Cabo San Lucas is a small town situated at the southest point of the Baja California Peninsula. It’s also very close to San José del Cabo, another popular tourist destination to the northeast of Cabo San Lucas.
Unlike other popular tourist destinations in Mexico, Cabo San Lucas doesn’t offer tourists Mayan ruins or cenotes, or groundwater sinkholes, to marvel at. However, this action-packed party town, where noise never ends and dance never stops, is perfect for party animals.
Yet, the town has a crime index of 44.53, meaning it might not be safe at all times. Don’t worry, though – we’re here to provide you with all the transportation options for getting around Cabo San Lucas safely.
How to Get to Cabo San Lucas: Los Cabos International Airport
There are many airports nearby Cabo San Lucas, including one in San José del Cabo. However, these airports are small and very few flights from a handful of locations use them. Los Cabos International Airport, on the other hand, receives flights from most American states as well as Canada and Europe, which makes it the best option for getting to Cabo San Lucas.
The airport is 40 miles north of Cabo San Lucas. You could rent a car and drive for 30 minutes to the Hotel Zone (also known as the Corridor since it ties Downtown Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo). However, it’s not safe to drive a car in Los Cabos because of the possibility of theft. We especially recommend that you avoid a car rental if you arrive during the night.
That leaves you with three other options:
- Shared Airport Shuttle: Los Cabos International Airport has its own shuttle service that carries passengers to the Hotel Zone, Downtown Cabo San Lucas, or San José del Cabo. These vehicles might get crowded and have limited luggage space, but for only $13 per person, they are the most affordable transport option, especially if you’re a solo traveler.
- Private hotel transfers: You can book a private hotel transfer before your flight. These services cost about $155 to the Corridor. It’s not the most affordable, but if you’re traveling with family or friends, it’s the safest and most convenient method. To prevent getting ripped off by potential imposters, we recommend that you arrange your private transfers on the airport’s official website.
- Airport taxis: The official airport taxis offer safe transport to Cabo San Lucas, and they charge tourists about $80.
How to Get Around in Cabo San Lucas
The best way to get around Cabo San Lucas depends on where you’re staying, where you want to go, and what you want to do. That said, keep in mind that there’s no public transportation system in Cabo San Lucas.
Downtown Cabo San Lucas is home to some hotels, but these hotels are not luxurious. The luxurious hotels and vacation resorts are located on the Corridor, an 18-mile line between the ocean and Highway 1, which connects Cabo San Lucas directly to San José del Cabo.
If you are staying at a hotel located on the Corridor, you’ll definitely need a car or a taxi to explore Downtown Cabo San Lucas or the town of San José del Cabo.
Now, let’s see all the transportation options you have in Cabo San Lucas.
- Walking: Downtown Cabo San Lucas is a small and compact place, but it has many attractions to offer: night clubs, beach clubs, white sand beaches, local craft shops, authentic fares, and the most leisurely activity of all time: watching fishermen. If you’re staying at a hotel in Downtown Cabo San Lucas, you can enjoy all these on foot. Similarly, if you’re staying at a resort in San José del Cabo, you can explore the town without motorized vehicles. However, it’s impossible to walk from Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo. So, if you’re staying at a hotel on the Corridor and want to visit one of these towns, your feet alone won’t do you much good.
- Car: Driving a rental in central areas of Los Cabos might be dangerous, but you can rent one from Downtown Cabo San Lucas and use it to travel from the Corridor to Cabo San Lucas or San José del Cabo. If you’re considering a rental, we recommend that you drive only in tourist-condensed areas and not to drive on Highway 1 during the night. Depending on your car of choice, expect to pay between $5 and $40 per day.
- Taxis: Taxis are widely available in Cabo San Lucas, but we don’t recommend that you use them, either. It’s not because they’re not safe, but because they are too expensive. A one-way trip from Downtown Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo typically costs north of $70. The shortest trip in the Corridor will cost you $15. Price-wise, renting a car is much more reasonable.
- Water taxis: If you want to have a swim or sunbathe on nearby beaches like Playa Medano or Playa del Amor, water taxis present an excellent transport option. You can find a water taxi at the Downtown Cabo San Lucas marina. They don’t have fixed rates, but a one-way trip to a nearby beach usually costs about $10. So, not only do water taxis provide a better view than regular taxis, but they are also cheaper.
Key Takeaways
If you booked a vacation on Cabo San Lucas, you’ll likely land at Los Cabos International Airport. To get to your hotel, it’s safest and most convenient to prearrange a hotel transfer on the airport’s official website. The most affordable option is the airport shuttle.
Once in Cabo San Lucas, you’ll have no public transportation options, but if you’re staying at a downtown hotel, you don’t need wheels to explore. It’s a small place that you can get around on foot.
If your hotel is on the Corridor, on the other hand, you’ll definitely need a car to get to downtown areas or San José del Cabo. To that end, renting a car from the town makes a lot of sense because taxis in the area are quite expensive. Make sure you only stick to touristic areas while driving and avoid the highways during the night because car theft is common in Los Cabos.
You can also take a water taxi from the downtown marina to get to nearby beaches. These taxis are cheaper and more fun than land taxis.
