a lovely afternoon there. This beach is protected and only a certain number of visitors are let in each day. It is worth the wait to enjoy its natural beauty and the warm, shallow, lagoon like waters.
We stayed at Casa Madero, a small boutique hotel with a shared kitchen and gorgeous courtyard. We were only one block from the malecon, a walkway along the water that encourages biking, walking, jogging, or just strolling along to see the sights. I took advantage of an early morning jog on our second day, which I needed after all of the good food we had been enjoying.
I thoroughly enjoyed this stretch of the trip. The combination of sightseeing, spending time with friends, beautiful scenery, and a cozy boutique hotel made this the perfect start to our road trip. Next stop coming soon!