Itinerary
The 5-day Los Cabos itinerary for a first visit
Five days is enough to see both towns, get in the water twice, and take one full-day trip out of the region. Budget $900–$1,600 per person excluding flights and accommodation, base yourself in San José del Cabo or the Tourist Corridor, and keep one day completely unplanned.
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Key facts
- Length
- 5 days, 4 nights
- Budget per person
- $900–$1,600 excluding flights and hotel
- Suggested base
- San José del Cabo or the Tourist Corridor
- Car needed
- Recommended, or budget $200 in taxis
- Best months
- November, April, May
This suits you if
- It is your first time in Los Cabos
- You want both towns, not just the resort strip
- You would rather do four things well than eight badly
Best months: November, April, May
How this is built
This itinerary alternates a booked activity day with a loose day, keeps the two long drives apart, and puts the boat trips in the morning when the water is calmest.
It assumes a rental car. Without one, add roughly $200 in taxis across the five days and drop the Todos Santos day in favour of a guided trip.
Day 1: Land, settle, San José del Cabo
Arrive, resist the timeshare desk, and spend the first evening in the one part of Los Cabos that is genuinely walkable.
· SJD airport
Arrive and transfer
Decline everyone inside the terminal and walk out to your pre-booked driver. Fifteen minutes to San José del Cabo, 45 to Cabo San Lucas.
$35–$120 per vehicle
· San José del Cabo
Historic district on foot
The plaza, the 1730 mission, and four blocks of galleries. If it is a Thursday between November and June, the Art Walk runs until 9pm and the streets close to traffic.
Free
· San José del Cabo
Dinner in the Gallery District
This is the best food in the region and it is a five-minute walk from the plaza. Book ahead in high season.
$40–$70 per person
Day 2: On the water
Morning boat trip while the sea is flat, then nothing at all in the afternoon.
· Cabo San Lucas marina
Snorkel trip to Santa María and Chileno
Three to four hours, both protected coves. Between December and April ask whether a wetsuit is included — the sea is 72°F.
$60–$120 per person
· Cabo San Lucas
Lunch at the marina
Fish tacos and a beer without a plan for the rest of the day.
$15–$30 per person
· Medano Beach
Medano Beach, or your hotel pool
Medano is the only swimmable town beach and it is loud. That is either the appeal or the reason to go back to the pool.
Free
Day 3: Todos Santos
The best day trip in Baja California Sur, and the one most people rush. Give it the whole day.
· Highway 19
Drive north
Sixty to seventy-five minutes from Cabo San Lucas on a good road.
Fuel, or $80–$150 guided
· Todos Santos
Galleries and the mission
Four or five walkable blocks. The 1733 mission church, a dozen serious galleries, and the Hotel California, which has nothing to do with the Eagles song.
Free
· Todos Santos
Long lunch
The restaurants here hold their own against anything in Los Cabos and cost less.
$25–$50 per person
· Los Cerritos
Los Cerritos beach
Fifteen minutes south, the region's beginner surf beach and the one Pacific beach regularly used for lessons. Do not swim outside the surf school area.
Free, lessons $60–$90
Day 4: The Arch, and the desert
A short boat trip in the morning and an ATV run in the late afternoon, with the hot middle of the day left alone.
· Cabo San Lucas marina
Water taxi to the Arch and Lover's Beach
Ten minutes each way. Agree the price and pickup time before boarding, and pay on return. Swim only on the Sea of Cortez side.
$15–$25 per person
· Cabo San Lucas
Out of the sun
Between 12 and 3 in summer the sensible move is indoors.
—
· Migriño
ATV or UTV on the Pacific side
Desert arroyos and an empty beach, 25 minutes west of town. Take a UTV if you have a passenger.
$85–$160 per person
Day 5: Whatever you liked most
The deliberately unplanned day. Most people spend it at Chileno Bay.
· The Corridor
Chileno Bay
The best all-round beach in Los Cabos: protected, snorkelable, bathrooms, free parking. Arrive before 10am in high season or you will not park.
Free
· Anywhere
Repeat your favourite thing
If you came between 15 December and 15 April and have not been whale watching, do that instead. February is the strongest month.
$50–$95 per person
Frequently asked questions
Is 5 days enough for Los Cabos?
Yes for a first visit. Five days covers both towns, two water activities, one full-day trip out of the region and a genuinely unplanned day. Seven days lets you add Cabo Pulmo or a night in Todos Santos.
How much does 5 days in Cabo cost?
Budget $900–$1,600 per person for activities, food, transport and tips, excluding flights and accommodation. Accommodation ranges from $140 to $700 a night depending on area and season.
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The Cabo brief
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