Los Cabos activities by area
Los Cabos stretches from San José del Cabo along the Tourist Corridor to Cabo San Lucas, and inland into desert and the Sierra de la Laguna. Most things to do in Los Cabos fall into three groups: the towns and their history, the sea with its bays and whales, and the land behind the coast with desert tracks, mountain villages and the Pacific towns.
Many of these places are easiest with a guided tour, especially whale watching, Cabo Pulmo and the desert. Compare lengths and pickup on our page of Los Cabos excursions. The rest you can do on your own by car or the public bus along Highway 1.
San José del Cabo: mission, plaza and galleries
The historic center of the municipality.
San José del Cabo is the seat of the municipality and its historic heart. Plaza Mijares and the Palacio Municipal sit in the old center, and the gallery district lies behind the church and the main square. The Mission San José del Cabo was founded on 8 April 1730; the church you see today dates from the 20th century.
From November to June, the gallery district holds its Art Walk on Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m., and Álvaro Obregón street closes to cars. Walking the street is free; food, drinks and art cost extra. Read more on the San José del Cabo page.
Our pick: something quieter
The sunset turtle release is a calm evening outing away from the marina.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. 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.
Things to do in Los Cabos with a guide
Whale watching, desert rides, Todos Santos and Cabo Pulmo, with live prices and availability.
Corridor beaches and bays
Calmer water on some days, not every day.
The Corridor between San José and Cabo San Lucas has the bays most visitors look for. Santa María and Chileno are bays with generally calmer water, and Palmilla is sheltered too. El Chileno, Santa María, Palmilla, Acapulquito and Las Viudas carry the Blue Flag. A Blue Flag is not a swimming permit for the day: the beach flag decides. Green means suitable conditions, yellow caution, red dangerous and black a full closure. Mexican law grants free access and passage to beaches, which does not include hotel grounds or private parking. Read the beaches page before your first swim.
Whale watching in winter
Humpbacks from December to April.
Humpback whales are usually around Los Cabos from December to April, with the best chances from January to March. Boats leave mainly from Cabo San Lucas, and some tours pick up in San José. The season is set by a federal notice every year; for 2025/2026 it ran from 15 December 2025 to 30 April 2026. Gray whales are a different trip: they are watched in Bahía Magdalena, a separate watching area, not off Cabo San Lucas. Season, rules and tour types are on the whale watching page.
Desert, diving and golf
On land and under water.
Quad, UTV and camel rides
Desert tours mostly run on the Pacific side, through desert with dry stream beds. Quads, side-by-side UTVs and camel rides on the beach are separate products, often combined. Zipline parks sit in desert canyons.
Desert tours →Diving at the cape
Pelican Rock, Neptune's Finger and the underwater Sand Falls lie near Cabo San Lucas. Gordo Banks, seamounts off San José in open water, are for experienced divers only. October and November are a good window.
Diving →Golf
The region has 18 courses in play. Puerto Los Cabos near San José has 27 holes in three loops of nine, about 10 minutes from the historic center. Not every course is open to the public.
Golf →
Todos Santos, Cabo Pulmo and the East Cape
Two coasts beyond the cape.
Todos Santos and Cerritos
Todos Santos on the Pacific became a Pueblo Mágico in 2006. It lies 75 km north of Cabo San Lucas, about 1 hour by road on Highway 19. Its mission was founded as an outpost in 1723 and became an independent mission in 1733. Cerritos, about 10 minutes from town, and La Pastora are surf areas; check the flag before you swim. See Todos Santos.
Cabo Pulmo National Park
On the Gulf coast, Cabo Pulmo has been protected since 1995 and covers 7,111.01 ha. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California. The park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the fee is MXN 125 per person and day (2026). From the airport the drive takes about 2 hours, the last 30 minutes on an unpaved road. See Cabo Pulmo.
La Paz, Espíritu Santo and the Sierra
Longer days out.
La Paz, the neighboring municipality to the north, is several hours from Los Cabos. Boats to the Espíritu Santo marine national park leave from there, a crossing of about 1.5 hours; the park fee is MXN 225 per person and day (2026). Swimming at the sea lion colony of Los Islotes is closed every year from 1 June to 31 August. Whale shark trips in the bay of La Paz are a separate activity from whale watching. Inland, Santiago at km 84.5 of Highway 1 is the gateway to the Sierra de la Laguna biosphere reserve, reached on dirt roads and trails. Details on the day trips page.
Cabo San Lucas: the Arch and the marina
The southern tip has its own guide.
El Arco, Land's End and the marine life around them belong to the Cabo San Lucas protected area, with a CONANP fee of MXN 125 per person and day (2026) on top of the boat fare. For boat trips, Lover's Beach, Médano and the marina, see our guide to El Arco in Cabo San Lucas.
Things to do in Los Cabos: frequently asked questions
What is there to do in San José del Cabo?
Walk around Plaza Mijares and the mission, visit the gallery district and, from November to June, join the Art Walk on Thursday evenings. Puerto Los Cabos marina lies a few minutes from the center.
Which Los Cabos beaches have calmer water?
Santa María and Chileno on the Corridor are generally calmer, and Palmilla is sheltered. Conditions still change, so follow the beach flag on the day.
Can I see gray whales from Los Cabos?
Gray whale watching takes place in Bahía Magdalena, a separate watching area. Boats from Cabo San Lucas mainly look for humpbacks.
Is Cabo Pulmo worth a day trip?
If you want to snorkel on a protected reef, yes, but plan a full day. It is 98.1 km from San José, the last stretch unpaved, and snorkeling is done with an authorized guide.
How far is Todos Santos?
Todos Santos is 75 km north of Cabo San Lucas, about 1 hour by road. From San José or the Corridor it takes longer.