Todos Santos Day Trip from Cabo San Lucas

The Pacific artist colony 70 minutes north

Todos Santos is a small Pacific-coast town about 80 km north of Cabo San Lucas, designated a Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) by the Mexican government — a national designation for towns with significant cultural or historical character. It’s the kind of place that gets called “the next Tulum” every five years and never quite becomes that, which is part of its appeal. About 6,500 residents, a working agricultural economy, and a thriving artist colony that’s been growing since the 1980s when American expatriates discovered the place.

For Cabo visitors, Todos Santos is the day trip you take when you want to see something other than beaches, marinas, and tourist infrastructure. The drive itself — 70-80 minutes through cardón cactus desert and small Baja farming villages — is part of the appeal.

What’s actually in Todos Santos

The Hotel California. Yes, that one — sort of. The hotel claims connections to the Eagles’ 1976 song; the band has denied any connection. The lawsuit got settled. The hotel is real, and it’s a legitimately good boutique hotel with a restaurant, bar, and gift shop. Dropping in for a coffee or lunch is the obligatory tourist move; whether you believe the song connection is up to you.

The art galleries. 25-30 working galleries clustered in a 4-block downtown core. Most are open 10 AM-5 PM Tuesday through Saturday. The styles range from contemporary Mexican to surreal-folk to traditional landscapes. Notable galleries include Galería de Todos Santos (the longest-running, since 1994) and Galería Logan (large-format contemporary).

The plaza and the church. Plaza Pública with the Iglesia Misión de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz, the small mission-style church. Quiet, walkable, photogenic. The plaza often has artisans setting up small markets on weekends.

Restaurants. The food scene is genuinely good — small ingredient-driven kitchens that punch above the town’s size. Hierbabuena (farm-to-table Mexican, 15-minute drive south of town in the agricultural valley), Café Santa Fé (Italian, the longest-standing dinner spot), La Esquina (casual breakfast and lunch, organic ingredients), and Jazamango (mid-range Mexican, well-rated). Reservations are recommended for dinner spots in high season.

The beach (Playa Punta Lobos). A 5-km stretch of Pacific beach 10 minutes south of town. Wild, dramatic, and dangerous for swimming — open Pacific surf with consistent rip currents. It’s a walking and surfing beach, not a swimming beach. Surfers love it; casual beachgoers should treat it as a photo stop only.

Surfing. Several beaches in the Todos Santos area are well-known surf breaks. Cerritos Beach (15 minutes south) is the beginner-friendly spot — sand bottom, mellower waves, surf schools, food shacks. San Pedrito (further south) is the intermediate-to-advanced break with reef bottom and bigger waves.

When to go

Tuesday-Saturday daytime — most galleries closed Sunday and Monday.

Sunday morning is good for the plaza market and for the quietest version of the town. Most restaurants open; galleries closed.

Avoid Mondays if galleries are the main reason for your trip — most are dark.

Festivals: Todos Santos hosts a respected music festival in January and a film festival in February. If you’re traveling during those windows, expect crowded restaurants and harder-to-find parking.

How to do the day

A standard Todos Santos day trip is 6-8 hours door-to-door from a Cabo resort:

• 8:00 AM: Depart Cabo
• 9:30 AM: Arrive Todos Santos, coffee at La Esquina or the Hotel California
• 10:00-12:00: Walk the gallery district, plaza, church
• 12:30: Lunch at Hierbabuena (drive south to the farm) or Café Santa Fé in town
• 2:00-3:30: Beach stop at Playa Cerritos for the surf-watch (or Punta Lobos for the wild Pacific photo)
• 4:00: Drive back
• 5:30: Resort

For a half-day version, skip the beach stop and the long drive to Hierbabuena — focus on the gallery district, the plaza, and lunch in town. 4-5 hours total.

Tour vs self-drive

Self-drive ($60-80/day rental + gas): Most flexible. The drive is straightforward — Highway 19 north out of Cabo, well-paved and well-marked. Park anywhere in central Todos Santos; parking is free and easy. Recommended for travelers who want to set their own pace and stop where they want.

Guided tour ($80-120/person): Most are bus tours with a structured itinerary — the hotel, the church, lunch at a designated restaurant, 2-3 galleries. Less flexible but you don’t drive. Most resort concierges sell these.

Private driver ($150-250 round trip): Middle ground. You set the schedule, no driving stress, and the driver knows the area. Best for groups of 3-4 who want a private experience without renting a car.

Cabo combos

Several tour operators bundle Todos Santos with La Paz as a 2-day overnight trip — Todos Santos for the artist colony day, an overnight in La Paz, then snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez or whale-watching at the Espíritu Santo Island. If you have the schedule flexibility, this is the better way to see the southern Baja interior.

How to get there from your resort

• From Sandos Finisterra Cabo San Lucas: 70-80 minutes north on Highway 19
• From corridor resorts: 80-90 minutes
• From San José del Cabo: 90-100 minutes (you drive past Cabo San Lucas first)

Highway 19 is well-paved with good signage. No tolls. Gas station midway in El Pescadero. Mexican car insurance is mandatory if you’re driving a rental — confirm with the rental company.