10 Great Reasons to Visit Cabo in Summer!

When is the best time to visit Cabo (aka “Los Cabos”) in Mexico?

Well, there’s no bad time to visit Los Cabos.

That’s a fact that hasn’t escaped the Hollywood A-list.

Jennifer Aniston’s a regular. George Clooney and Cindy Crawford once co-owned a place there. And a clutch of other celebrities from Will Smith to the Kardashians also dig Cabo’s chill vibe.

Why you should visit Cabo in summer

Winter is the high season in Cabo San Lucas. (People often us the term “Cabo San Lucas” to mean the same as “Cabo” or “Los Cabos”.)

That’s when many Canadians and Americans shivering in the cold want to escape their winters.

Quite understandable! We’ve spent many a Christmas holiday with family down in Los Cabos.

But if you can’t get away in winter – or choose to vacay between late spring and fall – you’ll find many great reasons to plan your visit to Cabo San Lucas off-season.

10 reasons why a summer vacation in Cabo San Lucas is a brilliant idea

1) The weather in Cabo in summer is great!

The summer weather in Cabo San Lucas is lovely and hot – in contrast to winter.

Winter weather in Cabo

What many people don’t realize is that winter in Cabo isn’t super hot.

The first time we visited Cabo for a sun-and-sand holiday in winter, we thought it would be nice and hot like Zihuatanejo or the Caribbean. We only packed beach sandals and summery clothes. Bad decision. When the sun set, we were cold!

From mid-December to February, things you must take to Cabo include warmer clothes – jeans or long pants, closed-toe shoes and a jacket or sweater – as evenings are often cool.

Don’t get us wrong. You’ll still do lots of sunning on your pool or beach chair.

The average daily high in winter is around 76 to 80 F (25 to 27 C). But you can get coolish days of around 68 F (20 C) too.

The average low in January is 53 F (12 C).

At night, you most often will want to sit under a heat lamp or blanket if eating outside.

Cabo summer weather

Now, summer in Cabo is a different story.

A summer holiday will feel much more like a Hawaii or Caribbean holiday. Days are sunny and hot, and you can ditch the jacket and long pants.

If we’re looking at the summer months from May to October (we’re being generous in our definition of “summer”), then May through mid-July and again later in October are the best summer weather months in Cabo.

Be aware that August and September are very humid, as well as hot.

Late summer is the Cabo San Lucas rainy season. Most of the rain falls in these two months (September is the rainiest month). A lot of resorts do their maintenance in September.

Because August and September are hot and sticky months, they’re the least popular times to visit Cabo.

Cabo San Lucas hurricane season

The hurricane season in Los Cabos is technically June through October.

But Cabo usually only gets tropical storms during the hurricane season. And most of the rainy days occur in September.

Occasionally, though, hurricanes make landfall. (Hurricane Odile – the worst hurricane in Cabo – hit in September, 2014.)

2) The beaches are hot

The beaches in Cabo San Lucas are one of its greatest draws.

Cabo beaches – water temps in Cabo in winter

But as with the weather, many people are surprised to learn that the water in Cabo can be a tad cool for swimming in winter.

It averages about 73 F (23 C) but can get as cold as 64 F (17 C). March has the lowest water temperature, averaging about 70 F (20 C).

Oh, you’ll always see people in the water in winter.

But sometimes, all we want to do in January is dash in, splash about for a while, then get out. And we do our ocean swimming around noon, when the sun is the hottest.

Summer water temps in Cabo

But summer? Now we’re talking warm sea water!

If you love water activities (in warm water!), then, honestly, summer in Cabo is better than winter.

Favorite beaches

The once-hidden cove and striking rock formations around the iconic Arch make this a must for any visitor. Who doesn’t like to gaze at striking views as they top up their tan?

Better yet, combine two fun activities.

Rent a kayak or SUP board and paddle over to Lover’s Beach from Medano Beach.

Water taxis from the Cabo San Lucas Marina or Medano Beach are the easy option.

Also check out well-kept Chileno Beach, which is clean and hassle-free.

Snorkelers will want to add Santa Maria Beach to their itinerary too.

3) The Cabo turtles arrive!

Summer in Cabo heralds the arrival of thousands of sea turtles on the beaches.

The Baja Peninsula is home to endangered Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Leatherback, Green Turtle and Olive Ridley turtles. (Olive Ridley turtles are the most common.)

Starting in late August, the female sea turtles come ashore from the Sea of Cortez to lay their eggs in the sand on the beaches. Then they return to the sea.

About 45 days later, the eggs hatch and baby turtles emerge.

Their job is to try and make it to the sea alive and swim away. As nature would have it, only a few of these tiny hatchlings manage to do that.

Several resorts support sea turtle conservation projects.

You can participate in a tour, led by a certified guide, where you help release the baby sea turtles to the sea. This is truly a heart-warming activity, especially for families visiting Cabo with kids.

4) Snorkeling and diving Cabo San Lucas in summer is awesome

The snorkeling and scuba diving is also better in Cabo in summer than in winter.

We already mentioned that the waters off Los Cabos are at their warmest from July until October (and through to mid-November). See the chart on Cabo water temperatures under #2 above.

During this period, visibility steadily increases. In winter, the viz is about 40 feet, but extends to up to 100 feet come October. As a consequence, many snorkelers and divers prefer the months of October and November.

We had an unbelievable time scuba diving in Cabo San Lucas in late October. On a dive excursion to Cabo Pulmo, the highlight was seeing bull and tiger sharks.

The whale shark season starts in October too, so this is a great time to snorkel with whale sharks in La Paz.

Also keep an eye out for flying manta rays in May.

5) The surfing is swell

June to August is the best time to visit Los Cabos for surfing. That’s when the Southern Hemisphere swells roll in, bringing consistent waves to both shores of the Baja Peninsula.

Make your way to beaches like Zippers and La Roca, where competitions draw out the pros and wannabes can grab a lesson on the sand.

6) The fishing in Cabo San Lucas is epic

The fishing season in Cabo lasts throughout the year. So long as you’re not too fussy about what you catch, you have an almost guaranteed chance of landing something any time of year.

But the summer months are particularly hot months for fishing in Los Cabos (pun intended).

Tuna and snapper

Tuna bite from June to January and snapper from May to September.

Marlin fishing in Cabo

The best time for marlin fishing in Cabo San Lucas is September to January. The big fish start to arrive in late August, increasing in September.

You may get lucky and fight with giant billfish. It’s common to reel in both black and blue marlin weighing 300 lbs and more.

Some reports say that the biggest billfish ever caught off Cabo San Lucas was a whopping 1,214-lb blue marlin in 2011. (Others say it was a “mere” 972 lbs.)

The absolute best time to fish in Cabo? October.

Bisbee’s Black and Blue

If you’re serious, you can time your visit in October to coincide with the 5-day Bisbee’s Black and Blue competition, one of the world’s greatest fishing tournaments.

Millions of dollars are up for grabs. In 2006, the prize money totaled $4,165,960 – the biggest payout in sportfishing history.

Join the crowd and watch as the fish are weighed in front of the Puerto Paraiso entertainment plaza.

7) The food is always good

Whether you visit Cabo off season or in the high season, the food is always delicious.

Baja California’s signature dishes originate from the northern end of the peninsula but have migrated south.

Puerto Nuevo is closely associated with lobster (it has 30+ lobster restaurants). And one of the fun facts about Mexican food is that Caesar Cardini invented Caesar salad in Tijuana.

Tijuana is also said to be where the first margaritas were concocted (though it could have been in Ensenada at Hussong’s Cantina – the margarita legend is mixed!).

But the whole area, Cabo included, is well-known for its fish tacos. That’s hardly a surprise given its proximity to the sea. (Check out where you can get the best tacos in Cabo San Lucas.)

On the other hand, fine dining – whether you call it Baja Med or Cali Baja – is the antithesis of the popular seafood tostadas, Cabo’s street food hero.

But both shine, thanks to their reliance on fresh local ingredients. 

One particular restaurant you must not miss is Flora Farms, known for its excellent farm-to-table dining. (Their cocktails are lovely and creative too! Try the Farmarita, made with heirloom carrot juice.)

8) There are fewer visitors in summer

After the winter high season, Spring Break and the Easter Holiday, Cabo heads into its shoulder season in May – and you’ll encounter fewer crowds.

May and early June and then October (and early November) are blissful months for quiet beaches.

You don’t have to contend with vying for beach chairs, getting restaurant reservations or booking activities – they’re all easily available.

Mid-June to July (and even August) are popular times for family travel, so these months aren’t quite as calm.

9) Summer in Cabo is a good time for families

A great time for family travel to Cabo is June (after school has ended) and July.

And what better way to enjoy your summer vacation than on the beach! Give kids a pool and a beach, and they’ll be happy holiday-goers.

And as all parents know, if your kids are content, you’ll be content too.

10) Resort rates are lower and accommodations are easier to book

In winter, it can be hard getting into the top hotels, especially some of Cabo’s adults-only resorts. (For the Christmas and New Year holidays, you often have to book a year in advance.)

Not so in summer. You’ll find it much easier to make reservations for stays anywhere in May through to October.

Summer is also the cheapest time to travel to Cabo San Lucas. Rates at hotels and resorts are much more reasonable in the summer months.

So, how would you like to spend your summer in Cabo?

Actually, it always feels like summertime in Los Cabos (even in winter).

But as you hopefully know now, there are many pluses to vacationing in Cabo in summer!

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