Day trips from Los Cabos at a glance
Los Cabos sits at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, with the Pacific on one side and the Gulf of California on the other. Its northern neighbor is the municipality of La Paz. Almost every day trip from San José del Cabo or the Tourist Corridor therefore means a long drive north, and some, like Espíritu Santo, add a boat ride on top.
Two trips are close enough to have their own pages and guided tours with pickup: Todos Santos tours on the Pacific side and Cabo Pulmo snorkeling trips on the Gulf coast. This page covers the longer trips beyond them.
Los Cabos day trips compared
Distances and times are rough guides. Your start point in Los Cabos changes them a lot.
| Trip | Getting there | Fee (2026) | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz and the Malecón | Several hours by road | – | – |
| Isla Espíritu Santo | Road to La Paz, then about 1.5 hours by boat | MXN 225 per day | Los Islotes water activities closed 1 June to 31 August |
| Whale sharks in the Bay of La Paz | Road to La Paz, then by boat | – | Expected mid-November to mid-April, subject to permits |
| Santiago and the Sierra de la Laguna | Highway 1 to km 84.5, then unpaved tracks | MXN 125 | – |
| Todos Santos | About 1 hour from Cabo San Lucas | – | – |
| Cabo Pulmo | 98.1 km from San José del Cabo | MXN 125 per day | Weather permitting |
For most visitors with only one free day, Todos Santos or Cabo Pulmo are the easier choice, as both run as guided day tours from Los Cabos. La Paz and Espíritu Santo make more sense with an early start, or with a night in La Paz.
Our picks: day trips
Land's End is the practical half day, Todos Santos the longer trip out of town, and the combo is for a full day on land.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator and GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Todos Santos with a camel ranch, tequila and lunch
- Return transport
- Buffet lunch
- Tequila tasting
A six-hour day with a bilingual guide, a Mexican buffet lunch and a tequila tasting. The ranch stop does not promise a camel ride.
Check availability →
ATV, camel ride and buffet in one day
- Single ATV ride
- Beach camel ride
- Buffet and tequila
Five hours that combine a single ATV desert ride, a camel ride on the beach and an unlimited Mexican buffet.
Check availability →
Land's End, the Arch and beaches with marine life
- Hotel pickup
- Arch and beaches
- Marine life
A four-hour outing to the tip of the peninsula with pickup at your hotel, a practical half day from wherever you stay.
Check availability →Day tours from Los Cabos
Guided trips to Todos Santos and Cabo Pulmo with transport from Los Cabos, plus whale and desert tours closer to the coast.
La Paz on the Gulf of California
La Paz is several hours north of Los Cabos by road. Its Malecón, the seafront promenade, runs along the Gulf of California. There is no exact drive time that fits every start point, so plan your day from where you are staying: from San José del Cabo the trip is different from one starting in Cabo San Lucas.
La Paz is also the starting point for boats to Isla Espíritu Santo and for whale shark trips in the bay. A road transfer from Los Cabos does not include the boat crossing, so check what a trip covers before you book it.
Ferries from the La Paz port of Pichilingue go to the Mexican mainland, to Topolobampo and Mazatlán. They are not a way to reach the islands, and there is no such ferry from Los Cabos.
Isla Espíritu Santo and the sea lions of Los Islotes
The islands of Espíritu Santo lie off La Paz. The protected area is formally the Parque Nacional Zona marina del Archipiélago de Espíritu Santo, declared on 10 May 2007, and it covers 48,654.83 ha of sea around the islands. From La Paz the crossing is roughly 30 km, about 1.5 hours, depending on the boat, the departure point and the weather.
Park fee for Espíritu Santo
The park fee is MXN 225 per person per day as of 2026. Children under 12, older visitors, pensioners and people with disabilities are exempt with proof. Students and teachers get 75 percent off, Mexican visitors and foreign residents with valid proof 50 percent. Boat and guide costs are separate.
Swimming with sea lions at Los Islotes
Los Islotes in the archipelago is where boats go for sea lions. Swimming, snorkeling and diving there stop every year from 1 June to 31 August to protect breeding and young animals. A boat trip to the islands is not a promise that you can swim with sea lions, and no trip can promise how close they come.
Whale sharks in La Paz
Whale sharks are fish, not whales. Trips to see them take place in the Bay of La Paz, which is a different outing from whale watching off Los Cabos and from the sea lions at Los Islotes. For the 2026/2027 season, mid-November to mid-April is expected, subject to permits from the environment ministry. Ask your operator about the current rules for the season.
If you mainly want to see humpback whales, you do not need to go to La Paz: see our page on whale watching in Los Cabos.
The East Cape and Santiago
The East Cape is the Gulf coast beyond San José del Cabo, the stretch you cross on the way to Cabo Pulmo via Las Cuevas and La Ribera. Parts of the coastal road are unpaved, and the southern coastal track is not always passable with every rental car. Check the road before you set out.
Santiago and the Sierra de la Laguna
Inland, Santiago is the gateway to the core zone of the Sierra de la Laguna biosphere reserve. Access starts at km 84.5 of the Transpeninsular highway and continues on unpaved roads and hiking trails, and not all of them are well marked. The reserve fee is MXN 125, and visits are arranged with approved local providers. A private ranch or waterfall entrance is a separate matter.
Miraflores, another inland community of Los Cabos, grew up around the farmland of the old Santiago mission.
Planning a Los Cabos day trip
- Start early: La Paz and Espíritu Santo take most of the day, and the boat ride comes on top of the drive.
- Check what is included: a road transfer, the boat crossing and the park fee are three separate costs.
- Mind the seasons: Los Islotes water activities pause from June to August; whale sharks depend on the season and permits.
- Car rental: ask about unpaved roads before you take a rental car to the East Cape. Our SJD airport and car rental guide has the basics.
- Boat trips at the tip: for the Arch and Land's End, see boat tours in Cabo San Lucas.
Day trips from Los Cabos: FAQ
Can you do La Paz as a day trip from Los Cabos?
Yes, but La Paz is several hours away by road. Start early, or stay a night if you also want to visit Espíritu Santo by boat.
When can you swim with sea lions at Los Islotes?
Outside the annual closure from 1 June to 31 August. Even then, conditions and the animals decide how a swim goes.
How much is the Espíritu Santo fee?
MXN 225 per person per day as of 2026, with exemptions for children under 12 and some other groups. Boat and guide costs are extra.
When is whale shark season in La Paz?
For 2026/2027 mid-November to mid-April is expected, subject to permits. Confirm with your operator before you plan around it.
Which day trip is easiest from San José del Cabo?
Cabo Pulmo on the Gulf coast and Todos Santos on the Pacific side, as both have guided day tours with transport from Los Cabos.