Welcome to Los Cabos, where the sun shines year-round! Los Cabos, or "the Capes," is a mecca for those seeking outdoor recreation. The area boasts twenty distinct beaches, each with its own character, many secluded. Off of Los Cabos, 50,000 marlin and sailfish are hooked each year. Recently golf has become a main attraction, too. The master plan calling for about 200 holes is halfway complete. There is also diving, snorkeling, whale watching (January through April), windsurfing, parasailing and kayaking!
San José del Cabo is the quieter, more traditional of the towns. You'll want to visit the Iglesia San José (San José del Cabo Map B-3), built in 1940 on the site of the original mission from 1730. The mosaic on the front depicts the Pericu Indians dragging a Jesuit
missionary off to be burned alive.
Many shops in San José are in old colonial buildings. For high-quality handicrafts, try the shops along the north end of Boulevard Mijares and the east end of Calle Zaragoza. At night the
town is quiet, but one hot spot is the Iguana Bar on Boulevard Mijares, where live music can be heard in season.
For nature lovers, there is a natural freshwater estuary, the Estero de San José (San José del Cabo Map B-4), between town and the beach. Nearly 200 species of birds can be seen from a footpath or a rented kayak. San José has no harbor or marina, but pangas, or skiffs, can be rented at the beach.
About twenty miles to the west, at the true tip of the Baja peninsula, is Cabo San Lucas, a boom town that has been exploding into life in the past ten or so years. In contrast to the historic charm of San José, San Lucas favors trendy nightclubs and rowdy bars. Many of the upscale shops and restaurants are located between Calle Cardenas and the waterfront. And visit the Puerto Parasio Entertainment Plaza (Cabo San Lucas Map B/C-2) for great shopping, restaurants and movies.
Cabo San Lucas is also home to a 300-slip marina (Cabo San Lucas Map C-3), where you'll find an open-air market with handicrafts, as well. Even landlubbers will want to wander down to the fishing docks about 2:30 in the afternoon to see the day's catch come in.
At Playa el Médano, or Dune Beach (Cabo San Lucas Map C-2), swimming is safe year-round (some beaches have powerful currents, so beware). There are restaurants and palapa bars along the beach, and many kinds of watersports equipment can be rented. You will want to take a glass-bottom boat to Playa del Amor, or Love Beach (Cabo San Lucas Map D-3), where there is great snorkeling in the Sea of Cortes. At the tip of the land is the spectacular El Arco, the Arch, emblem of Los Cabos, which has been carved into the rock by thousands of years of pounding surf.