I have traveled all over the world. I’ve planned most of my trips. I’ve always been a bit of a planner. When I was a little girl, I would write out every outfit for the school week. I would plan out my entire weekend with friends. I even had an itinerary. First the mall, then the movies, etc. I remember planning a trip to Universal with my parents when I was about 13 or 14. So it’s not surprising that I would be able to plan the best trips now.
The most recent trip I planned was back in April. I think everyone was ready to go somewhere because of the pandemic. We (the world) went nowhere for a good 12 months. Usually, it’s difficult to get people to commit to a trip. Many of my friends are married with kids making it tricky to take a girls’ trip. Well, this trip was the exception. Everyone booked their flight and paid their money promptly!
Where are you going?
First, you need a destination. I have a running mental list of places I want to go. Maybe I have heard about the food or I’ve seen cool pictures on Instagram. Most times I’m pretty open because the goal is to go everywhere and experience many different places. Once you have a destination you want to search for the best times of the year to go based on your weather preference. For example, if you are looking for a beach vacation you want to make sure your destination is warm during the time you plan to travel, but keep in mind that will also affect your budget.
When you travel during peak season the price could be higher for your hotel or flight. I once traveled to Spain during November which isn’t a peak season and I scored a flight from Atlanta to Madrid for under $500 on Delta Airlines. I’d been wanting to go to Cabo San Lucas for a while. If I’m being honest, the cast from the show “The Hills” would go there frequently. It didn’t give you Cancun spring break vibes. It seemed a bit more exclusive. You know we love exclusive until it’s no longer exclusive. The show was clearly a million years ago, but I got the feeling Cabo was still somewhat exclusive given the price of flights from the east coast. Flights were always between $800-$900. This is why it was not at the top of my list. Fast forward some years to rich auntie status and right on the heels of the pandemic, there were finally reasonable flights. It was fate. So, I had to go for my birthday.
Where will you stay?
I like to search for the best places to stay in a particular city or country. Do you want to stay in the middle of all the hustle and bustle? Do you want to take a hike or relax by staying on the outskirts? Do you have a budget or can you stay at a place with the best accommodations? Are you a hotel person (like me) or do you prefer an Airbnb? I love a plush, luxurious hotel within reason. I worked for one of the largest corporations in the world right after college, that’s when I developed my love of four and five star hotels. At this point in life, it’s the only way I want to travel with the understanding there are exceptions depending on the goal of the trip. If it’s a vacation, I want it to be nicccceeeee.
I had been eyeing a few hotels I’d seen on Instagram. Instagram is a great source for finding hotels, destinations, makeup artists, and stylists. However, I do not like lots of options. Give me three choices in any situation. That’s it! For Cabo, my top three choices were – the Viceroy Los Cabos, The Cape (A Thompson Hotel), and Nobu Hotel. I always check reviews on Trip Advisor. You’ll get the good, the bad and the ugly. It has not failed me yet. All three were similarly priced. Accommodations and service are the most important for me. You also want to make sure you book a hotel that suits the purpose of your trip – family trip, romantic getaway, girls’ trip. You definitely don’t want to spend all of your money to turn up or have a relaxing girls’ trip and there are kids everywhere. Alternatively, imagine planning a trip for your family and there are people taking shots in bikinis everywhere! I was going to have fun. I chose The Cape Hotel in Los Cabos and it did not disappoint.
A Few Tips:
- Always double check the capacity for each room. Some hotels charge extra for more than 2 or 3 people in a room
- Don’t forget the resort fees when you budget for the trip
- Always use your credit card to cover you if anything crazy happens (insurance) and mainly to get those points!!!
- To capture those instagramble pics I use a tripod, selfie stick, and my favorite camera.
How will you get there?
I live in Florida. One thing I love about living in Florida is the number of places you can go in a car ride. Of course, I flew to Cabo. I fly a lot for work, Delta is my preferred airline. I recommend using the same airline so you can build status. I know sometimes your pocketbook does not win but the perks that come along with a few extra coins are worth it. For example, I’ve never (knock on wood) had my flight canceled by Delta and if there were any issues with my bag/layover etc. they more than compensated me for my troubles. You have to start somewhere, so if flying spirit is where we are right now, that’s ok too. Let’s just get out and see the world!
When I’m planning a trip, I look at different traveling options Thursday – Sunday or Friday – Monday. You want to make sure you get the best flight options and prices. I also use Cheapflights to get a broader sense of the flights so I can give everyone options based on their departing cities. For this trip I used miles, so I only paid for the taxes. Using points is my favorite thing to do. I don’t use points or miles for regular trips or items. I save for the big boy trips and items!
Tip: I love using travel organizers, they make packing so much easier for any trip.
Now, we need food!
I like to research the restaurants at the hotel and surrounding areas. I use Yelp to find the best rated restaurants all around the world. After reading the reviews I typically make reservations on OpenTable. I’ve used OpenTable stateside and over in Thailand. I make a few different reservations for the whole week/weekend so that I have options. It’s a bit harder to make reservations once you get to your destination. Keep in mind any allergies your travel mates may have and book a variety of restaurants that serve something for everyone.
I booked Nobu in Cabo. The ambiance was amazing. I love anything that feels rich. It was a bit far from our hotel, but it was worth it. I had the miniature lobster tacos. They were so good! There were a few other restaurants I booked but we were having so much fun we didn’t make it. And that’s ok because that’s how you want your trip to go, random! Most people don’t find trips or vacations enjoyable when you must do everything on the itinerary.
How are we getting around?
Most airports will have a website to book transportation. I like booking my transportation so that I can have a point of contact and can select the type of vehicle I want. I was traveling with seven other people, so I booked a nice air conditioned 10 passenger luxury van. I say luxury van because we can’t travel to Cabo like rich moms and aunties getting off the church van. Again, there is a time and a place this just wasn’t the time for the church van or bus! It really depends on the purpose of your trip and your budget. The cost was about $120 each way plus tip. Hotel shuttle or transportation provided by the hotel tends to be a bit pricey but when I’m on an international trip I feel most comfortable booking through the hotel. Safety is a priority. I like knowing the transportation is attached to the hotel who is responsible for me getting there safely.
A Few Tips:
- Always research how far restaurants or activities are from your hotel
- Ask your hotel if they have free shuttle services
- Ask vendors (excursions/tours/yachts) if they will pick you up from your hotel
- Make arrangements or have a plan on how you will get around
Note: Uber (or similar) in other countries (outside of U.S.) can be tricky. Typically, you are not able to book an uber from the hotel. You will need to have the hotel call a taxi for you.
What should we do (activities)?
Your activities are dependent on the purpose of the trip. I wanted a small turn up but mostly relaxation. Let’s face it, 2020 was rough. You can never go wrong with pool, beach, and spa days. I booked the spa appointments in advance. In the past, I’ve shown up to resorts and they were fully booked. Usually, you can just email the spa or concierge to set up an appointment. I pick a day where I know we can mix pool and spa. This way if some folks do not want to go to the spa they still have something to do. I love a good spa experience. Always check to see if there are amenities like a sauna/steam room and if they are open. The pool day was especially fun. We reserved a cabana for a little bit of privacy and so we could all be together. Make sure when you plan a trip everyone is on the same page as far as how much they want to spend and what they would like to do. There is usually no additional cost for a cabana if you meet spend minimums.
Lastly, when you go on a girls’ trip you must rent a yacht! I found a yacht company, Pisces Group Cabo using trip advisor of course. I booked in advance and paid a $500 deposit. I chose the option for 2.5 hours. I don’t like being on a boat for longer than 3 hours, so it worked out perfectly. There were other options for 4 or 6 hours. Pisces group was simply amazing! The service was top notch. The food was delicious. We had chicken quesadillas. They provided margaritas as soon as we stepped foot on the yacht. The staff assisted while we took pictures and helped us get on and off the yacht. They took us over to the “arch” for an amazing photo op. I give them 5 stars and highly recommend them! I’ve been on quite a few yachts, and this was by far the best experience.
Final thoughts on my trip!
This was an amazing trip with friends. After living through a pandemic, it’s just what we needed. We did take covid tests at the hotel before being cleared to travel back to the States. It was a bit nerve wrecking but all 8 of us made it back to the US without issue. I’m happy we decided to go. Don’t be afraid to plan that trip. You can do it! Do your research, write everything down and keep it simple.
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