The Best Things to Do in Cabo in 2026: Nine Real Activities We Keep Booking

Cabo is small enough that you can do the ocean in the morning and the desert in the afternoon. That is the whole trick. The Arch, the sea lions and the reefs are a short boat ride from the marina, and the ATV trails and camel ranches are 45 minutes up the coast. We have booked every one of these for visiting friends, more than once. Here are the nine things to do we actually recommend in 2026, with the duration, the price and the honest read on who each one is for.

On the water

Scuba Diving at Land's End & The Arch

The single best morning in Cabo if you are certified. A PADI instructor takes you past Neptune's Finger and the sea lion colony with the Arch above you, at the exact spot where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. Sea turtles, rays and tropical fish are regulars. Two guided dives, 3 hours, $128 USD per guest plus 16% IVA, ages 10 and up, a 4.8 rating. Departures at 8 and 11am from the Cabo San Lucas marina, with hotel pickup for an added fee.

PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Cabo

Never dived? This is how you start. An instructor teaches the basics at the surface, then guides you on up to two dives at Pelican Rock, one of the best beginner sites in the Sea of Cortez, to depths of about 40 feet. No certification needed, small groups, open to ages 10 to 60. 3 hours, $129 USD plus 16% IVA, rated 4.8. Starts at 8 or 11am.

PADI Open Water Diver Certification

If you have three days, leave Cabo with a license to dive anywhere in the world. Theory, pool skills, then four open-water dives in the Sea of Cortez down to 60 feet. Do the eLearning before you fly so more of the trip is underwater. $609 USD plus 16% IVA, ages 10 and up, and the highest rating on this list at 4.9. Starts at 8am.

4-Hour Luxury Cabo Sailing Boat Tour

The best daytime sail. Four hours along the coast on a monohull or a spacious catamaran, past Land's End and the Arch, with a snorkeling stop in a protected bay, gourmet lunch and a premium open bar. $159 USD plus 16% IVA, minimum age 8, a 4.8. One departure at 11am from Blvd. Paseo de la Marina Lt 7-A.

Los Cabos Luxury Sunset Sail

Our answer to what to do on your first evening. A small-group sail on a French-made sailboat or catamaran as the light goes off the Arch, with a premium open bar and gourmet bento-box appetizers. 2.5 hours, $119 USD plus 16% IVA, minimum age 8, a 4.9 rating. Departs 5pm from the Marina district.

Private Sunset Sailing Experience

The same sunset, with the boat reserved for your group only. Built for proposals, anniversaries and small celebrations. 3 hours, $200 USD per guest plus 16% IVA, rated a perfect 5, departing at 5pm.

In the desert

Cabo ATV Tour & Desert Adventure

Automatic ATVs, so first-timers are fine, on the winding Sandy Snake circuit through canyons to 360-degree views from the highest point of the trail. It ends with a Mexican buffet and a tequila tasting at a private ranch 45 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas. 3 hours, $130 USD plus 16% IVA, rated 4.8, minimum age 8 with drivers 18 and over holding a license. Departures at 9am and 1pm, with round-trip hotel pickup.

Outback & Cabo Camel Ride

The one for families. A camel safari from the desert to the Pacific coastline at a private ranch, with guided nature exploration, a tortilla-making lesson and an oceanfront Mexican buffet. The 1pm departure adds a sunset bonfire. 3 hours, $128 USD plus 16% IVA, minimum age 5, rated 4.8. Complimentary hotel pickup from most hotels.

Camels + ATV + Lunch

Cannot pick between the last two? This combo does both: a camel ride along the beach, then an off-road ATV run through the Baja terrain, finishing with a buffet lunch and a tequila and mezcal tasting at the ranch's oceanfront restaurant. 3 hours, $168 USD plus 16% IVA, minimum age 8, a 4.7. Departs 9am or 1pm with round-trip transportation.

How to plan the week

• Mornings on the water, afternoons in the desert. The 8am dives and the 11am sail leave the 1pm desert departures free. Seas are calmer and cooler early.
• Peak season is November through April. Book the 4.8-and-up activities a few days ahead. Summer has more availability.
• Prices are per guest and exclude 16% IVA. Budget for it, plus a tip for guides and crew.
• Ages. Camels from 5, ATVs and sailing from 8, scuba from 10. The 1pm camel ride is the one with the sunset bonfire.

Dive the Arch, sail at sunset, ride into the desert. That is a full trip. See every activity we offer on our adventures and tours in Cabo page.