---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico | Wimup"
description: "Cabo San Lucas ranked: the boat to El Arco, Chileno and Santa María bays, whale season, marlin charters and Cabo Pulmo, plus flights, fish tacos and dates."
url: https://wimup.com/city/cabo-san-lucas
type: City guide
updated: 2026-10-29
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico · North America · By Wimup Editorial, 14 min read

Cabo San Lucas is the resort end of Los Cabos, a marina town at the tip of the Baja peninsula where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. The arch and the bays are the reason to come; the farm restaurants of San José del Cabo, 30 km east, and the surf towns up the Pacific coast are the reason to rent a car.

## Quick answer

Cabo San Lucas is Mexico's best-known beach resort, built around a marina at Land's End, where granite cliffs and the arch of El Arco mark the end of Baja California. Take a morning boat to the arch and Lover's Beach, snorkel at Chileno or Santa María on the Tourist Corridor, book a whale-watching trip between mid-December and mid-April, and swim only where the sea is calm: the Pacific side is dangerous.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** Jan · Feb · Mar
- **Ideal length:** 4–5 days
- **Budget per day:** $120–250
- **Language:** Spanish, English widely spoken
- **Getting around:** Taxis, rideshare and a rental car
- **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.visitloscabos.travel/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## The 10 best things to do in Cabo San Lucas

### 1. Take the boat to El Arco

Landmark · Land's End, by boat from the marina

The granite arch at Land's End is the image of Cabo, and it is only reached by water. Take a glass-bottom boat or water taxi from the marina in the morning, when the sea is calmest, and agree the pickup time for Lover's Beach before you step off.

- **Time:** 1–2 hours
- **Cost:** Water taxi fare
- **Best at:** Early morning
- **Tip:** Agree the pickup time

### 2. Swim at Lover's Beach

Beach · Playa del Amor, Land's End

A sand spit under the cliffs with the calm Sea of Cortez on one side and the Pacific on the other. Swim on the bay side only: Divorce Beach, a short walk across the sand, has rip currents that drown swimmers, and there are no lifeguards.

- **Time:** 2–3 hours
- **Cost:** Water taxi fare
- **Best at:** Morning, before the boats
- **Tip:** Never swim on the Pacific side

### 3. Watch the whales

Wildlife · Departures from Cabo San Lucas Marina

Humpbacks winter off Land's End, and the official tour season runs from 15 December to 15 April, peaking January to March. Pick an operator with a small boat and a naturalist, and expect a choppy ride out of the bay.

- **Time:** 2–3 hours
- **Cost:** Priced per tour
- **Best at:** January to March
- **Tip:** Take seasickness tablets early

### 4. Snorkel Bahía Santa María

Beach · Tourist Corridor, about 12 km east

A sheltered cove on the corridor where tropical fish come to the rocks at both ends of the beach. The sand is coarse and the entry steep, so bring fins and a mask from town; there is little to rent on site.

- **Time:** Half day
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Morning, before the tour boats
- **Tip:** Bring your own snorkel gear

Links: [Website](https://www.visitloscabos.travel/things-to-do/tours-and-activities/snorkeling/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 5. Spend a day at Chileno Bay

Beach · Tourist Corridor, about 14 km east

The easiest swimming beach on the corridor, with a gradual entry, lifeguards, toilets and shade. It suits families and first-time snorkellers; arrive early on weekends, when the free car park fills.

- **Time:** Half day
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Weekday mornings
- **Tip:** Arrive before 10am on weekends

Links: [Website](https://www.visitloscabos.travel/things-to-do/beaches/chileno-beach/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 6. Charter a sportfishing boat

Fishing · Cabo San Lucas Marina

Cabo calls itself the marlin capital of the world, and the charter fleet leaves the marina before dawn. Ask for catch and release on billfish, and confirm that the licence and the cleaning of your catch are in the price.

- **Time:** Half or full day
- **Cost:** Priced per boat
- **Best at:** Early start
- **Tip:** Confirm the fishing licence

### 7. Dive the reef at Cabo Pulmo

Diving · Cabo Pulmo National Park, East Cape

A protected coral reef about two hours by road up the East Cape, where fish numbers recovered after fishing was banned. Go with a licensed park operator: visitor numbers are capped and the last stretch of road is unpaved.

- **Time:** Full day
- **Cost:** Priced per dive
- **Best at:** June to December visibility
- **Tip:** Book a park-licensed operator

### 8. Walk the San José Art Walk

Culture · Gallery District, San José del Cabo

On Thursday evenings from November to June, the galleries around the church in San José del Cabo stay open late and the streets fill. Go after 6pm, eat in town, and take a taxi back: it is 30 km to Cabo San Lucas.

- **Time:** Evening
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Thursday, 6pm to 8pm
- **Tip:** Book dinner nearby

### 9. Eat at Flora's Field Kitchen

Food · Flora Farms, Las Ánimas Bajas

A working organic farm in the foothills above San José del Cabo, where dinner is cooked from the fields around the tables. Reserve before you fly, and allow about 40 minutes by road from Cabo San Lucas.

- **Time:** 2–3 hours
- **Cost:** Priced per dish
- **Best at:** Dinner
- **Tip:** Reserve before you fly

### 10. Drive to Todos Santos

Day trip · Highway 19, about an hour north

An old sugar town on the Pacific with galleries, a mission church and farm restaurants, an hour up Highway 19. Stop at Playa Cerritos on the way for the surf, and swim only where the surf schools work.

- **Time:** Full day
- **Cost:** Fuel or tour fare
- **Best at:** Weekday
- **Tip:** Stop at Cerritos on the way

## Best beaches in Cabo San Lucas

Sea of Cortez beaches for swimming, Pacific ones for looking.

1. **Playa El Médano** (Swimming · Busy · Cabo San Lucas): The town beach: calm water, beach bars, water taxis and crowds.
2. **Lover's Beach** (Boat access · No lifeguards · Land's End): Reached only by boat; swim on the bay side, never the Pacific.
3. **Playa Chileno** (Swimming · Snorkelling · Tourist Corridor): Lifeguards, toilets and a gentle entry, the family pick.
4. **Bahía Santa María** (Snorkelling · Steep entry · Tourist Corridor): A sheltered cove with good snorkelling off the rocks.
5. **Divorce Beach** (Rip currents · No swimming · Land's End): The Pacific side of the Lover's Beach spit, for looking only.
6. **Playa Cerritos** (Surf · Lessons · Pacific coast, km 64): A Pacific surf beach with schools and board rental.

## Best on the water in Cabo San Lucas

Boats leave the marina for the arch, the whales and the marlin grounds.

1. **Glass-bottom boat to El Arco** (Boat · 1 hour · Cabo San Lucas Marina): The cheapest way to see the arch and the sea lions.
2. **Whale watching** (Seasonal · Tour · Land's End): Humpbacks from 15 December to 15 April, best January to March.
3. **Sportfishing charter** (Charter · Dawn start · Cabo San Lucas Marina): Marlin, tuna and dorado from a fleet based in the marina.
4. **Snorkelling at Pelican Rock** (Snorkel · Boat tour · Land's End): Rocks off Land's End with fish and curious sea lions.
5. **Sunset sail** (Cruise · Evening · Cabo San Lucas Bay): Catamaran cruises round the arch as the light goes.
6. **Kayak and paddleboard** (Self-guided · Morning · Playa El Médano): Rent on Médano and paddle the bay toward the arch.

## Best restaurants in Cabo San Lucas

Fish tacos in town, tasting menus on the cliffs, dinner on the farm.

1. **Los Claros** (Tacos · Cheap · Centro): Sinaloa-style seafood tacos; order the smoked marlin.
2. **Manta** (Fine dining · Book · The Cape, Corridor): Enrique Olvera's Mexican, Peruvian and Japanese menu at The Cape.
3. **El Farallón** (Seafood · Book ahead · Pedregal): Seafood by weight on a cliff ledge above the Pacific.
4. **Edith's** (Seafood · Dinner · El Médano): A long-running seafood room above Médano beach.
5. **Flora's Field Kitchen** (Farm · Book ahead · Las Ánimas Bajas): Farm-to-table dinners on an organic farm above San José.
6. **Acre** (Farm · Dinner · Las Ánimas Bajas): A farm restaurant and cocktail bar under the palms near San José.

## Best bars & nightlife in Cabo San Lucas

Cabo's nightlife is loud, central and walkable from the marina.

1. **Cabo Wabo Cantina** (Live music · Centro · Centro): Sammy Hagar's bar, open since 1990, with live rock.
2. **El Squid Roe** (Club · Late · Centro): A three-storey party bar that runs late into the night.
3. **The Giggling Marlin** (Cantina · Rowdy · Marina): A rowdy cantina known for its marlin-hoist photo.
4. **Mango Deck** (Beach bar · Day to night · El Médano): A beach club on Médano with a view of the arch.
5. **The Office on the Beach** (Beach bar · Daytime · El Médano): Feet in the sand on Médano; it closes for part of September.

## Best golf in Cabo San Lucas

Desert courses on the sea, by Nicklaus, Weiskopf, Love and Woods.

1. **Cabo del Sol Ocean Course** (Nicklaus · Public · Tourist Corridor): Jack Nicklaus, 1994, with holes along the Sea of Cortez.
2. **Cabo del Sol Desert Course** (Weiskopf · Public · Tourist Corridor): Tom Weiskopf's 2001 desert layout beside the ocean course.
3. **Quivira** (Nicklaus · Resort course · Pedregal, Pacific side): A Nicklaus course on the Pacific cliffs west of town.
4. **Diamante Dunes** (Love III · Members · Pacific coast): Davis Love III's course on the Pacific dunes, Diamante's headliner.
5. **El Cardonal at Diamante** (Woods · Members · Pacific coast): Tiger Woods' first finished design, opened in 2014.

## Best neighborhoods in Cabo San Lucas

The marina, the beach, the cliffs and the corridor.

1. **Marina and Centro** (Walkable · Busy · Cabo San Lucas): Restaurants, bars and the boats, all walkable.
2. **El Médano** (Beach · Lively · Cabo San Lucas): Beachfront hotels on the swimmable town beach.
3. **Pedregal** (Upscale · Quiet · West of the marina): Hillside villas and the cliff hotels on the Pacific.
4. **Tourist Corridor** (Resorts · Car needed · Between the two towns): The 30 km road to San José, lined with resorts and bays.

## Best day trips in Cabo San Lucas

The East Cape reef, the Pacific towns and the old town of San José.

1. **San José del Cabo** (30 km · Half day · East): The older town of Los Cabos, with its plaza and galleries.
2. **Todos Santos** (1 hour · Full day · North, Highway 19): A Pacific town of galleries and a mission church.
3. **Cabo Pulmo National Park** (2 hours · Full day · East Cape): A protected reef on the East Cape, for diving and snorkelling.
4. **Playa Cerritos** (About 50 minutes · Half day · North, Highway 19): The surf beach on the road to Todos Santos.
5. **Flora Farms** (40 minutes · Evening · Las Ánimas Bajas): The organic farm, shops and kitchen above San José.

## Festivals & annual events in Cabo San Lucas (2026)

- **Whale-watching season** (15 December to 15 April): The official window for whale tours, with humpbacks most often seen January to March.
- **Fiestas de San José** (March): The patron saint's festival of San José del Cabo, around 19 March, with fairs and music.
- **Semana Santa** (March or April): Holy week. Mexican families fill the beaches and hotels book out early.
- **Mifel Tennis Open** (Late July): An ATP 250 hard-court event, held at the end of July in 2026.
- **Independence Day** (15 and 16 September): The grito on the night of the 15th in the plazas of both towns, then a holiday.
- **Bisbee's Black & Blue** (October): A marlin tournament with one of the largest purses in sport fishing, based at the marina.
- **Fiestas de San Lucas** (Around 18 October): The town's patron saint's days: parades, music and food stalls in the centre.
- **Día de Muertos** (1 and 2 November): Altars, marigolds and cemetery vigils, the start of the high season.

## Must-try dishes in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

- **Fish tacos**: Battered white fish in a corn tortilla with cabbage, crema and salsa.
- **Shrimp tacos**: The same Baja treatment with battered or grilled shrimp.
- **Smoked marlin tacos**: Shredded smoked marlin, often in a crisp or stewed filling.
- **Chocolate clams**: Almejas chocolatas, a brown-shelled local clam, grilled or raw.
- **Aguachile**: Raw shrimp cured in lime and chilli water with cucumber and onion.
- **Ceviche**: Fish or shrimp cured in lime, served on a tostada.
- **Machaca**: Dried shredded beef from northern Mexico, scrambled with eggs.
- **Damiana**: A herbal liqueur from Baja California Sur, used in local margaritas.

## Cabo San Lucas transport & airports

- **Los Cabos International** (SJD): The main airport sits near San José del Cabo, about 45 km and 45 to 60 minutes by road from Cabo San Lucas. Book a transfer or use the official desks.
- **Ruta del Desierto bus** (Budget): The cheapest ride from the airport to Cabo San Lucas. It stops on the highway, so expect a walk or a taxi to the hotel.
- **Taxis and rideshare** (Agree fare): Taxis have no meters, so agree the fare first. Uber runs in Los Cabos, though airport pickups can be restricted.
- **Rental car** (Freedom): Worth it for the corridor beaches, Todos Santos and the East Cape. Take the toll road to the airport and avoid driving dirt roads at night.

## Cabo San Lucas at a glance

- **Country:** Mexico
- **Region:** Baja California Sur, municipality of Los Cabos
- **Population:** 202,694 (2020 census), about 351,000 in Los Cabos municipality
- **Named:** 18 October 1541, the feast day of Saint Luke
- **Nickname:** Cabo
- **Language:** Spanish, with English widely spoken in tourism
- **Currency:** Mexican peso (MXN); US dollars widely accepted
- **Time zone:** MST (UTC-7), no daylight saving
- **Calling code:** +52, area code 624
- **Airports:** Los Cabos International (SJD), about 45 km away
- **Visitor fee:** Baja California Sur's Embrace It fee for foreign visitors
- **Emergency:** 911

## Interesting facts

- The town's population almost tripled between 2010 and 2020, from about 68,000 to 202,694.
- The cape was named on 18 October 1541, Saint Luke's day, and the town still holds its fiesta then.
- Land's End is where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez, also called the Gulf of California.
- Cabo Pulmo's reef is estimated at 20,000 years old, and its fish recovered after a fishing ban.
- Sammy Hagar of Van Halen opened Cabo Wabo Cantina in 1990, and it still runs in the centre.

## Cabo San Lucas travel FAQ

### Can you swim in Cabo San Lucas?

Yes, on the Sea of Cortez side: Médano in town, the bay side of Lover's Beach, and Chileno and Santa María on the corridor. Do not swim on the Pacific beaches, Divorce Beach included, where rip currents and shore breaks are deadly.

### When is whale season in Cabo?

Commercial whale-watching tours run from 15 December to 15 April. Humpbacks are the most common, and January to March is the peak, when most trips see whales.

### How far is the airport from Cabo San Lucas?

Los Cabos International (SJD) is about 45 km from Cabo San Lucas, 45 to 60 minutes by road. Options run from the Ruta del Desierto bus to shared shuttles, rideshare and private transfers.

### Is there a tourist tax in Los Cabos?

Yes. Baja California Sur charges foreign visitors over 12 the Embrace It fee, and hotels in Los Cabos add a municipal environmental fee per room per night. Check the current amounts before you travel; both have changed recently.

### Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo?

Stay in Cabo San Lucas for the marina, the boats, the beach bars and the nightlife. Stay in San José del Cabo, 30 km east, for a quieter colonial centre, the Thursday Art Walk and the farm restaurants, with the airport close by.

## Nearby guides

- [Guanajuato](https://wimup.com/city/guanajuato.md): Mexico · 10 picks
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- [All of North America →](https://wimup.com/north-america): 39 cities

Part of the [Mexico guide](https://wimup.com/country/mexico.md) · [North America](https://wimup.com/north-america.md)

## Sources

- [Cabo San Lucas tourism board](https://www.visitloscabos.travel/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Snorkel Bahía Santa María (official site)](https://www.visitloscabos.travel/things-to-do/tours-and-activities/snorkeling/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Spend a day at Chileno Bay (official site)](https://www.visitloscabos.travel/things-to-do/beaches/chileno-beach/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.