Where to stay · Cabo San Lucas · Mexico
Where to stay in Cabo San Lucas
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Marina and Downtown. Boardwalk restaurants, fishing boats and the main bar strip. Best alternatives — families: Médano Beach.
Key facts
- First visit
- Marina and Downtown
- Families
- Médano Beach
- Budget
- Marina and Downtown
- Nightlife
- Marina and Downtown
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Marina and Downtown | Boardwalk restaurants, fishing boats and the main bar strip |
| Families | Médano Beach | The town's swimmable beach, lined with resorts and beach clubs |
| Couples | El Pedregal | Hillside villas above the marina facing the Pacific |
| Budget | Marina and Downtown | Boardwalk restaurants, fishing boats and the main bar strip |
| Luxury | El Pedregal | Hillside villas above the marina facing the Pacific |
| Nightlife | Marina and Downtown | Boardwalk restaurants, fishing boats and the main bar strip |
| Food lovers | San José del Cabo Centro | Colonial plaza, galleries and restaurants in the older town |
| Solo travellers | Marina and Downtown | Boardwalk restaurants, fishing boats and the main bar strip |
| Quiet stays | El Pedregal | Hillside villas above the marina facing the Pacific |
| Beach | Médano Beach | The town's swimmable beach, lined with resorts and beach clubs |
Cabo San Lucas neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, first-timers and solo travellers
Marina and Downtown
The streets between the marina and Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas hold most of Cabo's bars, taquerías and shops, plus Plaza Amelia Wilkes and the parish church a few blocks inland. The marina boardwalk is the departure point for whale-watching, fishing and Land's End boats, so staying here keeps everything on foot.
- Good
- Walk to boats, bars and restaurants; More mid-priced hotels than the corridor; Cheap taco stands a few blocks inland
- Watch out
- Noisy late at night near the bar strip; No beach on the doorstep; Persistent timeshare and tour sellers
- Nearby
- Marina boardwalk, Plaza Amelia Wilkes, Médano Beach
$$$ · Best for beach, families, nightlife and first-timers
Médano Beach
Playa El Médano curves for about three kilometres along the Sea of Cortez side of the bay, facing El Arco. Its calm water suits swimming, paddleboarding and jet skis, and resorts and beach restaurants run the length of the sand. Downtown and the marina are a 10–20 minute walk away.
- Good
- Calm, swimmable sea in front of the hotels; Views of El Arco; Water-taxi pickups from the sand
- Watch out
- Busy with vendors and boats; Loud music from beach clubs in high season
- Nearby
- El Arco, Marina boardwalk, Downtown bars
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and quiet stays
El Pedregal
Pedregal climbs the rocky headland west of the marina, reached through a road tunnel, with private villas and a handful of luxury resorts on the Pacific beach below. Sunsets over the open ocean are the draw, but the Pacific surf here is too powerful for swimming.
- Good
- Pacific sunset views; Close to the marina yet secluded; Large villas for groups
- Watch out
- Pacific beach is unsafe for swimming; Steep streets; Very expensive
- Nearby
- Marina, Playa Solmar, Land's End
$$$$ · Best for luxury, families, couples and beach
Tourist Corridor
Highway 1 runs about 30 km between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, lined with large all-inclusive and luxury resorts, gated communities and golf courses such as Cabo del Sol, Cabo Real and Palmilla. The swimmable bays of Santa María, Chileno and Palmilla are here, though many hotels front rougher water.
- Good
- Large resort grounds and pools; Closest base to the snorkelling bays; Quiet nights
- Watch out
- Taxi or car needed for everything; Some hotel beaches are not swimmable; Little to do outside the resort
- Nearby
- Santa María Bay, Chileno Bay, Playa Palmilla, Golf courses
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, culture and quiet stays
San José del Cabo Centro
The historic centre of San José del Cabo, about 30 km northeast of Cabo San Lucas and 15 minutes from the airport, is built around Plaza Mijares and the mission church. Its Art District of galleries along Calle Obregón and Calle Morelos, small hotels and farm-to-table restaurants make it a calmer, more local-feeling base.
- Good
- Closest base to the airport; Galleries and restaurants on foot; Much quieter at night than Cabo
- Watch out
- Beaches are a drive or long walk away; 30 minutes from the Land's End boats
- Nearby
- Plaza Mijares, Art District, Estero de San José
$$$$ · Best for luxury, quiet stays and couples
Pacific side
North and west of Cabo San Lucas, developments such as Diamante and Quivira and the resorts along Playa Solmar face long Pacific beaches with big waves. The setting is dramatic and uncrowded, but rip currents make most of this coast unsuitable for swimming; pools replace the sea.
- Good
- Long empty beaches for walking; Pacific sunsets; Space and privacy
- Watch out
- Dangerous surf for swimming; Car or taxi needed into town; Breezier and cooler in winter
- Nearby
- Playa Solmar, Diamante golf, Cabo Falso
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Marina and Downtown | $$ | Marina boardwalk, Plaza Amelia Wilkes, Médano Beach |
| Médano Beach | $$$ | El Arco, Marina boardwalk, Downtown bars |
| El Pedregal | $$$$ | Marina, Playa Solmar, Land's End |
| Tourist Corridor | $$$$ | Santa María Bay, Chileno Bay, Playa Palmilla, Golf courses |
| San José del Cabo Centro | $$$ | Plaza Mijares, Art District, Estero de San José |
| Pacific side | $$$$ | Playa Solmar, Diamante golf, Cabo Falso |
Getting to your hotel
Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is just north of San José del Cabo, about 45 km from Cabo San Lucas: allow 40–50 minutes by road. Pre-booked shared shuttles and private transfers are the usual way in; arrival-hall sellers pitch timeshare presentations, so walk straight through to your pre-booked driver outside.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Cabo San Lucas for first-time visitors?
Marina and Downtown. The streets between the marina and Avenida Lázaro Cárdenas hold most of Cabo's bars, taquerías and shops, plus Plaza Amelia Wilkes and the parish church a few blocks inland.
+Where should families stay in Cabo San Lucas?
Médano Beach: Calm, swimmable sea in front of the hotels.
+Which area of Cabo San Lucas is best for a budget stay?
Marina and Downtown ($$): Boardwalk restaurants, fishing boats and the main bar strip.