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San Carlos 2026
  • Kristen Metzger
  • Kristen Metzger

San Carlos 2026

A short but fine adventure by Kristen Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 21, 2026
    Kristen MetzgerSan Carlos 2026Kristen Metzger

    Sawari Hotel

    May 21–26 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    The Dive Shop chose this hotel for the group on this trip, sometimes they use Marinaterra (where I stayed with Matt the time we came down). I think this hotel is way better--it's out of the fray but still an easy walk to the marina. It has a very nice pool, and balconies in all the rooms. We were on the top floor which I preferred, both for the view and for being away from the pool noise. The hotel was really quiet our first night, but got pretty busy over the weekend. I'd definitely stay here again! Our sad faces in the pic below are not because we didn't like the hotel, but part of a joke we were playing on José (suggesting he was supposed to pick us up and drive us to a Dive Shop party we all were definitely NOT interested in going toRead more

  • Kristen MetzgerSan Carlos 2026Kristen Metzger

    La Palapa Griega

    May 21 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

    We tried to go to El Mar, next door, but their kitchen was closed for an hour, and the nice dude working there suggested this place instead. I mean, it was right there. And it had a lovely patio, and the food was so good! We split fried zucchini and each got a tuna tostada--tuna civeche with mango and avocado. Oh also margaritas, because duh.Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerSan Carlos 2026Kristen Metzger

    El Mar

    May 21 in Mexico ⋅ 🌙 75 °F

    We came back to El Mar for dinner! This time the kitchen was open, so I got coconut shrimp. We were with Wendy, Mark, Casey and Erin, and everyone liked their food. We walked over from the hotel, about a half mile. Our table was right up against the window with a view of the ocean, so we watched people cavorting on the beach and pelicans hunting fish while we ate dinner. Really good, I'd go back if there weren't so many other places to try.Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerSan Carlos 2026Kristen Metzger

    Embarcadero Cocina and Bar

    May 23 in Mexico ⋅ 🌙 77 °F

    This was by far the best restaurant we ate at on this trip. I think it's attached or affiliated with the Marinaterra in some way, but it was really quiet even on the weekend nights. I had shrimp stuffed Anaheim peppers, and they were outstanding. Great service, everyone loved their food.Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerSan Carlos 2026Kristen Metzger

    Maguro

    May 25 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    The biggest lesson I learned is that we should have come here by ourselves instead of with Tim's family. Wendy and Mark were fine, but dear god when those girls don't want to be somewhere you sure know it. We also chose to experiment with Omukase dining, which is when they bring out many different courses and the chef chooses everything. This would have been so awesome if, again, it were just the sushi-lovers. So the food was amazing, and the experience was excruciating. We sat outside (bugs! sun!) and afterwards Wendy and Mark took the girls to get dessert somewhere else, and we just wandered off to enjoy some peace and quiet along the marina. Ditching the dead weight ftw!Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerSan Carlos 2026Kristen Metzger

    Marvida again

    May 25 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    We had another place scoped out on the marina to have dinner, but when we arrived we decided it was a bad idea (it looked like a fish market, not a dining establishment), and elected a re-do on Marvida instead. This time we tried the food, and it was quite good. Tim had a shrimp burger (delicious) and I had a poke bowl. Not the best one I've ever had, but perfectly acceptable. It was a quiet evening at the marina, especially compared to the weekend!Read more

  • Kristen MetzgerSan Carlos 2026Kristen Metzger

    Barracuda Bob's

    May 26 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    We ate here on our last morning, right before starting the drive home. It was so good! It was literally the first breakfast we got to eat out, since our dive days were all so early. First decent coffee we had on the trip too. I had divorced eggs, and Tim got a breakfast sampler. We sat outside and once they put the sun shades down, it was absolutely perfect. Two cats came and hang out with us, wanting food but one does not feed the restaurant catsRead more

    Trip end
    May 26, 2026