By the time youre finished with this post, youll know which of the cities in Los Cabos is best for your vacation! If you want bars with great DJs that are playing music into the early hours, youre not going to find that in San Jose del Cabo. Best Hotels in Cabo San Lucas. Let me start by qualifying this bold claim. But as much as I loved San Joses art and culture scene, Im glad I ended up basing myself in San Lucas since it was nice being steps away from the water while still being close to non-beach activities. I also recommend my Cancun vs. Cabo post if youre still on the fence about the best-fit beach destination for you. There are many restaurants with tables in the sand, along with vendors hawking everything from handmade bracelets to cold juices. At night, you will find lots of spring breakers, college students, and other party-goers enjoying famous spots like El Squid Roe and Cabo Wabo Cantina. When the fall rains come to wash away the heat, duck inside for a spa day or . Cabo San Lucas vs San Jose del Cabo: Which to Choose? Personally, I found San Jose to be a welcome respite from the crowded streets and booming nightlife of San Lucas. Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos. Cabo vs Puerto Vallarta: 13 Must-Know Differences Difference Between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas There is a beautiful long beach where you can see whales breaching just off the shore. From here you can pick up a rental car and head on your way. During the art walks, you can pop into the galleries to check out work from local artists, among live music and street vendors in the main square. Peaceful family friendly resort. When comparing San Jose del Cabo vs Cabo San Lucas, youll have countless boat tour options from San Lucas. Watch all of the San Jose del Cabo videos here. Some of the other top things to do in Cabo San Lucas include deep sea fishing, scuba diving, ATVing, and playing on the beach. So, if you choose to base yourself in San Jose del Cabo, I recommend either renting a car or taking the bus. And the winner is Beyond Los Cabos: Day trips Cabo FAQs Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and Los Cabos Required fields are marked *. In the summer, things heat up, which makes afternoons by the pool and dips into the ocean the most relaxing things to do in San Jose del Cabo. The Ruta del Desierto is a purple and yellow bus. The answer to these questions is, it really depends. Required fields are marked *. He uses the word Cabo a whopping seven times in his song Cabo San Lucas. There will also be fewer vendors vying for your attention, which means youll have less negotiating power. The heat can get brutal in Los Cabos depending on the time of year you visit, and San Joses plaza offers sparse trees for shade. The main difference is that Cabo San Lucas has a bustling atmosphere with parties and events constantly happening, but for a more laid-back vacation surrounded by traditional Mexican culture, pack your bags for San Jose del Cabo. And, yes, while tour vendors can get overly pesky, youll have wonderful bargaining opportunities when looking for a tour. Read on for everything you need to know to decide whether to visit Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo. Book a stay at the ultra-glamorous (and ultra-expensive) Grand Solmar at Lands End Resort and Spa to take in the best of the views in town. Prefer not to rent a car - can we get around by bus? Your email address will not be published. Each traveller is different and enjoys a different setting so here are the real differences between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Its where nightlife-seekers flock, and there are countless things to do, along with loads of shops, bars, and restaurants. Finally, there are many great Cabo tours and excursions to choose from. In general, this is not the spring break of your dreams. Great information! Cant wait to do this again. A Piece of Travel is a blog offering advice on self-guided travel for wheelchair users and solo female travelers. Love the heated pool. They are located about 20 miles apart, but are collectively referred to as Los Cabos, or The Capes. If you are looking for a younger crowd of 20-somethings, youre not going to find them in San Jose del Cabo. So, is Cabo San Lucas the same as Los Cabos? If youre planning a trip to Baja, and trying to decide between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, there are a lot of factors to consider. Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos All Inclusive Golf & Spa. Both are on the tip of the Baja peninsula, and together they are called Los Cabos, but visiting the two different towns offers distinct experiences. A colorful street in San Jose del Cabo. This brings me to another pointCabo San Lucas sits on the corner of where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean. Los Cabos (the capes) refers to the two cities, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Axl at the pool was very helpful all week. Or maybe you just want to know which of these towns will make for a better vacation spot. Like to explore, do activities (land/sea), foodies, some nightlife/bars. However, when we refer to Los Cabos in general, we are talking about a specific region of the state of Baja California Sur. Just be sure to avoid all of the vendors trying to sell you timeshares. Here, youll find art galleries, golf, and quaint streets to explore, and the surrounding landscape is filled with natural beauty, including an estuary thats a sanctuary for birds and other wildlife. Check out my article on Cabo San Lucas vs Los Cabos. The bus runs every 8-10 minutes. Most tours leave from Cabo San Lucas and take you out to see where you can go whale watching or sail to the famous Cabo Arch under the orange and pink sunset. Your email address will not be published. The bottom line: since theyre both wonderful vacation destinations, it really depends on what youre looking for. Loved the food from the grill restaurant by the pool. This happens on Thursdays between 5:00 pm 9:00 pm and is a wonderful way to see local artwork. Heres the good news: You dont have to choose between Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo. This in-depth guide compares Cabo San Lucas vs San Jose del Cabo, to help you decide which area is better for your trip. On the other hand, you wont have to wander as far to find delicious, local, and cheaper food in San Jose del Cabo. San Jose del Cabo is the seat of the municipal government, so in the main plaza youll find a town hall. Publicado el 04/08/2018 Blog Destino Las diferencias entre San Jos del Cabo y Cabo San Lucas Los Cabos Es un popular destino de vacaciones en Mxico, pero muchas personas no saben que Los Cabos realmente abarca dos ciudades diferentes: San Jos del Cabo y Cabo San Lucas . Cabo San Lucas is the place where people of all ages, college spring breakers all the way up to retired singles, come to party. What do I mean by the Tourist Corridor? Since theyre only 20 minutes apart, you can easily enjoy the best of both worlds on your vacation, giving you more things to do and cultural experiences to have. This is one of the most beautiful places to explore in Cabo San Lucas dont miss out on a glass bottom boat trip around the arch! Visiting Lovers Beach is a must-do when visiting Cabo, and is often a trip highlight because of its postcard-perfect views. I'm a Midwestern girl turned Southern Californian who knows how to live life out of a suitcase without foregoing my beauty and fashion favorites. Downtown Cabo San Lucas is a relatively compact area, and its easy to navigate the main tourist areas on foot. The most famous of all is El Arco (the arch). Restaurants along the main street, restaurants inside all of the hotels, restaurants and bars along the marina, are all significantly more expensive than restaurants of arguably better quality in most any other city in Mexico. I've lived on four different continents, regularly travel around the U.S. and beyond to embrace new adventures, and always have my travel makeup bag packed and ready to go. We will look for Fernando on our next visit. function ml_webform_success_5290106(){var r=ml_jQuery||jQuery;r(".ml-subscribe-form-5290106 .row-success").show(),r(".ml-subscribe-form-5290106 .row-form").hide()}. The plaza is more than that, though. So, Ill clear up these terms and help you understand San Jose del Cabo vs Cabo San Lucas so that you can pick the best-suited destination for your vacation. In cooperation with: Watch this Topic Browse forums All Los Cabos forums Cabo San Lucas forum MishL2007 Irvine, California 3 posts 1 review 2 helpful votes San Jose del Cabo vs Cabo San Lucas? There is definitely a difference between Cabo San Lucas and San Jos del Cabo. For now, be sure to book your flights to the SJD airport. Your email address will not be published. So, on a personal level as a female, when comparing San Jose del Cabo vs Cabo San Lucas, I felt safer wandering around San Jose. Gave us some great drink recommendations and had non-stop service and assistance. In addition to traditional Mexican food, there is also a broad range of cuisines in Cabo San Lucas including sushi, Italian, and plenty of seafood options. Montage Los Cabos. Llegar de San Jos del Cabo a Cabo San Lucas es rpido y asequible en un autobs o taxi local. Most of the beaches in Cabo San Lucas face the Pacific Ocean, while the beaches around San Jose del Cabo face the Sea of Cortez (also referred to as the Gulf of California). However, if youre debating Cabo San Lucas vs San Jose del Cabo, you can still visit here no matter which one you choose. Choose Cabo if you want: So what are the downsides of staying in Cabo San Lucas? Theres a mission church here and a history that is quite interesting to learn more about (I recommend taking a tour with Cabo City Tours to hear all about it). Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo are separate, individual towns. Along with the Marina that is made up of restaurants and bars, Cabo San Lucas has famous clubs and bars in the downtown area, beaches lined with lively day clubs, restaurants and much more. Cabo San Lucas. Youll likely be one of the only people browsing through the tiny boutique stores in San Jose, and reggaeton music wont blare in your ear as you dine at a restaurant. The two main beaches in San Jose del Cabo are Costa Azul beach and Playa La Hotelera. Choose San Jos del Cabo if you want: I like to think of San Jose as more of a sophisticated, unvarnished, and refined version of Cabo San Lucas. Typically 1204 buses run weekly, although weekend and holiday schedules can vary so check in advance. Whether you decide to book a place in Cabo San Lucas or San Jose del Cabo, theres really only one airport option. San Jos del Cabo Reviews | U.S. News Travel Many of the newer properties in Los Cabos are being built in the San Jose del Cabo area given its rise in popularity and the fact that it is less developed than Cabo San Lucas. Get your camera ready if you visit San Jose del Cabo, for its colorful, old buildings and eclectic decorations will make you glad that you upgraded your cloud storage before arriving in Mexico. Either way, you definitely wont go hungry in Cabo. Very friendly and prompt. Walk past any hotel, restaurant, tour vendor, along the main strip of the marina, or on the popular Medano Beach and there will be at least 10 people trying to sell you something. They're only 30 minutes from each other, so you can explore both regardless of where you choose to stay. The airport code is SJD. This is the type of town where locally owned businesses have been taken care of by generation after generation and locals walk along the streets to stop in different restaurants, little bars and art galleries to say hello because everyone knows everyone. Ill talk more about how to take the bus between San Jose and San Lucas at the end of this post. When looking at Cabo San Lucas versus Los Cabos, another notable difference is that you can't get around Los Cabos without a bus, taxi, or rental car. While Cabo San Lucas is the more popular city with exciting nightlife and a bustling downtown, San Jose del Cabo is a quieter destination with traditional Mexican charm. To make your trip even easier, this Mexico packing list for all inclusive resorts has everything you should bring to Mexico! Medano Beach is the main beach in Cabo San Lucas and is located within walking distance to downtown. If you make a purchase, well receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Cabo San Lucas My wife and I are going to Cabo in about a week and really learned a lot from reading this blog post! Cabo San Lucas is home to two of the most famous beaches in Cabo: Lovers Beach on Lands End, and Medano Beach (Playa Medano). What's the Difference Between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo? 10 helpful votes. While San Jose del Cabo receives its share of accolades by those who love the small town vibe, Cabo San Lucas is by far the favorite among tourists heading to Los Cabos. Even if you stay in San Jose del Cabo, you can still access everything that Cabo San Lucas has to offer, you will just need to drive 30-40 minutes to do so. If you get the opportunity to visit both San Jose and San Lucas, one of the first things that will likely stand out to you is that San Jose is composed primarily of Mexicans and Cabo San Lucas is primarily made up of tourists. 2. Together, these cities make up the municipality of Los Cabos, and travelers will find a difference between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. Located on the road from San Jose del Cabo to Cabo San Lucas, its easy to pack a cooler and make your way here for the day. GAP operates 12 airports throughout the Pacific region of . Its the same price to go from San Jose del Cabo to Playa Palmilla. This 1,200-kilometre strip of land separates the Pacific Ocean (to the west) from the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California (to the east).