Spend a beach day on Médano Beach
Cabo San Lucas' central, high-energy Blue Flag beach, with swimmable water, restaurants, bars and views toward Land's End. Snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skiing and parasailing all happen here.
Things to Do in Cabo: 33 Ideas Across Los Cabos
33 things to do in Cabo San Lucas and Los Cabos: swimmable beaches, snorkel trips, desert tours, the Art Walk, day trips and whale season.
Updated October 2026 · Curated by the What’s In Cabo team
The top things to do in Cabo start on the water: a boat to Lovers Beach and the Arch, a swim at Médano or a snorkel at Chileno, and a sunset catamaran. Add a desert zipline, a farm-to-table dinner at Flora Farms, the Thursday Art Walk in San José from November to June, whales from December to April and a day in Todos Santos.
Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo cover a lot of ground: two seas, a desert, two very different towns and a string of beaches where only some are safe for swimming. Every idea below links to a place we profile, with the practical details on its own page.
If you only have a few days, start with these ten:
- Take a boat to Lovers Beach at Land’s End
- Spend a beach day on Médano Beach
- Snorkel from the sand at Chileno Beach
- Watch the sunset from a catamaran
- Watch for whales from Solmar Beach
- Walk the Thursday Art Walk in San José del Cabo
- Fly the ziplines at Wild Canyon
- Have a farm-to-table meal at Flora Farms
- Spend a day in Todos Santos
- Fish the marlin season
How we choose: every idea links to a place we profile on What's In Cabo. Prices, hours and times come from each profile, where tours were last checked in August 2026; season dates come from the official sources listed at the end. Updated October 2026.
Beaches
Cabo has 56 beaches in our guide, but only a handful are calm enough for an easy swim. Start with these, and check the posted flags on the day.
Take a boat to Lovers Beach at Land's End
A small beach between granite formations at Land's End, reached by water taxi from Médano Beach, glass-bottom boat from the marina, kayak or paddleboard. Swim on the Sea of Cortez side only; the Pacific-facing Divorce Beach is too dangerous for swimming.
Snorkel from the sand at Chileno Beach
A Blue Flag bay on the Tourist Corridor with calm water and easy shore access for swimming and snorkeling. Parking, showers, portable toilets and a lifeguard stand make it an easy public beach stop; arrive early for parking and shade.
On the water
Most first trips include at least one morning on a boat: snorkel trips to the Corridor bays, the Arch by kayak, a sunset sail or a first dive in the marine park.
Join a small-group snorkel trip
Cabo Trek runs guided snorkeling in groups of up to eight: the 2-hour shared trip focuses on the Cabo San Lucas Marine Park, and the 4-hour trip extends toward Santa María and Chileno bays.
Kayak and snorkel to the Arch
A guided two-hour paddle from the beach in glass-bottom tandem kayaks, with snorkeling near Pelican Rock. Gear, life jacket, refreshments and round-trip transport from eligible hotels are included.
Watch the sunset from a catamaran
A 2-hour evening sail from the Cabo San Lucas Marina that passes Pelican Rock and Lover's Beach before reaching the Arch at dusk, with an open bar the whole way. It runs Monday through Saturday, 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
Try scuba diving with no certification
A first-diver program in the Cabo San Lucas Marine Park: gear fitting, a short PADI video and shallow-water skills, then two guided boat dives to a maximum of 40 feet. No certification is required.
Take a surf lesson at Costa Azul
A lesson near San José del Cabo with two hours of coaching and water time, open to first-timers from age 6. Soft-top board, rash guard or wetsuit, bilingual instruction and tourist-zone transport are included.
Charter a private yacht
Our yacht guide compares Cabo charters by trip style, group fit and route, from sailing trips and private boats to sunset cruises and snorkeling charters.
Desert and adventure
Inland, the desert and canyons trade the ocean for ziplines, off-road trails and a camel ride down to a Pacific beach.
Fly the ziplines at Wild Canyon
Eight lines and 4.5 km (2.8 miles) of cable across a private canyon at Km 19.5 of the Tourist Corridor, including an 815-meter single line. Expect about 45 minutes of hiking between lines.
Ride an ATV through the desert
A guided ATV ride through the desert with Cabo Adventures.
Ride a camel on a Pacific beach
A 40-minute camel ride along the sand at Migriño, about 30 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas, paired with a short desert safari, a walk through Baja desert flora and a tequila tasting. The camels live at a SEMARNAT-registered wildlife conservation center.
Towns, culture and the Art Walk
San José del Cabo is the slower, older town: galleries, a historic plaza and the Thursday Art Walk. The year also brings Día de Muertos and a film festival.
Walk the Thursday Art Walk in San José del Cabo
On Thursday evenings, roughly November through June, the Gallery District in San José's historic center opens its doors with wine and music. Our San José del Cabo page maps the historic center around Plaza Mijares and where to eat after.
Celebrate Día de Muertos
Altars, marigolds, Catrinas and evening events across Los Cabos from October 31 to November 2. The public program is on November 1 and 2, with the municipal festival around Plaza Mijares in San José and the Catrin@s Parade and Mar de Ofrendas in Cabo San Lucas.
Catch the Los Cabos film festival
The Festival Internacional de Cine y Creatividad de Los Cabos brings film screenings, cultural programming and creative-industry dialogue to Los Cabos from December 9 to 13, 2026, with venues including Cinépolis San José del Cabo, Hotel El Ganzo and Plaza Mijares.
Food and drink
From street tacos to farm dinners, beach bars and MICHELIN-recognized tables, eating well is one of the easiest things to plan in Cabo.
Eat your way through Cabo's taquerías
Our Cabo San Lucas taco guide covers real taquerías such as Tacos Gardenias plus Mexican restaurants known for their tacos.
Have a farm-to-table meal at Flora Farms
A working farm of 25 organic acres in Las Ánimas Bajas, just northeast of downtown San José del Cabo, cooking with fresh-picked ingredients, wood-fired dishes and craft cocktails in an open-air setting. Guests can also browse artisan shops and catch live music.
Book a sunset dinner facing the Arch
Mediterranean cooking inspired by Baja ingredients, served on nine open-air cliffside terraces stepping down toward the Pacific, with panoramic views of the Arch at Land's End.
Dine at a MICHELIN-recognized restaurant
Our MICHELIN guide lists every MICHELIN-recognized restaurant in Los Cabos for 2026: the One Star, the Bib Gourmands and Green Stars, plus the full Recommended selection.
Spend an afternoon at a Médano beach bar
Mango Deck has been on Médano Beach since 1998, serving breakfast to dinner on the sand with a view across the bay to the Arch; afternoons bring music, hosts and contests.
Party at El Squid Roe
A three-story, open-air Cabo San Lucas Marina landmark since January 1989: a family-friendly restaurant by day and a nightclub after dark.
Golf and spa days
Los Cabos has 18 golf courses in our guide, and spa days range from a resort ritual in Pedregal to a massage on Médano Beach.
Play a round of golf
Our golf hub compares 18 Los Cabos courses by access, area and course style, so you can check guest eligibility before you plan a tee time.
Book a spa ritual in Pedregal
The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal spa builds its treatments around the phases of the moon, the sea and Mexican folk healing (curanderismo). Booked guests can use wet-area grottos with steam rooms, saunas, ice rooms and whirlpools.
Get a beachside massage on Médano
An open-air massage deck on the top floor of The Sand Bar on Médano Beach, facing the bay and the rocks of Land's End. There are no private rooms: every massage happens outdoors.
Day trips
An hour or two by road opens up Todos Santos, the Pacific surf beaches, the turquoise bays of La Paz and the reefs of Cabo Pulmo.
Spend a day in Todos Santos
The Pueblo Mágico on the Pacific, about an hour north: galleries and palm groves in town, surf at Los Cerritos and farm-to-table dinners. Playa La Cachora, in front of town, is a walking beach, not a swimming one.
Surf or watch the surf at Los Cerritos
A year-round Pacific surf beach near Todos Santos, about an hour north of Cabo San Lucas, with beach and point breaks, lessons and rentals. It is an active surf beach, not a calm cove.
Wade in the turquoise shallows of Balandra
La Paz's signature beach inside the Balandra protected area: turquoise shallow water, white sand, the El Hongo rock formation, and kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkeling when conditions allow.
Boat to Espíritu Santo's Ensenada Grande
The cove at the top of La Paz's list of most visited places on Espíritu Santo, on Isla Partida, 30 km by sea from La Paz and reachable only by boat: pangas and yachts leave from the marinas, the malecón pier and Playa El Tecolote, usually in under an hour.
Snorkel at Los Frailes in Cabo Pulmo National Park
The southern beach of Cabo Pulmo National Park, a sheltered cove where the hills cut the wind, which is why divers and snorkelers come here when the afternoon breeze picks up in the main bay; a small colony of California sea lions lives on the rocks. The last 10 km are dirt road that turns rough in the September rains.
Watch the pangas land at Punta Lobos
The working beach of Todos Santos, where the fishing cooperative launches its pangas through the surf and sea lions live on the rocks at the point. It is deep water: watch from the sand, not from the waves.
Plan by season
Some of the best things to do in Cabo depend on the month: whales in winter, the marlin run in summer and fall, and hurricane season from May to November.
Watch for whales from Solmar Beach
A wide Pacific beach running from the rocks at Land's End toward Pedregal, known for long walks, sunset light and winter whale watching from shore. It is not safe for swimming.
Join a full-day ocean safari
A small-group expedition from Cabo San Lucas to La Ventana and Isla Cerralvo by panga, looking for seasonal wildlife such as dolphins, sea lions, mobula rays, whales and orcas, with snorkeling when conditions permit. No species or interaction is guaranteed.
Fish the marlin season
Our fishing zones guide maps where boats go and which species run in each season, from marlin in summer and fall to striped marlin in winter.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Area | Budget | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watch the sunset from a catamaran | Couples · Families · First-timers · Special occasions | Cabo San Lucas marina | ||
| Join a small-group snorkel trip | Families · First-timers · Wildlife lovers | Cabo San Lucas marina | ||
| Kayak and snorkel to the Arch | Families · Active day · First-timers | Cabo San Lucas | ||
| Take a surf lesson at Costa Azul | Beginners · Families · First-timers | Costa Azul, San José del Cabo | ||
| Try scuba diving with no certification | Beginners · Adventure seekers · First-timers | Cabo San Lucas | ||
| Fly the ziplines at Wild Canyon | Adventure seekers · Families · Active day | Tourist Corridor | ||
| Ride a camel on a Pacific beach | Couples · Families · First-timers · Nature lovers | Migriño, Pacific coast | ||
| Join a full-day ocean safari | Wildlife lovers · Nature lovers · Special occasions | Departs Cabo San Lucas | ||
| Snorkel from the sand at Chileno Beach | Families · Relaxing · Swimming | Tourist Corridor | ||
| Book a spa ritual in Pedregal | Couples · Relaxation · Self-care | Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas | ||
| Ride an ATV through the desert | Active day · Adventure seekers · Families · Friends' trips | Cabo San Lucas |
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is whale-watching season in Cabo?
Mexico's federal notice for 2025–26 set the Los Cabos whale-watching season from December 15 to April 30, and whale watching is restricted within 2 km of the Arch. The 2026–27 notice had not been published as of October 14, 2026. The Los Cabos Tourism Board names gray and humpback whales, and in winter you can also watch from shore at Solmar Beach.
Can you swim at the beaches in Cabo?
Yes, at protected beaches on the Sea of Cortez side: Médano, Chileno, Santa María and Palmilla are usually swimmable. Pacific-facing beaches such as Solmar and Divorce Beach are not safe for swimming because of strong currents and shore break. Check the posted flag before you go in.
What night is the San José del Cabo Art Walk?
Thursday evenings from 5 to 9 pm, November through June, organized by the Gallery District Association around San José's historic center. The 2026–27 opening date had not been announced as of October 14, 2026; last season opened on November 6, 2025.
How do you get to the Arch and Lovers Beach?
Only by water: take a water taxi from Médano Beach, a glass-bottom boat from the marina, or go by kayak or paddleboard. The area is a federal protected area, and our Lovers Beach listing notes a CONANP entrance fee of MXN 125 per person, per day. Swim only on the Sea of Cortez side, never at Divorce Beach.
When is hurricane season in Los Cabos?
The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 to November 30, with activity peaking in late August. In Los Cabos, September is historically the month with the most tropical cyclone impacts; most of the season passes without a storm reaching the peninsula.
When can you see baby sea turtles released in Los Cabos?
Nesting runs roughly June to December, and hatchling releases are most likely from late summer into fall, especially September and October. Releases are run by turtle protection camps and happen under the supervision of each camp's staff.
Sources & recognitions: SEMARNAT · Aviso temporada 2025-2026 de observación de ballenas (DOF) · Visit Los Cabos · Whale Watching · Posta BCS · Avistamiento de ballena jorobada en Los Cabos (6-ene-2026) · artcabo.com · San José del Cabo Art Walk (Gallery District Association) · The Cabo Sun · Art Walk will return this November (27-sep-2025) · Visit Los Cabos · Turtle hatching conservation (30-oct-2024) · Posta BCS · Anidación de tortugas en BCS: los 9 campamentos (27-jul-2026) · Visit Los Cabos · Sport Fishing · Bisbee's · calendario de torneos 2026 · SCORE International · 2026 schedule (Baja 1000) · NOAA NHC · Tropical Cyclone Climatology · Zeta Tijuana · Suspenden nado con el tiburón ballena (11-feb-2025)