Baja vacation: Cerritos Beach review

During the current Covid environment, face masking and social distancing is necessary everywhere in the world. When traveling to Mexico in spring 2021, testing is required within 72 hours of returning to the U.S. Read on for testing options in Baja.

Located approximately one hour north of Cabo San Lucas on the Baja peninsula of Mexico, Cerritos Beach is a laidback surf town perfect for a relaxed, socially-distant Baja vacation. Our Cerritos Beach review includes where to stay, where to eat, and what to do.

Cerritos Beach review: Mexico with kids, Baja vacation review!

Cerritos Beach review:

Cerritos Beach is right of Highway 19 north of busy Cabo, down a dirt road. Yep, you’ll go from the highway immediately to dirt. No worries…this is Baja. Within this small surf community, you’ll find amazing food, great bars with low prices, and plenty of vacation rentals, Airbnbs, and studio rooms to rent. The beach is casual and fun, with amenities such as surf lessons, surfboard and boogie board rentals, and beachfront food. While sitting at the beach, you can order guacamole made-to-order, fresh cerviche, cold beers, and even a massage…all for roughly half what you’d spend on a beach in the States.

Where to stay:

We found this ideal AirBnb at Puesta del Sol, in the Sunrise complex on Cerritos Beach. I highly recommend it; it was only a five-minute walk to the beach, came with two surfboards, three beach umbrellas, three beach chairs, several coolers, plenty of beach towels, and a wagon to pull them all in. Directly downstairs from our two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with rooftop lounging space and BBQ was a pool and bar (with lunch and dinner), and within a two minute walk were two other restaurants. We had everything we needed (once we’d made a stop at a grocery store between the Cabo airport and Cerritos).

There are plenty of other vacation rentals in the immediate area. We also recommend Barefoot Luxury Seaside Cerritos and the smaller huts right on the beach (check Airbnb).

Where to eat:

Where NOT to eat?? You can’t go wrong, honestly. The number one recommendation that we wholeheartedly endorse: definitely try Barracuda’s, located right next door to Puesta del Sol, directly up the dirt road from the beach. They have the best $2 tacos ever, plus wonderful margaritas and ‘surfers burritos’ big enough for two meals. The ambiance is wonderful too: all open-air in a garden-like setting.

Freesouls Cerritos Beach is also within a two-minute walk, featuring pizzas with ocean views and a pool to dip into while waiting for your food. Ditto for Riptide Bar and Grill, up the hill by the historic Hacienda (which you can usually tour, but was closed to the public at the time of our visit). And directly below our rooms at Sunrise, the Casa Maya had the hands-down best sushi and sushimi we’ve had in a very long time.

Cerritos Beach review: where to eat in Cerritos Beach Mexico

You can get cold beer and fresh cocktails at all of these locations, plus virgin drinks for the kids, and ice cream on the beach.

What to do in Cerritos Beach:

You’ll probably want to simply chill by the beach, pool, or on your personal rooftop in a hammock, but when you’re ready, there’s plenty to do. Surf lessons are about $50 for 1.5 hours, or you can get a massage on the beach for $40/hour. You can swim, surf, or boogie board (but remember that this is a surf beach, so waves can be sizable at times).

The town of Todos Santos is about 15 minutes north, offering fun shopping and more dining, and you can take just about any public dirt road toward the coastline and find more pristine beaches. From December to March, turtles are released on the beach in Todos Santos nightly; after mid-March, the releases are only every few days.

While Covid testing is required to re-enter the United States, Mexico offeres several testing options. The most affordable we found was to drive the short distance to Todos Santos where we received rapid tests at St. Jude’s for $50 U.S. each.

Cerritos Beach review: What to do in Cerritos Beach Mexico

You can drive the hour across the peninsula to La Paz to see the other coastline, but we were content to stay in Cerritos and Todos Santos, enjoying the sun, surf, and sand.

Have you been to Cerritos Beach? What are your recommendations?

Give your Kids Adventure on a Riviera Maya Vacation

There are amazing places to go to for a family beach vacation, but few can match the Riviera Maya. Situated on the coast of Mexico, Riviera Maya offers you and other adults a chance to relax and unwind, and children an opportunity to explore, learn, play, and simply be kids.

Riviera Maya offers a range of excellent family accommodation options, especially in Tulum. The Tulum all-inclusive options, in particular, are great, especially because they offer so many options for having fun with kids.

The resorts organize a lot of tours and activities, so you can enjoy the area while you discover the Riviera Maya culture, the marvelous natural paradise of Tulum or have fun practicing sports! There are so many options for what to do in Tulum that you will never get bored!

Now that you’ve decided that you are going to Tulum in the Riviera Maya, what exactly is there to do?

Water Sports

Thanks to its coastal location, many of the better resorts have their own exclusive pools and beach. This gives you the perfect opportunity to participate in snorkeling, or stand up paddling or kayaking.


Exploring Mayan Ruins

Tulum is home to some of the most breathtaking Mayan ruins on the planet. This is a great way for children to learn about the Mayan civilization and be awestruck at what they see. Kids learn when they are having fun. Here are two you and your family should not miss:

  • Chichén Itzá– Chichén Itzá is one of the seven wonders of the world and was once a vibrant Mayan city. In the center, a huge pyramid dominates the region, and at certain times of the year, the sun creates an illusion that snakes are running up and down the steps.
  • Cobá– Forty-five minutes into the jungle and you will discover the remains of Cobá, a once-thriving Mayan city. The pyramid in the center is the main attraction with excavated roads linking the structure to other parts of the city. The visitor center helps to add context and is an excellent way for kids and adults to learn about the Mayans.


A Day or Days at the Beach

With the better resorts having their own exclusive beach, it makes sense to have a day or three relaxing and having fun. Kids love beaches as they can dig in the sand, go for a swim, and generally let off steam. You can have quality time with your kids and enjoy the sunshine soaking up rays and reconnecting with the world.

If you want to venture out of your resort, you’ll find Tulum beaches to suit all tastes. Given how great many resort beaches are, you’ll probably find you’ll make use to the one you can walk too.


A Grand Night Out

Resorts offer plenty of options for what to do if you want have fun, especially in the desirable location of the Riviera Maya. You can enjoy great food, karaoke, theme nights, and all kinds of entertainment.

If you are more sporty, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to participate in tennis, soccer, basketball, or enjoy a relaxing spa or workout in the gym.

The Riviera Maya offers you and your family the perfect vacation and staying in one of the great resorts makes it even better.