Cabo San Lucas vs San José del Cabo: two towns, one corridor, and where to stay
Los Cabos is two towns joined by a corridor of resorts. How they differ, and how where you stay changes the trip to the boat.
In this guide
- What is the difference between Cabo and Los Cabos?
- Cabo San Lucas vs San José del Cabo at a glance
- Cabo San Lucas: the marina, the bay and the Arch
- San José del Cabo: the old town and the Art Walk
- The tourist corridor between them
- Where to stay in Cabo if you're booking a boat day
- Can you do both on one trip?
- What a boat day costs from either town
- Booking from wherever you stay
Los Cabos is two towns joined by a corridor of resorts. Cabo San Lucas, at the tip of the peninsula, is the busy one, with the marina, Médano Beach, the nightlife and the Arch. San José del Cabo, about 20 miles (roughly 30 minutes) east, is quieter, older and 15 to 25 minutes from the airport. Every private charter we book boards in Cabo San Lucas, so where you stay decides how long it takes to reach the boat.
The two suit different trips, and plenty of people stay in one and spend an evening in the other.
What is the difference between Cabo and Los Cabos?
"Los Cabos" covers the whole area at the southern tip of Baja California Sur. It has three parts:
- Cabo San Lucas, the town at Land's End, built around the marina and the bay
- San José del Cabo, the older town to the east, near the airport
- The tourist corridor, the stretch of highway, resorts and coves between the two
When people say "Cabo," they nearly always mean Cabo San Lucas. Flights land at Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), which is closer to San José: about 8 miles (13 km) from San José and about 30 miles from Cabo San Lucas.
Cabo San Lucas vs San José del Cabo at a glance
| Cabo San Lucas | San José del Cabo | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Busy, built around the marina | Quieter, historic center |
| From the airport | 40 to 50 minutes | 15 to 25 minutes |
| To the charter dock | Walk or short taxi | About 30 minute drive |
| Evenings | Bars and restaurants by the marina | Thursday Art Walk, Nov to Jun |
| On the water | Arch and Lover's Beach 1 to 1.2 mi away | Reach them by boat from Cabo San Lucas |
Cabo San Lucas: the marina, the bay and the Arch
Cabo San Lucas is where most of the water activity happens. Marina Cabo San Lucas sits in downtown, with the restaurants and bars around it. Twelve of our thirteen yachts board there, and the Sea Ray 65 meets you at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal.
From the marina, the classic sights are close:
| Place | Distance from the marina |
|---|---|
| Médano Beach | 0.8 mi / 1.3 km |
| Pelican Rock | 0.8 mi / 1.3 km |
| Lover's Beach | 1 mi / 1.7 km |
| The Arch | 1.2 mi / 1.9 km |
Médano Beach is the town's swimming beach, the long stretch of sand facing the calm bay, with the beach clubs on it. It holds Blue Flag certification, and you can walk to it from the marina. Our Médano Beach guide covers it in detail.
Staying here makes sense if you want to walk to dinner, be on the beach in minutes, and roll out of bed for a 7 AM boat. The trade-off is noise and crowds, especially in March, when spring break brings the biggest crowds of the year.
San José del Cabo: the old town and the Art Walk
San José del Cabo is the older of the two towns. Jesuit missionaries founded the mission of San José del Cabo in 1730, first near the estuary where a river meets the sea, and later moved it inland. The church that stands on Plaza Mijares today is a reconstruction from the 1940s on the site of the original mission. The plaza is the center of town.
The best-known night out is the Art Walk. Every Thursday from November to June, from 5 to 9 PM, the galleries in the historic center stay open late, and the streets around Plaza Mijares fill with people. Entry is free.
San José suits travelers who want a slower pace, a walkable historic center and a short airport transfer. If you're only in Los Cabos for a long weekend, landing and being at your hotel in 20 minutes is a real advantage.
What you give up is the bay. The Arch, Lover's Beach and Pelican Rock are all at Land's End, near Cabo San Lucas, and that's also where the boats leave from.
The tourist corridor between them
The corridor is the stretch of coast between the two towns, lined with resorts. Two of the best snorkel coves in Los Cabos are here.
Chileno Bay is a cove with a sandy bottom and reef on both sides. Next to it is Santa María Bay, a sheltered horseshoe cove with reef along both points. Both are public beaches with free parking lots off the corridor highway, so you can drive there from your hotel.
By boat from the marina, Santa María is 6.7 miles (11 km) and Chileno is 7.9 miles (13 km). A 4 hour charter reaches Santa María, and a 5 to 8 hour day covers both with lunch at anchor.
From a corridor resort, the marina is a taxi ride. How long depends on where along the corridor you are, so check with your hotel before you book an early start.
Where to stay in Cabo if you're booking a boat day
Where you stay changes your transfer to the dock, and that matters more for some trips than others.
| Where you stay | Getting to the marina | Best boat times |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Cabo San Lucas, Médano | Walk or short taxi | Any, including 7 AM and after dark |
| The corridor | Taxi ride, varies | Mid-morning or afternoon |
| San José del Cabo | About 30 minute drive | Late morning or sunset |
A few things to plan around:
- Arrive 15 minutes before departure. The exact slip comes with your confirmation, so share it with your driver.
- Departures run from 7 AM to 7 PM. Yachts sail until 8 PM, and those leaving from the marina may stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. If you're staying in San José, that means a 30 minute drive back after dark.
- The Sea Ray 65 meets you at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal, and must be back by 8 PM because the terminal closes.
- Mornings are usually calmer on the water, because the wind tends to build after midday. A morning snorkel trip is worth the earlier start, even from San José.
Our Marina Cabo San Lucas guide covers how to get to the docks from your hotel and what to expect when you arrive.
Can you do both on one trip?
Yes, and it's easy. Cabo San Lucas and San José are about 30 minutes apart, so many visitors stay in one and visit the other for an afternoon or evening.
A simple split:
- Stay in Cabo San Lucas, take a morning boat to the Arch or to Santa María, and drive to San José on Thursday evening for the Art Walk.
- Stay in San José, keep the airport days short, and plan one day in Cabo San Lucas around a charter: boat in the morning, lunch by the marina, Médano Beach in the afternoon.
Our 3, 4 and 5 day Cabo itineraries show where the boat day fits either way.
What a boat day costs from either town
Prices are the same wherever you stay: per boat, not per person, with 16% IVA tax included. The customary 15% crew tip isn't included.
| Yacht | Guests | 3 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Chaparral 28 | Up to 10 | USD 709 / MXN 13,599 |
| Sea Ray 36 | Up to 12 | USD 929 / MXN 17,799 |
| Pontoon 38 | Up to 18 | USD 1,269 / MXN 23,999 |
| Sea Ray 55 | Up to 15 | USD 2,129 / MXN 40,399 |
If you're driving in from San José, a 3 or 4 hour charter makes the trip worthwhile. Two hours is enough for the Arch, the sea lions and Lover's Beach, and three gives you time to swim too.
Booking from wherever you stay
Check the month in our trip guide for weather, water temperature and sunset times. Then put your date and group size into the planner and tell us where you're staying. We reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time, with a yacht and a departure time that fit the drive from your hotel.
Yachts in this guide
Questions people ask
Is it better to stay in Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo?
Stay in Cabo San Lucas if you want the marina, Médano Beach and nightlife within walking distance. Stay in San José del Cabo if you want a quieter historic town 15 to 25 minutes from the airport, and accept a drive of about 30 minutes to the boats.
What is the difference between Cabo and Los Cabos?
Los Cabos is the whole area: Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the peninsula, San José del Cabo about 20 miles east, and the tourist corridor of resorts and coves between them. When people say Cabo, they usually mean Cabo San Lucas.
How far is San José del Cabo from Cabo San Lucas?
About 20 miles along the tourist corridor, roughly a 30 minute drive. Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is about 8 miles from San José and about 30 miles from Cabo San Lucas.
Where do boat tours leave from in Los Cabos?
Our private charters board at Marina Cabo San Lucas in downtown Cabo San Lucas. The one exception is the Sea Ray 65, which meets you at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal.
When is the San José del Cabo Art Walk?
Every Thursday evening from November to June, from 5 to 9 PM, in the gallery district of San José's historic center around Plaza Mijares. Entry is free.
Plan your day on the water
Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.
Keep reading
Plan your tripCabo Marina Guide: Where Charters Board and Tenders LandWhere private charters board in Marina Cabo San Lucas, where the cruise tenders land, and how to get there on time.8 min read
Plan your tripCabo Travel Tips: What to Know on Your First TripThe practical stuff for a first Cabo trip: clocks, airport time, money, water, beaches, tipping and booking a boat in writing.8 min read
Things to doThings to Do in Cabo San Lucas: Water, Land and NightCabo San Lucas on the water and on land, with distances from the marina and the best months for each.9 min read
Plan your tripPuerto Los Cabos Hotels: JW Marriott to Cabo Marina GuideJW Marriott in Puerto Los Cabos is about 33 km from the Cabo San Lucas marina: La Playita, the transfer and a boat day plan.7 min read