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CABO SAN LUCAS

At the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California, Cabo San Lucas is the perfect port for exploring this unique part of Mexico. Whether it’s shopping ‘til you drop or pursuing one of many mild-to-wild activities, it’s easy to escape for a day in Cabo San Lucas and the rest of southern Baja.

GOTTA HAVE IT

Clear as Glass -- Without a doubt, something from the unique Glass Factory (www.glassfactorycabo.com) is definitely a Cabo San Lucas shopping must-have. This sprawling facility includes a quick demonstration and thousands of glass pieces for sale, from tiny figurines to huge and colorful vases. For something truly unusual, look for the X-rated options near the back of the store, which you have to see to believe.

Get Crafty -- Shopping for crafts in Baja or mainland Mexico might include leather, silver, colorful Mexican blankets, and artwork from the burgeoning local arts community. Cabo’s Mercado Mexicano is a good place to start comparison shopping for both quality and price. If you’re looking for a unique painting, sculpture, or other artwork, head to the galleries of nearby San Jose del Cabo. Sol Dorado Art Gallery, Jose Pez Gordo Arte Contemporaneo, and Galleria de Ida Victoria are all locals favorites, but many more options await along San Jose's quaint streets.

Try Tequila -- There are many opportunities to taste and buy a wide variety of famous (and not so famous) Mexican tequilas. Barhoppers in Cabo San Lucas should check out Pancho’s Restaurant & Tequila Bar (www.panchos.com), which supposedly has one of the largest tequila selections in the world--500 and counting--or Cabo Wabo Cantina (www.cabowabo.com), which boasts Sammy Hagar connections and a tequila shop next door. Over in San Jose, Los Barriles de Cuervo (www.loscabostequila.com) is a labor of love for friendly Rigoberto Cuervo Rosales, son of Don Malaquias Cuervo (a direct descendant of Jose Cuervo). Ask for a taste of the smooth Tequila Don Malaquias and about the miniature handmade white oak barrels--both are great buys.

Have Lunch -- Though it’s not technically a souvenir you can take home, all of that shopping is bound to make you hungry and thirsty. You gotta have lunch. Savor an authentic Baja meal at Mi Casa or sister restaurant Mi Casa de la Mariscos (www.micasa.name). Mi Casa is as authentic as you can get on the Mexican food front and Mi Casa de La Mariscos features fresh seafood in a hacienda-like setting. Wash your lunch down with a bottle of cold Pacifico beer, and you’ll be all set for more shopping or activities--or maybe just a siesta back onboard!

GOTTA DO IT

Hop-On Hop-Off -- If you want to experience total flexibility in exploring the southern cape of Baja California (Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo and everything in between), go for Terramar’s Hop-On Hop-Off pass. This well-priced 24-hour pass for adults and children is offered by several lines, but it’s also available once in port (www.bookcabo.com). The bus loop (with posted--and frequent--pick-up and drop-off times) features 13 convenient stops, providing access to shopping, beaches, activities, and dining.

La Playa Pick -- Baja’s beaches (especially on the Sea of Cortez side) can be incredibly beautiful. To avoid large numbers of fellow passengers and experience a “better” Baja beach, or la playa, as the Mexicans say, take a taxi or local bus to Santa Maria Bay or Chileno Beach (the Hop-On Hop -Off service also stops here).

Say ‘Si’ to Sports -- The area around Baja California offers an incredible range of sporting pursuits on land and sea. Options include four-wheeling and eco-ATV tours to deserted mountains, dunes, and beaches; motor scooters; horse ack riding; scuba diving in the Sea of Cortez (John Steinbeck made the unique marine life here famous); and a variety of other water sports such as jet skis, sea kayaks, Hobie Cats, snorkeling, and more.

Go Fish -- The region is known as a world-class sport fishing destination, with huge marlin and swordfish the goal of dozens of fishing boats leaving from the bustling marina at Cabo San Lucas. Once in port, most lines offer deep-sea fishing as a shore excursion, and there are lots of offerings at Cabo’s marina. However, don’t plan on taking your catch of the day back to the ship’s chef to prepare for dinner. It’s generally catch and release in Baja, so adios fish! Afterward, Toast the ghost of deep-sea fishing fan Ernest Hemingway at Slim’s Elbow Room in downtown Cabo--which claims to be the world's smallest bar.