Some trips are measured in destinations, others in miles of road. The Baja California peninsula belongs to the second kind. You cross at San Diego, head down the Gulf side, and every few hours a town, a beach or a plate of food gives you a reason to stop. This route takes 8 to 14 nights, with time to stay wherever it’s worth it. It starts with seafood by the Gulf and ends with a sunset dinner at Sunset Monalisa, with the best view in Cabo.
The route at a glance
- San Felipe and Puertecitos: pass-through
- Guerrero Negro: 1–2 nights
- Santa Rosalía: stop
- Mulegé and Santispac: 1–2 nights
- Loreto: 1–2 nights
- La Paz: 2–3 nights
- San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas: 3–5 nights
San Felipe and Puertecitos: The Gulf at Your Pace
Take the new highway from San Felipe to Guerrero Negro, which carries you into a desert of boojum trees and cardón cacti. First, drop down to San Felipe. Stroll the malecón, order fresh seafood and wade into the Sea of Cortez.
A few miles south waits Puertecitos, a beach town with almost no residents and hot springs that mix with the tide. Bring water, cash and a willingness to do nothing.
Guerrero Negro: Salt, Wetlands and Whales
1–2 NIGHTS
There is plenty to explore here. With Kokis Adventours you tour the salt flats, one of the largest in the world, then head to the Dunas de la Soledad, the cave paintings at Cueva del Ratón, the wetlands and the bird-watching spots. Each outing is a separate tour, so pick the one that calls to you or stay both nights and take several.
Finish at the Whale Museum, which explains why gray whales return to these lagoons every winter.
Santa Rosalía: Ice Cream and French Heritage
Continue south to this mining town of wooden houses. Stop for an ice cream, walk the downtown and visit the famous Santa Bárbara church, built of metal and attributed to Gustave Eiffel.
Mulegé is a palm oasis with a river. A few miles on, in Bahía Concepción, the beaches of Santispac invite you to pitch a tent, swim in warm water and fall asleep to the sound of the waves.
Mulegé and Santispac: Camp by the Sea
1–2 NIGHTS
Mulegé is a palm oasis with a river. A few miles on, in Bahía Concepción, the beaches of Santispac invite you to pitch a tent, swim in warm water and fall asleep to the sound of the waves.
Loreto: Islands, Fishing and Clams
1–2 NIGHTS
Sail to Isla Coronado, where sea lions bask on the rocks. Fish in the morning and eat fresh clams at midday.
La Paz: City, Nightlife and Postcard Beaches
2–3 NIGHTS
The stretch toward La Paz rewards you with a majestic panorama of the Sea of Cortez. In the city, walk the malecón and enjoy the nightlife. The beaches are another story: Tecolote, Caimancito, La Concha and Balandra. Set aside a day for Isla Espíritu Santo.
Los Cabos: The Grand Finale
3–5 NIGHTS
Settle in San José del Cabo and get ready. Cabo Adventures has something for everyone: luxury sailing, a premium catamaran, dolphin swims, whale watching, camel rides, ATVs, ziplines and snorkeling at Cabo Pulmo.
Photos: Cabo Adventures.
If you can pick only one, the Premium Sunset Cruise combines a tasting menu, drinks and live music. For a full day, Tierra Sagrada Beach & Adventure Park packs it all into an all-inclusive plan, and the Todos Santos excursion adds a camel ranch, local food and a mezcal tasting.
To explore the coast from the water, book with El Jefe Tours. Its pitch is a fully equipped yacht just for your group, with a fleet that includes The Partner and the Sea Ray Sundancer, plus a private catamaran. It is one of the best yacht experiences, whether as a couple or with friends, with a direct view of the Arch.
Save a day for Cabo Pulmo, one of the best marine parks in the world. Go with Cabo Pulmo Sport Center. Its snorkel tour lasts about two and a half hours, leaves by shaded boat with a certified captain and guide, and includes the gear. It visits four sites inside the protected area, such as Los Frailes or La Lobera, depending on wind and currents. Groups are three people minimum, with departures from 8 a.m.
Sunset Monalisa: The Dinner That Closes the Trip
And to finish, the most romantic and memorable dinner of the trip at Sunset Monalisa, at kilometer 6 of the Transpeninsular Highway in Cabo San Lucas. Its terraces overlook the bay and the Sea of Cortez, with one of the best views in the world and Land’s End on the horizon.
The cooking is modern, casual Italian, with handmade pasta and Mediterranean flavors. The culinary advisor is Domenico Stile, chef of Enoteca La Torre in Rome, which holds two Michelin stars. You can order à la carte or choose the tasting menu.
Book the first seating, timed for the sunset; it is open daily from 4:00 to 10:30 p.m. The second seating adds a live Cuban band once night has fallen. It is the perfect toast to say goodbye to the peninsula.
That is the long road: Kokis Adventours in the desert, Cabo Adventures and El Jefe Tours on the sea, Cabo Pulmo Sport Center underwater and Sunset Monalisa as the day fades. Each offers a different way to know Baja, and together they make a trip you remember for years.
Contact Details
Sunset Monalisa
Italian dinner at sunset · Cabo San Lucas
- Address: Carretera Transpeninsular km 6, Cabo San Lucas
- Phone: +52 624 105 8970
- WhatsApp (messages only): +52 624 220 8647
- Hours: Daily, 4:00 to 10:30 p.m.
- Reservations and more: Website · Instagram · Facebook · TikTok
Cabo Adventures
Tours and experiences · Los Cabos
- Office: Boulevard Paseo de la Marina Lt 7-A, Marina, 23410 Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S.
- Phone (Mexico): +52 624 173 9528
- From the US and Canada: 1-800-916-8734 (toll-free)
- WhatsApp: +52 624 191 9799 (Monday to Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mountain time)
- Email: info@cabo-adventures.com · grupos@cabo-adventures.com (groups)
- Website: cabo-adventures.com
El Jefe Tours
Yachts and catamarans · Cabo San Lucas Bay
- Phone: 624 238 8767
- WhatsApp: +52 624 238 8767
- Email: eljefeglassbottom@gmail.com
- Website: eljefetours.com · Contact page
Cabo Pulmo Sport Center
Snorkeling and fishing · Cabo Pulmo
- Address: Acceso Principal a la Playa, 23570 Cabo Pulmo, B.C.S.
- Phone: +52 624 157 9795
- Email: cabopulmosportcenter@gmail.com
- Website: cabopulmosportcenter.com · Instagram · Facebook
Kokis Adventours
Salt flats, dunes and wetlands · Guerrero Negro
- Phone: +52 615 159 9229
- Email: kokisadventours@gmail.com
- Website: kokisadventours.com
