The Cabo Tourist Corridor: Everything You Need to Know Before You Stay There

People book a hotel "in Cabo" and then find out it is a drive from Cabo. That is the Corridor. It is the stretch of coast between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, and it is where a lot of the best places to stay are. It is also nothing like downtown. Here is what you need to know before you pick it.

What the Corridor is

One highway, the Transpeninsular, runs along the coast between the two towns. Addresses out here are kilometer markers, not street numbers. Sunset Monalisa is at km 6. Flora Farms, on the San José end, lists its address as Km. 30. Between those markers you get oceanfront resorts, gated communities, golf courses and long empty beaches. Locals also call it the Golden Corridor.

What you do not get is a town. There is no main street to walk, and very little is next door to anything else.

Corridor or downtown

Pick downtown Cabo San Lucas if you want energy. You can walk to restaurants and bars, and Medano Beach has the water sports. Pick the Corridor if you want space, quiet, golf and a resort that you do not need to leave. Neither is wrong. They are different trips. Plenty of people split a week between the two.

The beaches

This surprises first-timers. Many Corridor beaches are beautiful and not swimmable, because the open ocean shore break is strong. A few protected bays are calm enough to swim and snorkel. Ask your hotel which beach near you is safe on the day, and believe the answer. Several beach clubs along the Corridor sell day passes or let you in when you eat at their restaurant, which is an easy way to get a sunset drink with a view.

Where to eat

On the Corridor itself, Sunset Monalisa is the table everyone asks about. It is fine dining, Mediterranean, $$$$, open 4pm to 10:30pm every day, with a 4.5 rating from more than 2,100 reviews. Go for sunset and book ahead.

For everything else, you drive to one of the towns. In Cabo San Lucas we like Salvatore G's for Italian ($$$, a 4.8 from close to 2,000 reviews), Los Tres Gallos for Mexican ($$, open 11am to 10pm), and Edith's for a big night ($$$$, dinner only, 5pm to 10pm). In San José del Cabo, La Lupita Taco & Mezcal is the casual pick ($$, closed Monday), and Acre and Flora Farms are the two farm dinners worth the drive. Flora Farms is also closed on Monday.

Getting around

You need wheels. A rental car, a driver, or taxis. The drive from one town to the other is about 30 minutes, so most Corridor hotels are a short drive from dinner in either direction. Agree on the taxi fare before you get in. Keep a card from your hotel in your pocket, so that at the end of the night you can hand it to the driver and skip the conversation.

Avoiding the traps

• Timeshare pitches. The free breakfast or discounted tour comes with a long sales presentation. A firm, friendly "no gracias" works.
• Airport money exchange. The rates are poor. Bring some pesos or use a bank ATM in town.
• Unofficial operators. Book transport and activities through established companies, and confirm the price up front.
• Small bills. Carry small peso notes for tips and small purchases.

When to go

November to April is the prime season: sunny, dry, 75 to 85 degrees, and the whales are in. It is also the busiest and most expensive stretch. May and early June are the value window, with good weather and fewer people, before the summer humidity arrives.

The Corridor is for space and quiet, the towns are for dinner, and a driver ties the two together. See where to stay on our Los Cabos resorts page.