Blog  |  Tuesday, November 29, 2022

6 Myths About Joining an Exclusive Yacht Club

Elite travelers who return to their favorite seaside resorts are often invited to join the yacht club. It’s a privilege afforded to few, but are the benefits worth it?

If you’ve been toying with the idea of joining an exclusive yacht club but aren’t sure of the value of doing so, check out some of these common myths. Armed with the truth about the features and advantages of these membership-only organizations, you can make a more informed decision about whether to join.

1. 1. You have to own a vessel

   Not every yacht club will require members to own a yacht or sailboat in order to join. In fact, some exclusive yacht clubs offer their members the use of luxury sailboats and yachts. With access to curated experiences—including experienced and knowledgeable captains and crew members, members can try different experiences without investing in their own vessel.

2. 2. Only adults are welcome

   The best yacht clubs in the world know that many of their members are seeking a variety of inclusive experiences that their families can enjoy.

   Beyond simply lounging in a bar or sitting down to a formal fine dining experience, many adults want to pass along a legacy of yacht club membership. To their children and perhaps eventually, grandchildren. But for children and teens to enjoy the benefits of yacht club membership, it helps to give them plenty of positive memories.

   At the Costa Palmas Beach & Yacht Club in Cabo, experienced guides and activity directors with access to virtually every kind of equipment can create curated experiences for children, teens, and families. On-site, kids can play tennis, watch movies in the club’s theater, play in the pools, learn to kite surf, explore local animal sanctuaries, go snorkeling, or do arts & crafts, among countless other activities.

3. 3. Yacht clubs are stuffy

   What comes to mind when you think of your grandfather’s yacht club? Dignified but reserved men sipping on martinis in emblem-embossed knitted vests?

   Today’s exclusive yacht clubs are designed to straddle the balance between exclusivity and the modern-day boater. Offering a mix of fun, adventure, culture, and socialization, these clubs now serve as an activity center for like-minded water lovers without the pomp and circumstance of old-school traditions.

   Although formal spaces in the club continue to reflect a time of refined manners, exceptional service, and fancier attire, the general focus of today’s yacht clubs has shifted to one of connection, community, and entertainment—in whatever form that takes for the individual member.

   Modern amenities, intentional design to blend indoor and outdoor spaces, the incorporation of nature into development, and soothing decor all set the scene for luxurious comfort within the club and its extended components.

4. 4. Everything revolves around water activities

   Not all yacht clubs are limited to beach terrain. At Costa Palmas on the East Cape of Los Cabos, for example, the surrounding landscape includes water, rugged mountains, orchards, desserts, caverns, and hidden waterfalls.

   While members can certainly partake in boating, fishing, jet skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, and a host of other water sports, there’s also plenty to be enjoyed on land.

   Take the Costa Palmas Golf Club, for example. Designed by Robert Trent Jones II, the world-class, 18-hole championship golf course is a favorite among the world’s most devout golfers. Complemented by a 30,000-square foot putting course, lessons from professionals, and exquisite views of dunes, trees, estuaries, and the Sea of Cortez, you’ll immerse yourself in every game.

   Members can go horseback riding, take ATVs to a waterfall, enjoy excursions into the local towns, bike the mountain trails of Baja, or zip-line through caverns.

   Prefer to stay closer to home? Head to the family sports park for a game of tennis, pickleball, or baseball or work out in the club’s fitness center.

5. 5. Club food is pub food

   Exclusive yacht clubs are designed to cater to their wealthy members’ needs. Regardless of your background, interests, or tastes, eating is a cross-cultural pastime in which everyone can partake.

   Members of the Costa Palmas Beach & Yacht Club have access to more than a dozen venues throughout the resort. This includes farm-to-table authentic Argentinian dining at The Nursery, sushi and ceviche at El Puesto, and fresh-baked bread and Mexican coffee from Casena in Marina Village.

   World-renowned chefs also call Cabo home, bringing their years of experience and desire to expand their creative concepts to appreciative palates.

   As a member of the Costa Palmas Beach & Yacht Club, you’ll be welcome to dine at Estiatorio Milos, one of the finest Mediterranean seafood restaurants on the planet, thanks to acclaimed chef Costa Spiliadis.

   Headed to Marina Village in Costa Palmas? Indulge in the Italian delights of James Beard Foundation award winner Chef Nancy Silverton at Mozza Baja.

   Take an epicurean journey that includes the four pillars of Baja fare—land, ocean, tradition, and corn—at Chef Maritza’s Casa de Brasa.

6. 6. There’s nowhere to store your vessel

   True luxury yacht clubs accommodate even the largest of vessels for their guests. At the Marina Village at Costa Palmas, residents will find slips to host sailboats and yachts up to 250 feet long, just steps from the back door of their villa.

   The semi-private port is well equipped for everything you could need, including fuel, electricity, a dry-stack system, maintenance services, water, ice, wifi, and tailored provisioning. The on-site marina team can also help you curate the ultimate fishing excursion with local experts, equipment, and fishing boats—should you choose not to use your own vessel.

   Best of all, upon returning from your adventure at sea, you can dock and walk to the hub of the port: Marina Village at Costa Palmas. Nestle around an outdoor fire pit as you watch the lights on the boats—or the night sky—twinkle. Shop the unique boutiques, enjoy drinks in a nightclub, or grab a bite in one of the signature or casual dining venues. The walkable marina is designed to be a relaxed but inviting environment between sea-faring journeys.

Looking for a marina-side home with a slip for your yacht right outside your back door? Costa Palmas boasts a new Marina Village with waterfront villas. To learn more, visit the Marina Village website.