I Finally Went to Cabo San Lucas — 10 Things I Think Every First-Time Visitor Should Do
Thinking about a trip to Cabo San Lucas? Get ready for dramatic rock formations, teal water, and some seriously good tacos. Cabo can be as chill or as adventurous as you want it to be…whether you’re here on a cruise stop or staying for a full week.
Today, I’m sharing the best things to do in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for first-time visitors…plus a few tips I wish I’d known before I went. Let’s jump in!
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#1 Take a Boat Tour to El Arco & Land’s End
You can’t come to Cabo and skip El Arco. This is the iconic arch where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez, and seeing it from the water is one of the best introductions to Cabo.
You’ll cruise past Land’s End, Lover’s Beach, and Divorce Beach, and usually spot pelicans, sea lions, and maybe even rays. You can do a quick glass-bottom boat tour or a slightly longer scenic cruise with drinks.
And if you’re only in port for a few hours, this is one of the easiest activities to fit in—boats leave right from the marina near where cruise tenders drop you off.
#2 Relax (or Party) at Médano Beach
Médano Beach is Cabo’s main swimmable beach and home to a lot of the action. You’ll find a long stretch of sand, beach bars, vendors, and water activities like jet skis, kayaks, and parasailing.
You can post up with a lounger and drink, or get out on the water if you’re feeling more active.
Médano is just a short water taxi or cab ride from the marina, so it’s another good option for cruise ship passengers if you only have a half day in Cabo.
#3 Snorkel at Santa Maria Bay & Chileno Bay
For good snorkeling close to Cabo, Santa Maria Bay and Chileno Bay are top options. Many boat tours hit both spots in one outing.
The water here is usually calmer and clearer than right in town, with plenty of fish and some coral. Some tours are basic “boat + snorkel gear,” while others include lunch and drinks.
These tours often run in the morning or early afternoon and are generally short enough to fit most port schedules, but still check the timing before you book.
#4 Go Whale Watching (Mid-Dec to Mid-April)
If you’re visiting in winter, whale watching is a huge highlight. Whale season in Cabo typically runs from mid-December through mid-April, with the best chances being from January to March. Humpback and gray whales migrate through the area, and you can see them breaching, tail-slapping, and playing.
You can book a dedicated whale-watching tour, but honestly, one of my favorite things was just watching them from the beach in San José del Cabo. In the afternoons, we’d sit and see whales and baby whales breaching offshore. It was such a cool highlight.
#5 Go Fishing
Cabo is famous for sportfishing, especially marlin. Even if you’re not a hardcore angler, heading out on a fishing charter is a really interesting way to spend a morning on the water.
We didn’t exactly have the best luck actually catching marlin (we never do when we go for marlin), but we saw a ton of them near the surface, which was still really cool. You might spot dolphins or whales too.
This can be cruise-friendly, but look for short half-day trips that match your port time.
#6 Explore San José del Cabo (My Home Base)
If you want a calmer vibe, San José del Cabo is about 30 minutes from Cabo San Lucas and has a charming historic center with a church, main square, art galleries, and great restaurants. It feels more local and relaxed.
For this trip, I used San José del Cabo as my home base and stayed at Casa Maat at JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa. I am not a partier, so this was way more my speed. It was divine – super quiet, beautiful, wonderful staff, and honestly one of the best uses of our Marriott points in a long time.
#7 Take a Day Trip to La Paz to Snorkel With Whale Sharks (Plus a Backup Plan)
If you have time for a bigger adventure, you can do a full-day trip up to La Paz to snorkel with whale sharks. You take a boat out to where they feed and, if conditions are right, you’ll hop in the water and snorkel alongside these gentle giants. They’re huge, but they’re filter feeders, so they’re just interested in plankton…not you.
However, this is very seasonal and tightly regulated, and there’s never a guarantee you’ll see them. The day we were supposed to go, the whale sharks had moved on from the area… so instead, our tour pivoted to Isla Espíritu Santo.
We ended up snorkeling with a big sea lion colony, over a beautiful reef with tons of fish and big schools of sardines. There are lots of playful pups zooming around like underwater puppies here! And they loved playing with the string on our guide’s life preserver.
After snorkeling, we stopped at a quiet beach for lunch before heading back, and even spotted wildlife like dolphins and blue-footed boobies along the way!
Just a quick note, though: the water here is typically pretty rough, so keep that in mind if you’re not a strong swimmer. The Pacific is also quite cold, so I recommend wearing a wetsuit for these excursions. You’ll float better and be much more comfortable. Some tours provide them, or you can rent one if you don’t have your own.
#8 Go for a Desert Adventure (ATVs, UTVs, Camels)
Cabo isn’t just about the ocean; the surrounding desert is gorgeous, too. You can book ATV or UTV tours through desert trails and along the coastline, or even do camel rides if you want those classic “camel on the beach” photos.
There are also zipline and suspension-bridge tours in the nearby canyons if you prefer heights and speed over engines. It’s a fun way to break up all the boat time.
This can often be cruise ship friendly, too – many tours are designed as half-day excursions with pickup near the marina.
#9 Have a Resort or Spa Day or (Days!)
If you’re more in a “lounger and spa robe” mood, Cabo is full of beautiful resorts, and many offer day passes with pool access, loungers, and sometimes food and drinks. I like using ResortPass to find these, and I’ll link it in the description.
This can also work well for cruise ship passengers who just want a clean, comfortable base with a pool instead of bouncing around town. You can spend the day swimming, reading, and maybe sneaking in a massage…after a few busy excursion days, having a relaxing day feels incredible.
#10 Eat Your Way Through Cabo (from Tacos to Michelin Stars)
Food is a huge part of any Cabo trip. You’ll find everything from casual fish tacos and ceviche to high-end restaurants with tasting menus and ocean views.
If you’re in the mood for a special-occasion meal, I had a really memorable dinner at Cocina de Autor at Grand Velas Los Cabos. It’s a Michelin-star restaurant with a beautiful setting, fantastic staff, and creative multi-course dishes.
Even if you only have a few hours, try to plan at least one proper meal on land instead of just hustling back to the ship for lunch.
Read next: What to Pack for an All-Inclusive Resort for Both Women and Men
