Los Cabos, Mexico, for Families

More than just a haven for partygoers to let off steam on gorgeous beaches in the Baja Peninsula, Los Cabos, the two cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo, plus everything in between, also offers families an opportunity to create experiences to cherish.

Families visiting this southernmost tip of the Baja California Peninsula can choose from an assortment of adventures, some only found around this Mexican municipality.

Visit El Arco

Cabo San Lucas hosts what is thought of as one of the most beautiful land formations in the world. El Arco, or the Arch, is a dramatic sweep of rock, reminiscent of a rainbow, inviting passage by water from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean. On the tranquil Sea of Cortez side, you’ll find Marriage Beach. On the rockier, more turbulent, Pacific Ocean side of the rock, is Divorce Beach. Hire Cabo Adventures for a luxury sailing experience to admire this legendary formation and enjoy the breeze while the Latin American sun warms your skin. Enjoy snacks and cocktails as you take a slow sail across the coastline to anchor at Santa Maria Bay for a snorkel in what Jacques

Los Tamarindo Farm to Table Restaurant. Photo: Rina Nehdar

Cousteau once called, “the aquarium of the world.” Bring your underwater camera to snap some shots of friendly pufferfish and queen angelfish.

Take a Cooking Class

Five minutes from downtown San Jose del Cabo is an organic farm waiting to be toured by your family. First, you’ll walk through the fields that grow the food served in Los Tamarindo Farm to Table Restaurant. You’ll help select ingredients to use to make their seasonal dishes. Then, gather around a long table strewn with kitchen gadgets, specific to their tasks, as teachers guide you through the process of creating your tasty appetizer with family and new friends. While you chop, grate and measure, chefs will share their secrets as they create the main course. After, enjoy the colorful alfresco restaurant popping with creative art while you savor the dishes you helped create. Your kids will never look at food the same again. This is a popular activity so reservations are strongly advised.

Pro tip: Wear closed-toed shoes during the farm tour to avoid fire ants in areas around the fields.

Los Tamarindo Farm to Table Restaurant. Photo: Rina Nehdar

Swim With Sea Lions and Whale Sharks

Back in the Sea of Cortez, about a two-hour drive from Cabo San Lucas, is the artsy little town of La Paz. Formally known as Ensenada de la Paz, or lagoon of peace, it is the largest city in Baja California Sur and also its capital. Although it’s the largest, it still feels intimate and clean. The coastal city has a 3.5-mile malecon, or boardwalk, to stroll beside the calm waters. Inside the water is where the magic happens. Hire Tuna Tuna Tours for an unforgettable day boating around the three protected islands to swim with sea life in their actual home. They’ll take you around the three islands of La Paz: Isla Espíritu Santo, Isla Partida, and the home to swarms of sea lions, Los Islotes. But before that, they’ll take you to the end of the bay, where, with wetsuit and snorkel, you can slip into the protected Whale Shark Refuge to swim with the gentle giants. There are many rules to make sure these largest fish in the world, which can grow to 40 feet, are kept healthy and safe — which Tuna Tuna Tours explain in the marina before you head out. As you glide along the water, tour guides who may also be marine biologists will tell you about the area, the sea animals and the rules, as you listen to music streaming from their speakers and feel the droplets of water bouncing from the sea.

Sea Lions in Los Cabos. Photo: Rina Nehdar