Nov 23–Jan 24 – Two Months Exploring Los Cabo$

Is it possible to visit the Baja Peninsula without talking about Los Cabos? At the southern tip of the peninsula are the two touristy beach towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, known collectively as “Los Cabos” and separated by about 20 miles of coastline, scattered beaches, and an ever-growing collection of hotels and condos. As we laid out our travel plans for the peninsula, we knew that we would spend some time in these towns. As we refined our plans, we decided that a 2-month stay around the end of the year would work well for us. We wanted to have some health checkups done and we also wanted to shop our health insurance plan, possibly requiring note(s) from doctors. By arriving in Los Cabos in mid-November, we felt that we’d be able to get these items done without feeling rushed, and also have plenty of time to explore the local area.

To allow enough time for our health checks before the Christmas holidays, we really didn’t have time to sightsee on our way south from San Felipe. We broke the 800-mile drive into three days, with 4 ½ hours on Day 1, 5 ½ hours on Day 2, and 7 hours on Day 3. All three days were on 2-lane blacktop with very small shoulders, light traffic, and no real issues. Day 1 was primarily desert – dirt, sand, and relatively flat. Our first stop was in Guerrero Negro, a small salt mining and fishing town on the Pacific side of the peninsula. We stayed at a nice hacienda-style hotel with a restaurant and took a quick drive through town in the morning. There are many whale-watching tours operating from Guerrero Negro, but other than that, we didn’t really find much for sightseeing. Our Day 2 drive had a bit more terrain, including some interesting palm-covered valleys near San Ignacio, rugged mountains and seaside views near Santa Rosalia, and a beautiful drive along the Bay of Conception. Our second overnight was in the town of Loreto, on the Sea of Cortez. Our short visit there was nice, and we are now planning a 3-week stop on our drive back north. Our Day 3 drive started along the coast, then over mountains, but overall had less hills and more desert than Day 2, followed by a bit of farmland as we drove south, through La Paz, and into Cabo San Lucas.

Mission in San Jose del Cabo

Our original plan was to spend one month in Cabo San Lucas and a second month in San Jose del Cabo. The two towns are only about 20 miles apart, but they have a significantly different look and feel. Cabo San Lucas is focused on hotels, resorts, beaches, cruise ships, and fishing. Cultural locations are limited and we didn’t find any touristed “old-town” or classic “centro” in the area. San Jose del Cabo, on the other hand, has retained and revitalized its central plaza. The plaza is next to one of the rebuilt California missions, is surrounded by modern restaurants and art galleries, and hosts a weekly Thursday-evening art walk. There are also plenty of hotels and beaches nearby, but the overall atmosphere is laid-back and low-key, rather than the party- and events-atmosphere of Cabo San Lucas. Possibly due to the more traditional feel in San Jose del Cabo, we were unable to find a condo that we liked. In short, the majority of the options were smaller studio units, which don’t suit our type of travel very well.

Instead, we found two separate condos available in Cabo San Lucas to fit our date range – one from mid-November to mid-December, and another for our second month through mid-January. We were also fortunate that both condos were in the same complex, though with different builders and property managers. It was still a chore to pack up and move out, then back into another unit, but it was nice that we didn’t have to learn a new neighborhood, local shops and restaurants, etc. The condo community (“Coromuel”), was in a good location for us – we could walk 15 minutes in one direction to reach Medano beach, or 15-20 minutes in a different direction to go into the main tourist district and marina of Cabo San Lucas. Both condos were ground-floor units, had a single king-sized bed, decent kitchen, a nice sitting area with a couch and TV, and pools that we didn’t use because of the lower temps. We were very surprised to find slow wifi in both units. In the first, it was only 3-4 Mbps, and difficult to stream TV programs. We contacted our host, who worked with the local provider, and confirmed that it was the best they could do until fiber was installed in the area. Our second unit improved to 7-8 Mbps and provided more consistent streaming, but was still often a challenge. Although our condos were only 100 yards apart, and very similar inside, we did not care for the first condo, and really enjoyed the second condo. The first had heavy drapes, so was often dark inside. We had windows, but no good way to create a breeze through the space. The bathroom tiles were worn and the place was overall a bit worn out. There was also a noisy metal gate outside that would wake us up when neighbors would come home late at night. By contrast, the second condo had a light and airy feel, and the fixtures and furnishings were better maintained. There was also a nearby gate, but it didn’t close with a loud ‘clang’ like the first one. Our hosts for the second unit were also very nice, providing a welcoming gift, a toy for Gunner, and later brought Christmas treats. Our takeaway is that two very similar units close to each other can be constructed, maintained, and managed in very different ways.

Neither condo had a washer or dryer, but there was a very good laundry service in the condo complex. We paid 120 pesos ($7 USD) to wash and dry each load, typically 2 loads every 2 weeks. There was also a small grocery store next door to the laundromat, though we only went there to buy a new 20-liter bottle of water every 5 days or so. For groceries, we included a stop for fresh fruit at the local Chedraui or Walmart every 4-5 days on our walks into town. For other staples, like our breakfast cereal or dog food, we shopped at a nice Costco that was about 10 minutes from our condo. The Costco also had a gas station, so I could use our credit card to fill up our tank, getting my receipt electronically through the WhatsApp app.

Gunner on Playa Costa Azul

Weather-wise, our objective to chase 70-degree weather worked really well. Temperatures were in the high-70s when we arrived, cooling to low-70s in January. Nights and mornings also cooled considerably, and we started wearing long-sleeve shirts or a light jacket when we took Gunner for his morning walk. Overall, Gunner seemed quite comfortable in our condos. We used the air conditioner more in the first unit (due to slightly higher temps and poorer air circulation), and rarely used the air conditioner in the second. He also seemed comfortable on our trips to the beach, as long as we had our umbrella to shade him from the direct sun.

Food-wise, it seemed feasible to find any type of restaurant at any price-point in Cabo San Lucas. We often ate at traditional Mexican spots, either taquerias or family-style restaurants. Costs were typically higher than other destinations in Mexico, ranging from 350 pesos ($20 USD) at the taquerias to 600 pesos ($35 USD) at restaurants, including drinks and tip. Favorite taco spots included El Paisa and La Taquiza, and favorite restaurants included Las Guacamayas and La Guadalupana. We also stopped at some US-style breweries and bars, such as the San Jose del Cabo-based Baja Brewing, the Mexicali-based Fauna taproom, and District MX. Our costs rose to 750-800 pesos ($44-$47 USD) at these spots, partly for the food, but also for the 120-150 peso craft beers ($7-$9 USD). However, I will say that Fauna makes one of our favorite Baja beers – Nox Arcana imperial stout – and a really good smashburger! We also managed to find a reliable nearby pizza spot, two reasonable Indian restaurants, and a highly-recommended-on-Google but less-than-stellar BBQ joint. Last, we celebrated with a few budget-stretchers, including Thanksgiving dinner at the Roadhouse (1,100 pesos/$64 USD), Trevor’s birthday at the Cabo Wabo cantina (1,500 pesos/$87), and a great Christmas buffet at the Hilton hotel ($85 USD each + drinks). We really enjoyed the holiday buffet, with a tremendous selection of entrees, sides, and desserts, and we would go there again, but likely not for their standard menu at also-inflated prices.

Guadalupana - mole and posole

Guss Tacos - tacos and alambre

You may have noticed that my final restaurant was only priced in US dollars – this was one surprise that we had not seen anywhere else on our Mexican travels. Some of the restaurants, tours, and souvenir shops (especially tequila shops) did not provide prices in pesos, only in dollars. We saw many ATMs in Cabo San Lucas dispensing dollars, but we did not immediately realize the full benefit of using them. For example, when booking a whale watching tour, we were quoted $35 USD. Because we only carry pesos, the vendor converted at the close-to-market rate of 17:1, and accepted my payment that way. We found some of our favorite tequilas in a shop in San Jose del Cabo, priced in US dollars. But because I wanted to use a credit card for payment, the vendor used a conversion rate of 20:1, saying that they needed to use a higher rate to cover their fees. As a result, we paid an extra 15%. And in the Happy Endings dive bar, menu prices were in US dollars, with a prominently posted sign for a conversion rate of 20:1. So, while it seemed like some purchases were cheaper and simpler if paid in dollars, I think that if we were to return to Los Cabos, I would likely continue to use pesos. Mainly for the ease of carrying only one currency, and also because most places will perform the conversion at a fair rate (the tequila shop would have used 17:1 if I had brought cash instead of wanting to use a credit card).

With all of that talk about US dollars, you can guess what the prevalence of expats is like. Both of the Cabos are highly-touristed, with lots of Americans, Canadians, and international visitors and residents. Most of the locals speak some English, and it was very easy to get around, read signs, discuss tours, etc. The locals know how important tourism is to their economy and were very welcoming, even referring to Cabo or the Baja Peninsula as “South California”. For anyone on the fence about visiting Mexico, we would say that Los Cabos is probably the easiest place you could start. Actually, San Jose del Cabo would probably be the easiest of the two. It’s close to the airport, so no complicated transfers required, and the town is smaller and much more walkable.

Field trips: The most popular excursions in Cabo San Lucas involve boats and we took three boat trips during our time there. It’s easy to find these trips – once you get to the marina, there are booths and buskers everywhere asking if you want to go on a tour. One of the most frustrating parts of these trips is that the posted price is never the price. Instead, head-scratching, negotiating, and heading to the next vendor are needed to bring the price down. Some offer discounts if you take a timeshare tour, but we immediately declined that option whenever offered. It can also be concerning that the vendors often appear to be independent contractors, rather than affiliated with a larger company. We were asked to put down a deposit and were given a receipt, but were worried that it might not be honored when we showed up for the trip. However, our concerns were really just that.

For our first trip, we decided to take a tour of the southernmost point and peninsula (the

Boat ride by the Cabo Arch

Snorkeling at Pelican Rock

“Arch Tour”), combined with a snorkel trip. In the days leading up to our tour, we wandered down to the marina, figuring that we would need to get some information and pick a vendor. Entering the marina, the posted price was $30 USD per person. The boat captains nearby started offering a bit less, but we decided to walk further around the marina. At the far end, the posted price had fallen all the way down to $10 USD! However, we had walked a long way (longer than we wanted to walk for our actual boat tour) and there was no public parking nearby. Instead, we ended up booking at a booth next to a good parking lot for $15 USD each, 50% down, 50% at the tour. We returned the next morning and soon boarded our panga boat with another family. We got a tour of the rocky formations at the end of the Baja Peninsula, in an area known as Lands End. Many of the formations have been named, including Pelican Rock, Scooby Doo Rock, and the Cabo Arch. We got a good tour of the formations, as well as some views of nearby beaches and even some sea lions. After the tour, our boat captain dropped us at Pelican’s Rock to snorkel, with a promise that he would return in a couple of hours. The duration was really up to us – it’s possible to stay all day, swimming and laying on the beach. The water was very clear and was some of the best snorkeling that we found in Los Cabos. We felt that two hours was enough time for us to snorkel and relax, and our boat returned precisely at the 2-hour mark for our quick trip back to the marina. If we did a repeat trip and wanted to stay longer, we would bring some drinks and snacks because vendors are limited, mostly just renting umbrellas and chairs.

For our second outing, we booked a whale watching tour at one of the booths that we had talked to previously. For that tour, we decided to take a larger catamaran with a professional tour company (Cabo Escape Tours), complete with a breakfast buffet, free drinks, and a bit of entertainment during the ride. That tour cost $60 USD per person, again with a deposit paid at booking and the balance paid at the tour. We had a bit of a scare at check-in, as the tour employee said our reservation had been cancelled. But a quick phone call to our tour vendor (I had all of his contact information, and we had been confirming details through the WhatsApp app) was enough to straighten everything out, and we were on our way. Breakfast was served immediately, and was shut down just as quickly, so the lesson here is to arrive hungry and eat quickly. The drinks were decent, but Sandy and I both thought the alcohol was watered-down. The tour itself was very good – we followed numerous whales swimming by Cabo and later found a few pods of whales breaching. We felt that we got our money’s worth, but if we were to do another whale tour, we would go on a smaller boat with less people. The larger boat seemed to have a harder time getting to, and staying with, the whales. And it was often hard to clearly see the action in the water as people moved from rail to rail on the large catamaran to get a good view. So, our final recommendation – take the $60 USD Cabo Escapes tour for a good family entertainment and breakfast option, but opt for a smaller panga tour (should be $35-$45), for a better whale watching experience. We also heard really good reviews of the tours using inflatable Zodiac boats, and I’m pretty sure those cost around $80 USD per person.

Pacific Ocean / Divorced Beach

For our final boat tour, Sandy and I just wanted to have a ride (“water taxi”) over to Lovers

Beach, near the Cabo Arch. We had heard from others, and online, that the cost should be about $8-$10 USD, round-trip, per person. So, we just walked from our condo to the beach and started talking to the vendors on the beach. The first vendor wanted 400 pesos ($24 USD) per person. We talked for a bit, and he wouldn’t go lower than 300 pesos each. As we headed down the beach towards the marina, we quickly found another vendor willing to take us for 200 pesos ($12 USD) each. Rather than continue to push our luck, we decided to take this offer and were quickly put on a boat to the beach. Again, there was a discussion with the captain and an agreed-upon time for him to return. Lovers Beach is very small, surrounded by interesting rock formations, and with a nice view back to Cabo San Lucas. There is a short walk between some formations to the much-larger Divorced Beach where Sandy and I found a shaded spot with a nice view of the Pacific Ocean. We hoped to see some whales breaching, and though Sandy saw one a long ways out, we mainly just watched tour boats and fishing boats cruise back and forth. After a bit of wandering around and relaxing, we went back to Lovers Beach, and were again picked up at our exact agreed-upon time. We’re not sure if it's true of all boats, but our experience was that the captains are very punctual and professional.

And before you ask, no, we didn’t take any fishing tours. They are very popular in Cabo San Lucas, and we saw lots of Facebook posts of people catching very large and colorful fish. But neither of us had a huge desire to go fishing, and we don’t cook enough to make use of such a large catch.

Snorkeling and beach visits - in addition to our snorkel and beach trips by boat, we also visited a number of beaches between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. All were popular with locals and expats. Here are our thoughts:

• Medano - This was our destination when walking Gunner every morning. The beach is right in Cabo San Lucas, with easy public access through the Club Cascada hotel. Once you get close to the beach, the public access goes behind and around the Tabasco Beach Club, which admittedly felt a bit intrusive. When we wanted to bring chairs, snacks, etc. to stay at Medano beach, we drove to a parking lot and paid 40 pesos to park all day. Dogs were welcome, at least in the central section, and there were signs prohibiting dogs in front of the adjacent hotels and beach clubs. Medano Beach is quite busy and provides a great opportunity to watch tourists and boat activity around the marina It is also a launching point for small-boat tours, there are some roped swimming areas, but no real snorkeling spots.

• Santa Maria - About 7 miles east of Cabo San Lucas, newer developments have improved the parking lot, constructed restroom facilities, and provided nice boardwalk access to this beach. The sand here is very coarse, almost pebbly, and unfortunately the best snorkeling is at the far end of the beach, so you need to mush through the pebbles to reach the best spots. We had good snorkeling here on our first visit, but thought it was too windy and cool to get in the water on our second visit. A few snorkel tours came to this spot both times that we were here. Dogs are not allowed.

• Chileno - About 8 miles east of Cabo San Lucas, the entry point is similar to Santa Maria, with a parking lot, restrooms, and 1/4-mile boardwalk to the beach. It's about a 1/4 mile walk, but worth it, to reach a coarse-sand beach with some nice rocks to see fish while snorkeling. A few of the snorkel tours use this beach as their destination. The water was cloudy on our first visit, but was much nicer on our return visit. Dogs are not allowed.

• Boca del Tule - About 9 miles east of Cabo San Lucas, this beach is where a dry-wash drainage meets the ocean. The parking lot is dirt, there are no real facilities, and this was one of the most peaceful beaches that we found. There is designated parking about 100 yards from the actual beachfront, which is slightly coarse sand. Past the beachfront, the entry to the ocean is quite steep. We did not do any swimming or snorkeling here, but some people seemed to be having a good time. Dogs are welcome at Boca del Tule, and we visited twice with Gunner.

• Palmilla - Almost 15 miles from Cabo San Lucas, this very nice and very popular beach sits between a golf-course community and the ocean. Developers provider easy paved access ending at an unkempt dirt lot, followed by a short walk to a very light, fine sand beach. There are some good rocks for snorkeling, right by the beach on the east side. The beach was filled with a mix of sunbathers and local picnickers. If you've been to Mexico, you may know what I mean - locals often picnic on the beach in jeans and tennis shoes. Other than sitting side-by-side with strangers on a very crowded beach, this was one of the best spots that we visited. Dogs are not allowed at Palmilla.

• Acapulquito - About 16 miles east of Cabo San Lucas, access to this beach is easy to miss. Recent development projects have left a small lot, currently surrounded by temporary fencing, leading to a stone walkway to the beach. This beach is popular with surfers, and a surf school operates from a small beach hotel here. We went here to see the small San Jose arch rock formation and spent little time on the actual beach. Dogs are not permitted.

• Costa Azul - Almost 17 miles east of Cabo San Lucas, Costa Azul is the first beach that would be considered part of San Jose del Cabo. Access is from a short, steep, sudden offramp - if you miss it, you'll need to head into San Jose del Cabo to turn around and try again. At the bottom of the offramp is a dry wash, similar to Boca del Tule, then a dirt parking lot, but closer to the ocean. The sand beach is laid back and has no facilities. Entry to the water was a bit steep, but not as steep as Boca del Tule, and there didn't seem to be any really good places to snorkel. Dogs are welcome at Costa Azul, and we came here once with Gunner.

• Las Torres - Located on the east end of San Jose del Cabo, this was one of the first beaches that we visited. There is no public parking lot, but we were able to find free street parking close to the beach access point. Following a 1/3-mile walk down a paved walkway, we reached a wide-open stretch of sand with very few people. Most of the visitors were walking from the nearby condos, but it felt like we had the area to ourselves. There didn't seem to be any good snorkeling spots here, but it was a quiet place to watch the ocean. Dogs are welcome, and we brought Gunner with us. Based on the lack of good parking and the long walk, we opted for other beaches later in our trip.

Plaza in Todos Santos

Sandy and I (and sometimes Gunner) also took some tours to the nearby towns of Todos Santos, Santiago, and Los Barriles. Todos Santos is on the Pacific coast, about 1 hour north of Cabo San Lucas. It’s a small town with another California mission, next to a revitalized central plaza and a nearby arts district. The town was very walkable and clean, and it’s clear that Todos Santos has built its modern economy on tourists visiting from Los Cabos. We had lunch at the local brewery but were not impressed with any of the wide selection of beers, or the food. The town of Todos Santos sits back from the ocean, but we did find a way to access the beach after lunch. The waves from the Pacific Ocean were quite large, and it’s not recommended to get in the water due to the strong undertow. Overall, we found Todos Santos an interesting spot for a day trip, but did not feel we needed to include any additional time here on our travels back north.

Sol del Mayo waterfall

On our trip to Santiago, we first drove through the town to visit another California mission. As with the other missions we’ve seen on this trip, it’s been restored, but without the gold and opulence found in the larger Catholic churches in mainland Mexico. After visiting the mission, we drove another hour into the countryside to see the very popular Sol del Mayo waterfall at a local rancho. We paid 150 pesos ($9 USD) each to access the area for our hike to the waterfall. The cost seemed a bit steep, but it’s private land, we haven’t seen any waterfalls in Baja, and we wanted to see what all the hype was about. The half-mile hike was nice, and the trail was well-maintained. The views were good, but the waterfall was not very impressive and the area was very crowded during our midday trip. It was a nice change of pace, but I would not say it’s a “must-do” for someone with limited time in Los Cabos.

Kite-surfers in Los Barriles

Our final field trip was to the town of Los Barriles, about 1 ½ hours northeast of Cabo San Lucas, on the coast of the Sea of Cortez. We had originally just planned to relax with Gunner on the beach, but the winds were very strong on the day of our trip. We later learned that its often windy in Los Barriles during the winter months and many people kite-surf there. We had a nice time watching the kite-surfers for over an hour before having lunch at the Lazy Daze Beach Bar, where we found reasonable bar food at surprisingly reasonable beach-bar prices. With easy beach access, we could see staying here for a few days, but the town is very small and the dining options are limited. Instead, we would like to visit Cabo Pulmo for a few nights. It’s an even smaller town, with even fewer spots to eat, but sits next to a National Marine Park, with great opportunities to snorkel and see marine life. We only learned about the park late in our trip to Cabo, so that visit will have to wait.

Back to the beginning of our time in Cabo – I mentioned that we planned our arrival to allow time for some medical checkups prior to the holidays. First, Sandy unexpectedly lost a crown towards the end of our time in San Felipe. She has had one replaced in San Miguel de Allende (different tooth), so we’re somewhat familiar with dental repairs in Mexico. Using Facebook and Google, I found a few options for dental work in Los Cabos, before we settled on Advanced Cabo Dentistry in San Jose del Cabo. Sandy was able to schedule the work over a series of visits (3 visits total required for removal, scanning, fitting, and installation) at a total price of $550 USD. Not the cheapest crown, as the crown in San Miguel was only $350, but still cheaper than anywhere in the US. Sandy is generally happy with the work – the crown seems solid, but there is a small gap to the adjacent tooth, so now food gets caught there sometimes.

Sandy and I also scheduled annual physicals for the end of November. We found a package deal at the H+ hospital in San Jose del Cabo, which included lab work, x-rays, EKGs, abdominal ultrasounds, pelvic ultrasounds, and a meeting with a doctor to review our results. The package deal for men was 6,300 pesos ($370 USD), and for women was 9,400 pesos ($550) because of the additional standard female health exams. Both of us received clean bills of health, including Sandy’s cardio exam. Two years ago, she had slightly elevated blood pressure and was taking medication, but has been off the medication for about 10 months. Because of that medication, our health insurance company had written an exemption into our policy that we’re hoping to have removed. Also, Trevor turned 50 this year, so it’s time for a colonoscopy. I’ll spare everyone the details, seems like no one wants to talk about it? But if you do, shoot me a message.

With the physicals completed, we approached our current health insurance company about lifting Sandy’s cardio exemption. We thought it would be an easy process, but they asked for follow up information, then for a doctor’s report, and then for an appointment with another cardiologist. We had been happy with our insurance provider, and especially with the broker who had sold us the policy, but we had been looking at new insurance providers on a parallel path. Ultimately, we decided to switch to a new broker and insurer to avoid the extra doctor visits (we were pretty worn out after our first two weeks in Cabo focused on medical items), plus the new policy would save us about $800 per year and would not have any medical exclusions.

Ok, now to summarize our basic living costs in Los Cabos (which I wrote at the beginning as Los Cabo$) – comparatively very expensive within Mexico. Condo costs were very high, approximately $2,500 per month, or about $90 per day. This is 2-3x our normal lodging costs, but we accepted it based on our desire to visit Los Cabos, knowing that it would be an expensive destination. Also, we reminded ourselves that many visitors were paying that much for 1 week in a hotel, so maybe it’s not so bad….

Restaurant costs were also above our historical average. Some of this was attributable to the holiday/birthday meals, but in general, meals that we would expect to cost 400-500 pesos ($24-$29 USD) were typically 20% higher - our typical restaurant bill with drinks and tip was around 600 pesos ($35 USD). And for anyone considering a visit to Los Cabos, it’s definitely possible to find higher-end restaurants, with price-points of $50 USD per person (or more), excluding drinks! Grocery prices (fruit, vegetables, cereal, milk, alcohol) were average for Mexico, so our eat-at-home costs were in line with our budget for other destinations.

We spent about $100 USD per month on gasoline at a reasonable Costco gas price of 22-23 pesos per liter (around $5 USD per gallon). Many of our early travels were back-and-forth from Cabo San Lucas to San Jose del Cabo for our various health care visits (30-40 miles, roundtrip), and our 3 field trips ranged from 100 to 150 miles, round trip. When we wanted to visit a beach or snorkel, we would always drive, typically 20 to 40 miles round trip. But there were also many days that we didn’t drive at all because our condo was so close to the marina and many stores and restaurants.

Last, only $230 USD for our entertainment in Los Cabos. Since that included our whale watching tour and two other boat trips, we were pretty happy.

The Mexican peso continues to trade stronger against the US dollar, at around 17 pesos per dollar. That means that at equivalent peso costs, our actual costs are about 17% higher this year compared to last year. Compounding the higher costs in Los Cabos with the weaker US dollar, and we feel like we're spending a lot more money than we had planned!

To sum up our impressions of Los Cabos, we believe it would be an excellent destination for anyone looking for an introduction to Mexico. Plenty of beaches and marine activity, easy communications, and a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are highly walkable and safe, though staying in the hotel corridor between the two towns could create some challenges getting to either town. Shuttles, taxis, or Uber would all be options, with the best likely based on the specific hotel or lodging option.

Would we return, or consider Los Cabos as a long-term destination? Likely not. The towns felt too busy and touristy, fast-paced, and lacking in Mexican culture. Also, the price-point in Los Cabos is higher than similar destinations that we liked better: Mazatlán for it’s laid-back feel and comparable seafood, Puerto Vallarta as a more affordable touristy destination, and Cozumel for a slow-paced snorkeling destination. However, if any of our friends and family wanted to use Los Cabos as their entry-point to Mexico, we’d be open to a return trip. We’d like to take that visit to the marine preserve at Cabo Pulmo, and could also be convinced to go on a fishing trip.