Day Trip to San Jose del Cabo
San Jose is worth the trip
San Jose del Cabo is the sister city to Cabo San Lucas that together form the area known as Los Cabos. San Jose is about 25 minutes East of San Lucas along the Cabo Corridor and absolutely a place you must visit when you’re in Cabo. You’ll pass many beautiful residential communities on the way like Cabo del Sol, Maravilla, Chileno Bay, El Dorado, Palmilla, and Querencia. You’ll also pass a few world-class golf courses, lots of top notch restaurants like Nicksan, 7 Seas Seafood Grille, and Carbon Cabron, and miles of pristine coastline with white sand and turquoise water.
Cream Cafe in The Shoppes at Palmilla
Start your San Jose experience with a coffee at Cream Cafe in the Shoppes at Palmilla. The cafe has a nice outdoor seating area where you can enjoy great coffee and a variety of pastry and breakfast options. Afterwards, you can check out the shops, tequila store, and enjoy the art gallery.
Now that you’re caffeinated, decide which one of the many options to explore and experience next. You could get a day pass to one of the hotel's beach clubs, head downtown to look through the many art galleries and shops, get active and rent surfboards, ride horses on the beach, do a tequila tasting, or simply enjoy more food and relax.
Hotel El Ganzo Rooftop
If you’re looking for a chill beach club or rooftop experience, I recommend Hotel El Ganzo. The hotel is at the front of the Los Cabos Marina, about 10 minutes from the hotel zone. For $80USD/person you get access to the hotel’s rooftop with cabanas, day beds, swim-up bar, infinity pool, jacuzzi, and my favorite fish ceviche in Cabo. The $80 is applied to your bill so you’re really just prepaying for food and drinks. The service is excellent no matter where you are hanging out and the views of the marina and ocean are second to none. On weekends they will sometimes have a DJ and the place can get relatively busy. All the food I’ve tried has been great and the drinks are also nice while you lay back and enjoy. The hotel also has a great beach club that you access via boat with a swimmable beach, cabanas, and food service. If you’re looking to hangout in the Hotel Zone, check with each hotel to see if they offer day passes to their beach clubs.
Activities in San Jose
Want to do something active? Head over to Bonanza Horse Riding at the edge of the Hotel Zone to saddle up and tour the San Jose beach on horseback. Rip around the dunes in a UTV or ATV with one of the 4x4 tour companies. If nature is more your style, rent snorkel gear and get friendly with the area's many species of fish and turtles. You can also rent jet skis or go parasailing! There are a lot of options for an active experience in San Jose del Cabo.
If you’re in more of an exploratory mood, head up Blvd. Antonio Mijares and walk along the shops from Cuervo’s House to the entrance of the main plaza. You’ll see jewelry stores, leather shops, tequila tastings, pharmacies, home decor, souvenirs, and more along both sides of the pedestrian friendly street. If you’re hungry, I recommend Casa Don Rodrigo’s and eating in the garden area. They have a delicious fresh sea bass dish with roasted vegetables I’ll never forget.
Downtown San Jose del Cabo art & food
Make your way through the plaza to the old chapel and get a picture in front of the giant colorful San Jose del Cabo sign. From there, head down the cobblestone streets past art galleries, each with a different style and medium. Throughout downtown you’ll find many cafes, restaurants, and shops. I have a few favorite downtown eateries that I highly recommend including Yooko Izakaya, Kitchen Table, Barrio Tango, La Lupita, and Pietro’s. More info on these places and others can be found on my Handbook page.
Food options near downtown San Jose
If you don’t eat downtown, there are a few great spots to stop at outside the downtown area like Tropico Coastal Kitchen or Taqueria Mexico. Both have great tacos for a great price and you can’t go wrong with either.
If you are looking for a full dining experience with farm-to-table food, spa, fragrance studio, and on-site farm, Flora Farms has it all. They create amazing dishes using the ingredients they grow on-site. A similar experience is Acre Resort, just a few minutes away from Flora Farms, with a restaurant and cocktail bar, spa, and even private residences.
After dinner options in San Jose
After dinner, grab a beer at Baja Brewing. My favorite beer on tap is La Surfa, a crisp German Pilsner. They also make good IPAs and blonde ales along with pizza and small bites. Another beer option is Sierra de la Laguna Brewery. They have some good food options and a wide selection of beers in an old brick building. If you’re a michelada fan, you can’t beat Micheladas El Papi. They have many different variations to choose from and layer the rim with chamoy and tajin for a really tasty drink. For those looking for a more chic rooftop experience, Dalton Gin Bar has a club vibe, good drinks, and open air experience. They’re open till 4am on Friday and Saturday which is hard to find in San Jose. If you’re out late, another good option is Arroyo. This spot is unique and often hosts fun events. They have a video game room and cool atmosphere unlike anyplace else in San Jose.
Regardless of what you are in the mood for, San Jose has an option for you. Uber is popular here and a great way to safely get from San Lucas to San Jose to enjoy your day and night to the fullest.