With its stunning blue waters, dynamic landscape, and attractions galore, many are turning to Cabo San Lucas as their next tropical vacation site. Cabo has something for everyone, and if you’re planning on taking a trip there, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are seven tips for planning a vacation to Cabo:
- Set a budget
- Get the correct travel documents
- Pick the right time of year for travel
- Choose accommodations with safety in mind
- Reserve excursions ahead of time
- Keep food allergies in mind
- Pack Cabo essentials
You never want to go into an important vacation without a proper plan, so we’re going to let you in on the seven best tips for planning your vacation to Cabo so that you don’t miss out on any of the fun Cabo has to offer, ensuring that you can leave your vacation with no regrets.
Table of Contents
Where is Cabo San Lucas?
While the name “Cabo” is revered enough that you’ve probably heard it before and perhaps know it to be a popular vacation spot, you might not know exactly where this slice of paradise is located.
The city of Cabo San Lucas is located in Mexico. To be exact, Cabo lies on the very tip of the Baja California Peninsula, right on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This peninsula belongs to the Mexican state, Baja California Sur.
This region is home to a dynamic variety of locations for tourists to enjoy. There are deserts, beaches, mountains, and even a bustling metropolitan area. So when we say Cabo has something for everyone, we aren’t kidding.
The climate of Cabo is known as a “tropical desert climate,” which means the winters are actually quite warm, and it stays warm year-round. This is a large reason why many US tourists choose to escape their hometowns for Cabo in the winter months to enjoy a taste of summer.
How Much Does a Vacation to Cabo Cost?
One of the biggest things on the mind of any traveler is how much they’ll need to budget to afford their trip. Vacations to resort towns like Cabo are known to be quite pricey.
Below is the approximate cost of a seven-day vacation in Cabo San Lucas, with ranges that cover the prices for a budget, average, and luxury trip for solo travelers, couples, and a family of four:
| Budget | Average | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Traveler | $1,150 | $2,400 | $3,800 minimum |
| Couple | $2,000 | $4,300 | $5,500 minimum |
| Family of Four | $4,100 | $8,000 | $11,100 minimum |
As you can see, the cost of a trip to Cabo San Lucas differs greatly depending on the type of trip you want. It can be considerably low-cost for a week-long budget trip by yourself, but it can get quite expensive for a luxury trip with a family. It all depends on what your wants and needs are for your vacation.
7 Tips for Planning Your Vacation to Cabo
Cabo is famous for various things, including its stunning beaches, diverse and plentiful wildlife, mouthwatering cuisine, nightclubs, outdoor activities, and more.
With so much to do, there are a few things every traveler should consider when preparing for their trip to Cabo:
Come Up with a Cabo-Friendly Budget Beforehand
Budgeting will be key when it comes to planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas. Figuring out your budget beforehand is important because of the exchange rate when converting your currency to pesos.
Nowadays, the exchange rate for 1 US dollar hovers around 20 pesos on average. However, it can change at any point depending on factors like inflation or supply and demand. You can check this website to find out exactly what the exchange rate looks like for your trip.
As cash is the norm, there are a lot of places in Cabo that won’t accept credit or debit cards (you should still take them with you in case, but don’t assume this will be your main form of payment), so make sure you take pesos out from an international ATM.
Be Sure Your Documents Are in Order
Before we get into the fun part of planning trips, it’s absolutely essential that you have the documents you’ll need to travel to Cabo. These documents should be kept securely with you at all times.
The documents you need have if you’re traveling to Cabo from the United States include:
- A valid passport (make sure it’s not expired) is highly recommended but not necessary
- Birth certificate or naturalization papers
- Valid photo ID (driver’s license, state ID)
- Written permission to travel form for minors traveling alone, signed by at least one parent and a notary, the police, or an embassy
- An entry permit (if traveling by car)
You can check out the Los Cabos International Airport website for more specifics on documents needed for Americans and information about Visas for those traveling from other countries.
Choose the Time of Year Very Carefully
If you want your trip to Cabo to be perfect, one of the most important things you’ll have to consider is the time of year you go.
The time you choose can depend on a variety of personal factors. You may want mild weather, or perhaps you desire to avoid the crowds of tourists that flock to Cabo during peak months. And if you’re interested in whale watching, a major attraction in Cabo, it’s even more important to choose the time you go to Cabo extremely carefully.
- If your priority is avoiding crowds, avoid winter through early spring. This is Cabo’s peak season, so there will be lots of people. Not only that, but it’s the most expensive time to travel to Cabo San Lucas as well. May and June are better choices as there are fewer crowds and the weather is favorable.
- If your priority is whale watching, go from mid-December to mid-April. These are the best months for whale watching. If you go outside of these months, there’s a solid chance you’ll miss out on the action.
If you want to avoid rain, skip out in August. While Cabo is mostly dry for the majority of the year, August is the month that features the chance of most rainfall in Cabo, which isn’t exactly ideal for a tropical beach vacation.
Choose Accommodations with Safety in Mind
One of the things you must keep in mind on your trip to Cabo is that many of the beaches have strong riptides and can be dangerous to swim in. Especially on the Pacific side of the coast, many beaches are closed off to swimming completely due to the dangerous waters.
Therefore, if your priority is swimming, choosing your accommodation according to areas where swimming is safe and permitted would be in your best interest. And thankfully, there are lots of high-rated hotels right by some of these famous swimming beaches. Here’s a list of hotels that are close to great beaches for you to consider:
- Hacienda del Mar Los Cabos Resort, by the Santa Maria Beach
- Mar del Cabo Resort, by Chileno Beach
- Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, by Playa del Amor
- Melia Cabo Real, by Playa Bledo
- Tesoro los Cabos Resort, by Medano Beach
Reserve Your Excursions Ahead of Time
Cabo is a very popular vacation destination, which means, yes, it’s incredibly important to get your reservations in early—months or even a year early if possible—especially if you want to get in on the highest-rated, most popular excursions.
Examples of some diverse, highly-rated (and quick to sell out) excursions or tours you can consider trying out during your trip to Cabo include:
- ATV tour through the beaches and desert landscape
- Sailing and snorkel cruise (lunch included)
- Ziplining tour through the canyons of Los Cabos
- Jet skiing in Cabo Bay
- Glass bottom kayaking through the waters of El Arco
- Authentic Mexican cuisine cooking class and market tour
- Humpback whale watching tour with marine mammal specialist commentary
From exciting water activities to a dive into Mexican culture, there are several renowned experiences you can invest in on your Cabo vacation—but make sure you give yourself ample time to reserve them before takeoff!
When visiting Cabo, don’t miss out on the amazing underwater experiences by checking out the best dive shops in Cabo.
Keep Food Allergies in Mind
Everyone knows that one of the most important aspects of any meaningful vacation is, of course, the food.
As you may have guessed, thanks to the lush marine life of Cabo’s beaches, there’s a lot of seafood dishes you can’t afford to miss. But, if you’re someone with a seafood/shellfish allergy, you need to know that much of Cabo’s cuisine often contains these types of ingredients.
One thing you can do to ensure your safety is to bring an allergy card with you. An allergy card is a card that contains information about your allergy in both English and the host language, so you can ensure that the person you’re purchasing food from is fully aware of your dietary needs.
Once you’ve prepared your allergy card, it’s time to chow down! Here are some iconic dishes in Cabo you should consider indulging in:
- Some of the most popular seafood dishes featuring fresh Cabo fish include Mexican chocolate clam, smoked marlin, and comida de pobres (seafood soup with beans and rice).
- If the idea of seafood makes your stomach turn, chicken and pork tamales from street food stands will provide you with an authentic and utterly delicious Mexican cuisine experience.
How Many Days Do You Need in Cabo?
Now that you’re prepared to take your trip to Cabo, you may be wondering approximately how long is considered a good amount of time to vacation in Cabo San Lucas. Look no further!
How long you spend in Cabo depends on your preferences. That said, many visitors on Trip Advisor say that one week is the perfect amount of time to get in all of the necessary Cabo activities without feeling like you should have booked your trip for longer.
One thing you definitely want to avoid is a trip that is less than three days. This is because you’ll be spending most of your trip traveling and preparing for travel, leaving you with less time to actually enjoy the beauty and fun that Cabo San Lucas has to offer.
Conclusion
If you’re considering a trip to Cabo, you’re in for beauty, fun, and excitement. Make sure you get the most out of your trip by following our seven tips for planning your trip to Cabo to ensure that your vacation is safe, organized, and unforgettable.
Ensure you have the proper documents and essential items to pack, book your reservations early, choose the time of year for your trip according to your priorities, and plan your budget and foodie goals before departure.