Why I still love Los Cabos

Los Cabos is simply a precise antithetic spot present than the 1 I archetypal fell successful emotion with. When I came connected a monthlong abrogation successful 2010 and ne'er left, it was due to the fact that of respective magical moments — sunset sails aboard antique ships arsenic the prima sank down Land’s End, ungraded roads starring to hidden blistery springs supra deserted beaches, humpback whales breaching majestically, Champagne excavation parties astatine Nikki Beach — that convinced maine this spot was similar nary different connected Earth. 

I wasn’t adjacent to being the archetypal to travel to this conclusion. Many of the archetypal radical I met were Americans, Canadians and Chilangos who had been residents, oregon astatine slightest seasonal residents, since the 1970s (or adjacent before). The Los Cabos they primitively experienced was adjacent wilder and much unspoiled than the 1 with which I was captivated. 

In the past decade, Cabos’ populations and tourer visits person exploded, sending Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo from towns to cities practically overnight. (Shutterstock)

They had already seen profound changes, but thing similar what was coming. Between 2010 and 2020, the population of Cabo San Lucas much than tripled, increasing from 68,463 to 202,694. The Los Cabos municipality successful toto exploded: Its colonisation accrued by much than 50% betwixt 2010 and 2025, with the fig of tourists increasing by astir 300%.

Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo went from towns to cities successful the blink of an eye. Along with metropolis size, they soon acquired metropolis problems, starting with lodging issues and outdated roads teeming with traffic. Many of the water views that utilized to beryllium ubiquitous started disappearing down the new resorts and different buildings being built. That inclination continues, by the way. Construction is distressingly constant.

Despite these transformative and, from my perspective, not precisely invited changes, I inactive emotion Los Cabos and can’t ideate surviving anyplace else. Here are a fewer reasons why.

Wow-factor moments inactive hap each the time

Los Cabos is unsocial geographically. Bounded by 2 large bodies of h2o — the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean — it besides boasts a assortment of land-based terrains, from godforsaken and mountains to beaches and palm-tree-filled oases.

Despite the changes Cabos has gone through, determination are inactive plentifulness of magical moments inactive to beryllium recovered crossed the cape. (Kurt Nichols/Shutterstock)

The upshot is that hardly a time goes by that I’m not successful awe of something. Sometimes it’s a show I’ve seen before, similar a 40-foot-tall Cardón cactus, whales breaching oregon spy hopping, oregon whale sharks swimming conscionable beneath the surface. Other times, it’s conscionable the magnificence of the views from places similar Cerro del Vigía, Cerro de la Zeta, oregon the Mirador Santiago de Yola. Or being connected the roadworthy with the water connected 1 broadside and mountains connected the other. 

Seeing the prima travel up from El Vigía ne'er fails to inspire, nor does watching the prima acceptable implicit Land’s End. You tin acquisition the second astatine a fewer restaurants — notably, Manta and Sunset Monalisa — but it’s adjacent amended connected the water, preferably connected a sailboat. When I archetypal got to Los Cabos, I worked concisely for the Sunderland, a 1885 gaff-rigged schooner. That was a vessel connected which to ticker a sunset … until it sank, anyway. 

Marlin fishing enactment Los Cabos connected the map. However, there’s wildlife of each kinds here. Yes, that categorization includes a fewer residents, but contempt their occasional quirks and colorful eccentricities, they are large neighbors. So are the whales, sharks, oversea turtles, oversea lions, and the bewildering abundance of fish. 

Look up and you’ll spot frigate birds, turkey buzzards and the occasional hawk. Wander astir connected onshore and you’re bound to brushwood lizards, scorpions, roadworthy runners and who knows what other … tiny cervid if you ascent into the Sierra de la Laguna, free-range Chinampo cattle successful the foothills. 

Los Cabos isn’t 1 place, it’s many

It’s hard to get bored successful Los Cabos erstwhile you person truthful galore time travel options … including successful the neighboring municipality of La Paz. Several astonishing destinations — Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, of course, but besides La Paz, Todos Santos, Cabo Pulmo, Los Barriles, and El Triunfo — are 2 hours oregon little distant by car. 

Each of these places has its chiseled charms and attractions. La Paz, the authorities capital, is location to arts, culture, immoderate eating and drinking options worthy driving for, a three-mile-long malecón, and immoderate of the astir spectacular beaches successful Mexico. Todos Santos has the champion boutique hotels successful Baja, Cabo Pulmo has immoderate of the champion diving successful North America, and the aged mining municipality of El Triunfo is besides worthy visiting for its festivals and museums, and for the winding, picturesque roads done the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna that it takes to get there. 

That’s not adjacent mentioning Santiago, El Pescadero, oregon Los Cerritos — the second location to a Pacific Coast formation wherever I’ve spent galore an enjoyable time … you get the picture. There’s a batch to bash here, and a batch of astonishing places, including a fewer I didn’t mention. 

You don’t person to beryllium a tourer to bask world-class amenities

The upside of each the improvement successful caller years is simply a big of unthinkable eating destinations. When I moved to Los Cabos 15 years ago, the thought that its restaurants would 1 time beryllium recognized by the Michelin Guide was laughable. No disrespect is intended to El Pollo de Oro oregon El Torito, 2 places I utilized to devour astatine each the clip and inactive occasionally do. The nutrient is large astatine both, and galore different old-school haunts.

While determination are good eating choices successful Cabos astatine resorts targeted astatine tourists, a wealthiness of farm-to-table and good eating options aimed astatine residents person developed present implicit the years arsenic well. (Los Cabos Tourism Board)

But the options are present vastly expanded, and that goes not conscionable for eateries, but besides for spas, swimming pools, and play courses. Los Cabos locals emotion a bully day-pass option, and with bully reason: There are much large hotels present than you tin shingle a instrumentality at. Spending a time poolside astatine immoderate of them is ever fun, arsenic is the accidental to bask nutrient astatine 13 Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants.

We apt person too galore play courses, considering Baja California Sur simultaneously has much coastline and little caller h2o than immoderate different authorities successful Mexico. But we person 18 and counting, galore of which diagnostic world-class layouts from large names similar Jack Nicklaus oregon Tiger Woods, and astatine slightest 3 of which person been rated among the apical 100 successful the world. If you emotion to play, which I do, these are beauteous saccharine amenities … and yet different successful a agelong database of reasons to emotion Los Cabos.

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas section adept for the USA Today question website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos question guidebook and a contributor to galore websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related contented and manner features focused connected food, vino and golf.