What You Need To Know

Cabo San Lucas Travel Guide

Discover the wonders of Cabo San Lucas with my essential travel guide. From stunning beaches to vibrant nightlife, I’ve got all the tips you need for an unforgettable experience in Cabo.

Cabo San Lucas Unveiled

Your Essential Cabo Travel Guide for Unforgettable Adventures

The first time I went to Cabo was in 2014. From the little I remember (I was drunk a lot) I do remember liking it. However, I recently went back on a family trip and completely fell in love!! So much has changed in Cabo, but for the better in my opinion. It feels … livable. Like you can just pack your things and move to Cabo and live there forever and be happy. There are so many good restaurants, beautiful beaches, friendly locals – Cabo has everything! This is a place I can definitely see myself coming back to again.

So you all know, there are two towns: San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. When you fly in, you fly into the airport located near San Jose del Cabo. But most people when they say they’re staying in “Cabo” mean Cabo San Lucas. Los Cabos is the overarching region in which the two towns are in. Whichever one you decide to stay in, you can easily visit the other on a day trip if needed.

Vanessa's Insider Tips

My Travel Tips for Cabo San Lucas

Here are some helpful Cabo San Lucas travel tips to know before you go:

When to Go: Hurricane season is from May – November, with most rain falling in September. I went the last week of November and had pleasant weather that wasn’t too hot.
Where to Stay: I would recommend staying close to the Medano Beach or downtown areas, because that’s where the most action is.
How to Get Around: You can walk to most places. There’s also Uber, taxis, or public buses for further distances. I recommend Ubers because they are way less expensive than taxis.
Cabo San Lucas Solo Female Travel: Unfortunately, Mexico gets a bad rap when it comes to safety. I find Cabo San Lucas to be extremely safe. There’s SO much tourism in this area, the locals want to protect it because that’s how they make their income. I personally never felt uncomfortable once off the resort. I never came to Cabo San Lucas as a solo female traveler, so I can’t really speak to that, but if I were to guess, I’m not sure it would be a good spot for that because there doesn’t seem to be a backpacker population – there are only a couple of hostels! So you can come here as a solo female traveler and be safe, but I’m not so sure you would meet fellow backpackers.

Discover Cabo San Lucas

My Recommended Itinerary for Cabo San Lucas Travel

Here’s what I recommend for Cabo San Lucas:

El arco:

The arch of Cabo San Lucas. It’s a famous landmark and you can’t say you came to Cabo if you didn’t come here! It’s a rock formation in the ocean. You’ll find people literally everywhere trying to sell you this tour – on the beach, at the hotel, in the downtown area, etc.

On the tour, you’ll be taken out to the arch to get your pics and see some marine life along the way (like sea lions). Afterwards, you’ll stop at Lovers Beach, which is connected to Divorce Beach. These are also both top attractions – it’s where the Gulf and Pacific oceans are joined. The water at Lovers Beach is a bit rough, so it can be hard getting out of the boat. If you’re not up for that, our Captain took us to a second, much calmer beach, so hopefully your Captain can too!

The whole tour lasts a little under 2 hours and is so so much fun! Not to mention, the views along the way are stunning with such crystal-clear water.

The Marina:

Located downtown, here you’ll find the mall (Plaza Paraiso), restaurants, and tons of people trying to sell you tours. The mall isn’t anything remarkable, but it offers nice views of the marina. Spend some time checking it out and walking along the water!

Downtown:

Right next to the marina. Here you’ll find a ton of restaurants, clubs, bars, and souvenir shops.

Trip to San Jose del Cabo:

Quieter and less touristy, I found San Jose del Cabo to still be very charming. There aren’t a whole lot of things to do there, but I do think it’s worth checking out. Start off in the main square – walk around, check out the shops, go inside the church. Make sure you go on the streets behind the church – there are tons of restaurants and shops back there! I don’t think you need a full day for this trip, you can honestly see everything in a few hours.

Beaches:

Of course if you’re coming to Cabo you’re gonna want to dip in the water! However, you have to be careful – the waves in Cabo are no joke. They’re strong and massive. Your resort will have flags up letting you know if it’s safe to swim that day or not. There are a number of places you can check out for a good swim though.

Sun, Sea, and Sand

Best Beaches in Cabo San Lucas

Medano Beach:

Medano Beach is where a lot of the resorts are. As you get further toward the marina, it gets crazy busy. However this section is much calmer than the rest of the beach and allows you to go in and swim comfortably.

Playa el Chileno:

About 15-20 minutes from Medano Beach is this one. It was filled with locals when I went, which I liked. There aren’t any restaurants or anything there, but the waters are calm and safe for swimming.

Lovers and Divorce Beaches:

If you don’t end up doing the arch boat tour (but you should!) then that’s fine but take a water taxi out here, since it can only be reached by boat.

Flavors of Mexico

My Recommended Food in Cabo San Lucas

Here are some places I recommend to eat:

The Office:

Fun party restaurant located right on the beach in Medano Beach. At peak times there will be a wait, but the food is good and an entertaining spot.

Don Manuel:

This is a restaurant inside the Waldorf Astoria and MY GOD. I have never experienced such luxury in my life. According to one of the workers, this hotel is ranked #5 in the world. I believe it. The experience we had at the restaurant is one never to be forgotten. In addition, the service was impeccable, and the food was really good. Highly recommend but just know it is ridiculously expensive!