Day trips · Cabo San Lucas · Mexico
4 best day trips from Cabo San Lucas
Where to go when you want a day away from Cabo San Lucas, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Cabo San Lucas is San José del Cabo (About 30–40 minutes by road). The closest option is San José del Cabo, about 32 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 4
- Closest
- San José del Cabo (32 km)
- Most popular
- San José del Cabo
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San José del Cabo | 32 km | About 30–40 minutes by road | Bus, taxi or car along Highway 1 | Couples, Culture, Food lovers |
| Todos Santos and Cerritos | 75 km | About 1 hour by car | Car, tour or bus via Highway 19 | Culture, Couples, Beach |
| Cabo Pulmo National Park | 130 km | About 2–2.5 hours by car | Car or organised tour via the East Cape | Quiet stays, Beach |
| La Paz and Espíritu Santo | 160 km | About 2–2.5 hours by car | Car, bus or organised tour via Highway 19 | Families, Beach, Culture |
The day trips
32 km · About 30–40 minutes by road
1.San José del Cabo
The older of the two Los Cabos towns has a shaded plaza, the mission church and an Art District of galleries, plus the estuary birding reserve at the edge of the hotel zone. It makes an easy half-day or evening out, ideally combined with a stop at a corridor beach on the way.
- Getting there
- Bus, taxi or car along Highway 1
- Best for
- Couples, Culture, Food lovers
75 km · About 1 hour by car
2.Todos Santos and Cerritos
Todos Santos is a Pueblo Mágico on the Pacific side with adobe buildings, galleries, the mission church and the much-photographed Hotel California. On the way, Playa Cerritos is a surf beach with board rental and lessons for beginners. Between December and March, sea turtle hatchling releases are run by local conservation groups.
- Getting there
- Car, tour or bus via Highway 19
- Best for
- Culture, Couples, Beach
130 km · About 2–2.5 hours by car
3.Cabo Pulmo National Park
A marine park on the East Cape protecting one of the few living hard-coral reefs in the Sea of Cortez, where fish populations recovered dramatically after fishing was banned. Snorkelling and dive trips with village operators see large schools of jacks, groupers and rays.
- Getting there
- Car or organised tour via the East Cape
- Best for
- Quiet stays, Beach
160 km · About 2–2.5 hours by car
4.La Paz and Espíritu Santo
The state capital has a long malecón and is the base for boat trips to Espíritu Santo island, where you can snorkel with a sea lion colony at Los Islotes. In season, licensed operators run whale shark trips in the bay. It is a long day; an overnight stay makes it easier.
- Getting there
- Car, bus or organised tour via Highway 19
- Best for
- Families, Beach, Culture
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Have small peso coins or notes; drivers rarely change large notes.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Cabo San Lucas?
San José del Cabo. The older of the two Los Cabos towns has a shaded plaza, the mission church and an Art District of galleries, plus the estuary birding reserve at the edge of the hotel zone.
+How long does it take to get from Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo?
About 30–40 minutes by road — Bus, taxi or car along Highway 1, about 32 km.
+How long does it take to get from Cabo San Lucas to Todos Santos and Cerritos?
About 1 hour by car — Car, tour or bus via Highway 19, about 75 km.