Cabo San Lucas & Area Travel Guide
- Alliey Kutynec
- Apr 15, 2022
- 4 min read
Cabo is located at the bottom of the Baja California State of Mexico. This location is very popular from spring breakers, retires, and the famous. Only a population of 89,000 people and continuing to grow with resorts and apartments popping up on on every oceanview ridge. Cabo is an awesome destination to hunk away from the cold winter; it has lots of airbnbs, apartment rentals and resort stays. It holds the best place to watch the whales, dolphins and other marine life play watching from the beach, it holds the best sunrises and sunsets, and never really has a cloud in the sky.
Not only is the Cabo area a great place to hangout, just outside Cabo there are ATV adventures, surfing schools, hiking and small town exploring. Renting a car? Want to take day trip out of the City? Why not head up the La Paz for the day visiting Mexicos famous Beach Balandra, or heading to Todos Santos for a little shopping, gem finding cafes or a day at Cerritos Beach watching the surf. Los Barilles is only 74km away from Cabo, it has a small sanded road beach town vibe to it.
Cafes
Cafes are always on my bucket list when heading to a new destination. Each one holds a unique experience, vibe and allows you to sit down, relax or have a good conversation with someone new. Cabo has a fair amount of cafes, but these are the ones I recommend most.
Recommended Cafes:
Of course this cafe is located before lands end right beside California Ranch Market. This cafe is fairly small, but has an awesome coffee menu. The bathrooms are very nice, and the staff are really outgoing. I would head over here for a coffee if near lands end.
This cafe is located on the north end of Cabo heading towards Todos Santos, it is a fairly large cafe. The menu has breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the coffee list is endless. The coffee is fairly priced, and it tastes pretty good.
Shopping
Like every city in Mexico there is always a shopp on every corner from your souvenir shops to your shopping centres . When heading to new destination there is nothing I love more then exploring new shops, new boutiques and an organic stores. I find every city having a unique organic store selling their latest mix of essential oil or blend. They use different ingredients that support their culture, beliefs and share it to the world. I love finding a good 'Paca' full of used clothes for a cheap price to enhance my backpacking style on a budget. Checking out a culture event and seeing the local talent is really important when visiting Cabo.
Recommended Shopping:
The shopping centre is located right beside the Marina and the downtown area. They have shops like Billabong, Nike and much more. It is nice to take stroll through the mall on a hot day and have a nice air conditioning walk with some shopping. The mall has two stories, and is attached to Luxury Avenue. The underground paid parking is on the backside of the building; you can park here if heading to the beach for the day or just hanging out in the downtown area.
This is your place to find your imported items like organic alternative milks, gourmet cheese or your favourite organic meats. They also have different brands of pasta, cooking flours and kettle chips. It is located near Lands End, just one block from the shopping at the Marina.
I was strolling around the back street of the downtown area and I found this second hand store. If travelling on budget and wanting to upgrade your wardrobe cheap in Cabo this would be your place. It is located just a few blocks from the Marina. They also have a store in San José del Cabo just north of the downtown area.
This companies motto is zero waste, organically made and eco friendly. You would find your homemade essential oil blends, skin and face care and your organic sunscreen. If heading down town for some shopping or the Art Walk, stop in and check out their store.
It is nice to walk through this attached part of the main mall, it has stores like Cartier, Rolex and Boss. If parking in the underground parking It is on the left hand side coming into the mall and Puerto Paraiso is on the right.
Beaches
Around Cabo there are plenty of beaches to soak in the sun. As I always say there is nothing wrong with a little beach hopping and checking out the waves and different sand textures. Each one of the beaches are so unique; from ocean life and the local culture. The highway from Cabo San Lucas to San Jose has so many options to set up a beach chair, umbrella to enjoy the sightseeing of whales, dolphins and beautiful sunsets.
Recommended Beaches
Medano Beach
This is one of Cabos main beaches that has the all-inlcusive resorts, restaurants and beach clubs. They say that Cabo doesn't have a high season but during Christmas and spring break period (March-April) it gets really crowded on the beach. There is lots of public space for but does get really busy on the weekends.
It is loud considering the beach clubs and bars but has a good party and chill vibe.
The public entrance is near the mall with free parking on the road.
Chileno Bay
This is a great place to head for a snorkel; there is schools of fish that surround you once you get in the water. Chileno Bay is one of the warmer water beaches to swim, it has plenty of space on the beach to relax without anybody near you. The parking is free, there is washrooms with showers and just take the side walk to head to the beach.
Santa Maria
This is a hidden gem, and not many people head to this beach. It's a bit smaller then Chileno Bay, but It has good snorkelling, clear blue water and thicker sand. Would totally recommend spending the day here. The parking is free and has a bathroom but make sure to pack toilet paper.
Costa Azul
This is a surfing beach, when the water is calm you can snorkel has there is rocks and reef just below the surf. The surfing is really good here, lots of beginner and experts come here. There is a surf shop right on the beach next to a restaurant and they rent out boards for 4oo pesos for the day. The beach does have a wall if you sit near it, it does get super hot; It's a lot cooler in the open area.
Playa el Tule
This beach looks great from the highway. The water is calm with a little wave to it but a great place for a snorkel or to catch some rays with no one around. To turn off your going to come to a bend (coming from Cabo) and I suggest breaking early has the turn off is fairly dangerous. Heading down towards the underneath the bridge and head to the public parking area, it is fairly sandy that potentially can get stuck in.
Playa Acapulquito
This beach is just before Costa Azul just around the bend. The parking lot is fairly tiny, if busy park at Costa Azul and walk either on the side of the highway or around the bend on the beach. There is a surf hotel on the beach, and would only recommend for surfing or just chilling on the beach.
Playa Pedregal
On the pacific side of Cabo lays a long beach of Pedregal. This beach is beautiful to watch the sunset, but wouldn't recommend coming here for the day as the wind comes from the wind and makes it uncomfortable to hangout on the beach. Because this beach is on the pacific side, it has a strong undertow and very dangerous to swim.
Lovers Beach
This beach is located across from Medano Beach, you can either take a water taxi across, kayak or stand up paddle board. The boats have a glass bottom which is lovely, you can explore the turquoise water and see some wonderful sea life.
Divorce Beach
This beach is on the other side of lovers beach, it faces the Pacific Ocean. They don't recommend swimming here and there is no life guards onsite. The beach is accessible from lovers beach via water taxi.
Cannery Beach
This beach is a popular spot for the locals to come. It is located by the Marina.
Hikes
Cabo has plenty of places to head up a mountain for a good view of the ocean and the city. If you don't like hiking there is lots of places to go for an ATV ride of of the city, or plenty of ocean activities like snorkelling, fishing or party boats. One thing the Cabo doesn't lack is things to do. I feel like this city has every want and need when it comes to adventures.
This hike is so beautiful, I would suggest doing it at sunrise or sunset. It is just a couple minute drive up from the downtown area near a food garden. You get to see the cruise ships near the arch, the mountains in the back and the sandiness and golf courses on the pacific side. This is a must see city view hike. Would highly recommend doing It if staying near the downtown or if you have a rental car.
Car Rental
Online I found it tough to find a good car rental place with good reviews. As I was staying near downtown Cabo I needed to find one on the main strip instead of picking up from the airport in San José del Cabo. I had found really two good rental places, one at the time didn't have any cars available because of spring break but had the best reviews. I was expecting coming to Cabo to pay around $15 a day, but the average price goes for $35 and over. We wanted to explore more then the Cabo and San Jose area, that's why we chose to rent instead of take local transportation.
Recommended Car Rental:
They had cheaper deals on then anybody else. To rent a car for one week was $350cad, and $700cad for two weeks, it was cheaper to pay in pesos then American dollars by $100. I would highly recommend them if coming to Cabo, they do offer free shuttle to airport as well.
I tried getting a rental from this car rental, but they were all booked up with Spring Break. They have the best prices and reviews. I would try booking with them.
Transportation
Local Bus & Uber
Local transport is one of the important things in my travel, I find that 1st class bus prices are way to expensive to get from place to place especially in the Baja. If there was a way to buy a car in Mexico being a tourist count me, but it is not legal. We have found travelling there is always a cheaper way, from collectivo's, hitch hiking and sometimes uber (taxis are pretty expensive here in the Baja but not so much in other parts of Mexico).
We have seen that there is two different local buses that go from north of Cabo to the downtown area, and from north of Cabo to San Jose for fairly cheap.
Uber
If you have data on your phone I would highly recommend taking uber, especially from the downtown area to another place, to visit a beach or San Jose. It is about 10cad for a ride downtown from the north side of Cabo.
Local White Bus
The local white bus has different routes around Cabo, they cost about 60 pesos per ride to each destination. Would recommend it if heading to the supermarket, or a local hike.
Local Purple & Black Bus
This bus heads from south Los Cabos directly to San Jose. I haven't used it yet, but I heard it is cheaper then uber to take around 15 pesos.
National Bus
This bus station sits on the corner of highway 19 heading north of downtown area. The main company is called Aquila and heads up to Todos Santos, La Paz, Loreto, Mulege and all the way up to Tijuana. The prices are really high compared to the rest of Mexico and the bus company ADO.
Airport
Los Cabos main airport is in San Jose (SJD), which is about 30-45km depending on where your staying. There is a local shuttle that costs around $20usd and brings you to your hotel or area. The domestic and the international are disconnected, you have to walk from one to the other for connection flight.
This company is what I use to travel domestically across Mexico, and any destinations in Latin America. On Tuesdays they have always a sale on flights, the lowest price I have seen is $10cad. It has the cheapest flights, and the best service.
If travelling from Canada, West jet offered directions flights from all around for the lowest price of $150cad round trip depending on season. Westjet offers great service and great deals. The time to book is on Mon, tues and Wed for the best deals.
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