After a light lunch at Las Brisas, the press group gathered together for a tour of the bay. The captain piloted the three-story boat near the beaches of both Zihuatanejo (the “old town”) and Ixtapa (the resorts), allowing us to get a good perspective of the major properties lining the waterfront. Carol Canter, a frequent contributor to Smart Meetings, was also along on the trip and, as a long-time Mexico writer, was able to illustrate the growth that Ixtapa has seen over the years. The sunset was fantastic, but we did not see the famous green flash that many locals claim to have experienced the moment the sun disappears beneath the horizon. There’s always next year….

After returning, we dressed up and gathered in the hotel for dinner. This was the only night we had free, so we decided to try dinner at one of Las Brisas’ five restaurants, Restaurante El Mexicano. Outside of the ceviche, which never seemed impressive to us anywhere in Ixtapa, the meal was excellent, and the service particularly notable. As Zihuatanejo is a major fishing town, there is an abundance of fresh-off-the-boat seafood, and one can find everything from simple grilled fish with lime to robust Italian interpretations.