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La Paz packs a long waterfront promenade, a UNESCO-listed island, and a beach often called the most beautiful in Mexico into one compact city. Most sights are reachable within 30 to 60 minutes of downtown, and the top marine experiences run on clear seasonal schedules. This things to do in La Paz list covers beaches, islands, culture and day trips with hours, costs and logistics, and the La Paz travel guide ties it to the wider city.
Things to Do in La Paz: Beaches and Islands
Playa Balandra
Balandra is a shallow, turquoise bay framed by a sandbar and the famous El Hongo mushroom rock, roughly 25km (30 minutes) north of the Malecon. Entry is free, but the protected area enforces a daily visitor cap (around 450 people split into morning and afternoon shifts), and it has closed on Mondays for conservation, so arrive before 9:00am on weekends. The water is mostly knee-to-waist deep, which makes it ideal for families and paddleboarding. Parking is limited and the lot fills by mid-morning.
Isla Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is a UNESCO World Heritage island in the Gulf of California, reached by boat tours that leave from Marina Costa Baja or the Pichilingue ferry terminal. Most full-day tours (roughly 1,500 to 2,500 MXN per person) combine snorkeling with a visit to the sea lion colony at Los Islotes and a stop at a white-sand cove. The boat ride takes about an hour, and the season runs year-round, with the calmest water from May to October. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, as regular sunscreen is prohibited in the protected area.
Swimming with Whale Sharks
The Bay of La Paz hosts whale sharks from October through April, with November to March the most reliable months. Tours run 3 to 4 hours and cost around 1,800 to 3,600 MXN (US$100 to US$190) per person including gear, and licensed operators cap group sizes and enforce a no-touching rule. You jump in two at a time with a guide and snorkel alongside the filter-feeding fish, which can reach 12 meters. Book a morning slot, as wind often picks up in the afternoon. Check seasonal timing in our best time to visit La Paz guide.
Playa El Tecolote and Playa Pichilingue
El Tecolote, 25km north of the city past Balandra, is a free beach with palapa restaurants serving fish tacos and cold drinks, and it stays open later than Balandra. Pichilingue, about 15km from downtown, is a calm, family-friendly cove next to the ferry terminal with gentler water and basic facilities. Both are reachable by car or the Balandra-route bus that leaves from the Malecón bus station; taxis to Balandra run 400 to 600 MXN one way.
Things to Do in La Paz: Downtown and Culture
Malecón Álvaro Obregón
The Malecón is a 5km paved waterfront promenade that runs along Álvaro Obregón Avenue from the marina to the eastern edge of downtown. It is free and busiest at sunset, when locals walk, bike and sit at the dozens of seafood restaurants that line the shore. Landmarks include the large La Paz letters, rotating bronze sculptures and the Marina de La Paz. Rent a bicycle (about 150 MXN per hour) or just walk; it is also the venue for the February Carnaval.
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Paz
The city’s main cathedral sits on Plaza de la Constitución in the Centro Histórico, about two blocks from the Malecón. Built starting in 1861 with a neoclassical facade and two bell towers, it is free to enter and open daily, typically 8:00am to 8:00pm. The plaza outside fills with food stalls in the evening. It is a short walk from most downtown hotels in our neighborhoods in La Paz guide.
Museo de Antropología e Historia de Baja California Sur
This small museum, a few blocks inland from the cathedral, covers the peninsula’s prehistory, including reproductions of the rock art found in the Sierra de San Francisco and details on the Guaycura and Pericú peoples. Entry is around 45 MXN and it is free on Sundays, with displays mostly in Spanish. It is a 45-minute stop that gives context to the cave-painting day trips offered across the region.
Things to Do in La Paz: On the Water
Kayaking and Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Guided kayak and SUP tours leave from the Malecón, El Mogote and Balandra, with half-day mangrove tours costing around 1,200 to 1,800 MXN per person. The calm, shallow water of the bay makes La Paz one of the easiest places in Baja to learn. Rentals run 300 to 500 MXN per hour, and operators provide life jackets and dry bags. Winter brings cooler air but glassy mornings, while summer afternoons can get windy.
Grey Whale Watching at Magdalena Bay
From mid-January to late March, grey whales migrate into Magdalena Bay, a protected lagoon about 3.5 hours north of La Paz near Puerto San Carlos and López Mateos. Day tours run 7 to 9 hours round trip and cost roughly 1,500 to 2,500 MXN, with panga boats that often let mothers and calves approach within meters. This is a separate experience from the whale sharks and is a top draw in our La Paz events and festivals calendar.
Things to Do in La Paz: Day Trips
Todos Santos
Todos Santos is a Pueblo Mágico about one hour south of La Paz on Highway 19, known for its art galleries, the Hotel California and its November music festival. You can drive, take a bus from the central station (roughly 90 minutes, 100 to 150 MXN) or join a guided tour. Pair it with a morning at Cerritos Beach for surfing, or stay overnight and combine it with the where to stay in La Paz options on either coast.
La Ventana
La Ventana, 45 minutes southeast of La Paz, is one of the world’s top kiteboarding and windsurfing destinations, with reliable El Norte winds from November to March. The beach runs several kilometers and draws beginners and pros, with kite schools offering lessons from about 1,500 MXN for a two-hour intro. Even if you do not kite, it is a good spot for camping, paddling and watching the action on a windy winter day. See our La Paz travel tips and FAQ page for car rental advice.
For a month-by-month look at what the weather will be during these activities, read our La Paz weather by month guide.
