20 Best Things To Do in San José del Cabo [2024 Guide]

If you make me choose between the Los Cabos towns of Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo, I’ll choose San José del Cabo every single time. Between the two options, San José del Cabo feels more refined, more luxe, and offers a richer travel experience overall, even if you stay at one of the many resorts in San José del Cabo and don’t plan on venturing further than the pool deck.

After multiple visits to Baja California Sur, I can’t deny that San José del Cabo is my favorite part of the Los Cabos area – by far! Read on for personal recommendations – and local advice! – on the best things to do in San José del Cabo, the cultural and historic capital of Los Cabos.

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Best Things To Do in San José del Cabo

I won’t deny it: there’s nothing like enjoying a carefree stay at one of the endless beachfront resorts in San José del Cabo – even the most intrepid travelers will enjoy this relaxing style of trip. But there’s plenty more to the area, too.

These are the top things to do in San José del Cabo – whether you have one day or one month:

• Stay at a Resort
• Enjoy the San José del Cabo Art Walk
• Explore Historic San José del Cabo
• Try Farm-to-Table Dining

In addition to these incredible things to do in San José del Cabo, there are plenty of things to do in Baja California Sur that make for the best day trips from the Los Cabos area. Read on for even more of the best things to do in San José del Cabo and beyond, plus our top tips for where to stay, eat, and play.

Things To Do in San José del Cabo

1. Stay at a Resort

Los Cabos is a resort destination through and through, offering everything from basic, affordable all-inclusive resorts to some of the most luxurious resorts in Mexico. Enjoying a stay at a resort is the most popular thing to do in the area, hands down.

If a resort stay isn’t exactly what you’re after, consider one of the area’s increasingly impressive array of boutique hotels in San José del Cabo. From charming properties like Mar del Cabo along the beachfront to intimate, design-forward spots in the heart of town like Drift and Acre, there is a huge range of boutique experiences to consider here, too.

2. Enjoy the San José del Cabo Art Walk

On the opposite end of the spectrum from a resort stay is one of San José del Cabo’s most beloved traditions: the San José del Cabo Art Walk.

This weekly tradition brings together locals and visitors in a way that most resort towns could only dream of. Every Thursday evening starting at 5:00 PM, local gallery and shop owners open their doors and welcome the area’s best artists and art aficionados alike to share wine, cheese, and local bites while exploring the cobblestone streets of the gallery district. It’s just as cool as it sounds and makes my list of the best things to do in all of Baja California Sur.

3. Explore Historic San José del Cabo

If downtown Cabo San Lucas feels packed with tourist shops and drink deals, San José del Cabo is its ultimate antidote. The center of San José del Cabo is a destination in its own right, drawing in visitors with its colors, cuisines, and charming, historic streets.

Start a self-guided walking tour in Plaza Mijares, the central plaza in town (with the San José del Cabo sign for photo ops) that faces the historic Spanish colonial mission in the city center. From there, head towards the areas of town known for galleries and shops (concentrated on Calle Alvaro Obregon) and branch out from there. The layout of the town makes it easy to explore, but you can book a cultural and historical walking tour of San José del Cabo to see it like a local does.

4. Try Farm to Table Dining

Don’t underestimate the bounty of the arid landscapes of Los Cabos. In the past several years, farm-to-table dining has been all the rage in Los Cabos, drawing foodies from around the world to its prestigious tables. These are some of the best spots to try it in San José del Cabo:

• Acre: One of the most popular farm-to-table restaurants in the area, Acre also offers cool treehouse accommodations and new villas, making it one of the best boutique hotels in the area.
• Flora Farms: Right down the street from Acre, Flora Farms is a delight with its outdoor dining terrace and bar, perfect for any time of day.
• Los Tamarindos: Call an original 19th-century farmhouse home for a few hours as you enjoy local and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and cooking classes at one of the region’s most beloved farm-to-table kitchens.
• Monte Cardón: Located on a spacious farm on the Eastern Cape just outside of San José del Cabo, Monte Cardón is the area’s most promising newcomer.

5. Sail to El Arco in Cabo San Lucas

One of the most impressive and recognizable landmarks in Los Cabos is the dramatic El Arco—The Arch—at Land’s End on the very tip of the Baja California peninsula. Visiting El Arco from San José del Cabo requires driving down the Tourist Corridor to Cabo San Lucas, but trust me, it’s worth it.

Sail out to the Arch via one of the simple passenger boats that take visitors from the marina, or opt for a luxe catamaran at sunset. Alternatively, tour companies in the area rent kayaks and lead expeditions to the Arch and its neighboring beaches. It’s a Los Cabos tradition you won’t want to skip.

6. Go Surfing

Currents and waves at the beaches in much of the Los Cabos area make swimming in the ocean at most of the area’s resorts impossible (Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection is one of the very few resorts in the area with a swimmable beach!), but an excellent spot for surfing.

Cabo Surf Hotel, located on Playa Acapulquito quite near the entrance to San José del Cabo, is the best place to stay in town for a surf-centric vacation. The on-site surf school is the best in town and is great even for those who have never touched a board before.

If you’re looking to give it a try on your own (we only recommend this for more experienced surfers who know how to manage the area’s currents and waves!), head to Playa Costa Azul, just outside of San José del Cabo; High Tide Los Cabos provides lessons and gear. Alternatively, head just north along the Pacific Coast of the peninsula to Los Cerritos Beach, considered one of the best places in Baja California Sur for surfing.

7. Go Whale Watching

Between November and April (most reliably, from late December through early March), whale watching is one of the best things to do in San José del Cabo, and easily one of the most popular activities in the area. Whale-watching tours, though carefully regulated for the welfare of the species, let travelers get remarkably close to the creatures.

Spend any time on the beachfront in San José del Cabo during whale season and you’re likely to spot them from the shore. Whales breaching and flapping their tales became my favorite breakfast show at the seaside restaurant Encanto at Mar del Cabo by Velas Resorts just outside of San José del Cabo.

8. Swim with Whale Sharks in La Paz

In addition to being one of the best places in the Americas for whale watching, Baja California Sur is also known for being one of the few places on Earth to swim with whale sharks! About two hours north of San José del Cabo on the Sea of Cortez, the city of La Paz is the start of the adventure.

Small group and private whale shark spotting excursions include transportation as part of the experience, which is one of the main reasons to consider booking a pre-planned, organized tour from San José del Cabo. It will be a long day but a magical one; excursions are tightly regulated by the government but allow you to get impressively close to the wildlife.

• From San José del Cabo: La Paz Whale Shark Snorkeling Tour From Los Cabos
• From La Paz: Whale Shark Snorkeling Tour with Marine Biologist

9. Hike to Desert Waterfalls

Los Cabos is arid year-round, but hidden among some of the region’s numerous protected reserves and ecosystems are beautifully lush oases, waterfalls, and more. Not far from San José del Cabo are some of the coolest spots in the region, nestled within the UNESCO-protected Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve and an easy day trip from town.

There are plenty of things to see and do in the Sierra de la Laguna area, but the hike to the Sol de Mayo waterfall and Cañon de la Zorra (Fox Canyon) outside of the small town of Santiago are some of the ultimate highlights. Sol de Mayo is accessible via a short hike through the canyon, on the private property of Rancho Ecologico Sol de Mayo, where for a small entrance fee, you’ll gain access to the area.

10. Go Diving in Cabo Pulmo

Whale watching in San José del Cabo is legendary, but diving (or snorkeling!) in the ultra-rich Sea of Cortez in nearby Cabo Pulmo is just as spectacular. A protected National Marine Park, the Cabo Pulmo area has a spectacular coral reef running parallel to the coastline. It is home to incredible marine life like sharks, sea lions, rays, turtles, and more that make diving excursions here one of a kind.

Day trips from San José del Cabo to Cabo Pulmo tend to be long – around 10 hours at least due to the nearly two-hour drive – but the experience is so worth it. Booking an organized excursion from San José del Cabo is the best way to enjoy the experience, as it includes transport:

• Cabo Pulmo Dive Excursion from Los Cabos
• Cabo Pulmo Snorkeling Excursion from Los Cabos

11. Hit the Links

Los Cabos is arguably the premier golf destination in Latin America. The area boasts golf courses tucked along mountainsides and butting up against dramatic coastline, designed by everyone from Greg Norman to Jack Nicklaus.

The Puerto Los Cabos course in San José del Cabo is one of the area’s best, with two different Jack Nicklaus-designed courses. Also in San José del Cabo, the 27-hole course (three nine-hole courses) at One&Only Palmilla was Jack Nicklaus’ first course in Latin America and is a challenging yet manageable course you won’t want to miss, with ocean views from every single fairway.

12. Hit the Beach

Whether you’re staying in the historic heart of San José del Cabo or at a resort on the beach, you’ll want to make sure to enjoy the golden sands that have made the region so famous. Keep in mind that many beaches in San José del Cabo aren’t swimmable due to currents, but these are the best in the area:

• Playa Hotelera: Arguably the most popular beach in San José del Cabo, this stretch of sand is lined with hotels, but it is perfect for a beach day no matter where you’re staying.
• Playa Costa Azul: This is one of the best surfing beaches in Los Cabos.
• Playa Acapulquito: Home to Cabo Surf Hotel and a haven for surfers, this beach is swimmable and offers some great dining options.

If you’re willing to travel a bit farther, other Los Cabos beaches to enjoy are the twin Lovers Beach and Divorce Beach by El Arco in Cabo San Lucas, or the swimmable public beach of Playa Chileno. Some of Baja’s most beautiful beaches are a bit further away; Balandra Beach in La Paz and the cove beaches on the islands of Loreto are some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Mexico.

13. Take a Day Trip to Todos Santos

Located just 45 minutes north of Los Cabos, the small, historic town of Todos Santos is experiencing a renaissance that even a few years ago would have been unimaginable. Burgeoning wellness offerings, hip boutique hotels, incredible cuisine, and an increasingly interesting array of things to do make it one of the best places to visit in Baja California Sur.

Todos Santos makes for a perfect day trip from San José del Cabo. While the new travel boom to Todos Santos skews luxury, you’ll still find pockets of affordability here if you’re traveling on a budget. The town has long been a hippy, artsy paradise on the Pacific Coast, after all.

14. Go Off-Roading

There’s no better way to experience the desert landscapes of San José del Cabo than by getting off-road. Baja California is famous for off-roading after all, welcoming the world-famous Baja 1000 off-road race every November.

Whether you’re interested in heading towards the interior of the peninsula near the Sierra de la Laguna or want an easy excursion along beachfront and mountains, you’ll find it here. The most popular excursions in the area head towards Playa Migriño and the surrounding mountainside outside Cabo San Lucas. However, visiting the Sierra de la Laguna tends to be a more laidback, less touristy experience that we’d recommend.

Reviews and Bookings: Migriño Beach & Mountain ATV Tour in Los Cabos

15. Take a San José del Cabo Walking Tour

Walking through the town center of San José del Cabo is easy enough – it is quite walkable and has plenty to see and do – but there’s just nothing like touring with a local. For an inside look at the charming, historic heart of Los Cabos, sign up for a San José del Cabo cultural and historical walking tour.

Walking tours are generally hosted in the late afternoon and evening when the sun starts to set to avoid the blazing heat of the day. They’re also one of the best ways to connect with knowledgeable locals for info on the best restaurants in town, cool events, and all the other details the locals know best.

Reviews and Bookings: San José del Cabo Cultural and Historical Walking Tour

16. Enjoy Live Music at La Lupita

Hidden behind a colorful, historic facade in the heart of San José del Cabo, La Lupita Taco & Mezcal is one of the best restaurants in San José del Cabo. In addition to having a full menu of cocktails, gourmet tacos, and other favorite Mexican dishes, La Lupita frequently features live music, making its outdoor patio and bar the place to be.

Even if your visit doesn’t coincide with live music, adding La Lupita to your itinerary is always a great idea. Come early enough in your trip and we can guarantee you’ll be back for more!

17. Explore Cabo San Lucas

Even if you’re staying on the San José del Cabo side of Los Cabos, there are plenty of reasons to head into Cabo San Lucas for the day. Whether you’re just interested in exploring or have a full itinerary planning out of sailing to El Arco and the twin beaches next door, you might be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

Some of the other best things to do in Cabo San Lucas include hiking Mount Solmar near Land’s End, visiting one of the next-level spas in the area for a mini wellness retreat (we recommend visiting the WELL at Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection!), or enjoying adventurous activities like fishing excursions or off-roading trips.

18. Sample Mexican Spirits

You can’t come to Mexico without enjoying some of the country’s most well-known spirits. That’s especially true now, at a time when Mexico’s burgeoning artisanal spirits industry is generating more buzz than ever.

In San José del Cabo, West Coast Tequila Co. and La Coa Tequileria are the best places to learn about – and taste – some of Mexico’s most famous spirits.

Even better, The Agave Room at the brand-new Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos is one of the coolest new spots in San José del Cabo for sampling Mexican spirits. The space is spectacular, and the experience features expert guidance on Mexico’s best tequilas, mezcals, and even lesser-known agave-based spirits like pulque and sotol.

19. Take a Cooking Class

Your trip to San José del Cabo will include some spectacular, fresh Mexican food, that’s for sure. But if you’d like to take your favorite dishes home with you, consider taking a cooking class. Some of the best cooking classes in San José del Cabo feature market tours prior to getting into the kitchen. I’m linking the best cooking class in San José del Cabo for you to book ahead of time, too!

If you’re staying at a resort in San José del Cabo, make sure to check out your resort’s offerings and activities; many feature cooking demonstrations, classes, and tastings with the property’s chefs.

20. Stay the Night in a Treehouse

Spending the night at the treehouse suites at San José del Cabo boutique hotel Acre is such a cool experience that it even made my list of the best things to do in Baja California Sur! Elevated above the private 25-acre farm in San José del Cabo known for its spectacular farm-to-table cuisine, these rooms are one-of-a-kind.

Treehouses feature modern design and comfortable furnishings, and each have their own private bathroom with additional outdoor shower, private terrace, and even feature high-speed wifi! It’s a stay experience you won’t forget – trust me!