Daydreaming of a tropical getaway to western Mexico this year but don't want to pay those steep resort prices? La Paz is a hidden gem about two hours north of Los Cabos on the Baja California Peninsula. Sandra Felix, director of the La Paz Tourism Board, explained that while the lowkey city harbors a lot of very reasonable accommodations, it's what's outside of the city that really makes it magical. "La Paz sits on the Sea of Cortez — a placid, warm, turquoise body of water that is home to a breathtaking array of aquatic bounty. Called 'the world's aquarium' by none other than Jacques Cousteau, the Sea of Cortez is a treasure trove that never stops revealing gems. As one of the world's most biologically diverse bodies of water, the Sea of Cortez is home to 900 species of fish, thousands of invertebrate species, and a wide variety of marine mammals."