Reviews - Articles - Wide Open Excursions

Wide Open Excursions - Cabo San Lucas - LosCabosGuide.com Activity Review June 2011 - by Ashley Alvarado Whether you’re a car junkie, a domesticated speed racer, or someone looking to have a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, Wide Open Excursions is a must-add to your Cabo San Lucas must-visit list. The off-road adventure outfit offers drivers the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a $100,000–plus Baja 1000 vehicle, a monster that—given the right driver—expertly maneuvers the peninsula’s wild terrain at speeds guaranteed to get your heart racing. Once you’ve experienced a trip out with Wide Open, it’s abundantly clear why the company has counted Paul Newman, Enrique Iglesias, and Ben Stiller among its devotees.

A walk through the company’s very cool Cabo San Lucas office, you get a sneak peek of the adventure to come. Pictures and race paraphernalia deck the walls, and souvenirs are available for purchase. The office is also where you’ll get your first look at the instructional videos that drive home the importance of safety and responsibility first. Wide Open has a number of different adventure packages, starting with the Taste of Baja: one and a half hours on a bumpy and beautiful course several minutes outside of Cabo. At the course, you’ll be fitted for a helmet, briefed on the car’s GPS technology and radio, and hooked up to the special air system that keeps drivers cool during potentially very hot days. Once buckled in, you’re off! Zip through the carefully charted course, taking hairpin turns at unimaginably quick speeds, flying over the earth, and maybe hitting the occasional mesquite. You’ll also see the occasional glimpse of the Pacific, a reminder of what a natural wonder the Baja Peninsula is. Other adventure options include the half-day Baja Challenge (two and a half hours of driving time), the daylong journey to magical Todos Santos (this includes lunch at the famous Hotel California), and multi-day trips that take you to La Paz, the state’s capital. It’s important to remember that there are age requirements, and you must be able to drive a standard transmission.