The Los Cabos area at the southernmost tip of Baja California is beach-laden, resort-heavy, and home to some of the best bars and restaurants in the state. While many visitors are happy to relax at their hotel with a margarita or five, it’s also easy to escape these tourist hubs to atmospheric towns, desert oasis hot springs, and protected marine parks. All this and more are within a half to a three-hour drive.
The following day trips offer a huge variety of activities, from surfing, diving, and hiking to visiting museums and exploring cobblestone lanes bursting with architecture.
Todos Santos
Wander a Pueblo Mágico and Surf Wild Beaches
If you take only one day trip from Los Cabos, Todos Santos should be it. Designated as a Pueblo Mágico by the Mexican government, this desert oasis is tucked behind miles of white sand Pacific Coast beach and entices many visitors to stay on much longer, some even becoming expats.
Fill a half-day exploring the cobblestone streets, perusing art galleries and shops. Stop in at the Centro Cultural to admire the circa-1930s murals in the courtyard and learn about the town’s lively history through old photos and artifacts. The restaurants here are some of the best in Southern Baja, including star Mexican chef Javier Plascencia’s Jazamango for modern local cuisine with views over a desert garden.
Then hit the blustery, wave-pounded beach for endless walks or surfing (for intermediate to advanced levels only). If you’re around between December and mid-April, you can hook up with Tortugueros Las Playitas to watch sea turtle hatchlings wriggle down the beach and swim out to sea.
Todos Santos is around a one-hour drive north from Cabo San Lucas along Hwy 19.
Cabo Pulmo
Dive with Whale Sharks and Tornadoes of Fish
This tiny desert hamlet might not look like much at first, but once you put your head underwater amidst the 17,571-acre Marine Protected Area (MPA), it’s one of the most spectacular places in Baja. Over 200 species of critters inhabit the rich Cabo Pulmo Marine Park, including the famous “tornadoes” of big-eyed jacks that school like a murmuration of starlings at El Bajo dive site. Other species you might see include giant grouper, manta rays, sea turtles, and from October to February, whale sharks. The coral and anemone-covered hull of the sunken ship El Colima is another spectacular sight.
Consider a snorkeling tour or a multi-day diving course starting in swimming pools in Los Cabos and eventually bringing you to Cabo Pulmo. If you decide to stay longer, Cabo Pulmo itself is a very mellow scene with a few family-run seafood-oriented restaurants and interesting town personalities to meet.
The town and park are around a two-hour drive from Cabo San Lucas. Dive trips usually include transportation to/from your hotel.
Los Cerritos
Learn to Surf on a Boho-Vibe Beach
Whether you’ve come to Southern Baja to learn to surf or just play in the waves, Los Cerritos is the best place to do it. The beach may not be as pristine as others in the area, but the swell rolls consistently over sandy bottom, making it an easy paddle out to catch a few waves. There’s also an outer reef break for more advanced surfers. Board rental and surf instructors are available right on the beach, ensuring that you’ll be standing on a board in no time.
The waves can get crowded, and there’s a fun beach shack bar ambiance around the main entrance by the parking lot. That said, the beach is vast, making it easy to find a quiet stretch if that’s what you’re after. There’s also safe swimming for those who prefer ocean forays with less adrenaline.
This beach sits only 15 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas on the way to Todos Santos, so it’s feasible to combine both locations for one very long day trip.
Santiago & Around
Hike to Hot Springs and a Waterfall Oasis
Driving into this village nestled in a valley surrounded by desert, farmland, and low hills feels like you’ve arrived somewhere very remote – but you’re only 55km from San Jose del Cabo. Pastel homes peek out from behind palapa palms, and the pleasantly lush town centers on a colonial plaza. Much of the food served in Los Cabos restaurants is grown here.
While quiet Santiago is worth a visit, its surrounding sights are the bigger draw. After a short, dirt-road drive into the Cañón de la Zorra, you’ll reach the signposted Rancho Ecológico Sol de Mayo. From there, hike several minutes to discover a stunning 40ft waterfall pool for a refreshing dip and picnic (bring your own, as this is a remote and rustic destination). To warm up, head back south of town to the hot springs: El Chorro is near the town of Agua Caliente, and Santa Rita is located near the tiny Ejido village of San Jorge. The hot springs often feature on day trip itineraries out of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, so go early or late in the day to enjoy them in solitude.
Los Barilles
Kite Surf Thrills and Leaping Mobula Ray Viewing
The growing Los Barilles area is a blend of desert Baja backroads and Southern California-esque development. While the long white beach and laid-back vibe are reason enough to visit, it’s the 20 to 25-knot winds that really make this place famous. Windsurfers and kiteboarders flock here from September to March. This high season coincides with whale season (January to March) when whales can often be seen spouting over the whitecaps, alongside great schools of mobula rays leaping above the waves – an incredible sight worth the drive. Consider grabbing a snack for the road at Caleb’s Cafe, which offers American-style baked goods, including incredibly gooey and delicious sticky buns.
Outside the windy months, the sea is calmer and is great for stand-up paddle boarding. However, the town falls into a slumber, and many businesses close for the season. Los Barilles is about a 1.5-hour drive from Cabo San Lucas.
La Paz
Experience the Sea of Cortez Islands
If you’re tired of tourist hotspots and want to experience a more laid-back Southern Baja, the sprawling, colorful city of La Paz is the answer. Start by strolling along the 1960s-feeling, 5.5km-long malecón (promenade) to check out local sculpture art and admire the turquoise sea. Then wander inland through the old architecture of the Plaza Constitución, peruse the small but well-curated National Museum of Archaeology, and have lunch at one of the many higher-end local and international restaurants – or venture a few minutes further out of the commercial zone to Taco Fish La Paz for what might be the best fish tacos in town.
It’s worth staying in La Paz for longer than one day, especially to visit Espiritu Santo, an island that’s part of a UNESCO World Heritage site encompassing 244 Sea of Cortez Islands. You can explore the island through popular speedboat trips or multi-day sea kayaking adventures. Nearby, exceptional diving awaits, with frequent whale shark sightings from October to March and visits to a lively sea lion colony.
The city is about a two-hour drive from Cabo San Lucas via Todos Santos or just over three hours via Santiago and Los Barilles, providing a perfect opportunity for an extended trip.
