Discovering the Ideal Time to Experience Cabo San Lucas

Planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas but not sure when to go? Look no further, as we unveil the secrets of the best time to travel to Cabo San Lucas. From vibrant events and festivals to tranquil getaways, this article will guide you through the year-round wonders of this Mexican paradise. Discover the perfect months for outdoor adventures, the best time to bask in the sun, and even when you can score the greatest deals. Curious? Keep reading to unlock the secrets of your ideal time to visit Cabo San Lucas.

Events and Festivals in Los Cabos

• Feast Day of San Antonio de Abad: San Antonio de Abad is the patron saint of animals. On this day, animals are allowed into churches to receive a blessing. Hundreds of people participate, dressing their pets or working animals in ribbons and bows for the priest to bless. Expect to see all types of animals, especially dogs, cats, horses, and chickens.
• La Ventana Classic: Five days of competitive kitesurfing, windsurfing, and SUP racing, plus various clinics where participants learn from the pros. Proceeds benefit schools in La Ventana, El Sargento, and Los Planes.

• San Jose Jazz Weekend: Two evenings of live jazz, featuring local, national, and international artists. This popular concert series takes place at Plaza del Pescador in the San Jose Hotel Zone from 5-11pm. Admission is free.
• Todos Santos Open Studios Tour: Todos Santos, one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos, is best known for its charming, boho style and art galleries. For two days every year, artists of all mediums open their studios to the public and invite them into their creative spaces. Attendance is free, and any purchasing proceeds support Palapa Society’s Children’s Art Program.
• Carnaval: This huge six-day celebration is traditionally the last hurrah before the fasting weeks of Lent. Unlike Brazil’s Carnaval or New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, this is a family-friendly event featuring parade floats, dancing, food stalls, and cultural events. There is a smaller Carnaval event in downtown Cabo, but the largest celebration is about two hours north in La Paz, attracting crowds in the hundreds of thousands.

• Festival of San Jose: An eleven-day festival in honor of San José, the city’s patron saint. Festivities begin with parties and music and increase to include parades, carnivals, and rodeos on weekends. Expect a fun street party with amazing food stalls, dancing, and rides.
• Todos Santos Film Festival: Since 2004, the Todos Santos Film Festival has screened the best new dramas, documentaries, and short films from Mexico and Latin America, with a special focus on local Baja filmmakers. Screenings during this six-day event are held at Teatro Marquez de León.
• Gala de Danza: This annual performing arts event brings together elite dancers, choreographers, and musicians from around the world. Artists collaborate to showcase the best in classical ballet and ballroom styles, as well as contemporary Latin Dance. Get tickets early! They have previously sold out in under an hour.

• Paws ‘n Claws Open Golf Tournament: Annual golf tournament and barbecue benefiting Los Cabos Humane Society. Teams may register to play 18 holes on the Palmilla Golf course, followed by a barbecue at Acre, an upscale farm-to-table restaurant, or supporters may choose dining only.
• Día de los Niños: Celebrated on April 30 every year, this holiday honors the importance of children in society. This is a fun day for kids, who get the day off from school and are treated to special events, activities, and gifts. Events take place all over town, with music, shows, and magic. Many water parks and amusement parks offer discounts on this day.

• Cinco de Mayo: This is a celebration of Mexico’s victory over France during the Battle of Puebla – not Mexican Independence Day. Outside of Puebla itself, this holiday is not celebrated in Mexico. However, some hotels and bars in Cabo host fiestas aimed at American tourists with drink specials, music, and food.
• GastroVino Food and Wine Festival: This annual three-day festival in Todos Santos includes special events at the city’s best restaurants, working alongside Baja’s best wineries. Events include wine tastings, an elegant ball, tapas and wine pairing, and a silent auction benefiting a local charity.

• Los Cabos Open of Surf: The most prestigious men and women’s surfing competition in Mexico, drawing huge local and global crowds. The six-day event includes free concerts after sunset by major international bands and an accompanying food festival.
• Fiesta de la Música: This is a live music festival taking place every year on the solstice, June 21, in 120 countries worldwide. This free event takes place at various locations in San Jose’s Art District. All musical styles and experience levels are welcome to participate.
• The Stars & Stripes Tournament: An annual deep sea fishing (striped marlin) and golfing tournament combined with a music festival. Proceeds benefit seven chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Mexico and California.

• Fiesta of the Virgin of Carmen: This day-long festival celebrates the Virgin Mary as the protector of Mexico. The event begins with cultural craft vendors in the morning, followed by an afternoon parade of children, their mothers, and puppeteers. The Cabo San Lucas marina holds a fishing tournament, while bullfights are held near downtown (toned-down versions, no animals harmed).
• Festival of St. James: This festival celebrates St. James, the patron saint of Spain credited with bringing Catholicism to Mexico. The saint is often depicted in art riding a white horse. The festival begins with a parade, including riders on white horses, who reenact battles in the towns’ squares. Street parties continue late into the evening.

• Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Tournament: A laid-back five-day fishing competition out of Buenavista, an hour north of San Jose. The event includes three days of deep-sea fishing for marlin, tuna, and dorado.
• Los Cabos Open (Abierto Mexicano de Tenis): One of the most prestigious men’s tennis competitions in Mexico. It takes place over six days on outdoor hard courts, with 0,000USD in prize money at stake.
• Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: This holiday celebrates the ascension of the Virgin Mary to heaven and is celebrated in both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose. Churches will be overflowing with flowers, and processions will wind through the downtown areas with floats and live music. There will be many street food stalls, plus buffet feasts at local restaurants. Festivities continue late into the evening.

• Charro Day: The morning begins with parades of charros, Mexican cowboys, wearing traditional clothing with their horses groomed and decked out too. Festivities with great food continue throughout the day with rodeos, bullfighting, calf roping, and dancing into the night.
• Mexican Independence Day: Beginning on September 15th at night, expect huge crowds in both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose. Cabo has a wilder party vibe, while San Jose has a more traditional fiesta. Celebrations at both locations will see the plazas decked out, mariachi, folk dancing, beer, fireworks, and street food. The “grito,” shout of independence, is called out around 11 that night. The following day is a national holiday with a giant parade and continuing celebrations.

• Los Cabos Billfish Tournament: A five-day event including three days of competitive deep-sea fishing. Boats leave from both the Cabo San Lucas Marina and the Puerto Los Cabos Marina in San Jose.
• Bisbee’s Black & Blue Marlin Tournament: The largest fishing tournament of the year with millions of dollars up for grabs and drawing huge crowds in Cabo San Lucas. Teams compete for three days, and spectators watch the enormous fish as they’re weighed in on the pier.
• Fiesta de Cabo San Lucas: This holiday on October 18 celebrates St. Luke, the patron saint of Cabo San Lucas. Downtown streets will be closed off to traffic to make way for the parade, food vendors, dancing, and musicians.

• Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): Celebrations are scattered around the Los Cabos area on November 1-2 in remembrance of deceased family and friends. Expect gatherings in the main town squares and in cemeteries, where altars are set up, plus costumes, face painting, music, marigolds, and special candy sugar skulls. Los Cabos’ celebration is not as large as in most central and southern areas; San Jose has more traditional festivities than Cabo San Lucas.
• Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot Tournament: A four-day event with two days of competitive fishing. Evenings include cocktail parties, mariachi, and festivities. Big money jackpots for the winning teams.
• Revolution Day (Día de la Revolución): Festivities on November 20 celebrate the start of the Mexican Revolution in 1910. Parades in the morning are followed by food, fiestas, and rodeos.

• Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe (Día de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe): This is an annual Mexican Catholic feast on December 12, celebrating an apparition of the Virgin Mary on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City. The holiday is celebrated throughout Los Cabos with parades, masses, street fairs, and fireworks, and it marks the start of the Christmas Posadas.
• Christmas Posadas: A nine-day period from December 16-24 commemorating the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Candlelit processions and reenactments go from house to house each night with parties, food, and piñatas after guests are allowed entry to the “inn.” This culminates in the biggest celebration on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) with the birth of Christ celebrated at midnight, followed by mass, food, and presents. Many hotels and restaurants will offer special dinners and events for travelers.
• Sabor a Cabo Restaurant and Food Festival: The area’s largest food festival with over 50 participating restaurants. The annual celebration features local and international chefs, food, wine, music, tequila, and mezcal. Proceeds benefit several local charities.

When is hurricane season in Cabo San Lucas?

The official Cabo hurricane season runs from mid-May through November. However, most of Cabo’s tropical storms occur in September, and there’s very little rain in the early summer months and in late October and November.

The Best Time for the Great Outdoors

If you’re an intrepid explorer who needs a good hike to make your vacation perfect, then Los Cabos is a great place to visit. With both Cabo Pulmo National Park and Fox Canyon right here, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to mountain trails, desert landscapes, and unique biodiversity.

Of course, it can be hard to enjoy a good hike if it’s too hot, so we recommend visiting in the cooler winter and spring months for the best experience. Our Hiking Tour in Fox Canyon will open up a whole world of well-kept secrets in the area, and our guides can teach you a lot about this rare and vibrant ecosystem.

Weather in Cabo from May to July

As many visitors head back home, cooler temperatures also return, but those looking to travel during the early summer months shouldn’t fear the Cabo weather. It starts to warm up, and a lot of hotel deals become available. The warm weather, with an average temperature in Cabo San Lucas staying around the high 80s, and a more relaxed scene, makes this the ideal time of year for family vacations. Playing in the cool ocean waves, participating in a game of water volleyball at Villa del Arco Beach Resort & Spa, and relaxing under the shade of an umbrella are some of the more refreshing ways to spend your days during the summer months in Los Cabos, Mexico.

Cabo San Lucas Weather from August to September

This is the best time of the year to visit Cabo San Lucas if you want to avoid the crowds and don’t mind a few rainstorms during your vacation. The Los Cabos weather is known to be stormier than usual from August to September. However, given its desert climate, there’s actually only about a 20% chance of rain each day. The late summer season also offers the lowest hotel prices, making it easier to vacation if you’re on a budget. Popular restaurants, picture-perfect beaches, and some of the best sport fishing in the world are yours for the taking. For beachgoers, this is also the best time of year for surfing as the winds bring in some of the most exciting swells of the season.

Cabo Weather from December to April

Kick off your year in Los Cabos, Mexico with mild temperatures as the breeze blows away the humidity. For many, this is the time to escape the biting cold winds and freezing temperatures of the north by taking a Mexico vacation. Cabo San Lucas weather makes this time of the year popular for tourists who love the warm air but would like to avoid the more extreme desert heat. The winter season sees an average temperature in Cabo San Lucas that hovers around the mid-70s, while at the beginning of spring, temperatures can rise to the mid-80s. During this period of time, you won’t have to fight off the rains, but you might have to fend for your seat by the pool as it is the most popular season of the year for those traveling to the top Mexican destination.

If you are into whale watching and sport fishing, this is by far the best time of year to visit Cabo San Lucas. During the season, tours head out daily to spot the whales who have also migrated south to give birth in the warm Mexican waters. Visitors can watch these amazing creatures swim and play from the shores of Villa del Arco Beach Resort & Spa. Sport fishing is also popular during the winter months when certain species, such as Marlin, Tuna, and Yellowtail, are plentiful. March and April are also great for those seeking to reel in Sierra, Swordfish, and the occasional Dorado.

Weather in Cabo San Lucas from October to November

Some say this is the best time of year to visit Cabo San Lucas if you want to be on the water. The near-perfect temperatures and constant sunshine make for an exquisite vacation. For snorkelers and divers, the waters are still warm and have their highest visibility, making spotting the bright tropical fish and other exotic marine life easy. The abundance of fish in the warm waters also brings out the sportsmen to catch tuna, marlin, and sailfish. Some fishermen even take part in the local fishing tournaments to see who can reel in the largest catch.

It’s always time for a vacation to Cabo San Lucas, but to plan the trip best suited to your dreams, choose the time of year when the weather and activities match your interests. Whether it’s whale watching in the spring or deep-sea fishing in the fall, the tropical breezes will call you down to Los Cabos.

December

Just in time for Christmas, the coolest temperatures will arrive in Los Cabos. The average high will be in the upper 70s, and with clear skies, you can spend your Christmas day lounging under the shade of palm trees. As the mornings and evenings start to cool off, you may want a light jacket for early walks on the beach and sunset cruises, especially if you’re sailing out to see the arrival of the whales.

The Best Time for a Quiet Time

Crowds can sometimes ruin the rest and relaxation you’re on vacation for, and with Cabo San Lucas being such a special place, it will come as no surprise that a lot of people visit. The best time to avoid the rush is to visit in between peak vacation times.

Avoid the Spring Breakers in March and April, and stay away from those winter months when most people have time off. If you’re really crowd shy, then you could consider coming during the rainy season in September. You may have a few cloudy days, but in all honesty, the rain is fairly scarce, so you’ll not only enjoy a lot of sun, but you’ll also have those golden sandy beaches to yourself and a lot of quiet bars and restaurants to enjoy!

The Best Time to Explore the Water

If you’re visiting Cabo San Lucas, then the odds are you enjoy the water! Whether you’re a surfer, a diver, or a swimmer, there is so much to explore here, and you can do it all year round.

If you’re a seasoned surfer or if you want to try surfing for the first time, you’ll find excellent waves (for all levels!) at different beaches throughout the year. High Tide Los Cabos offers Surfing Lessons at Costa Azul and also Cabo Surf Lessons at Cerritos. Our expert guides can help you explore the best breaks based on the time of year and your abilities.

To see Los Cabos from another perspective, we definitely recommend you try a Paddle-Boarding Tour. You can explore the coastline, visit the iconic El Arco, and discover the rich sea life that makes Cabo San Lucas such a dynamic and special place.

Water visibility is at its clearest in the fall, but snorkeling and diving are perfect here all year round. If there are certain things you want to see, then you can time your visit to match migration patterns. But you’re guaranteed to catch colorful reef fish and sea turtles all year!

The Ideal Time for a Fantastic Deal

Everybody loves a great deal, so it's important to discuss the optimal time of year for affordable prices. And as you may have guessed, the off-peak season is the prime time to secure an incredible place at a reasonable cost. If you choose to visit during the rainy season, you'll be able to find excellent bargains and avoid large crowds. The best part is, you won't have to compromise on activities because the water is always inviting and the landscape is consistently breathtaking! 

Ultimately, at High Tide Los Cabos, we believe that the best time to visit Cabo San Lucas is as soon as possible! We're eager to showcase the best of this beautiful destination and ensure that you have an unforgettable vacation. If any of our tours or activities catch your interest, or if you have any inquiries, please feel free to reach out. Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo await your arrival!

In conclusion, Cabo San Lucas offers a range of options for every type of traveler, making it a versatile and alluring destination throughout the year. Whether you're a thrill-seeker looking to witness the vibrant events and festivals, a nature enthusiast craving the best outdoor adventures, or a budget traveler on the lookout for great deals, there is a perfect time for you to visit. From the tranquil months of December to the adventurous water explorations of May to July, Cabo San Lucas awaits with its stunning weather and breathtaking experiences. So plan your trip wisely and embark on an unforgettable journey to this paradise on Earth.