SHORE EXCURSIONS

OVERVIEW
Enjoy an inspired wine tasting and gourmet lunch at a winery restaurant in the Guadalupe Valley, a fertile area known as the Napa of Mexico, in part because the vast majority of Mexico’s wines are produced there. During the drive inland, you will notice the terrain becoming hillier with an abundance of sprawling farms and idyllic valleys such as Guadalupe. Its microclimate is similar to that in the Mediterranean as the summers are relatively cool with constant ocean breezes. Red wine grapes, in particular, flourish there, and over the past three decades or so, more than 150 wineries have become established along the valley’s wine route. Your introduction to one of the premier wineries will begin with an enlightening, behind-the-scenes tour. Afterwards, you will sample a wide selection of characteristic wines that beautifully represent the Guadalupe Valley. They will be paired with cheeses and artisan bread, which will perfectly complement the fabulous 3-course lunch that follows.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy a spectacular scenic drive through the Guadalupe Valley, the Napa of Mexico.
• Gain an understanding of the valley’s terroir by touring a premier winery.
• Sample several representative Guadalupe Valley wines and enjoy a gourmet 3-course lunch.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Your tour begins with an interesting ride along Mazatlan’s oceanfront for a view of the lighthouse and offshore islands. Continue into the heart of the old downtown for a short visit to the imposing cathedral before a stop at a waterfront rocky promontory to view the brave cliff divers.

You’ll have time to browse or shop at the Golden Zone before heading for a resort for an afternoon of swimming, sunning and relaxing, where you’ll also enjoy a delightful lunch with a colorful Mexican folkloric show. Your escort will guide you to a place to change and show you where lunch will be served.

The return to your ship will be by taxi in groups of four.

Learn about the history of the area from your guide while you’ll pass by the city’s highlights. You’ll stop at the elegant Riviera del Pacifico, a once dazzling beach resort and casino. The highlight of your tour will be the 25-mile drive to the south for approximately one hour, along the Baja California countryside to scenic Punta Banda.

This area is known for an impressive blowhole called La Bufadora, a natural sea spout that shoots water from 60 to 100 feet into the air, depending on the tide. You’ll have free time to experience the flavors of Mexico at the open air market, with a wide selection of national art. You’ll also visit Ensenada’s main shopping district, offering everything from Mexican handicrafts to imported items. You may return to the ship with your guide or remain and return on your own.

OVERVIEW

Fly high above beautiful Desert Nest natural preserve on a series of ziplines for the ultimate adrenaline rush. Upon arriving at the residential resort community Cuatro Cuatros, you will be briefed on how to maximize the experience. After being harnessed into the zipline, off you will go on the first of five exhilarating courses that will carry you over a distance of more than two miles. You can expect it to be a nonstop thrill as you race downhill at hair-raising speeds on the dual steel-cable ziplines. Along the way and while pausing on the elevated platforms between the ziplines, you will enjoy a literal bird’s-eye view of the surrounding Guadalupe Valley, one of Mexico’s finest wine-producing regions. Following the adventure, you will pause at the Cuatro Cuatros winery. The vineyards yield mostly red wines with the main varieties being cabernet sauvignon, merlot and zinfandel.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Race over the Desert Nest natural preserve on five exhilarating ziplines.
• Race over the Desert Nest natural preserve on five exhilarating ziplines.
• Visit the winery within the Cuatro Cuatros residential resort community.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Sample an inspiring selection of cheese, wine and beer as a prelude to a traditional lunch at a farm in the Valle de Ojos Negros. Agriculture thrives in this fertile valley and the Ramonetti family has been farming there for four generations. Their dairy farm, Rancho la Campana, is renowned for its stone cheese cave – La Cava de Marcelo – which holds as many as 10,000 wheels of cheese. Each wheel must be rotated daily to prevent moisture from building up. You will see how the namesake Ramonetti cheese is produced step-by-step using hormone-free milk from German Holstein cows. You will also sample cheeses such as ricotta, quesos frescos and several aged varieties in the climate-controlled cheese cave, one of the first in Latin America. Locally produced wine and craft beer will be served, as well. To round out this culinary experience, you will enjoy a hearty meal in the farm’s serene gardens.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit a fourth-generation family dairy farm in the Valle de Ojos Negros.
• Observe how various cheeses are naturally produced without the use of hormones.
• Sample a variety of cheeses in La Cava de Marcelo, a climate-controlled cheese cave.
• Enjoy a tasting of locally produced wine and craft beer, followed by a traditional lunch.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

You’ll be taking an approximately 30-minute drive to the ranch. Upon arrival, you’ll be given a safety briefing and helmet and assigned to your horse. During your one and a half hour horseback ride, you’ll enjoy magnificent view of Salsipuedes Bay, Todos Santos Island and the Gold Coast. Your leisurely trail ride will take you through the beautiful hills of San Miguel. You’ll be treated to a snack before taking the trail back to San Miguel.

OVERVIEW

Luxuriate at an exclusive beach club in Rosarito Beach and complement the experience with a classic Mexico meal of tacos and margaritas. As you travel up the scenic coastline, you will see one beautiful stretch of white sand after another, the reason this part of Baja California attracts so many beach lovers. Upon arriving at gorgeous Rosarito Beach, which runs the full length of the resort city of Rosarito, you will spend hours relaxing however you please at the stylish and wonderfully laid-back Sunio Beach Club. Feel free to bask in the sun on a lounge chair, stroll along the wide beach, take a refreshing swim in the sea and watch the surfers that often congregate there to take advantage of the waves. Sipping on freshly made icy-cold margaritas will make the experience all the more enjoyable. The accompanying lunch of chicken and beef tacos will be just as satisfying.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Spend hours relaxing at the exclusive Sunio Beach Club on Rosarito Beach.
• Enjoy a carefree experience doing most anything you please on the wide stretch of sand.
• Savor a classic taco lunch and margaritas at the luxurious resort.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Get a literal and figurative taste of Ensenada by visiting historical attractions and sampling locally made mezcal. Your introduction to the city will begin by strolling the grounds of the former Hotel Riviera del Pacifico, a traditional Spanish-style resort built in 1930 with a casino that Al Capone frequented. The margarita was supposedly invented at this landmark. How fitting that you will also visit a mezcalaria to sample mezcal, a spirit similar to tequila but with a greater variety of tastes. After an explanation of the artisanal process, you will try as many as five characteristic mezcals. You may wish to try the traditional accompaniments, worm salt – a blend of sea salt and ground agave worms – and dried grasshoppers. If those offerings are beyond your comfort zone, don’t worry. A dessert of tasty confections follows at a nearby candy shop. Other notable attractions in town include lovely Ventana al Mar park and Flag Plaza.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Meander through the gardens of a former hotel where the margarita may have been invented.
• Hear tales of the Hollywood celebrities that stayed at the hotel in the 1930s, along with Al Capone.
• Sample several mezcals at a mezcalaria and learn how the spirit differs from tequila.
• See landmarks such as Ventana al Mar park on a driving tour of Ensenada.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Learn to prepare ceviche from scratch in a hands-on cooking class and then enjoy the freshly made dish for lunch. The venue for this culinary experience will be Manzanilla, one of the city’s premier restaurants. Chefs Benito Molina and Solange Muris source the ingredients for every dish in their home state of Baja California. You will accommodate one of the chefs to a nearby market to select the fish for the ceviche that you will make. During the fun and instructive class that follows, you will learn each step in the process. Ceviche originated in Peru millennia ago and there are many variations of this raw fish dish. You will prepare two versions of ceviche using sustainable ingredients such as lime juice, onions, tomatoes, hot green chili peppers, avocado and Manzanilla green olives – the delectable ingredient that inspired the restaurant’s name. Afterwards, you will dine on the fruits of your labor.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Prepare two versions of ceviche in a hands-on cooking class lead by a renowned chef.
• Select a freshly caught fish for the ceviche in a local market.
• Learn how ceviche recipes vary from region to region.
• Enjoy a glass of wine and the raw fish ceviche that you have prepared for lunch.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Located at Land's end, where the Pacific Ocean merges into the Sea of Cortes, the area surrounding Cabo is perfect for Sailing adventures. Board one of our specially designed, wide berth sailboats and begin your day of Ocean exploration. Head out to the famous Arch and Sea Lion colony and enjoy delicious snacks onboard. Then cruise to a secluded bay, where the captain will drop anchor so you can dive into the depths of the blue waters. Snorkel in the bay, searching for corals, star fish and tropical sea life or try your hand at Stand up paddle boarding, all included in the tour. Back onboard, sit back and relax while being served a mouthwatering lunch, including, shrimp, guacamole, fresh Cesar salads, pastas, fresh fruit and pastries. Accompanied by an unlimited open bar, enjoy a refreshing cocktail or ice cold beer as the staff hoist up the sails. Enjoy the thrills and excitement of sailing in the bay, passing by the homes of the rich and famous and the stunning coastline. Search for wildlife such as turtles, dolphins and manta rays, and if lucky, in the winter months, you may see Humpback whales breaching in the ocean. The top tour in Cabo!

OVERVIEW

Participate in a hands-on cooking class at a premier Mexican restaurant and dine on the array of dishes that the chef will help you prepare for lunch. As an introduction to the cuisine of Sinaloa, the state in which Mazatlan is located, you will browse the stalls of a local market that offers every imaginable traditional ingredient. The guide will describe and select the ones that will be used in your cooking class at El Presidio restaurant. The exact menu will depend on what seasonal items are freshest to ensure that the dishes will be bursting with flavor. Because of the proximity of the sea, Sinaloa cuisine tends to focus on seafood – especially shrimp – cooked with fruits and vegetables and seasoned with spices such as chipotle and guajillo chili peppers. Before sitting down to dine, you will sample several tequilas whose tastes are wonderfully complex and characteristic of Sinaloa.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn to prepare several signature local dishes in a hands-on cooking class.
• Help select the ingredients for the class in a market that the locals frequent.
• Dine on the dishes that you have prepared in class at El Presidio restaurant.
• Enjoy a tequila tasting to enhance your dining experience.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Celebrate like a local at the Mexican fair held daily at El Tenampa, a restaurant in a country-like setting. You will first visit the 19th-century Mazatlan Cathedral for an understanding of how religious traditions influence Mexican fairs and the annual Carnival that is held in the spring. To prepare for those festive events, many locals shop at a nearby market, where you will see a variety of colorful merchandise. After a short walk through the historical district, you will drop by a store that sells jewelry much like that worn during Carnival. By the time you arrive at the restaurant, you will be well versed in the traditions of Mexican fairs. After dining on an array of dishes that may include gorditas and tacos filled with ingredients such as Jamaican flowers – which are dried red hibiscus buds – you can join in a host of games typically played at fairs. Tastings will also be offered.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Play traditional Mexican games at a restaurant that celebrates every day with a lively fair.
• Dine on a hearty lunch of classic dishes usually served at Mexican fairs.
• Visit a market and jewelry store where locals buy merchandise in preparation for fairs.
• See how religious tradition influences fairs by visiting Mazatlan Cathedral.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.