An Insider’s Guide To Spending 3 Days In Cabo
Downtown San Jose Del Cabo
Your Definitive Guide to a 3-Day Cabo Trip
There's something special about Cabo San Lucas. Perhaps it's the stunning beaches with their unruly waves and soft sand. Or maybe it's the vibrant color buildings set amongst cactus-covered hills. Cabo San Lucas is ideal for a 3-day getaway as it’s just a quick flight from many of the USA’s and Mexico’s biggest cities. Escape the grind of everyday life for a quick weekend of sun, sand, and mezcal.
Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway or a family-friendly vacation, Cabo San Lucas has something to offer everyone. The area is home to a wide variety of activities, from golfing to whale watching. And of course, no visit to Cabo San Lucas would be complete without spending some time lounging poolside.
Cabo San Lucas is located at the Southernmost tip of the California Baja Sur peninsula. Often referred to interchangeably as Cabo, Los Cabos, and San Jose Del Cabo the area of Cabo San Lucas has 3 main tourist destinations.
Cabo San Lucas Marina
San Jose Del Cabo - San Jose Del Cabo is the closest tourist destination to the International Airport. This side of town is a little bit slower-paced than Los Cabo. A quaint Mexican town with a focus on culture, art, and food.
Tourist Corridor - This part of Cabo San Lucas runs along the desert mountains and the beach between San Jose Del Cabo and Los Cabo. Along the Tourist Corridor, you'll find Cabo San Lucas' best swimming beaches, luxury resorts, and golf clubs. This area is absolutely stunning, with clifftop mansions and streets lined with palm trees. An absolute must-see while in town.
Los Cabo - Los Cabo is the furthest town from the International Airport, but is the most developed town in the area. In Los Cabos, you'll find clubs, shopping, highrises, and plenty of the area's main attractions.
If you’d like more information on the highlights of each region we have a guide to help you choose between San Jose Del Cabo vs Los Cabo.
Image: Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
Best Time To Go To Cabo
Cabo San Lucas is one of those destinations that lures in travelers year after year. And while there's never a bad time to visit this stunning destination, there are definitely some occasions that are better than others. Here's a guide to help you plan the perfect trip to Cabo.
Whale Watching Season:
One of the best times to visit Cabo is during whale watching season. From December to April, you can see these majestic creatures up close as they migrate to the warm waters off the coast of Mexico. It's an unforgettable experience that you won't want to miss.
Weather:
The best time to visit Cabo San Lucas is definitely during the shoulder season of late April-May and October-November. You'll avoid the large crowds that descend on the area during spring break but still enjoy beautiful weather. The average temperature in Cabo during both periods ranges between 75 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit and days are long and sunny. Cabo is located in a desert climate, so you don’t have to worry about humidity.
Image: Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection
Travel Tips
After a day of travel, the last thing you want is a long commute to your hotel. Luckily, the journey from Cabo San Lucas International Airport to your hotel doesn't have to be a stressful one. In fact, with a little planning, it can be a breeze.
Here are a few things to keep in mind to make your travel time from the airport to your hotel as smooth as possible:
Image: Nobu Hotel Los Cabo
Car Rental
The airport in Cabo San Lucas is small but efficient, and you should have no trouble getting in and out. However, if you're renting a car, be sure to allow extra time for the car rental process - it can be a bit slow.
Check the traffic conditions before you leave the airport. This way, you can avoid any potential traffic jams on the way to your hotel. During the week the highways suffer from commuter traffic in the mid-mornings and early evenings, but it’s generally pretty quick to clear.
Airport transfer and uber:
There are a few options for getting from the airport to your hotel or resort. You can take a taxi, an Uber, or arrange for an airport transfer through your hotel. Whichever option you choose, be sure to agree on a price before you get in the taxi or Uber.
When you arrive, you’ll find a taxi stand on the interior of the SJD airport that can advise taxi prices and organize a safe taxi shuttle to your airport.
Make sure you have the address of your hotel handy. This way, you can easily navigate to your destination.
Image: Montage Hotel on Santa Maria Beach
Where to stay in Cabo
Cabo is renowned for its luxurious desert hotels and beachside resorts. San Jose Del Cabo is ideal for those looking for locally run boutiques in town. With its beautiful beaches and world-class restaurants, the Tourist Corridor is our recommendation for jet-setters looking for high-end hotels. This area is home to many of Cabo's best golf courses and is also a great spot for whale watching. Los Cabos is ideal for families as it’s home to great family-friendly resorts and close to all the activities.
Here are top recommendations for accommodation
Best Los Cabo Luxury - we recommend the Nobu Los Cabo Resort or Waldorf Astoria
Best Family Stay in Los Cabo - Grand Solmar or Playa Grande
Best Luxury Stays in the Tourist Corridor - Esperanza & Montage Hotel
San Jose Del Cabo Luxury - One & Only Palmilla
San Jose Del Cabo family - Palmilla Dunes
Playa Grande Resort
3-Day Cabo Trip: The Ultimate Cabo San Lucas Itinerary
This 3-day itinerary will take you to all the finest destinations in town.
We spent 2 months in Cabo and streamlined our favorite outings, locations, and eats into this 3-day travel guide. You don’t need to follow this itinerary in any particular order. You can shuffle any of the days around to suit your needs.
If you have any questions at all, reach out to us in the comments.
Lover’s Beach Los Cabo
Day 1 - The Cabo Arches & Medano Beach
On the first day, we recommend heading to the Cabo San Lucas Marina to watch the luxury yachts and launches head out for the day while sipping on some coffee.
The view of Pedregal and the famous Cabo arches is beautiful from the marina. You'll also be able to get a good sense of the area. The marina is in the center of downtown Los Cabos, and there are plenty of great cafes and restaurants nearby. We recommend picking up a freshly roasted espresso from Lands End Coffee Roaster, just across from the marina.
From here you'll be able to catch a boat tour to see Lovers Beach where you can see the famous rock formation and the Cabo Arches. There are plenty of great tours available depending on whether you're looking for a family-friendly snorkeling trip with a glass bottom boat or a luxury catamaran cruise.
The Los Cabos Luxury Sailing, Snorkel, and Lunch Cruise from Cabo Adventures is a good all-rounder trip for groups of friends and families.
It’s a half-day trip that covers the highlights of Los Cabo’s coast. The trip includes sailing past the arches and Lovers Beach. You’ll also spend some time cruising down the coastline past Medano beach and along the Tourist Corridor. The views are spectacular and you get to sip away on drinks from the open bar. The tour stops for a snorkel, paddleboard, and lunch before making its way back to Los Cabo Marina.
If you are after something a little bit more luxurious you can book a private tour with Cabo Sailing Ocean Adventures. This is a completely customizable day trip on a private luxury yacht. You’ll be able to see El Arco De Cabo San Lucas, and Lover’s Beach and even stop at some of the stunning bays in the Tourist Corridor for snorkeling, lunch, drinks, and site-seeing.
After your tour, head back to Medano beach and hang out at one of the beach clubs for some afternoon drinks in the sun. We recommend SUR beach house.
In the early afternoon head back to your hotel to cool off for the afternoon with a swim, and to freshen up before dinner. We recommend taking an Uber to Nobu Los Cabo, plan to leave just before sunset as the drive and arrival into Nobu Resort and through the Diamante community over sunset is stunning.
If you want to stay around Los Cabo's downtown area and are looking for more of a party night then switch your day around and head to Medano beach in the morning, jump on a sunset cruise to see El Arco and Lover’s beach as the sunsets. Once you are back from the cruise you can head out to Bagatelle beach club at Medano beach, then Cabo Villas Rooftop, and finish the night at the Cabo classic - Squid Roe.
Downtown San Jose Del Cabo
Day 2 - San Jose Del Cabo Town & Flora Farms
Today spend some time seeing the colorful town of San Jose Del Cabo. No day in San Jose del Cabo is incomplete without a surfing lesson! After all, what's a trip to Los Cabos without learning how to surf? The best place to catch some waves is at the Cabo Surf School in Costa Azul. Here, you'll find a great surfing school that offers lessons for all levels.
After a morning of surfing, it's time to learn how to cook some traditional Mexican dishes. There are several cooking classes available downtown, but we highly recommend Flora Farms cooking classes. Flora Farms is a must-visit during your stay in Cabo. Here, you'll learn how to cook authentic Mexican food using fresh, local ingredients grown on-site.
The classes change daily and are centered around local cuisine. We recommend allowing for a decent amount of time to see flora farms and soak up the atmosphere and have some lunch in this gorgeous setting.
After a delicious lunch, head into downtown San Jose Del Cabo to explore the art galleries. If you are in town on Thursday, this is the night that San Jose Del Cabo hosts their famous walking tour of the art galleries. If you're not there on a Thursday don't worry, San Jose Del Cabo is always beautiful! If you can arrive here before sunset you'll get to see all the beautiful colors of the buildings against the light pink sunsets.
For dinner head to Lumbre in downtown San Jose Del Cabo. Lumbre has elegantly presented Mexican fusion dishes that can be shared in a modern setting. Enjoy cocktails with mouthwatering shared plates that are inventive and executed to perfection.
Downtown San Jose Del Cabo
Day 3 - Palmilla Beach & Club Day
Spend the last day in luxury at the gorgeous Palmilla Beach, one of the best beaches in Cabo. Here you can relax in the millionaire’s playground of Palmilla. Azure waters here are often calmer than the rest of the bays in Cabo and ideal for snorkeling, paddleboarding and simply lazing on the sand.
You can hire umbrellas and loungers or go out for a snorkel directly from the beach. Just be aware of the flag warnings - if you need an explanation read our guide here.
Palmilla has plenty to offer outside of the beach as well. The Shoppes at Palmilla has a small but refined collection of local boutiques, art galleries, and design stores. You’ll also find a spa and beach club at Palmilla dunes. At the Palmilla dunes club, the Olympic pool is lined with large day beds and umbrellas that look out to the ocean. Enjoy a sauna or steam, or get a massage at Manoma spa. The club has plenty on offer for kids too, with an outdoor movie theatre, kids pool, and playground. If your kids are a little older you’ll also find tennis courts, soccer fields, a pickle ball court, and a golf course.
In the evening, head to the exclusive One & Only Palmilla for dinner at Suviche, where you can sample some of Cabo's most delicious seafood dishes.
Image: One & Only Hotel in Palmilla
Extra Day Trip Options
If you have a few extra days in Cabo we recommend the following day trips to add on.
Visit the magical town of Todos Sandos. This beautiful historical town is just a 45-minute drive from downtown Los Cabos. It's renowned for its colonial architecture, bohemian art, and its iconic "Hotel California".
See the stunning town of La Paz. La Paz is an up-and-coming seaside town with plenty of boutique hotels and cafes to enjoy. Stroll along the Malecon and check out the colorful traditional artwork at the stores in town.
Thanks Enjoy beautiful Cabo San Lucas! If you have any questions at all you can ask us in the comments below. Make sure to come back and tell us how your trip to Cabo was and which of our recommendations you liked the most. We’d love to hear from you.
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