The heart-pounding heart of the Baja California Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas is an incredible city that has something for everyone here.
This includes Pacific Beach, perfect with matching postcards every night, with iconic dark SED sunsets.
There are also plenty of great nightlife, natural rock formations and adventure parks, as well as adventure parks that you want to fit into your plans and itinerary when exploring the city or nearby areas.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the most important things you need to know when planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas.
We also explore our own personal tips to help you have the best possible time when you’re here.
Why visit Cabo San Lucas?
Cabo San Lucas is one of the most popular places in Mexico and for good reason. Like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, here you will find a wide range of activities and great things.
Considering that Cabo is far north of Mexico, the weather here is hot all year round. This is ideal to explore the golden sands of the beaches every month this year. This includes the lively Medano Beach, Cireno Beach and Playa del Diborcio, where all hotels and restaurants are located, allowing you to enjoy crystal clear snorkeling conditions.
Cabo San Lucas also has many thrilling activities to take part in a truly memorable holiday here. This includes deep-sea fishing with local charters, Big Catch (check out Boatsbaja.com), spotting blue and humpback whales, eating delicious Mexican food, and flying in a zip line through desert canyons.
Later in this guide, we’ll take a look at the best things you can see when you’re in Cabo San Lucas.
Plan your trip to Cabo San Lucas
How to get to Cabo San Lucas
Given its proximity to the US, most visitors usually connect with flights from here (unless of course they fly directly). The closest airport to Cabo San Lucas is Los Cabos. Los Cabos is about 30 minutes and is the best way to get into town. Here you can find regular flights from cities like Miami, Dallas, Chicago and Seattle, for $70-$130 for one-way tickets.
We recommend booking your flights via Expedia.com or Google Flights.
Cabo San Lucas is detached from Mexico’s main mainland, but it is still possible to arrive here without flying. People in nearby La Paz can take a simple two-hour bus here, but those further north of Tijuana can enjoy a memorable coastal road trip to the south to reach Cabo.
Another option is to have a ferry from the Sinaloa area of the Mainland to La Paz, with a two-hour bus ride. They depart on a weekly schedule from Mazatlan and Topolo Bangpo, and take about 9 hours to arrive at La Paz.
How many days do you need at Cabo San Lucas?
Once you know how to reach Cabo San Lucas, another major topic is to look at all the key highlights and calculate the time you need here to have the best possible experience.
Usually I would recommend 4-6 days at Cabo San Lucas. This time is perfect for enjoying a variety of golden sandy beaches and ocean activities. It is also perfect for going on a day trip to explore other parts of Baja California Sur (such as La Paz and Todos Santos).
If you are heading here for more specific reasons, such as learning how to surf, or if you want to rent a yacht or fish, I would recommend extending your trip for more than a week to make the most of it.
The best time to visit Cabo San Lucas
Before you start booking your flight, it’s always good to make sure that different weather seasons can bring different advantages and disadvantages.
The dry season is the most popular time of visits, taking place from November to April.
For most of the time of year, expect dry, warm, sunny days. This is perfect for attacking anything on the beach or outdoors. The only downside is that it can be very busy with crowds during this time of year.
The rainy season begins in May and October, making it a great alternative time to visit Cabo San Lucas. Even with more rain, the days are refreshing, but usually there are plenty of sunny days scattered around for a good trip.
Know that there is most likely to be stormy weather (and potential hurricanes) between September and October.
Finally, another important consideration is the various faunas that can be discovered around this Pacific city. Whales can be spotted offshore from coast during their annual travels from January to March, but can also swim with whale sharks from November to April.
If you’re looking to go fishing in Cabo, the best time to go is between July and October, the rainy season.
Cabo San Lucas Spacking List
Cabos are warm all year round, making packing in this coastal city very easy. If you’re planning a longer trip around Mexico, most parts are also usually hot considering it’s too!
Below we have a list of excellent start packing list for your trip to Cabo San Lucas and all the essentials you want to bring with you.
T-shirt and vest. Shorts. Swimming trunk and outfit. Short sleeve shirt. Sandals. shoes. Thin layer for daytime hiking. Poncho or rain jacket (if you’re heading into the rainy season). Hand towel. Baseball cap or a lovely hat (to prevent it from being burned during the day). sunglasses. High SPF sunscreen (We recommend using a minimum of 30 of SPF 30). Reusable water bottle. A daily pack for your day trips to the city or nearby areas. High quality camera or mobile phone. Extra battery for the camera. Charging adapter and power bank. Padlock (to keep personal belongings safe). Important documents (passports, credit cards, etc.). Copy of travel insurance documents. A plastic folder to hold all important documents together.
Best things to see at Cabo San Lucas
Check out the arch of Cabo San Lucas
The Cabo arch, protruding from the Pacific Ocean, is one of the most impressive landmarks you can see throughout the city. You can find it from Medano Beach, a naturally-built rock formation, and it’s also beautiful to see when the sun is set beyond it. You can also go on a boat tour to take more impressive photos and explore the hidden beaches behind it.
Hiking to Cerro de la Zeta Mirador
Translated locally as a perspective, the best Mirador in Cabo San Lucas is located on the top of the mountain just west of the city centre. It takes just under an hour to complete the hike of Celodella Zeta. There, there are few crowds and few picturesque vegetation along the way, making for a quiet walk. At the top there are impressive views of both the Cabo and the surrounding Pacific Ocean.
Enjoy Cabo’s famous nightlife
Cabo San Lucas actually comes into being in the legendary nightlife scene after the sun sets. Whether you’re hoping for a cooler night out after a busy night out or a cooler night on the beach, there are plenty of options for everyone here. There are plenty of bars nearby the marina, and along the Avenida Lazaro Cardenas, such as Jungle Bar and Monkey Business Bar, nightclubs such as Labakita and El Squewdrow promise eventful scenes.
Heading for a local taco tour
Throughout Cabo San Lucas you can find many spectacular dishes that mix both Mexican classics and more popular dishes from the Baja California Sur region. Try it yourself and it can be daunting, so I recommend joining Juan More Tacos for a great street food experience. Not only do you try out all kinds of exotic local dishes, but your expert guide is also on hand for any questions you may have!
I’m going for deep sea fishing
Given the location along the Pacific Ocean, Cabo San Lucas is the perfect place to go deep sea fishing where you can find popular catches such as Blue Merlin, Wahoo and Yellowfin Tuna. The best time to go fishing is from July to October, but other months are still suitable for different large catches.
Many local businesses can be found around ports like Boat Baja, which organize both fishing charters and private yachts.
Is Cabo San Lucas safe?
Like most cities around Mexico, Cabo San Lucas has both safe and unsafe areas. The harbor and the beach neighborhood of Medano are perfect for your stay.
Of course, you will leave valuables in your apartment when you go out and will not wander alone in an unknown neighborhood at night.
Outside of tourist attractions and hotel resorts, it could be a little more sketchy in certain areas. Typically these areas are not recommended for tourists to venture alone. To be honest, there are usually no redemption sites or attractions (it’s not actually a tourist destination). If you need to go for any reason, I recommend using uber. It is also recommended to try to visit during the day (unless you use a trusted friend or tour guide).
The final advice on how you can stay safe is to follow local guidance. This includes tips you can pick from your hotel receptionist and a travelling tour guide. This way you can learn valuable advice, such as why you should avoid drinking tap water, or if a particular area is not worthy of orientation right now.
Tips for visiting Cabo San Lucas
Below we share some of our own personal top tips for getting the best possible experience at Cabo San Lucas.
Avoid drinking unsafe water
Since we’ve already mentioned this above, you’ll want to double down on the water situation here. Unfortunately, public water systems are not handled at all, which can result in many unsuspecting tourists getting nasty stomach bugs and getting sick. Always drink from a bottle of water and avoid swallowing your drink when heading to the restaurant.
Heading to the Cabo during the shoulder season
Snagged between the dry and wet seasons, these times often offer the best in both worlds when coming to Cabo. These include the months of November, May and June.
Not only will you enjoy warmer temperatures and air with fewer crowds around the crowd, but you can also take part in local cultural celebrations such as Day of the Dead (a significant Mexican event held in early November).
Open your mind while traveling
There’s far more to Cabo than beaches and endless nightlife options. As a result, I recommend keeping your heart open when you’re here. Visiting beaten pass destinations is a good start, but we recommend visiting La Paz for great surfing and spectacular beaches, including Todos Santos.
Overview of Cabo San Lucas
And this is everything in this guide on how to plan a trip to Cabo San Lucas and about the surrounding areas of Baja California Sur.
This Mexican paradise is a hot destination to visit in the country, already with scenes and activities comparable to the scenes and activities of Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. As we’ve seen, Cabo is also home to large-scale activities, so your only problem is to solve how to fit them all into one trip here!
As always, planning your trip in advance will help make it smoother and more enjoyable.
We highly recommend you read again how to get to Cabo, the best times to visit, our own top tips and the various destination sections offered here.
