Romantic things to do in Cabo San Lucas, on the water and off it

The most romantic thing to do in Cabo San Lucas is a private boat for two at the Arch at sunset: USD 519 (MXN 9,799) for two hours on the Chaparral 28 or USD 549 (MXN 10,499) on the Bayliner 30, per boat with the 16% tax included, so a couple pays the same as a full group. The other plans mix the water and the town: breakfast on board at 7 AM, dinner at anchor until 10 PM, whales from November to April, and a Thursday evening of galleries in San José del Cabo.

These ideas work for a couples trip, an anniversary or a long weekend. If you're planning a honeymoon, we have a separate guide, and the proposal itself has another.

1. Sunset at the Arch on a yacht for two

The sunset cruise is about two hours. You leave Marina Cabo San Lucas roughly an hour and a half before the sun goes down, pass the sea lion colony and the Arch in the low light, and either watch from the calm bay side or round Land's End to face the sun as it drops toward the Cabo Falso lighthouse.

Sunset is around 5:35 PM in late November and December and around 7:08 PM in July; the trip guide has the time for your dates. Cabo stays on Mountain Standard Time all year.

For two, the Bayliner 30 is the one we point most couples to: a 30-foot cabin cruiser for up to 6 with a captain, a cooler with ice, bottled water and sodas, and snorkel gear. The Bayliner 30's cabin gives you shade and a place to change. The Chaparral 28 is the lowest price in the fleet and has a Bluetooth sound system for your own playlist.

2. Breakfast on the water at 7 AM

Departures start at 7 AM, and mornings usually have the calmest water of the day. Order breakfast in the planner and it's on board when you arrive: chilaquiles and beans, huevos rancheros, French toast or banana pancakes at MXN 325 each, or the serrano and burrata focaccia at MXN 520. Those are cash prices; paying by card adds 16%.

The 2-hour Arch route is 4.7 miles round trip, so there's time to eat at anchor with the rocks in front of you and still be back before the beach fills up. Our couples experience is built around this early slot and the sunset one.

3. A swim stop at Lover's Beach

Lover's Beach is a strip of sand on the calm bay side of Land's End, 1 mile from the marina and reached only by boat. Your crew can drop you close, and this is the side where people swim. On the back of the same rocks is Divorce Beach, facing the open Pacific, with big surf and a strong undertow, so you see it from the boat and don't swim there.

4. Dinner at anchor with the town lights on

Yachts sail until 8 PM, and yachts that left from the marina may stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. That's the window for dinner on the water: sunset first, then an hour or two at anchor off Médano Beach as the hotels and the town light up behind it.

The simple version is a cheese board from the menu (small MXN 780, medium MXN 1,440, cash prices) and your own bottle. The yachts don't sell or serve alcohol, but guests 18 and over can bring their own. The full version is the McKinna 70, with a chef cooking a multi-course menu on board and complimentary drinks served by the crew, from USD 4,499 (MXN 85,499) for three hours. Our dinner cruise guide has departure times by month.

5. Whales, November to April

Humpback whales start arriving in Cabo in November and stay through April, with January and February the peak months. The whale season trip is typically three hours, and a sighting isn't guaranteed. The official SEMARNAT season runs December 15 to April 30. Our whale season guide covers what to expect.

6. Snorkel together, with the Arch first

A four-hour charter goes past the Arch and up the coast to Santa María Bay, a sheltered horseshoe cove with reef along both points. It's closed for snorkeling for now and expected to reopen in November; meanwhile the two-hour option is Pelican Rock, a calm spot inside the bay next to the Arch where reef fish swim close to the surface. Snorkel gear is included on every yacht, and so is the CONANP conservation fee for the protected area around the Arch.

7. The Pacific side at sunset

The other sunset route rounds Land's End and heads out to face the sun as it drops toward the Cabo Falso lighthouse, the 1905 lighthouse on the dunes at the westernmost point of the cape. The route is about 12 miles round trip, on open ocean with more motion than the bay. If one of you gets seasick, stay on the bay route; our sunset cruise guide compares the two.

8. Médano Beach on foot

Médano Beach is Cabo's swimming beach, 0.8 miles from the marina, with beach clubs along the sand facing the bay. On a free afternoon without a boat, you can walk and swim there and watch the afternoon charters come back along the beach as the town lights come on.

9. Art Walk in San José del Cabo

Every Thursday from November to June, 5 to 9 PM, the galleries behind the mission in San José del Cabo stay open and the main street closes to cars. It's free and about 30 minutes by car from Cabo San Lucas. Arrive at 5 for empty galleries or 6:30 for the crowd. Our Art Walk guide has the details.

10. A day in Todos Santos

Todos Santos is 77 km up Highway 19, about an hour's drive, and has been a Pueblo Mágico since 2006. The center is a walk of an hour or two through galleries and brick buildings from the sugar era. The highway has no lights and cattle cross it at night, so head back before dark. Our Todos Santos day trip guide covers the route.

11. A proposal or an anniversary on the water

If the trip has a question in it, read how to propose on a boat in Cabo first: it covers where on the water to ask and how to keep it a surprise. For an anniversary, tell us when you book. A professional photographer can join for USD 180, with all the photos from your charter, paid directly to the photographer. Add it in the planner. Flowers and a cake are extras quoted separately. Decorations are cardstock and a sign only; the Port Captain no longer allows balloons on board.

Valentine's Day in Cabo

The municipality holds no public events on February 14, so what's on is private dinners at the resorts. Our plan for the day is a sunset on a private yacht for two: mid-February sunset is at 6:16 PM, so leave between 4:30 and 5 PM. The Chaparral 28 is USD 519 and the Bayliner 30 is USD 549 for two hours, and the yacht can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. It's one of the first dates of the year to fill, so book early. The rest of the month is in our February events calendar.

What a couple pays

Prices are per boat with the 16% tax included. The customary 15% crew tip is not included.

Set your group size and hours to see the per-person cost.

What it costs per person

Guests:

2

Hours2 h3 h4 h6 h

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Per boat, 16% tax included, tip not included. Pick a yacht to see its page.

Our small boat guide compares these for two to eight people, and the yacht by group size page covers the whole fleet.

Booking a couples trip

Don't put the boat on your arrival day; you'll be tired and may land after the light. Day two or three is better, and it leaves room to move the date if the Port Captain closes the harbor under a storm threat, which happens mostly between September and mid-October. If that happens, you get a new date or a full refund.

Open the planner with your date and hours, add breakfast or a board if you want it, and we reply in writing within two hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time. You can also message us on WhatsApp at +52 624 300 8029. Payment is by secure Stripe link once the date is confirmed. For two people, start with the Bayliner 30.

Yachts in this guide

Chaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 2 hBayliner 30Cabin cruiser · up to 6 guestsfrom $549 / 2 hMcKinna 70Luxury motor yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $4,499 / 3 hBayliner 33Express cruiser · up to 8 guestsfrom $599 / 2 h

Questions people ask

What is the most romantic thing to do in Cabo San Lucas?

A private yacht for just the two of you at the Arch at sunset. The Chaparral 28 is USD 519 (MXN 9,799) for two hours and the Bayliner 30, with a cabin, is USD 549 (MXN 10,499), per boat with tax included, so a couple pays the same as a full boat.

Is Cabo good for couples?

Yes, especially for couples who like the ocean. The Arch, Lover's Beach and the sea lion colony are all within 1.3 miles of the marina, whales are around from November to April, and sunset trips can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM.

Can a couple have dinner on a yacht in Cabo?

Yes. Order a cheese board from the menu (small MXN 780, cash price) and bring your own bottle on any yacht, or book the McKinna 70 with a chef and complimentary drinks from USD 4,499 for three hours. Marina yachts may stay anchored until 10 PM.

What is there for couples to do in Cabo at night?

Sunset on the water followed by time at anchor off Médano Beach with the town lights on, until 10 PM. On land, the Art Walk in San José del Cabo runs Thursdays from November to June, 5 to 9 PM, and 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.

Check availabilitySee the fleet