What are the hot things to do in Los Cabos? Best airport transfer companies? Where should you stay? Fab restaurants? Is there Uber?
We’re travel writers who’ve visited Cabo dozens of times – we love Cabo! So carry on reading, because our Los Cabos travel guide shares the inside scoop on how to have a fabulous Cabo holiday!
Contents: Cabo Travel Guide
Practical travel tips
Language Spanish (but Cabo is “Mexico light” – so virtually all locals in the hospitality biz speak English).
Currency Mexican peso (18 to 19 pesos are equivalent to about $1 USD). Most places accept US dollars, but your money will go further if you pay in pesos.
VisaCitizens of the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries don’t need a visa to go on holiday in Mexico.
What to pack
In winter, pack a sweater or jacket. Evenings can be cool.
Be sure check out our post on the:
Best travel sandals for the beach, city and adventure
How to get from the airport to your hotel?
See our post on the best and cheapest Cabo airport shuttles. Within Cabo San Lucas, there’s Uber.
Best time to visit Los Cabos?
Most people holiday in Los Cabos in winter, starting just before the Christmas holidays through to April. The average temperature is about 68 to 75 F. Days are sunny and dry, and you can expect great Cabo weather.
But the best time to travel to Los Cabos (in our view) is May and then again in the fall from October to November. The weather is warmer (better for swimming!) and the crowds have gone. Average temperatures are 24 to 29 F (sometimes climbing into the low 30s). The air is more humid, so it feels more tropical and less desert-like.
Avoid visiting in September, the hottest and stickiest month.
Hurricane season in Los Cabos
The hurricane season in Los Cabos officially runs from June to November, but August and September are the most risky months.
Can you drink the water in Cabo?
The southern Baja Peninsula has never really had a problem with its water quality.
Most of the fresh water comes from the tall Sierra de la Laguna mountains, drains into underground aquifers, and is then piped to local towns, with little opportunity to become contaminated.
That said, most hotels and resorts have their own water purification systems. It’s probably ok to drink the tap water, but to be safe, drink bottled water. (We do.)
The good hotels provide bottled water in your room. If you’re staying at a condo-style resort with kitchen facilities, you can stock up on bottled water very cheaply at one of the large grocery stores.
Restaurants will serve you bottled water if you ask for water. Ice is typically made from filtered water.
Can you eat the fruit and veggies?
Most visitors eat salads, fruit and uncooked vegetables with no problems.
What to do in Los Cabos
Do beachy things:
Check out the 5 best beaches in Cabo San Lucas to chill on your favorite beach.
Also watch whales. Take a sunset cruise. Go surfing. Discover the best water sports and water activities in Cabo for water lovers! And more…
Get cultured:
On Thursday nights, check out the free Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo. It’s loads of fun! Meet the artists over a glass of wine handed out at many of the art galleries. And check out eye-catching paintings and sculptures.
Go snorkeling:
See our insider guide to snorkeling in Cabo San Lucas (and the best snorkeling tours and tour operators).
Golf!
If you can only golf once on your Cabo holiday, the Cabo del Sol Ocean Golf Course is the course to play.
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the renowned championship course hugs the Sea of Cortez. The views are so breathtaking, it’s hard to concentrate on your shot – except if you don’t, you’re in the sand or a rocky ravine.
The Golden Bear himself praised the layout for having the “three finest finishing holes in all of golf.” The signature 17th hole – one of the greatest par-3’s in the world – has you teeing off over the water to a postage-stamp size green on a granite rock outcropping.
Stats: 18 holes par 72 7,075 yards from the championship tees
Go scuba diving:
Dive Cabo San Lucas! It’s an underwater world of wonders.
Must-do!
You must swim with whale sharks in La Paz! It’s OMG awesome – and it makes for a great daytrip from Cabo.
The ultimate list of Cabo activities?
Read our post:
25 Epic things to do in Cabo San Lucas
Where to stay in Los Cabos
There’s no shortage of luxury hotels in Los Cabos.
When booking, know where your resort is located to avoid being disappointed.
Cabo San Lucas is at one end, San Jose del Cabo is at the other end, and the Corridor is a 20-mile stretch connecting the two towns. So we’re talking about a fairly large geographical area. Most luxury resorts are beachfront, but not all beaches are swimmable.
Beautiful, boutique and 5-star hotels?
We’ve sussed out the:
Best hotels in Cabo San Lucas
3 Hand-picked Cabo hotel recommendations
1) Cool boutique hotel in San Jose del Cabo:
Hotel El Ganzo | Artist hangout with a rooftop infinity pool
2) Deluxe condos with kitchens:
Pueblo Bonito Resorts | Which one is best?
3) Ultra-luxury all-inclusive:
Grand Velas Los Cabos
Can you swim at your hotel’s beach?
See our post on the best Cabo beaches for resorts with swimmable beaches.
Shopping in Cabo San Lucas
Silver, tequila and Mexican crafts – don’t go home without them!
Whether you’re looking to pick up inexpensive souvenirs or museum-quality art, Cabo has a shop for you.
What to buy in Cabo?
Silver is big in Cabo, from bargain-priced bracelets hawked by beach vendors to unique fine jewelry sold in stores. Cuban cigars are also popular (but don’t take them back to the U.S.), as are Mexican blankets, Talavera pottery and even over-the-counter prescription meds.
For decorative housewares (silver, Mexican glass, etc.), try Artesano’s (at Km 4.1 on the Corridor, just outside of Cabo town.)
Bargaining?
It’s part of the shopping fun! Here’s how to haggle and bargain in Mexico like a pro.
Where the shops are:
In Cabo San Lucas, many shops are found on Marina Blvd and side-streets. Open-air and outdoor flea markets abound too – be sure to bargain!
And you can’t miss the Puerto Paraiso or Luxury Avenue shopping malls.
Where to buy groceries?
As soon as we arrive in Cabo, we like to make a stop at La Comer supermarket in San Jose del Cabo. It’s on the highway as you drive from the airport to Cabo San Lucas (and convenient too if you’re staying in San Jose del Cabo).
Good fresh produce can be hard to find in Cabo – at La Comer, you can usually get crisp red apples (not bruised ones) and lettuce that isn’t limp.
Restaurants in Los Cabos
You’ll find plenty of good restaurants in Los Cabos, both in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.
Of course, seafood is often on the menu.
Here are some restaurants we like:
For tacos
Get the best seafood tacos in Cabo and mean margaritas at Gardenias. We also love that it’s casual and cheap.
For Japanese
NickSan has creative fresh sushi. (It’s expensive though.)
For toes-in-the-sand dining
Cascadas Beach Grill (at Club Cascadas de Baja) is very romantic at night, with the perfect beachfront atmosphere. Bonus: Friendly service, 2-for-1 drinks until 6:00 pm, moderately-priced.
For pasta
See the 3 best Italian restaurants in Cabo San Lucas.
For creative farm-to-table food
Don’t miss beautiful Flora Farms for made-fresh-from-the-garden cocktails and farm-to-table dining!
Taking the local bus in Los Cabos
Don’t be afraid to take the public bus from Cabo to San Jose del Cabo, or anywhere along the Corridor.
Buses operate every 20 to 30 minutes between the two towns. They’re fairly modern and clean, and you’ll see many American residents and tourists using them. Some are express buses, but they often let passengers off anyway at non-designated stops.
There are bus stops, where you can wait for the bus, with seats and roof protection (the main stop in Cabo is in front of the Puerto Paraiso shopping mall). But the buses also usually stop if you wave one down, and they’ll let you off where you want.
Tell the driver your beach or destination along the Corridor when you board.
Is Los Cabos safe?
We’ve holidayed in Los Cabos at least 20 times over the years, and we’ve never felt unsafe. Many Americans and Canadians have time-shares and go on vacation there.
Check government travel advisories before going.
United States: Mexico Travel Advisory
Canada: Mexico (Safety and Security)
Where is Los Cabos?
You can scroll in or out on this map of Los Cabos.
More on Los Cabos
See all our:
Cabo posts
Additional travel tips and information can be found in the travel guide to Los Cabos on the official Visit Los Cabos tourism website.
Discover more of Mexico!
See our:
Ultimate Mexico travel guide
