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.
This list of Cabo San Lucas travel tips was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
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
- Sunset Pirate Ship Cruise (your kids will geek out)
- Beach and Desert ATV Adventure (perfect for thrill-seekers)
- Whale Watching Boat Ride (it comes with free photos)
- Animal Sanctuary Tour (you get to feed exotic animals that have been rescued)
- Flytographer Photo Shoot (this is an easy and affordable Cabo photography option)
Kid-Friendly Cabo Resorts
- Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos (this is in a quiet area away from the party scene)
- Sandos Finisterra All-Inclusive (it has 3 outdoor swimming pools)
- Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos (it has 5 outdoor swimming pools)
Travel to Cabo San Lucas FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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 and 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.
