If you live in the north region of the U.S, you know all about our brutal winters! I usually love winter (true story!) up through New Years Day, then I’m completely over it. January-March I’m usually on realtor.com looking for houses in Texas. Ha! 

Well, for my Chicago and surrounding area friends…. I have great news! Southwest Airlines recently announced the launch of their new service operations from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Cabos. The new non-stop flight (MUST HAVE when traveling with kids!) will kick off on November 4, 2018 with operations on Saturday and Sunday mornings from Chicago, and returns on weekend afternoons from Los Cabos. 

The new service to the Southern Baja Peninsula will serve the high-demand for Latin American locations out of Chicago, and complements Southwest’s existing portfolio of international service from Midway to other regions of Mexico and the Caribbean. I’ve always been a lover of Southwest Airlines. They are so kid friendly and I like the open seating. 

Those looking to take advantage of the new pickup and escape this winter will get a thrill of the endless sun, sand and surf found down in Baja. With over 76 hotels and resorts, and 22 new properties set to open through the year 2021, Los Cabos offers a little extra for every type of traveler and is the go-to destination for Chicago residents this winter.  

Need any more reasons to book your flight ASAP?! Check out more highlights of what’s to come in the destination and top activities to experience in Los Cabos below: 

Upcoming Events:

• Art Gallery District (Nov. 1, 2018 – June 1, 2019) – San Jose del Cabo Art Walk is a popular weekly event held every Thursday evening from 5-9pm between the months of November and June.

• Los Cabos Jazz Experience (Nov. 1-4)  – Life Luxe Jazz offers the ultimate experience for the discerning jazz aficionado seeking the best the world has to offer.

• Los Cabos Ironman  70.3 (Nov. 4)

• Cabo Cocktail Festival (Nov. 5-7) is the premier cocktail festival in Los Cabos aimed at showcasing hospitality, mixology and raising industry leaders.

• Los Cabos International Film Festival (Nov. 7-11) – Filmmakers, moviegoers, business insiders and Hollywood stars flock to Los Cabos every November for the Los Cabos International Film Festival. The event stands among the rankings with film festivals such as Sundance and Cannes, promoting film as an art form through the screening of independent films from Mexico, Canada and the United States.

• Los Cabos VIP Summit (Nov. 12-15) – This annual event reunites the tourism industry’s top professionals including travel partners, hotelier and professional speakers.

• Extreme Sailing Series (Nov. 29 – Dec. 2) – Established in 2007, the Extreme Sailing Series is the original ‘stadium-style’ racing circuit designed for spectators, delivering high-performance action close to shore, attracting some of the world’s best sailors racing hydro-foiling GC32 catamarans on short courses around the globe.

• Baja Ha-Ha 2018 (Nov. 30) – The Baja Ha-Ha — this is the 25th! — is the cruiser rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas.

That’s not all…. I know –– I’m getting excited, too! Top Experiences in Los Cabos During Winter:

• Swimming with whale sharks. There are few experiences in the world that match swimming alongside the largest fish in the ocean — especially when that fish is a shark! But don’t worry, these Whale Sharks are known as the “gentle giants of the sea!”

• Art Walks. In Baja Mexico, behind San Jose del Cabo’s historic main square and church, lies the ever-growing Gallery District. In recent years it has become the cultural center of Los Cabos with many high-end fine art galleries displaying original paintings, sculpture, photography, prints and jewelry made by local, throughout Mexico and international contemporary artists.

• Surfing. Surfing is what keeps local blood pumping in Los Cabos. Though the biggest waves arrive in the summer, the area is blessed with waves all year round, making it the ideal place for learning, long rides and the simple joy of standing on water, letting the sea carry you.

• Fishing. Los Cabos, known as the Marlin Capital of the world, is the perfect embodiment of a fisherman’s Eden. What used to be a remote coastal village, an aquatic gem at the end of a long desert highway, is now an easily accessible fishing destination open to anyone wishing to get a taste of world-class angling.

• Organic Farms. The destination is also home to a number of certified organic farms, some dating back to the 19th century. Farms such as Huerta Los Tamarindos offer private tours of their grounds to teach the public about organic farming and its benefits, as well as cooking lessons. On site restaurants at Huerta Los Tamarindos and at other farms such as Flora Farms, hand select all their ingredients from their own fields and serve up healthy meals enjoyed by the whole family. Locations like Acre, mix urban tastes with local Baja ingredients and serve up a blend of creative foods and cocktails proven to make your taste buds flourish.

• Whale watching. Los Cabos is packed with activities, but nothing compares to the most anticipated time of the year: whale watching season. The majestic humpback whales migrate each year to the warm waters of the Sea of Cortes to conceive and nurse their newly born calves. Watching this phenomenon is one of the most popular activities in Baja for both adults and children alike, and an extraordinary spectacle not to be missed.
  
  

Already got your dates picked out? Great, because there’s been a hotel and resort boom!

With more than $1 billion in hotel investments alone, Los Cabos is creating a new class of luxury, with investors firm and confident that Los Cabos is a high-growth luxury destination. Throughout 2018 the destination saw the opening of 20 new hotels and resorts adding 3,370 rooms and welcoming elite brands such as:  

• Le Blanc Spa Resort (March 2018): Le Blanc Spa Resort, Los Cabos is a beachfront dream come true. This new adults-only, all-inclusive resort in Los Cabos wows guests with boundless pampering offerings, including a comfort menu, the state-of-the-art Blanc Spa, seven world-class restaurants and entertainment sure to impress even the most discerning luxury traveler.

• The Viceroy (May 2018): Water surrounds the entire 104-room masterpiece designed by Mexican Architect Miguel Angel Aragones, wrapping around a collection of pure white buildings connected by elevated walkways.

• Montage (June 2018): Located within the 1,400-acre, master-planned Twin Dolphin community on the sweeping shores of Santa Maria Bay Montage offers spectacular views and immediate, walk-in access to the finest swimming, diving and snorkeling in the region.

• Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort (Sep. 2018): Seamlessly blending the destination’s unique landscape where the desert meets the sea, the striking design of Solaz showcases endemic landscaping and rooftop gardens, a sustainable choice of endangered flora, and quiet tree-lined pathways that meander to the sea. Five tennis courts are currently under construction, as the facility is set to be the new home of the annual ATP Tennis Tournament.

• Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Los Cabos (Nov. 2018): Located in the hotel corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, Garza Blanca provides a range of world-class luxury amenities and services that ensure the ultimate getaway in paradise. The property will feature three restaurants, four bars, eight pools, a gym and tennis court, plus family fun zone and spa.

• Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas (Dec. 2018): Located on the Sea of Cortez, the Costa Palmas community features a private marina that accommodates yachts up to 250 feet, a village area, Robert Trent Jones II golf course and a two-mile stretch of beach. The 145-room property will include multiple pools, indoor and outdoor event and wedding facilities, five dining outlets, and a spa. Hotels slated to open in 2019 and beyond include:

• Nobu Hotel Los Cabos (early 2019)

• Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (March 2019)

• Park Hyatt (2020)

• Aman (2020)

• St. Regis Los Cabos Hotel (2021)

As a former hotelier, I could not be more excited to see all these new resorts in hotel families that are respected around the world. The Baja sun will feel great on my face this winter! See you there?!