Los Cabos? Cabo San Lucas? San Jose del Cabo? I’m Confused!
So you’ve heard that “Cabo” is the hot spot to vacation or even move to. But you’ve also heard the many names associated with “Cabo.” What gives?
Let’s quickly make you an expert!
Los Cabos, translated to English, means The Capes. For our purposes, we can think of Los Cabos as The Cabos, implying there is more than one—and indeed, there is! Los Cabos comprises two cities, San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. The two cities are separated by the Carretara Transpeninsular, the final segment of Federal Highway 1 that terminates in Cabo San Lucas. This 32km stretch of highway is commonly referred to as the tourist corridor or just the corridor.
San Jose del Cabo, the Corridor, and Cabo San Lucas are the three major areas of Los Cabos, and they are distinct in many ways.
San Jose del Cabo
If you’ve visited Los Cabos, you most likely flew into the San Jose del Cabo airport (SJD). If your final destination was Cabo San Lucas, you probably didn’t see much of San Jose at all.
San Jose del Cabo is more tranquilo compared to the party atmosphere of Cabo San Lucas. The Hotel Zone boasts amazing beach resorts, while some of the best golf resorts in Los Cabos are nearby. The town of San Jose itself is quaint and very beautiful, marked by colonial architecture, amazing bars and restaurants, excellent shopping, art galleries, and lovely scenery. Plaza Mijares and the San Jose Missionary Church are the heart of the town, and this is where the famous Art Walk happens on Thursday nights from November through June—definitely include the Art Walk on your list of things to do when you visit Los Cabos!
The Corridor
The area between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas features some of the best resorts, golf courses, beaches, and residential neighborhoods in all of Los Cabos. The drive along the corridor offers breathtaking scenery, with the white sand and blue waters of the Sea of Cortez on your left the whole way down to Cabo San Lucas. Along the corridor, you’ll pass many luxury resorts like the Grand Velas Los Cabos, the Montage, and Esperanza by Auberge (the Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller was filmed here).
As you continue down the corridor toward Cabo San Lucas, you won’t fail to notice two exceptional neighborhoods—the One and Only Palmilla with its beautiful landscaping, and Querencia, mostly hidden from view except for the spectacular entrance. Both neighborhoods have world-class golf courses, and the fairways of those courses are lined with homes well into the millions of dollars.
Once past Palmilla and Querencia, you’ll see signs for two of Los Cabos’s best Blue Flag beaches: El Chileno and Santa Maria. Both are great for snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing in the sun. They also have ample parking and are great for adults and kids alike. All of this costs precisely $0.00, and they even throw in the unparalleled scenery for free!
As you near Cabo San Lucas, you’ll see a Home Depot and the most popular store in all of Los Cabos, Costco! From the corridor, it’s hard to see many of the homes in El Tezal, but behind Costco is a majestic hill that features many beautiful neighborhoods and condominium developments—and many more are currently under construction. El Tezal is a popular expat community, and its residents enjoy fabulous views of El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, the iconic granite rock formation that is the southernmost tip of Baja California Sur, also called Land’s End. On the final stretch of the corridor, you are rewarded with your own view of El Arco and Cabo San Lucas Bay.
Cabo San Lucas
You’ve finally arrived to the Party Capital of the World! Well, no, not really; it was ranked at #25 of the top 25 in this list… Of course, they didn’t consult Sammy Hagar when they were compiling that list—Sammy would tell you that Cabo is the ultimate party destination, and he’d tell you to visit his world-famous bar Cabo Wabo Cantina to drive his point home!
Yes, Cabo San Lucas is a party destination for many, but the town has so much more to offer, including amazing resorts, spectacular golf courses, and endless bar and dining experiences—Cabo is also a top pick for foodies.
With so many restaurants to choose from, is there one that really stands out? In our minds, there is! Rosa Negra is a true dining experience. From their website:
“RosaNegra is located in one of the most attractive areas of Cabo San Lucas, its concept pays tribute to Latin American cuisine, which radiates freedom and passion for life. Dazzle your senses in one of the most sophisticated restaurants in Mexico, offering an unprecedented culinary experience, with high level entertainment that includes the Sacred Fire Show, bongo show and sparklers illuminating your night.”
Cabo San Lucas also marks the point where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. Those bodies of water are distinctly different, and one of the best ways to understand how is to visit Lover’s Beach and Divorce Beach. The beaches are part of Land’s end and connected, but Lover’s Beach is on the Sea of Cortez side, while Divorce Beach is on the Pacific side. You can swim and snorkel in the calm waters off Lover’s Beach, but you don’t dare do either at Divorce Beach! The waters are very rough, with dangerous rip tides, which is true of all the beaches on the Pacific Ocean side of Cabo.
Finally, Cabo San Lucas offers some of the best excursions for travelers and residents. Offshore fishing, kayaking, parasailing, snorkeling, sunset cruises, ATV tours… the list goes on and on.
Bienvenidos a Los Cabos!
So now you know the three major areas of Los Cabos! San Jose del Cabo, the Corridor, and Cabo San Lucas are different, but together they represent this magical place we call Los Cabos.
There truly is something for everyone here; it’s why we have a record-breaking number of visitors each year. It’s also why so many expats from the U.S., Canada, and Europe have decided to call Los Cabos home.
Contact a Friendly Los Cabos Realtor to Learn More
By now, you’ve decided to put Los Cabos on your list to visit. Maybe you’ve even thought about what it takes to buy a vacation home, investment home, or permanent home here. Either way, you undoubtedly have many questions.
That’s where we come in! At Baja Realty Executives, we have a team of realtors and property management consultants to help you realize your Los Cabos dreams. Whether you are looking for a vacation rental or a mid-to-long-term rental, or if you are interested in buying here, we can answer all your questions.
In Los Cabos, call Patrick O’Hara at (713) 438-7139.
