The first port we visited on our seven-day Mexico cruise aboard Princess Cruises’ brand-new Discovery Princess was Cabo San Lucas, on the very southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. After a full day at sea, we approached the city mid-morning, sailing just off the coast and within view of miles of resorts stacked along the shore, backed by a rugged desert landscape. We neared the famous El Arco, the arch carved by the elements and the sea where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean, sailing much closer to the rocky formations than I had imagined we would. With our stateroom on the port side of the ship, we had a perfect view of the arch, the beaches surrounding it and the many small boats buzzing around its waters.

Once the Discovery anchored, we boarded our tender to make the quick trip to the port, where we bypassed the many vendors selling both legal and not-so-legal wares to board our minibus for our excursion to San José del Cabo. Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo together make up the municipality of Los Cabos, the fastest growing resort area in Mexico. We traveled along a modern highway, the 20-mile-long Resort Corridor, connecting the two, where evidence of that growth lined the route. Large resort complexes, golf courses and malls with every convenience, along with lovely weather, make this a very popular spot for North Americans seeking respite from cold, wet, winter weather. Prices are very reasonable, and Los Cabos International Airport offers easy access from multiple airlines.

Our first stop once we arrived in San José del Cabo was the mission church of San José del Cabo Añuití. Distinguished by a mural depicting the rebellion of the indigenous Pericúes people against the Jesuit missionaries, in which a priest is dragged out of the church (to be hung in the nearby plaza), the church today houses an active, functioning parish.

Just a few steps away, we visited a gallery featuring the artwork of the Huichol people and witnessed a demonstration of the beadwork for which they are well-known. The symbols, animals and designs used are centuries-old and beautifully detailed in vibrant colors. Tiny glass beads are individually pressed into beeswax spread over a wooden form, with the artist using a slender filament strung with the beads to feed the beads onto the surface. The speed and precision with which he worked impressed us all, and the finished work displayed throughout the gallery left me wishing I could take it all home with me.

We had to move on, though, and we strolled a few blocks through the charming center of historic San José del Cabo known as the Gallery District. We passed clever metal sculptures made of found objects, life-sized and depicting a variety of creatures, while overhead cheerful papel picado, perforated paper (or plastic) flags fluttered in a cool breeze. I really wanted to stop and poke my nose into several of the shops and galleries we passed, but our next appointment awaited: Baja Brewing Co.’s cantina.

The restaurant is the original outpost of the company and resides next to the brewery itself. We were seated at an outside table on the patio in view of the mesquite-fired pizza oven and the outdoor stage. It was early afternoon, so there wasn’t any entertainment scheduled, but one nevertheless picked up on the fun, relaxed vibe of the place. We were served three samples of the brews on tap here, ranging from the light-bodied, mild Cabotella to the “aggressive”-ly bitter Peyote IPA. Though we didn’t have the chance to order, a perusal of the pizza offerings (with crusts made using the Cabotella ale) hinted that the talent for making great beer extended to the pizza as well.

Our quick visit to San José del Cabo only whetted my appetite to see and taste and do more. This charming town will certainly draw me back for an extended visit . . . perhaps next winter when the sunshine beckons me away from rainy days.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor