Getting There & Departing

By Car -- From La Paz, the best route is Hwy. 1 south past the village of San Pedro, and then Hwy. 19 south through Todos Santos to Cabo San Lucas, a 2-hour total drive.

By Bus -- The bus terminal (tel. 624/143-5020) is on Héroes at Morelos; it is open daily from 7am to 10pm. Buses go to La Paz every 2 hours starting at 7:15am, with the last departure at 8:15pm. To and from San José, the more convenient and economical Suburcabos public bus service runs every 15 minutes and costs 23 pesos.

Orientation

Arriving -- At the Los Cabos International airport, either buy a ticket for a colectivo (shuttle) from Josefinos (tel. 624/146-5354), the authorized transportation booth inside the building ($15 per person, $85 for a private van of up to five passengers), or arrange for a rental car, the most economical way to explore the area. Up to four people can share a private taxi, which costs about $60.

Cabo San Lucas also has its own general aviation airport (tel. 624/124-5500; CSL), about 5km (3 miles) out of town. To get there, take Hwy 1 toward the Wal-Mart shopping center, and turn left at the traffic light, onto Constituyentes (marked for La Paz as well). Turn right at the first light, following signs for AEROPUERTO. Drive straight about 3km (2 miles) through an unpromising village of rough-looking shacks, and it's at the end of the road. It's served by Aereo Calafia and Aeroservicios Guerrero, with flights up the peninsula and to the mainland Pacific coast. Be aware that these flights rarely take off as scheduled, so be patient and just plan to arrive in your final destination at least 30 to 45 minutes later than expected.

The walk from the bus station to most of the budget hotels is manageable with light luggage or backpacks, and taxis are readily available.

City Layout -- Cabo spreads out north and west of the harbor, edged by foothills and desert mountains to the west and south. The main street leading into town from the airport and San José is Lázaro Cárdenas. As it nears the harbor, Marina Boulevard branches off from it and curves south around the waterfront, becoming the main tourist artery, lined with shopping centers and touts pushing gold jewelry, timeshares, and Viagra. It's obnoxious, but not sleazy, and is a pleasant place for a walk on Sundays, when it's pedestrian-only. To its north is Plaza Amelia Wilkes, better known simply as "the plaza," bordered east-west by Hidalgo and Cabo San Lucas and north-south by 5 de Mayo and Madero; this is the less flashy center of town, a good place to start a stroll through shops, restaurants, and cafes.

Festivals & Events in Cabo San Lucas

October 18 is the feast of the patron saint of Cabo San Lucas, celebrated with a fair, feasting, music, dancing, and other special events. However, the biggest event of the year for more than 25 years, also in late October, is Bisbee's Black & Blue, which draws thousands of party-ready anglers in the quest for the $100,000 purse that comes with catching the biggest marlin.


Getting Around

While downtown Cabo is walkable, having a car will enable you to get more easily off the beaten path. Taxis are easy to find but are expensive within Cabo, in keeping with the high cost of everything else. Expect to pay about $15 to $25 for a taxi between Cabo and the Corridor hotels.

For day trips to San José del Cabo, catch a bus or a cab. You'll see car-rental specials advertised in town, but before signing on, be sure you understand the total price, including insurance and taxes. Rates can run between $50 and $75 per day, with insurance an extra $10 per day.

Fast Facts

Area Code -- The telephone area code is 624.

Beach Safety -- Before swimming in the open water, check if conditions are safe. Riptides and large waves are common. Médano Beach, close to the marina and town, is the principal beach that's safe for swimming. The ME Cabo resort on Médano Beach has a roped-off swimming area to protect swimmers from personal watercraft and boats. Playa del Amor is also usually safe, but use your best judgment. Colored flags to signal swimming safety aren't generally found in Cabo, and neither are lifeguards, so be aware.

Currency Exchange -- Banks exchange currency during normal business hours, generally Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 2pm. Currency-exchange booths, found throughout Cabo's main tourist areas, aren't as competitive but are more convenient. ATMs are widely available and even more convenient, dispensing pesos -- and in some cases dollars -- at bank exchange rates.

Emergencies & Hospital -- In Cabo, Amerimed (tel. 624/143-9671) is a 24-hour, American-standards clinic with bilingual physicians and emergency air-evacuation services, and it accepts major credit cards. Most of the larger hotels have a doctor on call.

Pharmacy -- A drugstore with a wide selection of toiletries as well as medicine is Farmacia Aramburo, in Plaza Aramburo, on Lázaro Cárdenas at Zaragoza (tel. 624/143-1489). It's open daily from 8am to 10pm and accepts MasterCard and Visa.

Post Office -- The correo (tel. 624/143-0048) is at Lázaro Cárdenas and Francisco Villa, on the highway to San José del Cabo, east of the bar El Squid Roe. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm, and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.


Visitor Information

The many "visitor information" booths along the street in Cabo are actually timeshare sales booths, and their staffs will pitch a visit to their resort in exchange for discounted tours, rental cars, and other giveaways. Don't sign up unless you feel like sitting through a daylong sales pitch. The actual Los Cabos Tourism Office (tel. 624/146-9628) is 35km (22 miles) away in San José, in the Plaza San José, and is open daily from 8am to 3pm. The good news is, who needs it? The English-language Los Cabos Guide, Los Cabos News, Destino Los Cabos, and the irreverent and entertaining Gringo Gazette have up-to-date information on new restaurants and clubs, and are distributed free all over town.

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