Cabo San Lucas History
Although the Sea of Cortez is named for him, it was Cortes’ navigator Francisco de Ulloa rather than Herndo Cortes himself who first discovered Cabo San Lucas in 1537. Cabo San Lucas, located on the tip of the Baja Peninusla with the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean on either side, soon came to be a popular port for Spanish treasure trips. This led to Cabo San Lucas also being a popular spot for the pirate ships of rival European countries, such as Britain and the Netherlands, who came to Cabo with hopes of pirating the goods the Spanish ships had acquired. This practice became so common that King Phillip II of Spain built a small fortress at Cabo San Lucas in an attempt to ward off the pirates.
The construction of the fort prompted more explorers to venture into the area surrounding Cabo San Lucas and there was a small influx of settlers when pearls were discovered in the Sea of Cortez. In the 18th century, a Jesuit mission named for Jose del Cabo was founded north of Cabo San Lucas and the settlements came to be known as Los Cabos. During this period of exploration and settlements, Cabo San Lucas itself remained largely uninhabited as a lack of consistent water supply prevented explorers from settling there. It was not until the 20th century that Cabo San Lucas began to grow into the town it is today. In the 1930s, word began to spread about the unparalleled fishing that could be found off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. Determined fishermen braved trips either in small planes or down 1000 miles of dirt roads to get to Cabo San Lucas in order to enjoy the incredible sport-fishing.
Following World War II, Cabo San Lucas became a popular spot not just for those hoping to land big fish, but for the Big Fish themselves. Hollywood stars such as Desi Arnaz, John Wayne, and Bing Crosby began to vacation in Cabo San Lucas and a group of Hollywood stars joined to build the private Las Cruces Hotel. This was quickly followed by the construction of La Palmilla and Hotel Cabo San Lucas as Cabo San Lucas became recognized as a luxurious travel destination.
However, it was not until 1974 and the construction of the peninsular highway that Cabo really started to boom. International fishing tournaments began to attract sportsmen from all over the world and developers began snatching up tracts of land on which to construct condominiums and houses. The completion of the international airport in San Jose Del Cabo further ignited the Cabo tourist boom and Cabo San Lucas is now one of the biggest tourist destinations in all of Mexico.
Cabo San Lucas Airport
Cabo San Lucas is easily accessible from almost anywhere in North America. San Jose del Cabo International Airport is located just a short drive away from Cabo San Lucas and most major airlines have flights to San Jose del Cabo International Airport. Non-stop flights are available from Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Atlanta, Houston, and many other major cities.
Cabo San Lucas Airport
San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD)
Airlines Serving Cabo San Lucas Airport
Documents for Arrival at Cabo San Lucas Airport
A valid U.S. Passport is necessary to pass through customs at Cabo San Lucas Airport.
Your passport will also be used to acquire a tourist card, which must be obtained in order to enter Mexico.
Approximate Flights Times to Cabo San Lucas Airport
From Los Angeles: 2 hours
From Phoenix: 90 minutes
From Houston: 2 hours
From Atlanta: 3.5 hours
Cabo San Lucas Airport Transfers
Renting a car is highly recommended in Cabo San Lucas.
The concierge service that Villas Caribe offers is happy to arrange for car rental for you.
Should you choose not to rent a car, there are several other airport transfer options available:
Private Taxi Cabs are available for a rate of $60.00 for 4 people
Shuttle Vans are available for $10-15.00/person
Private Limousines are available for $100.00 for up to 6 people.
We at Villas Caribe are also happy to arrange your airport for you.
Cabo San Lucas Departure Tax
Airport Departure tax is currently $10.00 but is always subject to change.
Cabo San Lucas Communications
Communication with friends and family in the United States or elsewhere should not be a problem from Cabo San Lucas.
All villas come quipped with phones, and many with internet connections and fax machines.
Cell phone rentals and internet cafes are also readily available in-town as well.
Cabo San Lucas Villas will come with their own phones.
This number will be given to you prior to your trip.
Long distance calls using any major credit card will usually be possible from these house phones.
Most cell phones will not work in Cabo San Lucas. Phones with international roaming may work in Cabo San Lucas, but it is always advisable to check with your cell phone provider before you depart. Should you need a cell phone while in Cabo, cell phone rentals are widely available in the town and can even be reserved in advance.
Outlets in Cabo San Lucas are compatible with North American appliances
There are many internet café’s in the town of Cabo San Lucas.
Many of these café’s now offer free wireless access to those with wireless compatible computers.
Cabo San Lucas Car Rental & Transportation
Acquiring a Cabo San Lucas car rental is highly recommended for all villa guests, as having your own car will allow for maximum freedom in allowing you to do what you want to do exactly when you want to do it. Renting a car in Cabo San Lucas will make your arrangements much simpler; from driving to dinner, to getting to the airport - a Cabo San Lucas car rental will make your journey easy and convenient.
Many major car rental companies have offices in the Cabo San Lucas area and cabo car rentals can be easily arranged for you by the Villas Caribe concierge service. A valid United States driver’s license is all the documentation needed in order to rent a car in Mexico and driving in Cabo San Lucas is on the right side. Car rental will also most likely be far less expensive than using public transportation during your stay in Cabo San Lucas as taxis and shuttles in Cabo are rather expensive.
Driving is on the right side in Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas Shopping
The tremendous rise in popularity that Cabo San Lucas has experienced as a travel destination has also led to a rise in the number of shopping options available in town. Jewelry, beachwear, and unique local artwork are just a few of the products available in Cabo San Lucas’ shopping districts. Cuban cigars are even available, although it is illegal to transport them back to the United States.
The nicest shopping area, and one certainly worth the short trip from Cabo San Lucas, is located in the area around City Hall in San Jose del Cabo. This Cabo shopping center is home to the finest Los Cabos has to offer in terms of jewelry, housewares, and folk art. All serious shoppers should spend at least part of a browsing day here.
In Cabo San Lucas itself, the best shopping is along the waterfront near Bonita Marina.
Cabo San Lucas Restaurants
Restaurants in Cabo San Lucas run the gamut; from luxurious meals set in opulent resorts or decadent restaurants, to simple meals served in haciendas on the beach or at walk up stands along the waterfront. All types of cuisine are available, from freshly caught local seafood to American chains like Rut Chris Steakhouse. No matter where your tastes lie, you are sure to find a Cabo San Lucas restaurant that will serve you a meal you will not forget.
Villas Caribe Cabo San Lucas Restaurant Selections
The Fish House Restaurant:
Located in Downtown Cabo, The Fish House is widely considered to be the best seafood restaurant in Cabo San Lucas.
For the non seafood lover, The Fish House also offers excellent steak and pasta dishes.
Probably the best bang for your buck in Cabo San Lucas, this quaint restaurant offers delicious authentic Mexican dishes.
Try some of your traditional Mexican favorites filled with the restaurant’s freshly caught seafood, you won’t be disappointed.
Mi Casa is the can’t miss destination for anyone wanting to experience excellent authentic Mexican food during their time in Cabo San Lucas. Featuring local Mexican favorites from all over the country as well as hand made salsa and tortillas, Mi Casa should at the top of the list of Cabo San Lucas restaurants for any fan of authetic Mexican cuisine.
Senor Greenberg’s Deli:
Open 24 hours a day, this deli offers a wide selection of delicious sandwiches, Mexican dishes, and great salads.
Senor Greenberg also has great desserts, so feel free to stop by after having dinner elsewhere.
Wireless internet access is also available here.
One of the oldest restaurants in Cabo San Lucas, this excellent Italian restaurant features lovely views of the marina as well as excellent pasta and veal dishes. Also has live piano music nightly.
This Cabo San Lucas favorite has a huge menu offering something for everyone, from Mexican dishes to burgers to pizza, it can all be found at Baja Cantina. Baja Cantina also offers happy hour specials all day out on its porch as well as a “you catch it, we cook it” special.
Nikki Beach Cabo San Lucas:
One of the more recent and most exciting additions to the Cabo San Lucas dining scene, Nikki Beach serves fusion cuisine that has drawn acclaim all around the world. With successful locations in luxurious destinations like St Bart’s and St. Tropez, it was only natural that Cabo San Lucas would be the next place for “Nikki Style” cuisine to call home.
Cabo San Lucas Golf
Cabo San Lucas's popularity boom over the last two decades has also resulted in an explosion in golf course construction in the area. The end result has made Cabo San Lucas an excellent destination for golfers who want to play world class courses that also offer unforgettable views of the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean. There are eight golf courses in the Cabo San Lucas area and every one has been designed by one of the foremost golf architects in the world. Jack Nicklaus has designed three Cabo San Lucas golf courses and other courses in the area have been designed by the likes of Tom Fazio and Robert Trent Jones Jr. All of these courses are extremely popular, so making tee times in advance is highly recommended. Some courses also offer discounts on greens fees for booking tee times in advance.
Note: The “high season” for Cabo San Lucas golf typically runs from mid October to mid June
Villas Caribe Cabo San Lucas Golf Selections
Cabo Del Sol Ocean Course
18 Holes, Par 72, 7,103 yards
This Jack Nicklaus design features what Nicklaus has termed the “three finest finishing holes in the world. The views are tremendous from everywhere on this course and the 5th and 17th holes have been ranked among the top 500 holes in the world. This course is a must play for any golf enthusiast.
Greens Fees: $295.00 during high season, $220.00 during low season. Twilight rates are available
Carts: Carts are included in the greens fees
18 Holes, Par 72, 6,988 yards
This Robert Trent Jones Jr. design has been home to multiple Senior PGA events and is the most challenging of all the Cabo San Lucas golf courses. Aside from a true test of golf, the course also offers ocean vistas on every hole. These views along with 3 breathtaking holes that front the ocean make Cabo Real an exciting as well as challenging course to play.
Greens Fees: $260.00 during high season, $232.00 during low season. Twilight rates are available
Carts: Carts are included in greens fees
27 Holes, Par 72
Featuring the Mountain, Ocean, and Arroyo courses, Palmillas offers fun and challenging golf that can be played in a variety of ways. The three nines can be played in any order or combination, thus allowing for the course to be played six different ways. Each nine offers its own unique scenery and challenges and golfers are hard pressed to choose their favorite. Jack Nicklaus, the course designer, called Palmillas, “one of the most spectacular courses I have ever seen.”
Greens Fees: $269.00 during high season, $143.00 during low season. Twilight rates are available
Carts: Carts are included in greens fees
Cabo Del Sol Desert Course
18 holes, Par 72, 7,052 yards
This Tom Weiskopf design offers views of the water from every hole as well as a challenging inland design. The course is marked by creative bunkering and sloping greens. The Desert Course has five different sets of tees which means that the course can be challenging for more skilled players, but still be enjoyable for those just looking for a fun round of golf.
Greens Fees: $220.00 during high season, $165.00 during low season
Cabo San Lucas Fishing & Water Sports
It was fishing that first put Cabo San Lucas on the map and the fishing off the coast of Cabo San Lucas remains some of the best in the entire world. A wide range of sport fish are prevalent in the waters of Cabo San Lucas but it is its marlin fishing that Cabo San Lucas is most recognized for. Known as the marlin capital of the world, sports fisherman regularly reel in marlin weighing in excess of 250 pounds. The policy on marlins in Cabo San Lucas is catch and release, which means the popular area does not run a risk of being over fished. As long as this policy holds, there is no reason why the 20 mile area off the coats of Cabo San Lucas will ever cease to be the best spot for marlin fishing in all the world.
It is not just marlin fishing that has made Cabo San Lucas a haven for fisherman for years, the Sea of Cortes supports more marine life than any other sea on earth and was termed the “world’s aquarium” by legendary diver Jacque Cousteau. Tuna, wahoo, and mahi-mahi are all prevalent in the Sea of Cortes and these fish can be kept when caught. There are even several restaurants in town that offer “you catch it, we cook it” specials so you can enjoy what you have caught that night! Because of the tremendous popularity of fishing in Cabo San Lucas, there are many fishing charter companies that will be happy to arrange a trip for you and your group. As always, it is highly advisable to make reservations in advance.
The same water that is so wonderful for fishing in Cabo San Lucas is also excellent for snorkeling and scuba diving. As mentioned, Jacque Coustea called the Sea of Cortes “the world’s aquarium” and is known to have visited the Cabo San Lucas Area over twenty times to enjoy the excellent diving it has to offer. Again, because of the popularity of diving and snorkeling in the area, there are many diving charter companies and outfitters in Cabo San Lucas that will be more than happy to help plan an excellent scuba trip or recommend the best beaches for snorkeling.
Aside from fishing and scuba diving, the waters of Cabo San Lucas provide an excellent venue for kayaking, water skiing, jet skiing, and parasailing. All of these activities can be easily arranged by speaking to an outfitter in town.
Cabo San Lucas Nightlife
Cabo San Lucas is home to some of the best nightlife in all of Mexico. After World War II, when celebrities began to make Cabo San Lucas a vacation destination, vacationers saw it as a place to relax as well as party with their elite Hollwood friends. Over 50 years later, Cabo San Lucas remains a great place to do both of those things. The nightlife in the town of Cabo San Lucas is dominated by several fun and famous clubs where the party regularly goes into early the next morning. All clubs in the town of Cabo San Lucas are within walking distance of each other so “club hopping” in-town is no problem. Just a short drive away from the town of Cabo San Lucas is the area between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. This area is known as the “Tourist Corridor” and is home to many clubs as well as many resorts and restaurants. The clubs in this area are more spread out than in Cabo San Lucas and walking from club to club is not possible.
Cabo San Lucas Nightclubs
This legendary Cabo San Lucas hot spot is owned by Van Halen rocker Sammy Hagar. The house band plays rock and roll music similar to what Hagar played with Van Halen and Hagar has been known to sit in with the band on occasion. This is by far Cabo’s most popular nightclub so plan ahead if you hope to get it on any given night. One way to avoid having to wait in long lines outside is to make dinner reservations and enjoy a leisurely dinner in the club’s excellent restaurant before beginning your night of dancing and drinking.
Cabo Zoo Bar is one of the newer clubs in Cabo San Lucas, but the club has long ben a popular spot in Puerto Vallarta. Offering excellent drink specials, a popular Thursday ladies night, and more of a “techno” vibe than many of Cabo San Lucas’ other clubs, Zoo Bar is a spot not to be missed if you are looking for inexpensive drinks and the latest in techno club favorites.
El Squid Roe:
This cleverly named club is among Cabo’s most popular. Offering the most “spring break” like atmosphere of all the Cabo San Lucas clubs, El Squid Roe is known for its beachy atmosphere that encourages both men and women to come to the club scantily clad. Dancing on tables and other forms of suggestive dancing are commonplace at Squid Roe so this is certainly not a club for the modest or faint of heart.
The greatest things about this bar are its location and early hours. Nowhere Bar is open at 10 a.m. and draws huge crowds for its 5-9 happy hour. Many people choose to begin their night at Nowhere Bar, but the fun continues long after some patrons have opted to head elsewhere, as a good crowd is usually present at Nowhere bar until 3:00 a.m.
Cabo San Lucas Weddings
A Cabo San Lucas wedding is a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of a new life together. Whether you seek a small ceremony on the beach or a lavish ceremony on the balcony of a luxurious villa, it is all possible with Cabo San Lucas weddings. Many villas are happy to play host to weddings and accommodate larger wedding parties. The villa owners are also able to give invaluable advice on wedding planners, florists, and caterers for a Cabo San Lucas wedding. In terms of setting, it is difficult to imagine a more beautiful place to hold a wedding event, as almost everywhere in Cabo San Lucas offers stunning views of both the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific
A Cabo San Lucas wedding is sure to be just what the bride and groom have envisoned for their special day. There are certain Mexican regulations that must be adhered to in order to make a Cabo San Lucas wedding legal, so it is highly advisable to contact the office of the Mexican Registrar to get up to date information on all necessary paperwork and other requirements. The most important thing to note is that in order to be recognized as legal, a civil ceremony is required. Religious ceremonies are common and in many cases encouraged by Mexican officials, but will not be recognized as legal unions.
Cabo San Lucas Beaches
By far the most popular activity in Cabo San Lucas is spending time on one of the town’s many beautiful beaches. With so many Cabo beaches to choose from, there is truly something for everyone. Whether your ideal Cabo beach is one where you can enjoy quiet solitude or the company of hundreds of other tourists, there will be a beach in Cabo San Lucas to suit your needs.
Cabo San Lucas Beaches
The biggest and most popular beach in Cabo San Lucas, Medano Beach is the place to go if you are looking for a fun crowd and easy access to almost any water sport imaginable. Jet skis, kayaks, and catamarans can all be rented around Medano Beach and most parasailing excursions leave from here as well.
Among the most beautiful and private beaches in Cabo San Lucas, Lover’s beach is only accessible by water taxi or some other type of boat. Once you have arrived, you will enjoy a pristine beach located in a hidden cove in the area where the Sea of Cortes meets the Pacific Ocean
This beach fronts the Pacific Ocean and is the beach that is most easily accessible from several major Cabo San Lucas resorts. Because this beach fronts the Pacific and not the Sea of Cortes, the water is very rough and swimmers are advised to be extremely cautious if they choose to venture into the ocean.
Other popular Cabo San Lucas activities include golf at one of the town’s excellent courses, fishing the legendary waters off of Cabo san Lucas, or spending a day browsing the lovely art and jewelry that is available in Cabo San Lucas.
If you are visiting Cabo San Lucas between December and March, a trip about a whale watching boat is highly recommended. Each winter, Gray whales venture south to the waters off the coats of Cabo San Lucas to breed and give birth to their calves. This is an excellent opportunity to witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitats and is an experience certain not to be forgotten.