On our first family vacation in over five years, my parents surprised us with an all-inclusive trip to Loreto, Mexico.  We stayed at Villa del Palmar Loreto.  It was so much fun that my husband and I went back with our parents after we eloped to Bora Bora.

Loreto is a quaint little fishing village about 3 hours north of La Paz on the Baja peninsula.  Once you arrive at the airport, you are greeted by the friendly staff from Villa del Palmar.  A perk of the resort was the affordable airport shuttle service.

Once you arrive at the resort, you are greeted with hibiscus tea, and the lobby looks out onto the luscious gardens and the ocean.  You’ll want to make sure you book for the all-inclusive and grab your bracelets at check-in.  Our first trip with the family we had three couples, so we stayed in one of the 3-bedroom suites.  The suite was insane all the bedrooms had an on-suite bathroom, lanai, and view of the ocean.  When we went back for the second time, we had a one bedroom, and it was fantastic with a full kitchen, laundry, and a soaking tub.  With a lanai and a view of the ocean.

The grounds of the resort were breathtaking.  There are five different pools for any age group and any activity you could think of, even a volleyball net in one.  There is full pool service with drinks and food.  The pool boys will take care of anything you need; they’ll move umbrellas, get towels, and make the best drinks!  Ask for Manny and Roberto, and they will keep you hydrated and well feed the whole time you are there.  When ordering food by the pool get the shrimp tacos, ceviche, and guacamole!  There are also pool activities every day, aqua aerobics, margarita making, bingo, and plenty of activities for kids as well.

Don’t forget to take the short walk down to the beach where they have umbrellas and loungers out there as well.  You can get drinks and food delivered to your umbrella so no need to leave the beach if you don’t want to.  Plus, you can paddle, kayak, and snorkel right in front.  When we went paddle boarding, you could see schools of fish, and then we went to a small cove and were able to explore a smaller beach.  Kayaking is so much fun because they are doubles so you and your partner or friend can explore together.

You don’t have to worry about any vendors; you have the entire beach to yourself walk for miles because it’s the only resort on it!  There are also hiking trails from the beach so you can get to the cliffs and look out over all the islands in the Sea of Cortez.  There are some chairs set out along the cliff too, so bring a drink and watch the sunset!

I love working out on vacation, and the gym here was perfect, they had brand new equipment and tons of cardio machines.  You did not have to worry about it being full or noisy.  They also have a spa, but I didn’t have a chance to experience it.  Might have to add that to my list for the next trip.

Travel tips and what to do in Loreto

• Know what month you are going after July the temperatures go well into the 100’s
• Understand what days Alaska airlines fly’s to Loreto to making planning more manageable, the flight is only an hour and a half flight from LAX
• Get the all-inclusive package that way you don’t have to worry about food or drinks the whole time
• Snorkeling charter is a must do, they pick you up from the beach at the resort and show you all the adjoining islands you will see everything from whales, dolphins, marlin and mantra ray jumping out the water
• Paddleboarding and Kayaking is free with the all-inclusive package
• Golfing – husband, and dad recommend signature hole has amazing views
• Sports fishing also a must according to my husband, he recommends going during mahi-mahi (dorado) season April – October, book thru Arturo’s ask for the super panga
• Order a beer and sit under the umbrella on the beach
• Lay by the pool and let the pool boys take care of you for a day, order a coconut drink minus the mint!
• If you are going September – December you will want to pack your own bug spray. They do sell some at the small market but always good to have extra.

Next time we go we want to try the ATV tour and the night LED paddleboarding adventure. Keep scrolling to see more pictures of our trip!