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You are here: Home / Travel / Americas / North America / Unique Things to Do in Cabo San Lucas Mexico – Cruise Port Ideas

Unique Things to Do in Cabo San Lucas Mexico – Cruise Port Ideas

Last Updated: August 16, 2022 // by Rhonda Albom // 31 Comments
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El Arco - The Arch seen from the water with other boats between us, one of the unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas Mexico
El Arco (The Arch), an icon of Cabo San Lucas
Despite the overriding tourist vibe, there are plenty of unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas Mexico from El Arco to taco tours.

Cabo San Lucas, or Cabo as it’s more commonly called, is not just a tropical party town in Mexico. In fact, there are plenty of unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

Located at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, Cabo is just south of the Tropic of Cancer line. A tropical paradise, it is the main town/city in the Los Cabos region.

Targeting the American market, Cabo is popular among Californians looking for a tropical beach getaway in somewhat familiar surroundings. There is virtually no getting around this. Resorts line the beaches, English seems more prevalent than Spanish, and prices are often listed in US dollars.

At times, I have found the American influence so strong, I could almost forget I was in Mexico.

But I could never forget I was in a vacation town as the options to spend money on an adventure, boating, watersports, or out in the desert seem endless.

But, isn’t that why I was there?

Yes, I used to live in California. And yes, I used to head to Cabo for relaxation and fun. I have been there more times than I want to admit. The last time was not that long ago, as a cruise ship stop with my husband.

Our recommendations below are a mix of the unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas with some of the most fun things we have done over time, even if they are quite touristy.

Fun and unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas

  • Get out to El Arco (The Arch)
  • Hang out at the beach
  • Whale watching
  • Swim with whale sharks
  • Go SCUBA diving or parasailing
  • Indulge in a taco tour
  • Stroll through the downtown and visit a mask shop
  • Pump up your adrenaline on an ATV
  • Party at El Squid Roe

El Arco (The Arch)

Lovers Beach in Cabo San Lucas Mexico
Lover’s Beach on Land’s End

El Arco (the Arch), a granite rock carved by the ocean currents, is a well-recognized icon of Cabo San Lucas. Called Land’s End, the area marks the tip of the Baja Peninsula and the meeting spot of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean.

Lover’s Beach (photoed) is gentle, calm waters, great for snorkelling, swimming, or water play. What makes it one of the unique things to do in Cabo is the pass through to the ocean side, and the big waves crashing along what is aptly called Divorce Beach.

El Arco is a must-see for just about everyone who visits this town, despite the need for a boat to get here. Some of the boating options include:

  • Water taxis
    This is the easiest way to get to The Arch and requires little planning. Price is negotiable and will cost more from the marina than just about anywhere else. Typically, about $10USD per person will get you from the marina either out to see the arch, or to be dropped off and picked up from its beach.
  • Kayaks
    Once we hired kayaks and paddled out to Lover’s Beach. We brought snorkel gear with us and enjoyed a bit of underwater discovery straight from the beach. Reserve your kayak and snorkel trip to Lover’s Beach here.
  • Cruise ship
    No, your ship cannot get near The Arch, but if you are on deck when the ship arrives or leaves the port, you should get a great view of the entire Land’s End from the ship.

Get on a boat or get into the water

Sealions seen from Private boat tour out to The Arch at Cabo San Lucas Mexico
Glass bottom water taxi in Mexico
Water Taxi
SCUBA diving with sea lions
Sea lion
humpback whale breaching on pacific ocean background in cabo san lucas mexico
Humpback whale
  • Hang out at the beach
    If you are staying at one of the big resorts, or if you just got off a cruise ship on foot, you will most likely find yourself at El Medano Beach. This is the beach at the end of the bay that the marina is on. Beach-going locals will most often choose a quieter spot.
  • Whale watching
    A seasonal event, if it’s mid-December to mid-April, you have a good chance of seeing some of the thousands of migrating humpback whales now along the Baja peninsula for mating season. Reserve your whale watching tour here.
  • Swim with whale sharks
    If you want more than just seeing whales, check out this option to swim with the largest fish in the world. Note that this tour starts and ends with an over 2-hour drive to La Paz, but I included it here as it’s a popular Cabo activity and clearly one of the more unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas. Reserve your full-day whale shark discovery experience here.
  • Go SCUBA diving
    The first time I dove here was back in the early 90s, and while not as colourful as some places we have been, coming face to face with a sealion made it one of my most memorable dives to date. If you are a certified diver, check out this highly rated 3-hour dive tour.
  • Go parasailing
    Honestly, this one can easily be booked at the beach when you are ready to go, but if you are one who likes everything pre-paid, reserve your parasailing adventure here.

Eat, drink, and dance

A fruit cart in Cabo San Lucas Mexico
Street cart
Fish Tacos
Fish tacos
El Squid Roe a popular nightclub and one of the unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas
El Squid Roe

As with any touristy town, there are plenty of food options, from outdoor cafes along the waterfront to family-owned restaurants. Intermixed, there are a few larger eating establishments and plenty of street food vendors to fill the gaps.

I love trying local cuisine and am typically a pretty brave eater. Food carts don’t scare me, and on our last trip to Cabo, which was only a cruise port stop, I tried a cup of fresh fruit, a smoothy, and tacos from meat shaved off a spit.

If you are keen on random street food and prefer a recommendation, one of the really fun and unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas is to take a taco tour.

Along with your taco guide, you will walk the energetic streets sampling fish tacos, tamales, and aguas frescas from both street vendors and family-run restaurants.
Reserve your spot on a taco tour here.

If you are looking for typical Cabo nightlife, head to El Squid Roe, a popular nightclub and restaurant owned by the same fun people who created Senior Frogs. It’s been voted Cabo’s top dance club by both locals and tourists.

Stroll around the streets of the city

Cabo San Lucas flea market
Flea market
Gazebo outside the Cabo Museum in Mexico
Outside the museum
Bus and bicycle taxis in Cabo
Bus and bicycle taxis
Mask by the Zapotec Indians in the valley of Oaxaca, Mexico
Masks made by the Zapotec in the valley of Oaxaca, Mexico

In general, resort towns are not really our thing, and we prefer a cultural experience when we travel. However, we choose regions like Los Cabos more for fun.

In saying that, we like to spend a bit of time discovering daily life. Therefore, we will almost always enter a grocery store, walk some backroads, and talk to locals.

As we explored the downtown area a bit, we discovered an interesting flea market and the provincial Cabo San Lucas Museum (an interesting yet small museum, I think we spent about 30 minutes inside.)

On our last trip, we stumbled upon Zen Mar, one of the unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas.

This fascinating mask store featured masks made by the indigenous Zapotec people in the valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. Each was made with armadillo shells, goat horns and porcupine skins. They were used in ancient Mexico at ritual ceremonies to take away the bad spirits from the people. I was sure New Zealand would never let us bring one home, so the photo is my souvenir.

Ride in the surrounding desert

Guests of an ATV tour enjoy a rest and the coastline of the Sea of Cortez.  These ATV tours take riders from the desert terrain to the sea.

While not my thing, heading out on an ATV adventure to the Los Cabos beach and into the desert is quite popular, well-rated, and among the unique things to do in Cabo.

Each participant drives their own ATV through the desert and Migriño Beach. Reserve your ATV adventure here.

Walk around the marina and coast

The Cabo San Lucas marina in Mexico
Cabo marina
Sealion and pelicans watch fisherman cleaning their catch in Cabo San Lucas.
Cabo San Lucas sign.

If you arrive via cruise ship or are staying at one of the posh hotels, you will most likely find yourself walking along the coast from the marina to El Medano Beach. It’s a lovely area filled with shops, dining options, boats, and fishermen.

Yes, that’s me being a typical tourist and posing with a sign. Sometimes I just can’t resist these opportunities, and I am even willing to wait in a short queue for the shot.

While taking my photo with an Instagram sign can’t really be considered among the most unique things to do in Cabo, its originality comes from the city name itself. Where else can you stand in front of a #Cabo sign?

Cabo San Lucas as a cruise port

It’s a tender port, meaning the ship drops anchor, and passengers are taken on tenders (small power boats) for the 10-minute trip to shore.

On our last visit, the Princess Cruise staff handled the tender process very smoothly. From there, we simply walked around, enjoyed coffee, lunch and the local ambience.

More on Cabo San Lucas

  • Most of the water in Cabo is safe to drink.
  • The average year-round temperature is 26C (78F), increasing in the summer up to 38C (100F).
  • The official language is Spanish, although many people speak English, especially in tourist areas.
  • The currency is the Mexican Peso. While many places will accept US Dollars, your change will be returned in pesos.
  • Our most recent stop in Cabo was on the Island Princess, towards the end of a cruise through the Panama Canal.

Read next: 20 Picturesque Cruise Ship Ports Around the World

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Despite the overriding tourist vibe, there are plenty of unique things to do in Cabo San Lucas Mexico from El Arco to taco tours.

What are your favourite things to do in Cabo San Lucas?

More from the region

  • 7 Things to Do in Chetumal, Mexico You Don’t Want to Miss
  • Yelapa: Hidden Paradise near Puerto Vallarta Mexico
  • Why Visit Belize? See Why Belize is an Exhilarating Travel Experience

Photo Credits:

All photos on this page are either shot by our team and watermarked as such or stock images from Depositphotos.

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Category: Cruise Ports, North AmericaTag: Mexico, Tropics

About Rhonda Albom

Capturing the essence of travel through photography, Rhonda Albom is the primary author and photographer at Albom Adventures. She is an American expat based in New Zealand. She travels the world with her husband.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna

    June 8, 2016 at 9:16 pm

    stunning pics. I am also planning a trip there..

    Cheers
    Anna

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      June 9, 2016 at 10:19 am

      It’s a fun city for a day or a week.

      Reply
  2. Rhonda Albom

    June 2, 2016 at 10:13 am

    Se llama El Arco y es un icono de la ciudad.

    Reply
  3. Charles

    June 2, 2016 at 1:52 am

    Lovely photos – beautiful!

    Reply
  4. Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit

    June 1, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    This little Aussie has never been to Cabo! But I’ve heard about it.
    I did go to Aruba recently which is a LOOOONG way from Australia and took 36 hours to get there, Does that count?

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      June 2, 2016 at 10:31 am

      It was when I used to live in California that Cabo was a more frequent destination. As for Aruba, we went there also, on the same cruise about 4 days before Cabo.

      Reply
  5. Photo(Geo)grapher

    June 1, 2016 at 3:54 am

    Beautiful place and great photos. Lovely post

    Reply
  6. eileen g

    May 30, 2016 at 12:00 am

    the flea market looks like a lot of fun for souvenir buying and window shopping. I love the skeleton. I have yet to visit a part of mexico i haven’t really liked. Cabo is definitely on my list.

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 30, 2016 at 7:27 am

      Cabo is quite a bit built up, these photos were slightly off the beaten track.

      Reply
  7. Suze - Luxury Columnist

    May 29, 2016 at 9:58 pm

    I’ve never been to Cabo but the marina looks lovely and the Day of the Dead masks are very striking

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 30, 2016 at 7:26 am

      When I used to live in San Francisco, Cabo was our favorite getaway destination.

      Reply
  8. [email protected] on Tour

    May 29, 2016 at 9:01 pm

    Looks like a great stop, sometimes I think it is just fun to wonder about a city and see what you happen upon. It is often the best way to discover the real vibe of a place.

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 9:43 pm

      I completely agree, especially in a town like Cabo, where I have been before and already seen the highlights.

      Reply
  9. Anda

    May 29, 2016 at 9:09 am

    The question at the end of your post made me smile: “How many times have you been to Cabo San Lucas?” None! I live right around the corner from Mexico and still have never been to Cabo San Lucas. Somehow this destination fell through the cracks of our travel planning. The area seems beautiful, but it’s a little too dry for my taste. I prefer more the southern part of Mexico, like Cancun and Cozumel. Beautiful pictures!

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 1:02 pm

      When I lived in San Francisco it was one of the places we went to often, for a weekend, or several day get away. I love Cancun, but it is more of a longer commitment. Cabo is easy.

      Reply
  10. Paul F. Pietrangelo

    May 29, 2016 at 1:17 am

    Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. It’s to bad that I wasn’t able to go this cruise. Soon I will be on Carnival’s newest ship the Vista. I’m really looking forward to it.

    Cruisn Paul

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 1:01 pm

      This one was 19 days from Ft. Lauderdale to Vancouver Canada. You, my cruising friend, would have loved it. The Panama Canal was fascinating.

      Reply
  11. Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields

    May 29, 2016 at 12:29 am

    Mexico is at the top of our travel wishlist. The problem is, David wants to hire and car and drive there, and I am really concerned about doing that. Maybe I’ll try to talk him into a cruise first. I know what you mean about NZ not letting you bring your souvenirs home. We have the same strict quarantine in Australia – like NZ for good reasons.

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      Cabo San Lucas is on the end of the Baja peninsula, so if you were doing a driving trip to Mexico, you might not get here. As for bio-security, yes you would know the same restrictions.

      Reply
  12. Lyndall

    May 28, 2016 at 4:42 pm

    I haven’t visited Cabo but it looks lovely. Can’t believe how cheeky and close that sea lion was – I guess food is a big drawcard!

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 12:59 pm

      Where else is he guaranteed a meal?

      Reply
  13. Lydia C. Lee

    May 28, 2016 at 9:46 am

    Love the fruit barrow shot – looks great!

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 12:59 pm

      Fresh and delicious.

      Reply
  14. Lexa Cain

    May 28, 2016 at 7:33 am

    So pretty! The little place reminds me of cities in Egypt – only without the death masks and the mountains. And we have dolphins but no sea lions. I love the pic of the pelicans and sea lion waiting for handouts like dogs begging for table scraps! So cute! Thanks for the great pics!

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 12:58 pm

      Interesting, now I really want to get to Egypt.

      Reply
  15. Comedy Plus

    May 28, 2016 at 2:51 am

    I’ve never been here before. Been in many places in Mexico but not here. I hear it’s quite a lovely vacation spot.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 12:58 pm

      It is lovely, and a quite modern in some ways.

      Reply
  16. Alex J. Cavanaugh

    May 27, 2016 at 11:58 pm

    Lots of hungry critters waiting for leftover fish.
    Is it because of the animal products used that you wouldn’t be able to take one of those masks into New Zealand?

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 12:58 pm

      They waited so patiently too. As for the masks, it was the untreated wood as well as the animal products. New Zealand has some of the strictest bio security in the world.

      Reply
  17. Hilary

    May 27, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    How lovely to have a day of ‘rest’ and a good wander through the port and enjoy a relaxing coffee and lunch … fascinating … cheers Hilary

    Reply
    • Rhonda Albom

      May 29, 2016 at 12:57 pm

      It was a really enjoyable day, low pressure and delicious food (and we all know I love my coffee.)

      Reply

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