We Went to Taco Bell's Cantinas Early Retirement Community and We Wish We Could Go Back

Taco Bell is no stranger to hosting interesting events. Five years ago, it launched The Bell: A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort in Palm Springs, which sold out in minutes. This past February, the company put on its Live Más Live conference in Las Vegas where it unveiled its entire 2024 release calendar in the style of a Steve Jobs-style Apple keynote.

Last weekend, San Diego’s La Valle Coastal Club became the site of a two-day golf resort takeover, dubbed “The Cantinas,” a pop-up designed as a Taco Bell-themed retirement community. We were lucky enough to get an invite to check things out and definitely wish this pop-up were a permanent thing.

The pop-up, which sold out quickly, drew fans of all ages from across the United States, with travelers coming in from states such as Washington, Tennessee and Hawaii to take part in a weekend of still-life painting, golf, aerobics and an array of other senior-inspired pastimes.

Ethan Fieldman, a previous attendee of 2019’s The Bell Hotel (which he described as “epic”), flew in from Gainesville, Florida for just half a day with his friend Ayden to go to Cantinas. Stories like Ethan and Ayden’s weren't unusual–this pop-up attracted diehard fans from coast to coast. Some set out to simply have a chill weekend, others, like a gentleman named James, had agendas, using the opportunity to pop the question to his then-girlfriend, now fiance Caroline. Spoiler alert: she said yes. From all of us here at Parade , congrats to the both of you!

And although we might not have gotten engaged at Taco Bell Cantinas, we definitely had a great time. Here's the inside scoop on the fan-focused event.

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What Was Taco Bell Cantinas?

The Cantinas, not to be confused with Taco Bell’s “Cantina” restaurant concept with alcoholic beverages, was a multi-day retreat that let Taco Bell fans hang out with one another and enjoy the laidback lifestyle that is senior citizen living. Although retirement is very far away for the attendees, who were mostly folks in their twenties and thirties, that doesn’t mean they can’t pretend. Tickets were $150 for weekend (for the ticketholder and a guest) and day passes were available for $50.

The Cantinas offered guests a full roster of chill activities, including sound baths, bingo, aerobics, pickleball, bracelet-making and yard games, all set in a sunny SoCal resort. Taco Bell even brought in some celebrity hosts to emphasize this: social media’s staple sextet of senior citizens, Retirement House , as well as influencers Terri Joe (Kelon Campbell) and Joey Zauzig , who was named Director of Retiree Vibes.

What Was Served at Taco Bell Cantinas?

Food was, of course, a highlight of the weekend. The Cantina Chicken Menu was  well represented, with four of the five menu items—Cantina Chicken Menu: the Cantina Chicken Soft Taco, Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco, Cantina Chicken Burrito and Cantina Chicken Bowl—served during the Cantinas weekend.

Other past and present Taco Bell menu favorites we also served, including the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito and the discontinued 7-Layer Burrito and Beef Gordita Supreme. Don’t get FOMO quite yet, though. The 1990s-era Beef Gordita Supreme is rumored to be returning in October as part of the brand’s new “ Nostalgia Menu ” that's currently being tested in a few Southern California Taco Bell locations. Also included in the test menu is the Caramel Apple Empanada from the 2000s, the Meximelt from the 80s, the Green Burrito from the ‘70s and the Tostada from the ‘60s, although sadly none of these menu items were served at Cantinas. One test item that did make an appearance were the fried Baja Blast Twists, originally teased at Live Más Live earlier this year.

Related: Yes, You Can Eat Keto at Taco Bell—Here Are 7 Nutritionist-Approved Options

What Else Did We Love about Taco Bell Cantinas?

While some of the throwback menu items were missing, fans weren't completely out of luck when it came to getting their hands on vintage goodies. Guests could also shop at the Cantinas sundries shop, a small store offering one-of-a-kind Cantinas-themed merch, free with the purchase of a ticket.

Even more impressive was the story behind the clothes. Everything in the store was sourced by the Taco Bell team from thrift stores across the country and refreshed with Cantinas branding. There were very few pieces that were actually the same, meaning some folks left with one-of-a-kind items.

Uniqueness is a theme that’s been speaking a lot to the team at Taco Bell in recent years. “What customers want more than anything is vulnerability, authenticity, and realness,” said Taco Bell CMO Taylor Montgomery. That’s why they keep taking risks via early retirement communities, themed hotels, and product reveals in the form of big-tech-style keynotes. It’s about doing something for the fans that surprises them.

Even though Taco Bell Cantinas was only for two days, the brand has assured us that there is plenty more surprises to come. Though we don’t have many more details, one thing we do know for certain is that Live Más Live will be back for 2025. From there, our best guess is as good as yours. Until then, we'll be rocking our Cantinas swag and waiting for the Nostalgia Menu to drop.

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