Travel Guide: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Cabo is only two hours away from Los Angeles by plane & one of our new favorite getaways. While the water isn’t as warm as it is in Cancun, it is a gorgeous place filled with nice people who speak great English. There is so much to do & while many parts of the city feel quite touristy, that comes with feeling extremely safe as well. We already can’t wait to go back to explore more!
Tip: Try using the Bundle & Save feature on Expedia when looking for hotel & flight options. We were shocked at the deals we were able to find by doing so! Most flights can be canceled within 24 hours, so if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere (check Southwest!), you have the freedom to book it.
Airport Arrival Tips
Book your shuttle in advance! We used Super Shuttle via Expedia & it was both an inexpensive and pleasant experience. We suggest booking a roundtrip airport transfer to save a bit of money and give you peace of mind.
Ignore the taxi and timeshare people at the airport. Or if you’re too nice like we are, just tell them you already have something booked and keep walking. If they still tell you to come with them, don’t!
If you’re coming from America, don’t worry about exchanging your US dollars into pesos. There wasn’t a single time when we were asked to pay in pesos over USD.
Most everyone speaks English! We were so surprised, but we still want to brush up on our Spanish for next time so we can communicate with the locals in their own language.
Where to Stay
The Cape, a Thompson Hotel
MARQUIS LOS CABOS
This gorgeous all-inclusive hotel is located about halfway between Cabo San Lucas & San Jose Del Cabo. There are a number of restaurants (including a Benihana-style concept!) & bars with a plethora of drink options. We had family staying in the Presidential Suite & it was unreal – if you can afford it, we highly recommend booking this room!
THE CAPE, A THOMPSON HOTEL
We’re suckers for Thompson Hotels (Nashville, anyone?), and The Cape is our dream destination for a future trip to Cabo. The rooftop bar offers stunning views & the entire hotel is gorgeous in terms of design. This hotel isn’t an all-inclusive like the other two on our list, but that will give you even more incentive to go off & explore the many restaurants Cabo San Lucas has to offer.
Things to Do
Luxury Sail at Cabo Adventures
WALK THE MARINA
Walking around the marina and in & out of the town is fun in itself. Streets are lined with restaurants, bars & shops to explore. Be sure to grab a churro, order a drink & have fun!
CABO ADVENTURES
Not booking a Cabo Adventures excursion was one of our biggest regrets from our most recent trip to Cabo, but it was just a bit too cold on each day we would have booked. Prices are generally per person & typically include a pick-up from and drop-off to most major hotels. We’ve heard great things about the Luxury Day Sailing with open bar, paddle boarding & snorkeling and the Whale Shark Encounter. Make sure you pay attention to the excursion duration times so that you aren’t surprised the day of.
What to Eat
Tacos Guss
Sunset Monalisa
TACOS GUSS
This taco place is awesome & we wish more places were like it! With every order, they give you chips, a trio of salsas, guacamole, and a large bowl of toppings – including shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, pickled carrots, cucumbers, onion & cilantro. When you’re looking at the restaurant from the street, you’ll see there are two buildings with tables to sit at. The one on the left is a bit rowdier & more fun. Just keep your eyes peeled for a table & snag it! If you’re a vegetarian, we suggest ordering bean & cheese tacos (frijoles y queso), and then add as many yummy toppings as you’d like. Oh & did we mention that you can get four tacos & two beers for only $12 after tip?! Tip: Sit against one of the pink walls for festive pictures!
SUNSET MONALISA
Book your reservations as far in advance as possible for this one – and ideally at sunset! The food is on the pricier side, but it’s delicious! They do a little ceremony as the sun goes down over the famous Arch, and there are singers entertaining guests throughout the night. The restaurant is multi-leveled, so feel free to walk around, explore & take pictures! Also, if you love steak, we recommend ordering it because they cook it to your liking right in front of you on a hot lava stone – how cool is that?
FLORA FARMS
We didn’t get a chance to visit Flora Farms on this past trip, but almost everyone we talked to in LA prior to heading to Cabo recommended this organic working farm. You can literally spend a whole day there – they have their restaurant, Flora’s Field Kitchen, as well as a bar, grocery store, shops, spa & wine cellar. They even host cooking & painting classes. We will 100% be signing up for this one-of-a-kind experience next time!
SKIP // THE OFFICE
This is the most touristy place we visited. We can’t speak to the food since we sat at the bar, but what we can tell you is that the margaritas are WAY overpriced (we’re talking $20 USD) & not that great. We make a better margarita at home. Regardless, the restaurant has tables right on the sand, is decorated festively & they have a small mariachi band walk through the tables, so if you want to check it off your bucket list & feel like a total tourist – go for it.
Let us know of your favorite go-to Cabo spots in the comments! We’d love to try them out the next time we’re there.