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San Jose del Cabo is the quieter, more historic half of Los Cabos, built around an 18th century mission and a palm shaded plaza rather than the party bars of Cabo San Lucas 32km to the southwest. Most visitors split their time between the swimmable Sea of Cortez beaches, the art galleries of the historic center, and day trips up the coast. Here are the specific places worth your time, with prices, hours, and tips so you can plan a day without guesswork.
Things to Do in San Jose del Cabo: Beaches
Playa Palmilla
Playa Palmilla is the best swimming beach near town, a sheltered white sand cove at the south end of the corridor about 8km from the historic center. The water is calm and clear because the cove faces the Sea of Cortez, making it the safest option for families and weak swimmers. It is free and open daily from dawn to dusk, with limited free parking, portable toilets, and a few palapas for shade. Bring your own umbrella, water, and snacks, as there are no vendors on the sand. Arrive before 10am to get a parking spot on weekends.
Playa Costa Azul
Playa Costa Azul is San Jose del Cabo’s surf beach, a long east facing stretch about 5km south of downtown with three named breaks: Zippers, The Rock, and Old Man’s. Zippers is the famous one, a fast right hander that hosts the Los Cabos Open of Surf every June, which makes summer the season to go. Beginner friendly Old Man’s is the most forgiving break for learning. There are surfboard and lesson outfits along the beach charging around US$40 to US$60 for a two hour lesson. For the best surf window, see our best time to visit San Jose del Cabo guide.
Playa Santa Maria
Playa Santa Maria is a small horseshoe bay in the corridor, about 14km from downtown, with the best shore snorkeling in the area. The bay is protected on both sides, so the water stays flat and clear, and you will see parrotfish, angelfish, and sergeant majors within a few meters of the sand. Snorkel gear rents for about US$10 to US$15 per day from shops in town or at the beach. Parking is a small free lot that fills by 9am in high season. There is no shade or food service, so pack water and reef safe sunscreen.
Playa El Chileno
Playa El Chileno is the cleanest public beach in the corridor, about 12km from downtown, with Blue Flag certification and calm water for snorkeling and swimming. It has better facilities than Santa Maria, including showers, toilets, and palapas, plus lifeguards on duty in high season. Snorkeling is best along the rocks at the north end of the bay. Parking is free but limited, and the beach closes at sunset. Go midweek in winter to avoid the crowds.
Things to Do in San Jose del Cabo: Historic Center and Art
Plaza Mijares and the Mission
Plaza Mijares is the central square of the historic center, shaded by old trees and ringed by the Parroquia San Jose, the town’s mission church. The mission was founded in 1730 by Jesuit missionary Nicolas Tamaral and rebuilt after being destroyed in the 1730 Pericu revolt; the current whitewashed church dates to the 1940s. The plaza is free and open all day, busiest in the early evening when locals and visitors stroll before dinner. Go on a Thursday night and the plaza flows into the Gallery District Art Walk.
Gallery District (Art Walk)
The Gallery District fills the streets around the plaza, a grid of roughly 20 commercial galleries showing contemporary Mexican and international art along Calle Alvaro Obregon, Morelos, and Guerrero. On Thursday evenings from November through June the district runs the Art Walk, when galleries stay open from 5pm to 9pm, pour wine, and host openings. It is free to browse. Individual galleries are typically open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm and closed for siesta, so check hours before a specific visit. To stay steps from the action, see our best neighborhoods in San Jose del Cabo guide.
San Jose Estuary
The San Jose Estuary is a 50 hectare freshwater lagoon just east of the historic center, one of the only coastal wetlands in Baja California Sur and a resting stop for 125 plus bird species including herons, egrets, and migratory waterfowl. A raised boardwalk runs through the reeds, and there is a small visitor area with interpretive signs. It is free and open daily, best visited at sunrise or late afternoon when birds are most active. Bring binoculars and mosquito repellent. The estuary is also where sea turtle hatchling releases happen from August through December, part of the local San Jose del Cabo events and festivals calendar.
Things to Do in San Jose del Cabo: Day Trips and Beyond
Cabo San Lucas and El Arco
Cabo San Lucas is 32km southwest of San Jose del Cabo, about a 35 minute drive along the corridor, and is the place to see El Arco, the natural rock arch at Land’s End where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. The arch is only reachable by boat; a shared glass bottom panga tour runs about US$15 to US$25 per person for a 45 minute trip, and you can combine it with a snorkel stop at Lover’s Beach. Parking in Cabo San Lucas is scarce and paid, so consider taking the public bus (about 45 pesos) or a shuttle instead of driving.
Wirikuta Botanical Garden
Wirikuta is a 10 hectare desert botanical garden about 20 minutes north of downtown, home to one of the largest cactus collections in the world with more than 1,500 species, including giant stone and desert sculptures. Entry is around 250 pesos (about US$15), and it is open daily from 9am to 5pm except Mondays. The self guided trails take one to two hours, and there is a small cafe on site. Wear closed shoes and a hat, since there is almost no shade between exhibits.
Cabo Pulmo National Park
Cabo Pulmo is a protected marine park about 90km northeast of San Jose del Cabo, home to the northernmost living coral reef in the eastern Pacific and one of the most successful marine recoveries on record. The two hour drive is worth it for snorkeling and diving among schools of jacks, rays, and seasonal whale sharks. Dive trips from town run about US$150 to US$200, and the road in is partially unpaved, so allow a full day. This is a protected area with strict limits on visitor numbers, so book boat tours a few days ahead in peak season. Check water conditions in our San Jose del Cabo weather by month guide before you go.
Flora Farms
Flora Farms is a working organic farm and restaurant about 10 minutes north of the historic center in the community of Animas Bajas, one of the most popular dinner spots in Los Cabos. The menu is built from the farm’s own produce and wood fired oven, and the sprawling grounds include a grocery, bakery, and bar. Dinner for two typically runs US$80 to US$120 without drinks, and reservations are essential in high season, often a week ahead. It is open for lunch and dinner, closed Tuesdays. Pair dinner with a stay nearby using our where to stay in San Jose del Cabo guide.
Todos Santos
Todos Santos is a small Pacific coast town about 75km north, a Pueblo Magico known for its art galleries, the Hotel California, and consistent winter surf at Playa Cerritos. The drive takes about an hour on Highway 19. Plan a half to full day to walk the galleries and have lunch, and stop at the surf beach if you ride. It is an easy self drive, or you can book a guided tour from town for about US$50 to US$70 per person. For how to get there and what to bring, see our San Jose del Cabo travel tips guide.
