Best things to do in Cabo San Lucas (Baja California Sur, México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Cabo San Lucas is the largest tourist destination in Los Cabos, in southern Baja California Sur. It’s a place where you’re likely to hear more US accents than Mexican ones, where you’ll see a lot of prices in dollars instead of pesos, and a lot of luxury hotels and resorts. But Cabo San Lucas is also where you can see humpback whales jumping close, snorkel with sea lions or climb to get the best panoramic view in the company of more than twenty dogs.

In this guide we try to show you all the things to see and do in Cabo San Lucas with specific itineraries in 1, 2 or 3 days with practical suggestions, where to stay and even where to eat so you can make the most of your trip.

Check out our complete guide to Baja California Sur if you are planning a trip to the area.

Basic facts for traveling to Cabo San Lucas

Language: Spanish

Currency: MXN ($) Mexican Peso (1$ equals 20$ MXN approx.). Check the updated exchange rate here

Population: 202,694 (in 2020)

When to go: You can go all year round, although in our opinion the best time is from November to April, when there is the possibility of seeing humpback whales and the weather is good enough to enjoy the beaches. It is advisable to avoid the well-known “Spring Break” dates, during which many young US tourists come to Cabo San Lucas in search of partying and make the atmosphere change a lot, prices skyrocket and boat tours become overcrowded. We detail more about when to go to Cabo San Lucas in this section of the guide.

How many days: Minimum one day, but ideally 2 or 3 days to get to know San Jose del Cabo as well. In this section we share specific itineraries for Cabo San Lucas to help you organize your trip.

How to get there: There are some international flights to Los Cabos International Airport, or you can fly first to Mexico ( Cancun or Mexico City are usually the cheapest options), and from there to Los Cabos. We recommend you to use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with the dates to get the best possible price. More details in this section of the guide.

Visa: With a US, Canadian, European or UK passport it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days. Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Where to stay: Ideally, you should stay within walking distance of the marina in Cabo San Lucas and its adjoining streets. At Randomtrip we stayed in a small studio at Casa Bohemia and recommend it, with parking for our rental car, several restaurants nearby and a 20 minute walk to the marina. More details in the Where to Stay in Cabo San Lucas section of the guide.

What to bring: A good travel insurance (in this link we give you a 5% discount on the one we always carry) and here is the list of what you must have in your backpack for this trip

Getting around: The best option is to rent a car. There are bus and public transport connections but they do not reach all places so if you can it is better to rent a car to move around freely. More info on how to get around Cabo San Lucas in this section of the guide.

How much it costs: From 1200 MXN (60$)/day per person (approx.) depending on the type of accommodation, meals and how much you want to explore the surroundings. More budget information in this section of the guide.

Internet connection: If you are visiting for a few days, your phone supports eSIM and you don’t want to complicate things, we recommend Holafly eSIM (unlimited data, 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP) or Airalo eSIM (limited data, but cheaper, 15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15). Otherwise, the cheapest way is to get a local SIM (we recommend Telcel). More info here

Vaccines: there are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

Time zone: UTC -7

Where is Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas is the most important city and tourist destination in what is known as “Los Cabos“, the name given to the southern part of the Baja California Sur peninsula in western Mexico. Those who speak of Cabo or Los Cabos usually refer to Cabo San Lucas, its most popular tourist destination, and to the capital of the municipality, San José del Cabo. Los Cabos is also the municipality that encompasses these two places and some others. Here you can see the location of Cabo San Lucas within Mexico:

And here you can see a more detailed map of the Los Cabos area, where you can see Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo (and further north, other tourist areas of Baja California Sur such as La Paz or Todos Santos):

When to visit Cabo San Lucas

In our opinion, the best time to visit Cabo San Lucas is during the winter months, from December to April, which coincides with the migration of various types of whales and when in Cabo San Lucas you can see the humpback whales up close (but also other types of whales such as gray whales) and also with good enough weather to enjoy the beaches. It is advisable to avoid the well-known “Spring Break” dates (March), during which many young US tourists come to Los Cabos and, more specifically to Cabo San Lucas, in search of parties and drunkenness, and this causes the atmosphere to change a lot, prices to skyrocket and boat tours to become overcrowded.

To decide the best time of the year, there are 3 main factors: climate, marine fauna and tourist demand, which are detailed below.

Weather in Cabo San Lucas

The climate in Cabo San Lucas is quite hot and with very little rain, as you can see from its desert landscapes. During the summer, temperatures rise to the point of being uncomfortable, reaching peaks of 40º between May and October. From June to November, it is also hurricane season, so it is best to avoid those months.

Here is a summary table of the weather in Cabo San Lucas, to give you an idea of what to expect:

Cabo San Lucas (Baja California Sur) weather chart with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days
January	16º	26º	23º	2
February	16º	26º	22º	1
March	17º	27º	21º	0
April	19º	29º	21º	0
May	21º	30º	22º	0
June	23º	31º	23º	1
July	26º	33º	26º	2
August	26º	33º	28º	6
September	25º	33º	29º	6
October	22º	32º	28º	2
November	20º	30º	27º	1
December	17º	27º	25º	2
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days

Marine fauna in Cabo San Lucas

One of the great attractions of Cabo San Lucas is, at least in our opinion, the possibility of seeing humpback whales that arrive here on their migratory routes.

The best season to see humpback whales in Los Cabos is usually between January and March, although the official season runs from December to April and the humpback whales usually start arriving in November.

If you don’t come during these dates, don’t worry, you will always be greeted by sea lions in the resident sea lion colony in Cabo San Lucas.

Tourism demand in Cabo San Lucas

The times of highest tourist demand (and therefore, when we will find more people, more lines, more expensive prices and more complications to go to the most famous restaurants or places) are:

• Summer (June to October): in addition to being the school vacation season in many countries and increasing demand (and prices), it is the rainy season.
• Spring Break (March)
• Easter Week (March/April)
• National holidays (November, December)

So we recommend you avoid these dates if you want to enjoy Cabo San Lucas at a more leisurely pace and with better lodging prices.

Important festivities in Cabo San Lucas

If you want to be in Cabo San Lucas during the biggest parties of the year, don’t miss out:

• Spring Break (March): spring vacation, known in the U.S. as ‘Spring Break’, has become synonymous with unbridled partying (in this case, in Los Cabos) for some young US college students.
• Fiestas Tradicionales de Cabo San Lucas (October 14 to 18): various civic, educational and sporting events. On October 18th, Patron Saint Lucas Day, there are the traditional mañanitas, as well as a walk along the bay of the port, where the local population has the tradition of asking him for another year of prosperous work.
• Day of the Dead: October 31, November 1 & 2
• Mexican Revolution (November)
• Christmas and New Year’s Eve (December)

Summary: Best months to visit Cabo San Lucas

Based on the above, if you are looking to visit Cabo San Lucas with less people, good weather and reasonable prices, the best months are November, December, January, February, March and April.

How to get to Cabo San Lucas

The closest airport is Los Cabos International Airport (closer to San Jose del Cabo), which has some international flights or you can also fly first to Mexico (Cancun or CDMX are the most common and cheapest options), and from there to Los Cabos.

In our case, we flew to Los Cabos airport from Cancun, on the Yucatan Peninsula, at the other end of Mexico. We used the low cost airline Viva Aerobus, on a flight that had a stopover in Toluca (near Mexico City) but without having to get off the plane (a quick 30 minute stopover). The flight from Cancun to Toluca took about 2h30, and from Toluca to Los Cabos about 2h.

The other nearby airport (La Paz) is only 2 hours away from Cabo San Lucas, so it can also be an option.

We recommend that you use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price.

Los Cabos International Airport is a half hour drive from Cabo San Lucas so if you have a rental car (something we recommend to explore Baja California Sur) it is very easy as you can pick it up right there, as we did at Randomtrip. If you don’t have a car, you can take a Ruta del Desierto bus that connects Los Cabos airport with Cabo San Lucas.

Do I need a visa to travel to Mexico?

For people with USA, Canada, UK and European passports it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days.

Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Are there any mandatory vaccinations for travel to Mexico?

There are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

How many days to stay in Cabo San Lucas

To get to know Cabo San Lucas we recommend 2 to 3 days, so you can visit not only Cabo San Lucas but also San Jose del Cabo.

In this section we share specific itineraries of Cabo San Lucas to help you organize your trip.

Things to see and do in Cabo San Lucas

Map of Cabo San Lucas

Here we include a Google Maps map that you can take with you on your smartphone to use during your trip, with all the places to see in Cabo San Lucas mentioned in this guide:

Cabo San Lucas Arch

One of the symbols of Los Cabos is the Cabo San Lucas Arch, an arch-shaped rock formation where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California). In fact, the meeting of both bodies of water can create strong currents and large waves.

This work of nature’s art, sculpted over thousands of years between wind and sea erosion, is also known as the “End of the Earth”.

To contemplate it you will have to go by boat so the ideal is to hire a boat trip that leaves from the Marina of Cabo San Lucas where in addition to the famous Arch you can visit the beaches of Love and Divorce (the first named for its idyllic beauty and the second for its choppy waves) and snorkel on the beach of Pelican Rock.

On the tour you will pass by the sea lion colony of Cabo San Lucas, so as a bonus you will be able to say hello to these majestic animals.

On the whale watching tours (in Randomtrip we went with Whale Watch Cabo, book your tour here) we also went near the arch and stopped to take some pictures.

As a curiosity, every leap year it is possible to walk under the arch! Yes, the tides and currents move in such a way that it is possible to see the beach under the Arch and walk under it.

Love Beach and Divorce Beach

Playa del Amor (Love Beach) and Playa del Divorcio (Divoerce beach) are the two beaches you will see on your boat ride from the marina to the Cabo San Lucas Arch, although only one of them will allow you to swim.

Playa del Amor is in the Sea of Cortez, in the calmest waters of the Gulf of California and is suitable for swimming. Connected to Playa del Amor but on the other side, Playa del Divorcio is in the Pacific Ocean, with more waves and currents, and because of its danger it is not allowed to swim in it.

If you don’t want to do the tour, the watertaxi from the marina to Playa del Amor costs around 200 pesos/person round trip, and you can meet the boat at the pick up time for as long as you want. Just walk around the marina and ask the multitude of vendors that hang around. Of course, although the waters of the Sea of Cortez are calmer, it is not always possible or easy to get off/on the boat at Playa del Amor.

In addition to these two beaches, on the boat ride you will see other rock formations that we include below.

Other rock formations

Other rock formations to look out for on the boat ride from the Cabo San Lucas marina are:

• Dedo de Neptuno (Neptune’s Finger): this long, pointed rock that resembles a pointing index finger is known as the finger of the (Roman) god of the Seas, Neptune (Greek equivalent of Poseidon) although we were also told that it resembled the state of Baja California Sur inverted…

• Ventana al Pacífico (Window to the Pacific): we could say that this is an “ephemeral formation” because this window can only be seen for a few moments when the boat is located at a certain point that allows you to observe an opening between the rocks to the Pacific Ocean that can be seen just before reaching Love Beach. As we mentioned in the Cabo de San Lucas Arch, every leap year you can walk through the rocky tunnel where the window is formed.

• The Pirate Cave and El Niño: there is a legend that tells that pirates used to hide in this cave (and its treasures) and there is a shape in the rock of what seems to be a child hitchhiking, you can read it here.

In addition, if you dive, it is possible to contemplate a unique phenomenon, the underwater sandfalls.

Pelican Rock

Pelican Rock was so named because it is home to hundreds of birds, including pelicans.

Next to the rock there is a small beach, and the area around the rock is ideal for snorkeling (included in the boat ride to the Cabo San Lucas Arch) and to see sea lions, as the sea lion colony is very close. You can even swim close to them if you are lucky. You have to be careful because there is a lot of boat traffic nearby, but the area where you can snorkel is marked off. You are sure to see many tropical fish.

At Randomtrip we went on the boat tour, which left us there to enjoy and snorkel and we arranged for it to pick us up an hour later. Ideally you should bring your snorkeling gear and something to drink/eat if you want (in Randomtrip we brought a couple of beers) although on the beach of Roca Pelican they sold beers and fresh chocolata clams (really fresh).

Humpback Whale Watching

One of the main reasons for coming to Cabo San Lucas was to catch a glimpse of a humpback whale jumping (breaching), the most photogenic and acrobatic of whales. And we fulfilled a dream. We saw not one, not two, but several in a row on the two whale watching tours we did from Cabo San Lucas with Whale Watch Cabo.

If you also want to live this magical experience we advise you to visit Cabo San Lucas between December and April (which is when the humpbacks are passing by) and, very important, choose to do it with a responsible company (whale watching is happily regulated in Mexico) that prioritizes the welfare of the animals and complies with the official regulations. We recommend Whale Watch Cabo as we had a great time, with biologists on board with whom we learned a lot and who demonstrated a great commitment to the rules and to the animals.

Book your 2h30 responsible humpback whale watching tour with Whale Watch Cabo here

In our complete guide to Humpback Whale Watching in Los Cabos in a responsible way we tell you everything you need to know to do the humpback whale watching activity in Cabo San Lucas with practical information about the best season to go, prices, who to do it with, how many days, whale watching rules and even where to sleep so that your experience is as special as ours was.

Humpback Whale Watching in Cabo (Baja California Sur, México) in a responsible way: everything you need to know

Empacadora Beach

Empacadora Beach, also known as Coral Negro or Corsario, is located next to the Cabo San Lucas marina and is known for its shallow waves and shallow waters and, therefore, quite popular with families with children.

Precisely for that reason it is also known for being an ideal beach for snorkeling in Cabo San Lucas (don’t forget to bring your snorkeling gear).

El Médano Beach

El Medano is probably the best known beach in Cabo San Lucas, the closest to the city and one of the best for a dip, but it is also the most “gringo” beach, full of beach bars and loud music. It is not at all a beach where you come to relax, but rather to have fun (if this is your concept of having a good time).

On this beach are several of the famous beach clubs in Cabo San Lucas as Mango Deck or Blue Marlin Ibiza and several agencies where you can hire banana boat rides, flyboard or jetski. In the middle of the U.S.“Spring Break” in El Medano there is no room for a pin. To give you an idea, in March of the year we went there, Steve Aoki himself played in El Medano, at the all-inclusive hotel ME Cabo by Meliá, which is located here.

At Randomtrip we “lived” the Super Bowl in Cabo San Lucas (held on the second Sunday of February) and both in El Medano beach and in the Cabo San Lucas marina it was difficult to find anyone who was not American as well as bars with space for…

We recommend having a drink at the Baja Brewing brewery in El Medano because although it is a rather touristy and expensive place, the beers are delicious (there is happy hour from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm) and the views are some of the most beautiful we had in Cabo San Lucas.

At the far end of El Medano beach, there are good views of the Cabo San Lucas arch at sunset, for example here or here.

Cabo San Lucas Marina

You will pass by the famous Cabo San Lucas Marina several times during your stay, as it is the starting point for humpback whale watching tours and boat rides that take you to the Cabo San Lucas Arch and the beaches of Love, Divorce, Pelican Rock and other rock formations.

While it is true that Los Cabos has two marinas, one in Cabo San Lucas and the other in San Jose del Cabo, the Cabo San Lucas marina is the main marina in Los Cabos and the central port for almost all service providers offering tours through the Sea of Cortez.

It has 380 docks for boats up to 200 feet for commercial and/or tourism as well as pleasure boats. It is also in this marina that renowned sport fishing tournaments are held.

Around the marina you will find several restaurants, souvenir stores and even a shopping mall, Plaza Puerto Paraiso.

Climbing Mt Solmar (Cerro del Vigia): a doggy adventure

Did you know that to get the best panoramic view of Cabo San Lucas you have to like dogs? Yes, and go in the company of more than twenty friendly four-legged friends of various sizes, ages and coats.

The thing is that Mt Solmar, or Cerro del Vigia, is private property , so if you want to climb it to contemplate the views you can’t go on your own, you’ll have to do it with the friendly Enrique, a dog handler and trainer whose care and training center is located right there.

Since Enrique takes all the dogs in his care for a walk every morning on the hill, he opens the gate of the property every day at 8:00 am (except Saturdays, at least when we went) so that, selflessly, those who want to accompany him on the walk with his dogs. At Randomtrip we went on a Friday in February and we were more than 100 people and 20 dogs!

Before starting the ascent, Enrique gives us a briefing (quite animated and fun, as he is) about the rules (among which is included going all together at all times, behind Enrique) and precautions on the ascent and descent of the hill (from not leaving trash, being careful not to slip on the way up – and especially on the way down – and even warning us about the possible encounter with a snake on the way – mostly non-venomous snakes but we could also find a rattlesnake ….don’t worry, nothing usually happens and they are more afraid of our species than the other way around – or some poisonous spider – fiddler or black widow). He also tells us that, this mountain was revered by the local people here, simple and humble, before Cabo San Lucas became what it is today.

The adventure is incredible because, in addition to the views you have when climbing, you are accompanied by dogs that know the hill like the back of their paw!

When you get to the top you have incredible views of both the bay of Cabo San Lucas and the Pacific and Sea of Cortez, and you get to see the humpback whales! Jumping, breathing, swimming! Mind-blowing to see them from another perspective, and for free!

Randomtripper Scale of Difficulty: Medium. The first part of the climb is easy, the second part is more rocky and you have to help yourself with your hands (important to wear good shoes with grip). The descent is a bit more difficult than the ascent, a lot of rock, a bit steep and easy to skid, so you have to be careful and slow, although it is perfectly feasible and there were several elderly people (even an 84 year old lady!).

It will take you about 2 hours to go up, enjoy the views and come back down. Don’t forget to leave a tip for Enrique and the dog care and training center on your way out! There is a little box where you can leave your tip. Remember that it was thanks to him that you lived this doggy adventure.

The location of the property is here and we advise you to arrive as soon as possible at the entrance. When we went on Randomtrip about a hundred people had signed up for this doggy adventure. Before you go, you can confirm the departure time on their Facebook page (sometimes they also do sunrise hikes).

Thank you, Enrique!

In this reel we made for Instagram (do you already follow us?) you can get an idea of why this is something you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Cabo San Lucas:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RandomTrip Travel Bloggers (@randomtrip_blog)

Solmar Beach

Although the beach itself is public, they privatized its access so in order to enjoy this beautiful beach you will have to enter through the Solmar Resort, leave your name and say it again on your way out so that the resort’s security certifies that no one stayed inside. Another option is to stay in one of the resort’s fantastic 4-star suites and be a guest, of course.

At Randomtrip we wanted to get a closer look at the beach we had seen from the top of Mt Solmar (Cerro del Vigía) that morning with Enrique and, by the way, see if we had the same luck to see (for free) humpback whales.

We went at sunset, with our friends Rui and Sara, with a couple of beers. In addition to an incredible sunset, ideal for our last day in Cabo San Lucas, when the sunlight that had just set was already scarce, we started to hear blows and splashes very close to the shore. It was them, the humpbacks were there, saying goodbye and a tremendous emotion made the four of us hug each other.

Amelia Wilkes Ceseña Square and Park

In the Amelia Wilkes Ceseña Park, in the heart of Cabo San Lucas, you will find a kiosk, some stores, cafes and the Natural History Museum that we will talk about next. In addition, it is in this plaza that you will find the KM0 of the Baja Peninsula.

Also note that on Fridays there is a night market with craft and food stalls where we tasted delicious tamales, sweet and savory.

But who was Amelia Wilkes Ceseña who is being honored in this plaza? Amelia was born in the old town of Cabo San Lucas in 1907 and was a teacher, principal, nurse, businesswoman and politician. She was the first woman distinguished with a political position in Baja California Sur, occupying the municipal subdelegation in 1966, granted by the then Governor, Hugo Cervantes del Rio.

Considered as a promoter of improvements for her hometown, she headed the Water Committee to help introduce potable water to several neighborhoods; she collaborated with the Committee for the Introduction of Electricity and obtained a small plant for the community. She was also a founding member of the Business and Professional Women’s Club of San José del Cabo.

He passed away on May 18, 1989, at the age of 82 and his remains are resting in the Cabo San Lucas cemetery.

Natural History Museum

The Cabo San Lucas Museum of Natural History, also known as the Museum of Cabo San Lucas or Museum of the Californias, opened in 2006 in the building that housed Cabo San Lucas’ first elementary school.

Its visit is interesting to approach to the history of Cabo San Lucas (you can observe instruments of the sailors) and in the room dedicated to the archeology area are exposed the remains of the skeleton of a Pericú, Edúe or Cora woman, an ethnic group that inhabited the southern part of the peninsula of Baja California. The part dedicated to biodiversity shows a very complete representation of the bottom of the sea, information about the migration of dolphins and whales, as well as the preservation of the sea turtle. It also has rooms dedicated to astronomy and geology.

In total, the museum has seven rooms with scientific collections of paleo-botany, geology, paleo-biology and paleo-anthropology, with remains of marine mammals, birds and reptiles, as well as a temporary exhibition hall.

Price: 20 MXN/person Opening times: Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Mondays closed.

Climbing Cerro de la Z

Cerro de la Z is a small elevation located south of Cabo San Lucas, between the Libertad and Paraíso Escondido neighborhoods and it is an easy hiking route, approximately 5 km round trip climbing the 229 meters high hill. At Randomtrip we didn’t get to do this route but here is the information if you are up for it.

We were told that the 360º view from the top is very beautiful, with the city of Cabo San Lucas and the mountains to the north as protagonists, and that its name comes from the path that forms a Z.

Beaches between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo

Between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo there are a number of beaches, generally less crowded than Cabo San Lucas, that you can enjoy on your trip to Los Cabos.

Santa Maria Beach

Santa Maria beach is a beach known for snorkeling and marine life lovers (we already told you that it is essential to bring your own snorkeling kit for your trip to Baja California Sur, right?) which is mostly concentrated near the rocks. The beach has restrooms, showers and there is umbrella and chair rental service. Parking is free.

It is surrounded by two hills, has a horseshoe shape and the sand is not fine but somewhat coarse. In general the waters are calm but the day we went on Randomtrip, in addition to the fact that it was cloudy, there was a lot of waves, plus a lot of noise from the construction of a complex that was being built right on the beach… so it was not one of our favorites. We liked the beach we talked about next better.

El Chileno Beach

We found El Chileno beach very beautiful, but also very crowded, not only with people arriving by car but also with tour boats that make a stop to snorkel here. It has fine golden sand and transparent waters.

It is also known for its marine life so there is good snorkeling although here if you have forgotten your kit, you can rent it. The truth is that they rent you everything: chairs (250 pesos), umbrella (300 pesos), snorkeling equipment (350 pesos with vest and fins), kayak (600 pesos) and paddle board (800 pesos). The beach has all kinds of services such as restrooms and showers. Parking is free.

If you prefer, book your 3-hour snorkeling tour from Playa El Chileno here (mask, snorkel and fins included).

Palmilla Beach

The beautiful Palmilla beach, surrounded by coves protected from the wind, is actually closer to San Jose del Cabo. It is a fishing beach so you will see the occasional local boat out in search of fish to sell to the local resorts or restaurants.

Some sporting events take place here, such as the swimming leg of the renowned Ironman triathlon. Parking is free of charge.

You enter through a luxury resort complex Club Ninety Six but there is actually a public entrance to the beach here.

Acapulquito Beach

Playa Acapulquito is the surfing beach par excellence, if you practice this sport you can not miss it because it usually offers waves for all levels being the best time for surfing in the summer months. It is, therefore, home to many surfing competitions.

Free parking is also available

Get inspired by the stories of our visit to Los Cabos

You can see featured Instagram stories about our visit to Los Cabos here.

In this reel we made on our Instagram account (do you follow us yet?) we tried to express the excitement of our first humpback whale watching tour in Cabo San Lucas:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RandomTrip Travel Bloggers (@randomtrip_blog)

Here is the reel of this second humpback whale watching tour in Cabo San Lucas:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RandomTrip Travel Bloggers (@randomtrip_blog)

Where to stay in Cabo San Lucas

At Randomtrip we stayed in a small studio at Casa Bohemia (from 1200 MXN/night), the Morocco studio (all units have different names), very well located within walking distance of the marina and several restaurants. They have several typologies(click here to see which one best suits your needs) and all have a small kitchen and bathroom. In addition, we loved the fact that we had parking on the property knowing that our rental car was safe and secure and that parking is not always easy in Cabo San Lucas.

• Sofia Hostal Cabo (from 1000 MXN/night) in this very well located hostel there are shared rooms, double rooms or apartments.
• Milagros Hotel (from 2000 MXN/night): rooms and suites in small hotel with gardens and pool 5 minutes from the marina.
• New Terra Condo (from 2600 MXN/night): ideal if you are in a group because it can accommodate up to 6 people.
• Marina Cabo Plaza Town & Beach Condos (from 2600 MXN/night): studios for up to 4 people in the Marina of Cabo San Lucas.
• Solmar Resort (from 3300 MXN/night): suites in 4-star resort with 3 restaurants
• Hotel Tesoro Los Cabos (from 3300 MXN/night): comfortable rooms in 4-star hotel with restaurant, full-service spa and a large outdoor pool with 2 whirlpool tubs and bar

Exclusive accommodations in Los Cabos

If you want to experience Cabo San Lucas like a true celebrity, then this list is for you:

• Playa Grande Resort: 5-star beachfront resort suites with 3 outdoor swimming pools
• Breathless Cabo San Lucas, in front of El Medano beach, ideal if you are looking for luxury and partying.
• Gran Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa, aka, 3 infinity-edge pools, several whirlpool tubs and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean from the private terrace, ideal for lounging. Nothing more to add, your honor.
• Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, probably one of the most luxurious accommodations in Cabo San Lucas, this 5-star hotel is located in the exclusive neighborhood of El Pedregal (where several Hollywood celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston have homes).

Find more accommodations in Cabo San Lucas on this link.

Where to eat in Cabo San Lucas

In Baja California Sur we ate very well, the main ingredients are fish and seafood and you will find them in a variety of ways: fish or shrimp with different types of tortillas (tacos, tostadas, burritos, quesadillas…), molcajetes, ceviches, aguachiles… One of the specialties of the area is the chocolata clam, a large clam that can be prepared in different ways.

Below we recommend the restaurants we liked the most in Cabo San Lucas:

• Los Claros: excellent fish and seafood tacos, our favorite choice for tacos in Cabo San Lucas.
• Tacos Guss: tasty and inexpensive tacos (the shrimp tacos were spectacular).
• La Taquiza: delicious and varied tacos (we tried the tacos al pastor).
• Left Coast Burger: very good smashed burgers.
• Los Orígenes Tacos & Beer: more expensive but good tacos in the middle of Cabo San Lucas Marina.
• Baja Brewing: terrace with excellent views and good craft beer from Baja, right on El Medano beach.
• Fiore Bakery & Coffee: expensive but very good specialty coffee, good croissants too.
• Tropical Kitchen Cabo: delicious vegetarian and vegan food
• La Rana Vegana: the best vegan restaurant we tried in Cabo San Lucas; delicious flavors, impeccable service, excellent value for money.
• Neveria Michoacana: natural juices and smoothies and delicious ice creams.

Cabo San Lucas Itineraries

Things to see and do Cabo San Lucas in 1 day

One day will not give you enough time for everything Los Cabos has to offer, but you can take advantage of it to visit several places and, if it is in season, to see the humpback whales. Depending on your arrival/departure time, you may not have time to do everything we suggest.

One day itinerary in Cabo San Lucas

• Ascent to Cerro del Vigía
• Humpback whale watching tour
• Tour to the Arch and rock formations
• Walk around Cabo San Lucas

Things to see and do in Cabo San Lucas in 2 days

With two days you can see a lot, focus only on Cabo San Lucas or add a visit to San Jose del Cabo as well.

2-day itinerary in Los Cabos

• Day 1: Arrival and humpback whale watching tour. If you arrive early you can add another plan like a tour to the arch and the beaches of love and divorce in Cabo San Lucas. You can watch the sunset from the sea on the tour or at Solmar Beach.
• Day 2: spend the day visiting San Jose del Cabo, both its historic center and its beaches, or the beaches between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

Things to see and do in Cabo San Lucas in 3 days

We consider 3 days the ideal amount of time to get to know Los Cabos (both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo). Here is a 3 day itinerary:

2-3 day itinerary in Los Cabos

• Day 1: Arrival and humpback whale watching tour. If you arrive early you can add another plan like a tour to the arch and the beaches of love and divorce in Cabo San Lucas. You can watch the sunset from the sea on the tour or at Solmar Beach.
• Day 2: spend the day visiting San Jose del Cabo, both its historic center and its beaches, or the beaches between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.
• Day 3: make the climb to Cerro del Vigía with Henrique first thing in the morning. If you have time to spare, you can enjoy other beaches in Cabo San Lucas, go to the Natural History Museum, etc.

Transportation: Getting around Cabo San Lucas

Once in Cabo San Lucas and in downtown Cabo San Lucas, the ideal way to get around is to walk, since the distances are short between the marina and the adjoining streets where most of the accommodations and restaurants are located.

But to move around the area of Los Cabos and go, for example, to the beaches on the way to San Jose del Cabo, the easiest way to get around is by car (own or rented), to be able to have the freedom to move at your own pace and avoid wasting a lot of time getting around. In our case we rented a car at the Los Cabos airport, where we landed, for our month-long trip through Baja California Sur.

We recommend using comparators such as Discover Cars to be able to compare prices and conditions quickly.

For the dates we wanted, we decided to rent with America Car Rental. The car (in our case, a small Nissan March quite new) worked perfectly, we had no problems and both the pick up and return were fast and smooth. To highlight the attention received by both the person of the pick up and the one of the return, both treated us very well and gave us many tips (of Baja California Sur in the pick up and of Oaxaca, our next destination, in the return). The price was 540 MXN (about 27$) per day, extending the insurance to have no excess.

Some tips when driving:

• Sometimes there are military controls, where you will have to stop and get out of the car and they will inspect the vehicle and ask you some questions (where are you coming from, where are you going, how long are you in the state, etc.). There is nothing to worry about, they are routine controls, just collaborate and that’s it. Randomtrip was stopped twice, both times without any problem.
• The roads are generally in good condition, but there are areas where there are potholes that can damage the car if you go too fast: drive slowly, with caution and attention, and avoid driving at night.
• Animals sometimes cross the roads without warning: cows, roadrunners, etc. One more reason to drive slowly, with caution and attention, and avoiding the night where it is more difficult to see the animals in time.
• Always fill the tank before leaving, especially when you are going to make longer trips: sometimes it is not easy to find gas stations, or you find one but it is disabled because they are refilling the tanks, so you should always have extra fuel.
• Parking is usually not a problem, it can only be a bit more complicated in Los Cabos / La Paz, but even there we always find parking space easily. Many accommodations have parking as well.

In case you don’t want to (or can’t) rent a car, you have some public transportation options:

• In Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and La Paz you can use Uber.
• Autobuses Aguila connects the main cities of the peninsula between Los Cabos and Tijuana.
• Within Los Cabos (connecting Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and the airport) you have Ruta del Desierto buses.

How to get from the airport to downtown Cabo San Lucas

The international airport of Los Cabos is a half hour drive from Cabo San Lucas so if you have a rental car (something we recommend to explore the area, when we went the car rental was around 600 pesos/day approx) it is very easy since you can pick it up right there, as we did at Randomtrip.

The toll from Los Cabos airport to Cabo San Lucas was 107 pesos.

If you don’t have a rental car, you can take a bus from the Ruta del Desierto that connects the airport to Cabo San Lucas, hire a transfer that will be waiting for you and take you to your lodging, or pay for a cab.

How to have internet in Cabo San Lucas

To always have internet on your smartphone, the easiest and most convenient way (if your phone supports eSIM) is to buy an eSIM from Holafly, which has unlimited data (you get a 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP), or to buy an eSIM from Airalo, cheaper but with limited data (15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15)

The other option, cheaper but more cumbersome, is to buy a local SIM, which we recommend is from Telcel (the main telecom company in Mexico, with more coverage).

Safety: Is it safe to travel to Cabo San Lucas?

Cabo San Lucas is the most touristic destination in all of Baja California Sur, which is already, in itself, one of the safest states in Mexico, so you have nothing to worry about, beyond the typical precautions you should take when traveling abroad.

In any case, we always have our Iati travel insurance (which also covers our belongings) as in all our trips and gives us more peace of mind. If you contract your travel insurance in this Randomtrip link, you will get it with a 5% discount.

Money in Cabo San Lucas: cards to save on commissions

To pay and withdraw money in Mexico while minimizing fees, we recommend the 2 cards we use in our case:

• Revolut: with the standard version up to 1000$ without commission on card payments (remember to always pay in local currency – Mexican pesos). Up to 400$ of withdrawals at ATMs without commission, from then on commission of 1%.
• N26: with the free version you can pay with your card without commissions in an unlimited way. For ATM withdrawals, you pay 1.7% commission, which you can eliminate by paying for the monthly plans You (the one we use) or Metal.

It is important to keep in mind that although your card does not charge a fee for ATM withdrawals, ATMs in Mexico do charge a fee for their use. The ones that charge the least are Banamex (31 pesos, 1.7$), Banco Santander (34 pesos, 1.8$) or Banco Azteca (34 pesos, 1.8$), so when withdrawing money try to withdraw as much as possible to save money.

Another important issue when withdrawing money at an ATM in Mexico: many times the ATM will ask you if you want the transaction to be done in local currency (Mexican pesos) or in your own currency (in our case, it was euros): always choose the local currency option, otherwise, it will apply an unfavorable exchange rate and you will be overpaying (as a hidden commission).

The above also applies to card payments (although the option almost never appears, on several occasions also when paying with a card in establishments we were shown an amount in euros instead of pesos). In our case it almost always happened to us with the orange CLIP terminals. If this happens to you, ask the person to charge you in Mexican pesos.

A bad practice in Mexico is that in any business where you want to pay with a card, they have the habit of asking you for your card and do the whole process themselves, passing you the terminal only to enter the PIN (in Mexico they call it “firma” or NIP). This means that sometimes, depending on the type of terminal, you do not see the amount and/or you are charged in the original currency of your card instead of in Mexican pesos – making you lose money because an unfavorable conversion is applied. Always ask nicely to be allowed to see the process to make sure you are charged the correct amount and in local currency.

Finally, some establishments charge an extra commission for payment by card (the times it happened to us, it was 5%), they always tell you before and if you do not see it when confirming the amount. In those cases, it is better to pay with cash.

Tipping: The tipping culture is very well established in Mexico, and although it is not and cannot be obligatory by law, it is in practice, since it is frowned upon not to leave a tip. It is recommended to leave a minimum of 10% (usually you will be asked at the time of payment, and if you pay by credit card, the terminal usually gives you the option of adding 10, 15 or 20% as a tip).

How much does a trip to Cabo San Lucas cost?

Making a budget is complex as it depends greatly on your type of trip: how many plans you want to include in your trip, if you are going to go to restaurants or cook to save money, the type of accommodation you are going to use… In any case, so you can get an idea, we leave below the average prices and what we consider as average price per day (we reiterate that these are GUIDELINE prices and may vary at any time):

• Flights/transportation within Mexico: From 1200 pesos (60$) from CDMX and from 3000 MXN (150$) from Cancun round trip flight without checked baggage with low cost airlines. Use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi to find the best price.
• Transportation: From 500 pesos (25$) per day for a basic car rental and insurance with excess.
• Accommodation: from 900 MXN (45$)/night for a room with private bathroom or small apartment with kitchen. Find accommodation of all types and prices on Booking, with up to 15% discount.
• Restaurants: a multitude of options between 100 and 600 pesos (between 5$ and 30$) per person, for all tastes.
• Tickets: If you go in season, humpback whale watching tours cost about $89 per person.

In total, a weekend trip (2 nights) to Cabo San Lucas can cost you between 1200 and 1600 pesos (between 60 and 80$) per person per day, with the cheapest lodging options, eating out in cheap restaurants and doing a humpback whale watching tour (not counting flights from abroad to get to Mexico).

Useful Apps to get around Cabo San Lucas

• Uber: taxi/VTC ordering app
• Google Maps (Android / iOS): is the one we use to save/classify all the places we want to go/we have been and as a GPS to orient ourselves on foot or if we rent a car. You can see other people’s opinions about the places, photos, restaurant menus, telephone numbers to contact them, etc. You can also open our map with all the places included in this guide.
• Maps.me (Android / iOS): application similar to Google Maps but works offline (although Google Maps can also work offline, it works better) and in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have.
• Windy (Android / iOS / Web): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously the forecasts are not 100% reliable.

Tips for traveling to Cabo San Lucas as a responsible tourist

• If you are going to do the whale watching activity, choose to do it with a responsible company (whale watching is happily regulated in Mexico) that prioritizes animal welfare and complies with official regulations.
• Be responsible when visiting a place: a large influx of people to a certain site can have a negative impact so respect the rules, do not climb the tree/monument you are visiting, do not paint on the walls, avoid touching and, out of respect for the rest of the people visiting the place, do not make noise or “monopolize” the place with your photos.
• Take care of the natural monuments and respect the existing rules
• If you rent a car, respect the speed limits on highways.
• Avoid the use of plastic and do not throw garbage away
• Do not be an accomplice to animal abuse: do not promote any attraction where animals are in captivity and/or used for human entertainment.
• Respect other people: don’t play your music loud, pick up your trash; don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the place better than you found it.
• Always travel with travel insurance: medical expenses, theft or problems with your plane on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so the ideal thing is to take out travel insurance. At Randomtrip we always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount.

Checklist: what to bring in your backpack/suitcase for Cabo San Lucas

Here is a list of must-see items you can’t forget to bring on your trip to Cabo San Lucas:

• International plug adapter such as these as they use type A plugs (those with two flat parallel pins).
• A reusable water bottle like one of these to carry water with you all the time and void single-use plastic.
• Water Shoes as these ideal to carry always with you to avoid hurting your feet when entering the water or not touching the ground.
• Snorkel kit (mask and snorkel) like this, a must to bring on this trip and contemplate the seabed. Besides being more hygienic because you do not share your snorkel with anyone, in several places they do not rent the equipment and, even if they do rent, with a couple of times you already amortize the price of your own kit.
• Water proof dry bag like this one, very useful to keep your photographic equipment, cell phone and wallet safe from getting wet on the boat (whales sometimes blow near the boat or even hit the water with their fin or tail near the boat, and water can reach the boat).
• UV protection T-shirt like this because in some parts of the Mexican Caribbean it is forbidden or not recommended to use sunscreen / sunblock because its composition damages the marine ecosystem.
• Quick-drying towel such as one of these, which, in addition, does not take up much space in the backpack/suitcase.
• A hat or a cap (like this one) and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun
• A good camera to register your adventures. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony ZV-E10 and a Gopro Hero12 Black (for underwater pictures)
• A Power bank: taking so many pictures will drain your batteries, so it’s always a good idea to carry a good powerbank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Anker 20000 mAh and  Anker 10000 mAh), which allow us to charge both our phones and our cameras.
• Sun screen: the sun is strong in Baja California Sur so it is a must to take care of your skin. Always look for a Coral Friendly Sunscreen, i.e. one that protects your skin without harming marine ecosystems by avoiding ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are harmful to corals. Nor that it has been tested on animals.
• Mosquito repellent: like this one, it should have at least 15% deet
• First aid kit: In our first-aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication (and a probiotic to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics and, of course, travel insurance. If you hire your travel insurance with IATI using this link you will get a 5% discount

---

All set to start your Cabo San Lucas adventure? Bon Voyage, Randomtripper!