Once again, I’ve procrastinated this post for the reason that I loved this trip so much. Weird, I know. It should be easier to post about if I loved it, but for some reason it’s so much harder! If you haven’t read my post about The Paradise Society or the first half of my trip, check it out here. For the second half of our Baja trip, we made our way to Rancho Las Cruces. You guys…
It was honestly one of the best places I’ve ever been in this world! That could be the high of the trip still wearing off, but it was so magical. Remember our friend Khamal that I mentioned in my first post? Well, the story goes that his grandfather fell in love with a Hollywood starlet, Lucille Bremer (she was a former Rockette, starred in movies with Fred Astaire, etc.) and she left Hollywood to be with him. They started Rancho Las Cruces together, and drew big names from Hollywood to come stay. The residents included people like Desi Arnez, Lucille Ball, and Bing Crosby. I heard that story on our way out to the resort, and I’m such a sucker for that stuff that I was already sold. But as we got closer and closer to Rancho Las Cruces I began to understand why they chose Rancho Las Cruces to get away when they could have gone anywhere in the world.
First of all, it’s so remote – you drive through a locked gate and then on a private dirt road for so long that you really feel like you’ve escaped the world. And then the beauty of everything around you is just unreal. It’s this desert landscape backed up against the sea – something I’ve never really seen before. Pictures don’t do it justice, but scroll down for photos of what we saw/did. Most are by Taryn, mixed in with some from my iPhone of course :).
We stayed in Hacienda Santa Cruz, which was so amazing. We all had our own private rooms and bathrooms with our own entrances, and then there’s this amazing common area/kitchen we could gather and cook in. This was literally the view from my bedroom sliding glass door:
And some other pictures around Hacienda Santa Cruz:
Rancho Las Cruces is located on the Sea of Cortez, at the first spot where Hernán Cortés landed. Right by Hacienda Santa Cruz are stone replicas of the three crosses he originally placed there when he found it. We hiked up to them and then down around some amazing rocks. The water is so clear there!
Monrow Tee Shirt Dress | Bogs Sandals (so good for hiking around, in and out of water!)
We had fun exploring some of the other houses at Rancho Las Cruces. Each house was so unique in it’s own way, and felt so full of history! If walls could talk, right?!
Sanctuary Clothing Dress | Beek Sandals | Braided Yellow Headband | Asha Patel Necklace and Bracelet
There’s even a little church at Rancho Las Cruces – way up on a hill by itself, overlooking the sea. You can’t help but feel so much peace in there.
We boated, paddle boarded, laid on the beach, and ate so much good food (like, SUCH good food!) There are also some amazing hikes to “sacred pools” that we didn’t have time to do – perfect excuse to go back, huh? 😉
(I had to include this iPhone snap of lunch one day – I’m still dreaming about these fresh mangos with strawberry reduction on top!!)
Monrow Tee Shirt Dress | Bogs Sandals (so good for hiking around, in and out of water!)
Love this Vamastyle One-Piece!
Vamastyle Mango Suit | Vagabond Beach Towel
Vagabond Beach Towel |Cocobelle Luella Sandal | Aloha Collection Wet/Dry Bag
Vamastyle Mango Suit | Vamastyle Pants | Asha Patel Bracelet
There’s so much I want to say about Rancho Las Cruces. But I guess I’ll sum it up by talking about the legendary Guest Book. People have been signing these old books for years, and they are all there for you to read through. If you go back far enough you can find some famous old names. There’s lots of talk about fish caught (I saw entries of Marlin that were hundreds of pounds!) and food, games and fun. But the underlying theme of every signature is the idea that Rancho Las Cruces is such a special place. One of the favorite signatures I found said exactly what I was feeling –
“Someday I must return, for I leave behind a part of me.”
I am already planning a trip back with Blake ;).
Biggest thanks to Khamal for sharing your family’s special place with us, to The Paradise Society for making it possible, and to Taryn for capturing it in photos.
The Paradise Society Crew: Sarah, Taryn, Cassandra, Me, Bree, and Nina. Love these ladies sooo much!
xx
Jen
OOTD
