{"id":75404,"date":"2025-11-28T11:52:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T18:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/?p=75404"},"modified":"2025-12-30T13:04:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T20:04:20","slug":"holland-america-baja-cruise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/holland-america-baja-cruise\/","title":{"rendered":"Highlights from the Holland America Baja California Cruise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s something pretty great about a trip that starts and ends in your own backyard, San Diego, in this case. No changing time zones, no jet-lagged confusion, just an easy sail south along a stretch of Mexico that feels both familiar and wildly overlooked. Holland America\u2019s Baja California<\/a> route\u2014Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, and Loreto\u2014might not be the itinerary you\u2019ve seen a hundred times, and that\u2019s exactly what I loved about it. It\u2019s a quieter slice of the peninsula, a mix of desert, sea, history, and food that somehow all feels perfectly paced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a week on the Nieuw Amsterdam ship, here are the moments that stayed with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Port 1: Cabo San Lucas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cabo is the sort of place where you can go from riding a camel (yes, really) to watching whales breach off El Arco, all before lunch. But I wanted something a little more grounded, so I signed up for the Authentic Mexican Cuisine cooking experience<\/a> at Metate, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant tucked just far enough off the main drag that you feel like you\u2019ve slipped into a local secret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calling it a \u201ccooking class\u201d is generous. It\u2019s really an eating class with occasional participation (which, honestly, was fine by me). We wandered through their garden to see the marigolds, agave, moringa and mango trees before settling in with a Wildflower cocktail made with mezcal, hibiscus, cinnamon, clove, and piloncillo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We mixed our own signature drink, the Mula Metatera (mezcal, ginger, mint, basil, lemon), and folded warm tortillas for quesadillas filled with huitlacoche. Plate after plate appeared: mackerel ceviche, battered Baja fish tacos and pork shank cooked carnitas-style. Dessert was a creamy flan that made the whole thing feel like a long lunch with friends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cabo<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabo<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabo<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Port 2 La Paz, Mexico<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

La Paz translates to \u201cpeace,\u201d and the name fits, especially with the excursion we took. The port is only about five minutes from the trailhead for the Balandra overlook hike<\/a>, a 2.2-kilometer climb that winds through cactus (including the sweet-and-sour variety, who knew?) and rocky desert terrain. It\u2019s not too difficult, though the first half is uphill and the gravelly path can get a little slippery, so watching your footing helps. The scenery gives you permission to take your time anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The payoff at the top is that famous curve of turquoise water at Balandra Beach, claimed to be one of the prettiest views on the peninsula (and I can confirm!). After hiking back down, we drove a few minutes to Tecolote Beach, where the sand is soft, the water is shallow, and the fish tacos and guacamole taste better simply because you\u2019ve earned them. If you\u2019re feeling energetic, you can rent jet skis; I opted for a cold drink and dipping my toes in the water. No regrets.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Balandra<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Balandra<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Balandra<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Port 3: Loreto, Mexico<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Loreto was the first Spanish settlement on the Baja Peninsula, founded in 1697, and it still feels anchored in history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On our walking tour<\/a> excursion, we strolled down the first paved street in the Californias, past 19th-century homes and the town hall, all leading toward the Mission of Our Lady of Loreto. If you\u2019re even slightly interested in history, it\u2019s worth stepping inside: 17th-century paintings, an ornate altar, and a sense that not much has changed. The adjacent museum adds context, pairing Indigenous artifacts with art brought over by missionaries centuries ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was plenty of time after the tour for us to browse the local shops, wander the malec\u00f3n, and stop by Mi Loreto for some yummy guacamole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Loreto<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Loreto<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Loreto<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Loreto<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sea Days Onboard <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There were three full days at sea on this trip, and I was a little nervous about how I was going to fill all that time. But it turned out not to be an issue. They had so many activities packed into the schedule that I actually found myself stressing over what to pick (which is the kind of \u201cproblem\u201d I can totally get behind!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I rotated between calligraphy, pi\u00f1ata-making, and watercolor classes in the art studio (the kind of things I never do at home, and now wonder why). I browsed the library, floated between sun and shade at the pool, and joined a paper airplane competition that got surprisingly competitive. I won a shuffleboard contest\u2014proof that miracles happen at sea\u2014and took a cocktail class with Ivy Mix, where we mixed Latin-inspired drinks that tasted even better at sunset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evenings were for shows on the World Stage: music and dance performances, a magician, and a comedian. And, of course the casino, because there\u2019s always a moment when you convince yourself you\u2019re feeling lucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Casino<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pinata<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Watercolor<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Here’s a video of how to spend the perfect sea day onboard: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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