Querencia's Canyon Club and Second Course: From Golf Enclave to Family Resort Community

Querencia is spending more than $60 million to transform from a golf-focused enclave into a multi-generational family community. The Canyon Club, a second Tom Fazio course, and vertical membership are the headlines. Here is what the reinvention actually means for buyers and existing owners.

The $60 Million Reinvention

I have been watching Querencia for years, and the shift happening there is the most significant strategic pivot by any private community in Los Cabos. The question they asked themselves was smart: how do you stay relevant when your competitor set — Chileno Bay, Diamante, the incoming Park Hyatt at Cabo del Sol — is building modern resort experiences while you are known as the golf community up on the hill?

Their answer: invest more than $60 million to become the family resort community up on the hill. Keep the golf (it is exceptional and not going anywhere) but surround it with amenities that appeal to the members' children, grandchildren, and non-golf-playing spouses. Make Querencia a place where the whole family wants to spend a week, not just the golfer.

This is not just a cosmetic refresh. It is a Colorado-led reinvention of the community's identity and competitive positioning.

The Canyon Club: What Is Actually There

The Canyon Club is the centerpiece of the expansion and the most visible statement of Querencia's new direction. Set in a natural canyon within the community, it is designed to be the family and social hub — the place you go when you are not on the golf course.

Here is what the Canyon Club includes:

• Climbing wall: A purpose-built rock climbing facility with routes for multiple skill levels. This is not a hotel climbing wall with three holds — it is a legitimate climbing experience designed for both kids and adults
• Duckpin bowling: A social amenity that works for all ages. Duckpin uses smaller balls and pins, making it accessible for young children while still entertaining for adults. Think of it as the evening hangout alternative to the bar
• Pump track: A circuit of rollers and berms for bikes and skateboards. These tracks are addictive for kids and increasingly popular with adults. It is the kind of amenity that gets teenagers off screens — which is exactly what the family buyer demographic demands
• Multiple pools: Family pools with features designed for different age groups, from splash areas for toddlers to lap lanes for adults
• Activity programming: Organized activities, camps, and events — the kind of structured programming that makes a resort community feel alive rather than passive

What strikes me about the Canyon Club is how different it feels from the typical luxury community amenity playbook. Most resort communities add another pool, another restaurant, another spa treatment room. Querencia added a climbing wall and a pump track. That is a statement about who they want to attract.

The Second Tom Fazio Course

Querencia's existing Tom Fazio golf course is consistently ranked among the best private courses in Mexico. It winds through the desert foothills above San Jose del Cabo, with elevation changes, canyon crossings, and views of the Sea of Cortez that are hard to match anywhere in Los Cabos.

The second Fazio course will double Querencia's golf offering. What we know:

• Designer: Tom Fazio, maintaining continuity with the original course
• Layout: Details on the routing and hole count have not been publicly confirmed. The expectation is a full 18-hole layout that complements rather than duplicates the original's character
• Timeline: The second course has been announced but exact construction milestones should be verified directly with Querencia. Golf course construction in this terrain typically takes 2–3 years from groundbreaking to opening

For context on why this matters: a single-course private community limits tee time availability and can create booking pressure during peak season. Two courses eliminate that constraint and dramatically increase the club's capacity to host events, tournaments, and member play simultaneously. It also creates the potential for different course experiences — one desert mountain layout and one links or valley-style track, for example.

For buyers and existing members, a second Fazio course is a significant amenity upgrade that will be reflected in property values. Historically, private communities that expand from one to two courses see 15–25% appreciation in surrounding real estate within the first 3–5 years, according to National Association of Realtors research on golf community premiums.

Vertical Membership: The Three-Generation Play

This is the part of Querencia's expansion that does not get enough attention but may be the most consequential for property values.

Querencia's vertical membership extends club privileges to three generations: a member's parents, children, and grandchildren. That is not typical. Most private clubs restrict membership to the property owner and their immediate household. Some allow a spouse and minor children. Very few extend to adult children and grandparents.

Why this matters for real estate:

• Usage frequency goes up. A property that serves three generations gets used more weeks per year than one that serves just the owner. More usage means more emotional attachment, which means longer hold periods and less resale turnover. That is price-stabilizing
• Buying motivation broadens. The conversation shifts from "Do I want a golf club?" to "Do I want a place where my parents can golf, my kids can climb and bowl, and my grandkids can swim?" That is a much larger addressable market
• Succession planning simplifies. When adult children already have membership privileges and emotional investment in the property, the succession conversation is easier. They are more likely to keep the property in the family rather than sell it

I tell clients considering Querencia: the vertical membership is not just an amenity perk. It is a property value floor. A community where three generations have a reason to visit is a community with deep, resilient demand.

The 55,000-Square-Foot Clubhouse and Beach Club

Beyond the Canyon Club and golf, Querencia's existing amenity set is substantial:

• Clubhouse: A reported 55,000 square feet of dining, fitness, spa, and social space. This is comparable in scale to the largest US country club clubhouses. Multiple restaurants, a wine cellar, yoga pavilion, and full fitness center are included
• Beach club: Located on the coast below the hillside community, accessible by shuttle. Dining, lounge seating, and ocean access. Because Querencia sits at elevation, the beach club provides curated coastal access — you are not walking to the beach, but you are getting there on a 10-minute shuttle through some of the most scenic terrain in Los Cabos
• Tennis, pickleball, and padel: Courts for all three racquet sports, reflecting the broader racquet sport trend in Los Cabos luxury communities
• Concierge services: Property management, event planning, transportation, and the kind of lifestyle support that makes seasonal and part-time ownership practical

Membership and Costs

Let me be transparent about what Querencia costs, because the numbers matter for your total cost of ownership.

Golf club membership at Querencia is separate from property ownership. You can own a home in Querencia without joining the golf club. However, club membership provides access to the golf course, clubhouse dining, and the full amenity network. Without membership, your access to community amenities may be limited.

Reported membership costs:

• Initiation fee: Approximately $160,000 (this figure has been reported by multiple sources but should be verified directly with Querencia, as it is subject to change)
• Monthly dues: Approximately $1,800 per month (again, verify current figures)
• Annual cost: At these reported rates, annual dues would be approximately $21,600, not including the initiation fee

These are significant numbers and they should factor into your total cost of ownership calculation alongside the property price, HOA fees, property taxes, insurance, and maintenance. A $3 million Querencia home with a $160K initiation fee and $21K annual dues is a different financial proposition than a $3 million home in a community with lower membership costs.

That said, the membership investment buys you access to an amenity set that would cost far more to replicate independently — two Tom Fazio courses, a 55,000-square-foot clubhouse, beach club, Canyon Club, fitness, spa, and vertical family access. For the buyer who will use it, the value proposition is clear.

Where Querencia Sits in the Los Cabos Hierarchy

Every luxury community in Los Cabos has a positioning. Here is how Querencia's expansion reshapes its competitive set:

Querencia vs. Chileno Bay

Chileno Bay is beachfront with a more modern, resort-hotel vibe (Auberge manages the resort). Querencia is hillside with a private club culture. Post-expansion, Querencia competes more directly with Chileno Bay on the family experience while retaining a stronger golf identity. If you want beach out your door, Chileno Bay. If you want the best golf in Los Cabos plus family amenities, Querencia. See our head-to-head comparison.

Querencia vs. Diamante

Diamante leads with golf (El Cardonal hosts the WWT Championship) and the 10-acre Crystal Lagoons saltwater lagoon. Post-expansion, Querencia's amenity breadth (Canyon Club, beach club, vertical membership) exceeds Diamante's, but Diamante's Pacific-side location and PGA Tour association give it a different gravity. Two courses at each makes them golf peers.

Querencia vs. Palmilla

Palmilla has history, One&Only hotel management, and a swimmable beach. Querencia has newer infrastructure and deeper family programming. Palmilla buyers tend to be resort-comfort seekers; Querencia buyers tend to be active-lifestyle families. They overlap but do not directly compete for the same buyer in most cases.

Who Buys Querencia Now

The expansion is deliberately shifting Querencia's buyer profile. Here is who I see purchasing today versus five years ago:

• Then: Semi-retired or retired golfers, couples, 55–70 years old. Trophy golf property for serious players who wanted a top-tier private course in Mexico
• Now: Younger families (40–55), multi-generational buyers, active-lifestyle professionals. Golf is still important but it is one amenity among many. The Canyon Club, vertical membership, and beach club are the new draws

This shift is strategic and it is working. Younger buyers have longer time horizons, which means longer hold periods and stronger long-term price support. Multi-generational buyers have deeper emotional connections to the property. Both trends are good for community stability and property values.

What to Consider Before Buying

Querencia is exceptional, but here are the trade-offs every buyer should weigh:

• Not beachfront. Querencia is in the foothills, not on the coast. The beach club provides ocean access, but it is a shuttle ride, not a walk. If beachfront is non-negotiable, look at Chileno Bay or Palmilla
• Membership costs are high. The reported $160K initiation fee plus $1,800/month is a significant ongoing commitment. Budget it into your total cost of ownership
• Expansion construction. If you buy now, you may live near active construction as the second course and additional amenities are built. This is temporary but worth noting
• Limited resale inventory. Querencia is a small, exclusive community. Inventory turns over slowly, which makes it harder to find the right property but also means less competition when you do

For the buyer who wants a private, family-oriented community with world-class golf, deep amenities, and a strategic investment in the next generation of residents, Querencia's expansion makes it one of the most compelling options in Los Cabos. The $60 million bet is a bet on families — and families are what sustain private communities over decades.