Cabo San Lucas

Happy Fall Travel with Lisa Fans! Keeping it short this month, but informative nonetheless! This summer I had the opportunity to visit Cabo San Lucas for the first time. We stayed at the One and Only Palmilla, which I HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking to splurge a little,(ok, a lot), or celebrate something BIG. My slideshow says it all...Life is Short, take a vacation!

It’s been a hot year for Los Cabos, as it was selected to host this year’s G20 Summit. With a dramatic landscape of orange desert, dark blue waters and spots of emerald thanks to its many golf courses, Los Cabos—comprised of the towns of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas—is heavy in both man-made and natural appeal. San Jose, founded by Jesuit missionaries, is the place to go for art appreciation and acquisition, with dozens of art galleries and an Art Walk taking place on Thursday evenings from November through June. It’s also the site of tree-lined plazas and top restaurants—award-winning dining is one of Los Cabos’ claims to fame, after all. Half an hour away is Cabo San Lucas, where the after-hours scene is prolific and where a modern marina and boardwalk is always bustling thanks to a bevy of shops, restaurants and boating and fishing outfitters. The towns are connected by the Transpeninsular Highway, dotted by top resorts and gorgeous championship greens designed by golf legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Pete Dye. Throughout, you’ll also find some of the finest spas anywhere—yet another reason why George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston and so many other celebrities spend much time here. Marine attractions off Los Cabos are even more enticing. The Sea of Cortez, which John Steinbeck described as “ferocious with life,” is an underwater utopia where sea lions frolic, roosterfish jump up to greet you and whale-watching during the winter months is a daily affair. It’s also home to some of the best sport fishing in the Americas, with several fishing events taking place annually. One of the premier luxury resorts in the world, One&Only Palmilla offers ocean views from all accommodations, ranging from luxurious guestrooms to pool casitas and the 4-bedroom Villa Cortez. One-bedroom suites come with customized iPods and laptops. There’s also butler service and celebration specialists to coordinate special occasions. THE GREENS: The Golf Club at Palmilla features a Jack Nicklaus 27- hole beauty with daily trade winds, touted among the best in the world, and divided into the Ocean Nine, the Arroyo Nine and the Mountain Nine. The stunning course offers views of the Sea of Cortez from 12 of 27 holes, five sets of staggered tees and challenging shifts in elevation. This year, the Golf Club launched the first International PGA Tour Academy, where golfers of all abilities can perfect their game with personalized instruction, the latest golf technology—including V1 video analysis—and a customized Golf for Life program. THE AMENITIES: Fine dining comes in the form of Market, by Michelin starred chef Jean-Georges, and Agua by chef Larbi Dahrouch. The spa, inspired by the Baja landscape, features 13 spa villas. Guests can charter the One&Only yacht for a romantic sail, sign up for a Desert Adventure tour in a private Hummer, reserve a cove with a “floating bed” or go snorkeling or seasonal whale watching. THE SCENE: You’ll be hobnobbing with celebrities hiding out from the paparazzi at the tennis courts and at the resort’s swimmable beach in an incomparable desert-meets-sea setting.