Cabo Film Festival Guide: How to Plan a November Trip Around the Screenings

November is the month Cabo turns into a film town for a week. The Los Cabos International Film Festival brings international cinema that rarely reaches commercial Mexican theaters, and it lands right as the weather turns perfect and the winter season begins. We plan a week around it every year. Here is the practical version: where films actually screen in Los Cabos, where to base yourself, and where to eat between showings. Check the festival's official program for this year's dates and lineup before you book.

When it happens and why the timing matters

The festival runs in November, which is the start of peak tourism season. Two things follow from that. Flights and rooms get more expensive as the month goes on, so book early. And the weather is at its best: around 75 to 85°F, dry, clear skies, and evenings cool enough to sit outside after a screening. If you are on the fence, the weather alone is a good enough reason to come this week.

Where films screen in Los Cabos

Los Cabos has more cinema than people expect for a beach town. On the everyday side there are modern multiplexes at Plaza Luvia and Plaza Peninsula, and most mainstream theaters show films in both English and Spanish. On the special side, resorts including the Waldorf Astoria and the Nobu Hotel put on outdoor screenings, which is about as good as a movie gets: beachfront, warm night, a drink in hand. And San José del Cabo's Art District hosts cultural film events. If you want to be near the action, the San José side is where to stay.

Where to base yourself

Our advice is the same every year: stay in the San José del Cabo hotel zone or downtown San José. It keeps you close to the festival venues and the Art District screenings, and it is a calmer base than Cabo San Lucas. The drive between the two towns is about 30 minutes on the Corridor, so you can still do a Cabo San Lucas night when you want one. Book accommodation early. The festival week overlaps with the first wave of winter visitors.

A local cinema trick for the rest of your trip

If you catch the movie bug and want more after the festival, go to the Cinépolis on a Wednesday. Miércoles de Plaza brings tickets down to around 40 pesos, roughly $2 to $3, all day. Locals fill the theaters on Wednesdays, so arrive early for a good seat. You will save a lot compared to weekend pricing and see a film alongside residents instead of tourists.

Where to eat between screenings

San José del Cabo's Art District has the festival's best food within walking distance of each other. La Lupita Taco & Mezcal on José María Morelos does tacos and a long mezcal list from noon to 10:30pm, closed Monday, at a $$ price level with a 4.6 from around 2,200 reviews and live music most nights. Jazmin's Restaurant at Morelos 14 covers everything from breakfast to a late dinner, 8am to 11pm daily, $$, a 4.5 from over 1,900 reviews. Baja Brewing Company brews its own beer and stays open until 10pm, $$, a 4.5 from about 1,400 reviews. For a bigger night out, Flora Farms at Las Ánimas Bajas is $$$, closed Monday, and worth the reservation, with a 4.7 from close to 3,400 reviews. Acre Restaurant nearby is $$$ and open until 10pm, a 4.6 from around 1,600 reviews.

If you are staying on the Cabo San Lucas side, Salvatore G's on Vicente Guerrero is the pre-screening dinner, Italian, $$$, a 4.8 from about 2,000 reviews, open from 11am (4pm on Sunday). Sunset Monalisa at km 6 on the Corridor is the $$$$ sunset table if you want to make a night of it, open from 4pm.

Practical notes

• Confirm the program. Dates, venues and ticketing change year to year. Use the official festival site as the source of truth and plan around it.
• Book early. Rooms and the good restaurant tables in San José go quickly in festival week.
• Dress for evenings outside. November nights are pleasant but cooler than the days. Bring a light layer for outdoor screenings.
• Get around by taxi or a hired driver. Screenings end late and the Corridor is not a walk.

Stay in San José, book early, and eat in the Art District between films. The full list of where we eat is on our Cabo restaurants page.