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10 Cabo San Lucas Travel Tips to Know BEFORE You Go

10 Cabo San Lucas Travel Tips to Know BEFORE You Go

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Are you planning your first trip to Cabo San Lucas Mexico? Keep scrolling for my top Cabo San Lucas travel tips to know before your upcoming Mexico vacation.

Cabo San Lucas is an amazing place to visit, but there are a few things you should know before you go.

We just did a Cabo family vacation and there are SO many things I wish I knew before this trip!

In this post, I’ll share my list of the best tips for traveling to Mexico. This will help make your vacation as enjoyable as possible.

After reading this post, you’ll be ready to book your trip and enjoy everything that Cabo San Lucas has to offer.

You’ll be able to relax and enjoy your time without having to worry about a thing – I promise! So what are you waiting for? Start reading now.

Don’t have time to read a bunch of Cabo San Lucas blog posts and reviews? Here are some of our top picks for visiting Cabo with kids.

Popular Cabo Tours/Activities

Kid-Friendly Cabo Resorts

Travel to Cabo San Lucas FAQs

Do you need a passport to go to Cabo?

If you are visiting Cabo from the United States (or any other country), YES you will need a current passport. This also applies to babies, toddlers, and kids of all ages.

Is it safe to travel to Cabo San Lucas?

We felt completely safe traveling to Cabo San Lucas Mexico. We pre-arranged our transportation to our resort and then had the resort line up taxis for us to do excursions. Walking around town also felt safe (during the day). It might be another story at nighttime.

Is it worth traveling to Cabo with kids?

Most likely! It depends on what type of trip you’re looking for. If you want an all-inclusive resort vacation with some fun activity options for families, Cabo is fabulous! It’s so much more than a “party” destination.

10 Convenient Cabo San Lucas Travel Tips

Party Cabo vs Family Cabo

Los Cabos is a fairly large, spread-out area. A lot of college students, singles, or couples tend to stay not too far from Downton Cabo San Lucas. There are a bunch of party areas between Marina Blvd. and Lázaro Cárdenas. It’s perfect for bachelor/bachelorette parties or crazy trips.

However, it’s not ideal for families.

Front exterior of Mission San Jose del Cabo with colorful rosary hanging above entrance on clear sunny day
Mission San Jose del Cabo is a cute church in the family-friendly area of Los Cabos.

We stayed on the San José del Cabo side of Los Cabos. This is much, much quieter. It almost feels like it’s the suburbs. Here, you’ll find a lot of kid-friendly Cabo resorts and condos.

These are very distinct areas of Los Cabos and it’s important to do some research before you book a place to stay.

Most People Stay at an All-Inclusive Resort

Mexico is pretty synonymous with all-inclusive resorts. Most families choose to stay in an all-inclusive resort in Cabo because it’s just so easy.

Check out this honest Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos review by top family travel blog Marcie in Mommyland. Image of an all-inclusive Mexico resort pool
The Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos is a great choice for families.

You don’t have to worry about food or entertainment. Plus, most of them have kids’ clubs and babysitting services. We stayed at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos and had a great experience. You can read my honest review.

Here’s my full list of the best Cabo resorts for families.

You can choose to stay in a condo/vacation rental. Just check to see if you can walk to restaurants/stores. Things are spread out on the San Jose del Cabo side.

Try Food OUTSIDE of the Resort

I know it may seem counter-intuitive to pay for an all-inclusive resort (where they have free food) and go PAY for food somewhere else.

But, you’ll find the freshest and tastiest Mexican food outside of your resort.

Try ceviche, tacos, tostadas, and pretty much anything else you can find. Plus, the drinks are usually a bit stronger.

US Cash is Accepted in Most Places

While I definitely recommend getting some pesos, don’t stress out if you run out. Most restaurants and people in the service industry will accept US cash for tips.

You can always use credit cards to pay for activities or experiences. But it’s always best to tip in cash.

Not a Lot of Must-See Attractions

So, usually, when we plan a family vacation, I do a bunch of research to figure out what to include in our itinerary.

While there are lots of kid-friendly things to do in Cabo, there aren’t a lot of historical sites, famous buildings, or iconic places to take selfies.

A vertical shot of the Arch of Cabo San Lucas surrounded by the sea in Mexico
The Arch of Cabo San Lucas is the most popular attraction in Cabo.

It was actually kind of cool because that meant we could have a slower pace and not feel like we needed to cram a bunch of sightseeing into our days. Our kids LOVED just hanging by the pool most of the time.

Winter is Whale Shark Season

If you are visiting Cabo in winter, you’ll definitely want to look into booking a whale shark boat ride!

Whale Shark in Cabo San Lucas
Whale Shark in Cabo San Lucas

This is one of the only places where you can see them up close. If you love snorkeling or seeing underwater creatures, add this to your Cabo itinerary!

Cabo Airport is Small and Easy to Navigate

Sometimes it’s nerve-wracking to go through an international airport for the first time. The Cabo airport is pretty small and almost impossible to get lost in.

Los Cabos Mexico International Airport Highway Sign 2D Illustration
The Los Cabos airport is one of the easiest international airports to navigate.

After flying to Cabo San Lucas, you’ll easily get to immigration/customs and continue through to baggage claim. From there, you’ll do one last check before heading out.

On the way home, you’ll appreciate that there are only 19 gates. That means less walking!

They have several shops where you can buy Mexican souvenirs or snacks for the plane. And they have restaurants like Subway, Panda Express, Sbarro, and Carl’s Jr.

Consider Pre-Arranging Your Ride

When you exit the Cabo airport, you’ll have a ton of people come toward you offering taxi services. It’s a little tricky because the price can be confusing and you might have someone change the cost of the trip for you.

Instead, you might book your transportation ahead of time. We did that because we were traveling with extended family and wanted to make sure we’d have a safe and clean way to get to our resort.

The Cabo Arts District is Adorable

If you’re looking for a place to take Instagram photos or just stroll along a cute part of town, head to the Arts District in San Jose del Cabo.

Flytographer in Cabo Family Photo
Photo credit: Diana with Flytographer

This is where you’ll find art galleries, boutiques, and pretty cafes. Plus, there’s some street art and picado banners hanging above the streets.

Book a Cabo Family Photo Shoot

My kids told us that our trip to Cabo San Lucas was one of the best family vacations we’ve done! So, naturally, I capitalized on their happiness and booked a photo shoot!

Flytographer in Cabo Family Photos on Stairs
Photo credit: Diana with Flytographer

I’m really glad that I did because they were all smiles as we explored the cute streets in San Jose del Cabo. It was nice to not worry about taking iPhone photos during the trip because I knew we’d get some great family shots!

Plus, you can get $25 off your first shoot if you book HERE.

Book a Family Photo Shoot

Whenever we travel, we almost always book a family photo shoot with Flytographer. They are super easy, affordable, AND guarantee that I’ll be in some photos. You can get $25 off if you book through this link or use the code HAWAIITRAVEL.

Visiting Cabo San Lucas Mexico Wrap Up

Now you know tons of tips for visiting Cabo Mexico! These Cabo San Lucas travel tips covered flying to Cabo, where to stay in Cabo and the best things to do in Los Cabos.

Vacationing in Cabo San Lucas can be a piece of cake! I hope you have the best trip ever!

Looking for more Cabo travel resources? Check out the best things to do in Cabo with kids, my Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos review, how to book a Cabo family photo shoot, best places to visit in Mexico, Cabo day trips, San Jose del Cabo vs Cabo San Lucas, and the best all-inclusive Cabo resorts for families.

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