Quick guide: day trips by drive time
Drive times are from Médano Beach in normal traffic, one way:
- Santa María and Chileno bays (snorkeling): about 20 to 25 minutes.
- San José del Cabo: about 20 miles, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Cerritos Beach: 45 minutes to an hour.
- Todos Santos: about 47 miles, around an hour.
- La Paz: about two hours.
- Cabo Pulmo: about two hours, with a dirt road at the end.
Todos Santos and Cerritos: the classic day trip from Cabo
If you do one day trip, make it this one. Todos Santos is a small Pacific town on the Tropic of Cancer, named a Pueblo Mágico in 2006, with a mission church, galleries, adobe buildings and the Hotel California (which now says it has no connection to the Eagles song). Leave in the morning, walk the center before the midday heat, eat lunch, and stop at Playa Los Cerritos on the way back, one of the few Pacific beaches where swimming is often reasonable and a good place to learn to surf.
From about December 10 to February 28, volunteers near Todos Santos release hatchling sea turtles at sunset. Details in our Todos Santos day trip and Cerritos surfing pages.
La Paz: whale sharks and the islands
La Paz, the state capital, is about two hours north via Highway 19. In season, roughly mid-November to April, juvenile whale sharks feed in La Paz Bay, and you can snorkel with them in a regulated area with authorized operators only. It's one of the best wildlife experiences in Baja. See our whale shark day trip for rules, operators and prices.
La Paz is also the jumping-off point for Isla Espíritu Santo, a protected island known for its sea lion colony and clear coves, and for Balandra beach. Doing whale sharks and the islands in one day from Cabo is a stretch; if the islands are the priority, consider a night in La Paz.
Cabo Pulmo: the reef
Cabo Pulmo National Park on the East Cape protects the northernmost coral reef in the eastern Pacific, and fish life there recovered dramatically after fishing stopped in the 1990s. It's about two hours each way, the last 10 km or so on graded dirt, with the last fuel at La Ribera. Drive only in daylight, and pay the daily park fee in pesos. Our Cabo Pulmo page covers the route, operators and season.
San José del Cabo: art and the old town
San José del Cabo is the other town of Los Cabos, older and quieter, with a mission church, a plaza and the Distrito del Arte. The best time to go is a Thursday evening between November and June for the Art Walk, when galleries stay open from 5 to 9 PM and the streets close to cars. Add dinner on the plaza or at one of the farm restaurants in the hills. See our San José Art Walk page and, for a full comparison of the two towns, Cabo San Lucas vs San José del Cabo.
El Triunfo and the mountain towns
El Triunfo is a former silver mining town on Highway 1 between La Paz and the East Cape, with old mine buildings, a tall brick chimney and small cafés. It works as a stop on a La Paz loop rather than a trip of its own. Check what's open before you go; opening days for small museums and cafés vary.
Half days closer to Médano
If you don't want to spend hours in a car, these are close:
- [Snorkeling at Santa María and Chileno bays](/things-to-do/santa-maria-chileno-bay-snorkeling/) on the corridor.
- A boat to [Lover's Beach](/things-to-do/lovers-beach-cabo-san-lucas/) and [El Arco](/el-arco-cabo-san-lucas/) from the beach or marina.
- [Wild Canyon](/things-to-do/wild-canyon-cabo/) for zip lines and a suspension bridge.
- A seasonal [sea turtle release](/things-to-do/sea-turtle-release-los-cabos/) closer to town.
How to choose your day trip
Match the trip to the season and the group. Whale sharks only work from roughly mid-November to April. Cabo Pulmo is best in calm, dry weather and is not a trip for the day after heavy rain. Todos Santos works year-round, but summer afternoons are hot, so go early. With young kids, pick one destination and keep the drive under an hour; with teens, whale sharks or a surf lesson at Cerritos are usually the hit of the week.
Driving tips for day trips
The main highways are paved and in decent shape, but don't drive at night: cattle and wildlife wander onto the road, and topes (speed bumps) appear without warning. Carry pesos for fuel, parking and park fees, and download offline maps because signal is patchy. Mexican liability insurance is mandatory for rental cars; our getting around guide explains car hire. If nobody wants to drive, a private driver for the day lets everyone enjoy lunch.
Our guests at Villa 1 usually do one long day trip in a week and keep the rest for the beach. If you're planning a longer stay with room for day trips, see our 7 day Cabo itinerary and the villa's booking page.
