Cabo San Lucas is the typical destination for many Americans visiting the Baja for fun in the sun or sport fishing.  What many people don’t know is that there are plenty of hidden discoveries to be made in the surrounding towns of La Paz, Los Barriles and Todos Santos which are very accessible by car or touring company.  The international airport is located in San Jose del Cabo, you must take Hwy 1 south to the tip of the Baja (about 30 minutes) to get to Cabo San Lucas.  Highway 1 however continues West to Todos Santos, then North to La Paz and circles back around southeast to Los Barriles, San Jose del Cabo and back down south to Cabo San Lucas. 

The excursion to visit each of these unique towns is easy enough for day trips or an overnight trip to the City of La Paz for a change of pace.  It is well worth it to stray off the beaten path to visit new locales and experience the gorgeous scenery and activities of the Baja.  The paved highway is now well managed, safe and quite easy to drive.  It is only two lanes so if you want to speed up the trip you should be comfortable with passing.  Todos Santos is about 1 hour from Cabo on the Western (Pacific) side of the Baja.  Here you’ll find the famed Hotel California (yes, that one!) and a quaint surfing village.  Pacific beaches can be dangerous with riptides, but the surfing is often exceptional!  If you continue North on Hwy 1 about another hour or so you’ll encounter the City of La Paz.  The heart of the city is built along a malecon (boardwalk) and is quite lovely.  La Paz is on the East Cape of the Baja (Sea of Cortez) and offers gorgeous and protected white sand beaches that often stretch for miles.  Circling back around, Hwy 1 takes you south (about 1.5 hours) to the charming seaside village of Los Barriles.  This is the only point where Hwy 1 touches the coast in this area of the East Cape.  It is largely undeveloped and offers some of the best sport fishing and most beautiful beaches around.  Sea of Cortez beaches are much friendlier as they are protected from weather inclement that often affects the Pacific side of the Baja (steep shorelines, deep drop-offs, wind and riptides).  From Los Barriles back down to Cabo is about an hour and a half ride.  It is well worth the trip.

If you love to visit Cabo but have never really found your inner explorer, we highly recommend it!  A snorkeling, diving or fishing trip to any of the East Cape towns is very feasible to do and you might just get hooked!  For now these areas are still mostly undeveloped so enjoy the wonderful natural habitat of East Cape beaches while you can.  Did we mention escaping the beach vendors for a day?

For more information about the East Cape areas please contact Alfredo Cristo RE/MAX Del Mar. 

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