Los Cabos Overview
 In
the Cape Region of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula,
the towns San José del Cabo and Cabo San
Lucas are collectively referred to as Los Cabos.
They are connected by an 18-mile (29-kilometre)
four-lane highway stretch of hotels and beaches
called The Corridor. San José del Cabo is
mostly a retirement and fishing community, and is
more laidback than Cabo San Lucas. Cabo San Lucas
has the same population of permanent residents as
San José del Cabo (approximately 25,000),
but most of the 300,000 tourists that go through
the Los Cabos region every year head straight for
Cabo San Lucas, making it the party capital of the
area.
The climate in Los Cabos is warm with plenty of
sunshine all year round. The peak tourist season
is November until March with January being the coolest
month at an average temperature of 86F (30C), and
June being the hottest month with an average temperature
of 104F (40C). During the months of February to
July, virtually no rain falls in Los Cabos, while
August through October is the time to expect tropical
storms.
San José del Cabo
The town of San José del Cabo is built on a hill
a mile north of the seaside. It is more traditional
than Cabo San Lucas, due in part to the fact that
it was originally settled by Jesuit Missionaries.
Today, San José is a pretty retirement community
and the seat of the region’s municipal government.
The Los Cabos International airport is 8 miles (13
kilometres) north of San José del Cabo and those
who are traveling by land must pass through the
quiet town to reach Cabo San Lucas.
 As
of yet, San José has no marina or harbor. Anyone
wishing to do some fishing, kayaking, surfing, snorkeling,
or diving must make arrangements with local outfitters.
Hotels are always ready to help out with reservations
for guided tours. The freshwater Rio San José
merges with the Pacific Ocean in a 125-acre estuary
just east of town. The Estero de San José
is truly one of the most beautiful sights in Los
Cabos, and must not be missed! The area’s
best swimming beach, La Playita, is just east of
San José del Cabo in the Pueblo La Playa
Village.
The Mayan
Palace Golf Los Cabos is
a 9-hole championship course in the hotel zone
along the seashore beside San José. This
course was created by the Government of Mexico’s
development agency (Fonatur) and designed by Mario
Shedjnan. It is always maintained with great care
and is meant for both intermediate and beginner
golfers. The club also has tennis courts, a pool,
a pro shop, a restaurant, a bar, and a caddy shack.
The Presidente Inter-Continental Los Cabos is a
newly renovated and expanded 400-room resort that
offers free greens fees at the nearby municipal
course. It also has three pools, two swim up bars,
three lighted tennis courts, and hot tubs.
 The
Corridor
The Corridor between San José del Cabo and Cabo
San Lucas has 4 of the best golf courses in Los
Cabos, plus one private club. Beautiful undeveloped
beachfront is accessible from almost any point on
this stretch of highway but not all beaches alongside
the Corridor are good for swimming. Playa Costa
Azul is one of the best swimming beaches in The
Corridor, located west of San José del Cabo.
The 4 world-class golf courses in The Corridor
are Cabo del Sol,
Palmilla, Cabo
Real, and the Eldorado. The Cabo del Sol Resort features the
famed Ocean Golf Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus,
as well as the Tom Weiskopf–designed Desert
Course. The Fiesta Americana Grand is located on-site,
while the Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar features lush,
Mediterranean-influenced condo suites and a three-level
pool.
Palmilla Resort
and Golf Course is possibly the finest championship
golf available in Los Cabos. It has 27-holes of
3 9’s: the Ocean, the Arroyo, and the Mountain
courses. The Palmilla Hotel is the Cape Region’s
very first resort, built in 1956 by the son of the
former Mexican President. This 114-room hotel has
broad ocean views, swaying Coconut Palms and cherry
red Hibiscus bushes covering the immaculate grounds.
The Cabo Real Resort is a 3000-acre resort community
featuring the Cabo Real
Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones
Jr., and Jack Nicklaus’ Eldorado. Of the 5 hotels to choose, the Westin
Regina stands out as the most expensive resort to
have ever been built in Mexico. Completed in 1994,
it is artistically designed both in its architectural
lines and colors. There are 255-rooms and suites,
all of which are blessed with dramatic ocean views.
The crowning glory of this resort is the magnificent
ocean-side pool and the Zen garden that overlooks
it.
The Tom Fazio-designed, 840-acre Querencia
Golf Course is the only private club in Los
Cabos. It maintains a secluded feel despite the
250 homes, condominiums, and villas located on the
grounds. The 2600 sq. ft. Clubhouse and the 12-acre
modern practice area are some of the The Querenica’s
best features.
 Cabo
San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas has a more lively nightlife than
San José Del Sol and as such is more frequented
by tourists. The 300,000 tourists who frequent this
little town mostly descend during the November through
March peak.
Cabo’s harbor and marina make it a major
destination for cruise ships and boating enthusiasts.
Due to the harbor’s heavy boating traffic,
Cabo San Lucas is the only city in Mexico with a
protected 14 sq. mile (36 sq. km) marine reserve
designed to preserve the area’s biodiversity.
Half a mile north of the Cabo city limits, is the Cabo
San Lucas Country Club. The dramatic rock formations that grace
the most southerly point of the Baja Peninsula (referred to as Land’s
End), are visible from each fairway, making sightseeing on this
course a real hazard to the game. Also available on the grounds,
are tennis courts, swimming pools, and fitness clubs. Admirably,
the 746-acre Cabo San Lucas Country Club helps preserve the Cape
Region’s limited potable water by recycling the grey water
from the hotel through a system of duckweed ponds until the water
is ready to be used for irrigation of the grounds.
There are plenty of reasons why over a quarter
of a million tourists visit Los Cabos every year:
great golf,
premier accommodations,
swimming all year round, and majestic scenery. If
your goal is a memorable golfing
holiday, consider staying at the resort affiliated
with the course you intend to play. If partying
in the Mexico sun is your objective, stay right
in the heart of Cabo San Lucas (but remember that
the airport is an hour drive from here, so be sure
to make travel arrangements to avoid unnecessary
hold ups). For the most relaxing vacation, book
accommodations in the mellow little city of San
José Del Sol. The Corridor’s full access to
the seaside is ideal if your desire is to walk on
endless stretches of undeveloped beach. Wherever
you stay, and regardless of the style of beach vacation
you seek, Los Cabos will greet you with warmth and
treat you to the best Mexico has to offer!
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