Guys. I’ve been procrastinating this post all week. I want to tell you all about my trip to Mexico with the Paradise Society, but it’s one of those things that was so great that I know photos and a a few words won’t do it justice. Having said that, here goes nothin’…
First off – The Paradise Society. The Paradise Society was started by two of my good friends, Sarah Kensell and Nina Ornstein and the business model is genius. Sarah and Nina have the perfect backgrounds for it, and are both so good at what they do. If you are a brand or an influencer interested in what they do, check out their site here. I felt so lucky to be on the first inaugural trip as a member, and I can’t wait for more! Sarah and Nina invited me and two other amazing ladies – Cassandra and Bree – as influencers, and then to top it off we had Taryn Kent there to take photos. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to travel with!
TODOS SANTOS
Todos Santos is a little desert oasis (meaning you’ll see palm trees and cactus side by side!) with lots of mango orchards, palm groves, and white sandy beaches. It’s known as both an artist community and a surf town – just north of Cabo but nothing like it :). Nina actually grew up in Todos Santos, so we had the best kind of guide. She introduced us to her good friend Khamal, who also showed us the best secrets of Todos Santos (and his family’s ranch…more to come on that in another post!)
WHERE WE STAYED
While we were in Todos Santos, we stayed at Hacienda Todos Santos (check it out on Trip Advisor for more photos and reviews). It was so perfect and peaceful – you felt tucked away but it’s a short walking distance to all the restaurants and shops downtown. It’s super close to their little private beach, and they might even arrange for a special beach bonfire for ya ;). The house we stayed in was amazing with so much space, a huge kitchen, private terraces, and maybe the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in. It’s both luxurious and charming – you just have to see it for yourself!
Monrow Double Layer Sweatshirt (40% off!) | Monrow Distressed Sweatpants (40% off!)
WHAT WE ATE
Lucky for us, we’d wake up each morning to Nina making us an amazing smoothie with different blends of fresh fruit, coffee, and then breakfast tacos with ingredients fresh from her garden and eggs fresh from her friends’ chickens.
We also had an amazing dinner at a restaurant in town called Santo Vino. Definitely eat there if you’re in Todos Santos! We loved it – we even got a picture with the head chef/owner!
We ate popsicles at “La Paloma” on a hot afternoon – cutest little ice cream spot painted bright pink, you can’t miss it!
WHAT WE DID
Yoga
After our morning coffee and smooties, Nina would lead us in yoga by the pool at our hotel (Hacienda Todos Santos). I’ve honestly never done yoga on vacation, and I’m now officially hooked. I totally get why people do yoga retreats now! It worked out the kinks from traveling, made me feel so good, and brought me into the present to really experience where I was for that day.
Leggings by Vuori (they’re SO cute and comfy!)
Exploring
We explored backroads that only Nina and Khamal could have shown us – the landscape and scenery was unreal! I think I will always remember mobbing around in Nina’s 4-Runner with the windows down listening to good music and taking it all in! Nina even showed us some wild horses that had just had a baby!!
Beach
Nina and Khamal took us to Playa Las Palmas – this beautiful beach that you go through a huge grove of palm trees to get to. We saw more wild horses, watched an amazing sunset, and Khamals friend built us the perfect bonfire. (Word to the wise – if you leave your bags/food on the beach while you’re swimming or surfing, the horses have no shame in going through your stuff and eating whatever food they find!)
Sanctuary Clothing Sunset Safari Jacket | Monrow Ribbed White Tank | One Teaspoon Shorts | Beek Cardinal Sandals | Vagabond Round Beach Towel
Shopping
I loved shopping around the town of Todos Santos! It’s small enough that you can walk everywhere, and every corner you turn you’ll want to take another picture of a charming building, shop, or restaurant. Sarah and I were determined to take home some hammock chairs, but in the end couldn’t figure out how to fit them in our suitcases. Another reason to go back! 😉 
Knot Sisters Plunge Tee | Knot Sisters South Side Short | Cocobelle Luella Sandal | Welden Suede Saddle Bag | Brixton Sun Hat | Rayban Sunglasses (25% off!) | Ash Patel Bracelets (use code “PARADISE” for 15% off!)
My favorite find was a little boutique called Nomad Chic – they carry so many of my favorite brands, and I also discovered some new ones I now love!
WHAT WE WORE
We were outfitted with some amazing sponsors for the trip so packing was a breeze – more posts to come on them! But mostly you want to be comfortable – summer clothes during the day (it’s warm!) and sometimes you’ll want a light jacket or sweater at night. Typical West Coast attire ;).
TRAVEL INFORMATION
We flew Alaska Airlines into Cabo – some of us from LAX and some from San Diego. To get to Todos Santos, you’ll want to fly into Cabo and then it’s a 1-hour drive from the airport. Big news around town is that they just built a new toll road!! Which means now you can get to Todos Santos quicker (an hour instead of an hour and a half) and don’t have to drive through Cabo! (Big bonus for a lot of the locals who aren’t big fans of Cabo.)
WEATHER
Todos Santos is a desert Oasis, so it’s warm during the day (usually 70’s in the winter and 80’s in the summer) and cools off a bit at night. It can be humid during the day, so you’ll want to drink lots of water and pack cooling clothes!
THINGS TO BRING
- Bug spray! We used it a lot! I love this natural one.
- Sunscreen. Duh. I use this one on my face religiously – works so well and doesn’t make me break out!
- Mask/snorkel/fins if you have them and want to go while you’re down there! I always like having my own – they fit better and you don’t have to worry about renting.
- Surf board if you’re going to surf! But there are also places to rent if you don’t want to haul your own.
- Reading material! I found Todos Santos to be so relaxing and quiet – if you’re into reading you’ll want some good books to curl up with!
- Cipro or Activated Charcoal on the off chance that you get food poisoning or drink some bad water. (Seriously, bring it – it’s Murphy’s Law that if you don’t you’ll get sick and wish you had! That’s what happened in our crew!)
Ok, that’s my experience in Todos Santos! Blake and I already planning a trip back in July, if that tells you how much I loved it :).
BIG thanks to The Paradise Society and the rest of our sponsors for making this trip happen.
More to come on the rest of our Baja trip!!
xx
Jen
**These amazing photos (minus a few iPhone photos I threw in, sorry!) were taken by Taryn Kent. I can’t believe how lucky were were to have here there taking pictures – she captured everything so beautifully!!
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