Traveling to the Los Cabos region of Mexico soon? To help you plan an amazing trip, we’re sharing our top travel tips for the Best Things to Do in Cabo San Lucas.
Vibrant orange ombre sunrises and sunsets every single morning and every single night.
A lively city center filled with authentic Mexican taquerias and handcrafted arts, all adorned with colorful papel picados.
Beautiful, warm sandy beaches, gently swaying palm trees, and ocean breezes.
Cabo San Lucas is a popular tourist destination for many reasons. But this fun and chill city at the edge of the Baja California Sur peninsula holds so much more beauty and depth than what you probably envision.
Alain and I spent my birthday week in Cabo San Lucas, exploring this rich region and diving into its history, culture, and amazing people.
During our visit, we wanted to go beyond the bar scene and late night beach parties. We wanted to explore the true heart of this beautiful city and get to know the people who made it shine. Every day of our trip was even more amazing than the day before.
It was truly one of the best birthdays I’ve had so far, and I absolutely fell in love with Cabo.
This is, in my opinion, one of the best travel itineraries I’ve come up with so far. And I hope if you visit these places too, you will fall in love this Cabo San Lucas as deeply as we did!
Table of Contents
- About Cabo San Lucas
- Colorful cultural displays
- Best things to do in Cabo San Lucas
- Cabo Beach Clubs
- Book a Cabo Sunset Sail Cruise
- Book an Eco-Adventure
- Book a Cabo San Lucas Food Tour
- Where to Stay in Cabo San Lucas
- What to pack for a trip to Cabo San Lucas
- A word about vendors
- Cabo San Lucas FAQs
- Book your next trip to Cabo San Lucas!
- More Cabo San Lucas, Mexico travel articles
About Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas is located at the southern tip of Baja California Sur, also known as B.C.S. Baja California Sur is the 31st state in Mexico.
Prior to the mid-1980’s, Cabo was a quiet fishing town. Then in the 1980s and 1990s, resorts, hotels, golf courses, and restaurants were built at a fast pace, creating a popular tourist destination. You can see the vast difference in landscape in the photo above, showing Cabo San Lucas in 1988 and then in 2025.
Cabo is still a bustling tourist town, attracting mostly Americans. It’s a city where you’ll find that many, if not most, of the locals you meet are not actually from Cabo. Everyone we met during our trip was from elsewhere in Mexico: Guadalajara, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta. They come to Cabo since the city offers more job opportunities, and because it’s known for being a safe city.
Located at the meeting of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, Cabo San Lucas is known for its beaches and stunning rock formations. It’s also surrounded by mountains, and has a lively city center.
Colorful cultural displays
Cabo is a city full of vibrant color, high energy, and cultural pride.
Hanging above many of the streets of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are papel picado, which translates to “pierced paper” or “punched paper”. These colorful, traditional, and festive decorations are made by hand-cutting intricate designs into tissue paper or vinyl.
While they may appear similar, look closely as you go from one street to the next. You’ll see different banners representing themes like skeletons, birds, and flowers, and some will have the names of businesses or the town name in them.
Best things to do in Cabo San Lucas
There is so much to do in Cabo San Lucas, that you will certainly never be bored here. And no matter what type of vacation you are looking for, there are places to go and activities that will fit the bill.
Here are some of the best things that Alain and I found to do in this lovely Mexican city.
Beach vacation
If you’re looking for sandy beaches that meet turquoise waters, you’ve got no shortage of them in Cabo San Lucas. However, you should know that the currents are very strong in this area. While the beaches are all beautiful in their own way, there are only a few truly swimmable beaches in Cabo.
We stayed near the most popular beach, Medano Beach. This is one of the few swimmable beaches in Cabo San Lucas, and it’s centrally located. Lively beach clubs, bars, and restaurants line Medano Beach, making it an excellent place to spend the day.
Beaches known for snorkeling include Chileno Bay, Santa Maria Bay, and Palmilla Beach.
You can take a water taxi or other boat over to Lovers’ Beach, which faces the Sea of Cortez. Once there, you can then walk over to the other side that faces the Pacific Ocean to Divorce Beach.
Marlynn’s Tip
Cabo Beach Clubs
If you want to spend a day at Medano Beach, consider booking a beachfront table at SUR Beach House. Alain and I spent an afternoon here, and it was the prime spot for sunbathing, people watching, dipping into the Sea of Cortez, and enjoying some delicious food and drinks.
Relaxing artist retreat
If you’re looking for a quieter, art-filled stay, I highly recommend visiting San Jose del Cabo. A short 30-minute drive from Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo is a sweet artist community. It’s not as large as Cabo, and it’s much quieter.
The town comes alive every Thursday for the weekly San Jose del Cabo Art Walk. From 5-9pm each Thursday night, galleries and shops open up to the public and the main plaza is filled with artists selling their work.
There’s also a large market filled with local vendors selling everything from jewelry to bags to baked goods and souvenirs.
Surf and sail vacation
Whale watching is a popular activity in Los Cabos, and the whale watching season generally runs from December through April. We took a sunset sail cruise in February, and were told that February tends to be the best time for wildlife watching.
In fact, we saw one of the best wildlife shows we’ve ever seen during our travels! In addition to sea lions and whales breaching, we also witness a mama whale and her baby calf breaching and flapping their fins for several minutes. It is quite the amazing sight, and one I will never forget.
You can book several different types of outings at sea in Cabo. There are private boat cruises, small group cruises, and larger party-type boats.
Marlynn’s Tip
Book a Cabo Sunset Sail Cruise
You can book the same Cabo Sunset Sail Cruise that we went on. We loved it! The crew was fun and gave us a lot of information about the area and rock formations as we sailed. Our cruise included unlimited beverages and two plates of light snacks. And the sun setting against the Pacific Ocean provided some amazing photography opportunities. Purely priceless experience!
Active vacation
Cabo is not just about the water and the beaches! Surrounded by mountains, there are so many inland activities to satisfy the outdoor adventure lovers.
There are several hiking trails surrounding the city. And the many rock formations, forests, and hillsides make it a great destination for ziplining and rappelling. There are also several ATV adventure tours as well as camel rides on the beach.
Marlynn’s Tip
Book an Eco-Adventure
Want to go ziplining, rappelling, or go on an ATV ride on the beach? There are so many different options in Cabo for thrill-seekers and active adventure enthusiasts.
Foodie vacation
Cabo San Lucas is the perfect destination for foodies. We ate so well on this trip!
There are several Michelin star, Michelin Bib Gourmand, and Michelin recommended restaurants in the city. We ate at Michelin Bib Gourmand Metate, as well as Michelin recommended Ruba’s Bakery (in San Jose del Cabo).
Other restaurants we recommend include Mother Flower (best tacos in Cabo San Lucas!), Casa Martin, and Come a Casa in San Jose del Cabo.
My favorite dining experience and perhaps the best birthday dinner I’ve ever had in my life was at Cocina del Mar. Located in the chic Esperanza resort, diners are seated in a carved out cliff overlooking the sea. The food was expertly executed, the service was impeccable from start to finish, and the Wednesday night fireworks topped off an already incredible dinner.
We did a food tour with Juan More Taco tour group and it was fantastic! Miguel was our amazing guide, explaining the history of the area and the history of their food. heWe tasted so many different types of tacos, burritos, chilaquiles, ice cream, and churros. Our tour ended with a tequila tasting. We highly recommend booking one of their food tours! They also have cooking classes and tequila tastings.
Marlynn’s Tip
Book a Cabo San Lucas Food Tour
You can book the same food tour that we did. We loved it so much! The hosts are fun and engaging. You’ll learn a lot about the history and culture of Cabo, as well as eat so many delicious local delicacies!
You can book the same food tour that we did. We loved it so much! The hosts are fun and engaging. You’ll learn a lot about the history and culture of Cabo, as well as eat so many delicious local delicacies!
Where to Stay in Cabo San Lucas
The best area to stay in Cabo depends on your vibe.
If you want lively nightlife, stay near the city center. There are plenty of hotels and AirBnBs available, for solo travelers up to large groups and families.
If you want more all-inclusive luxury resorts, stay at one of the larger resorts along the Tourist Corridor. Those resorts are perfect for those who want a simple getaway with all amenities at your fingertips.
We stayed at a beautiful AirBnB (similar to this Penthouse 2BD/2BA Condo with Private Rooftop Terrace, but even better!) that was a short walk from Medano Beach and city center. It proved to be the perfect option for us, since it wasn’t as noisy as staying in city center, but was still close enough to restaurants, shops, and beaches.
What to pack for a trip to Cabo San Lucas
Cabo is all about casual clothing during the day. Shorts, tank tops, and sundresses are perfect for exploring the area. And of course, pack swimwear for the beach, the pool, and for any water activities.
At night, feel free to dress up a bit. Depending on where you are going, business casual and more formal dresses may be worn. However, you can still wear shorts and t-shirts in most bars and restaurants within the city at night.
Pack comfortable flats, as many of the streets are uneven. And while most of the area is flat, there are a few hills to navigate in certain parts of the city.
If you forget anything, there are several large grocery stores that also sell household goods, beach gear, and some clothing. There is also a Walmart in Cabo should you need it; we prefer the Fresko, which is a large local supermarket that is similar to a Fred Meyer here on the West Coast.
A word about vendors
No matter where you go in Cabo San Lucas, you should be prepared to be approached by a variety of street vendors and entertainers. They stand outside of shops, spas, tour outfits, and restaurants, as well as walk up and down the beachers. They usually approach you with a “hola senior/senorita” and then trying to entice you to make a purchase of some sort. Musicians wandering around tourist spots also play for tips.
In my opinion, these are some of the best sales people around. They are pleasant, friendly, and seriously tenacious. They hear “no” a thousand times a day and still they persist. I have a lot of respect for them.
Please be kind and respectful when you decline. They are simply doing their job, trying to provide for their families in a highly competitive tourist spot.
Or feel free to support them with your Pesos (some take American Dollars, but Pesos are better since they can use them right away).
Cabo San Lucas FAQs
I found Cabo San Lucas to be totally safe, no matter where I was or what time of day or night it was. Cabo is known for being one of the safest cities in Mexico.
You’ll need a passport that’s valid for six months after your visit to enter Mexico. For more information on entry and exit requirements, visit the U.S. State Department’s website.
Mexican Peso, althought the US Dollar is accepted in many places.
Spanish is the main language spoken, but English is widely spoken in Cabo.
The dry season is around November to April, and I find January and February to be the best months to visit. February is whale watching season, and it’s definitely my favorite time to visit! The temperatures during February are generally in the 70s and 80s (Farenheit), with lows in the high 50s and mid-60s.
The Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is located in San Jose del Cabo, about 30 minutes from Cabo San Lucas. It’s a decent sized international airport, with two main terminals: Terminal 1 is for domestic flights and Terminal 2 is for international flights.
Pacific hurricane season runs from mid-May to November, with most of the hurricanes historically landing between September and October.
Book your next trip to Cabo San Lucas!
We truly LOVED our recent trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The seafood was so fresh, the people were super friendly, and we felt so safe everywhere we went. We cannot wait to go back!
If you visit, please be sure to let them know that you read about it on Urban Bliss Life! And if you snap some pics, tag us @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.
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